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May 9, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Timeline Tuesday … 1970s

Today’s ‘Timeline Tuesday’ takes us through the 1970s – first Waikiki Roughwater swim, first Merrie Monarch, Hokule‘a launched and English and Hawaiian are recognized as official State languages.. We look at what was happening in Hawai‘i during this time period and what else was happening around the rest of the world.

A Comparative Timeline illustrates the events with images and short phrases. This helps us to get a better context on what was happening in Hawai‘i versus the rest of the world. I prepared these a few years ago for a planning project. (Ultimately, they never got used for the project, but I thought they might be on interest to others.)

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May 7, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Dædalus

“In the morning of the 7th of May (1792,) the Dædalus (a supply ship to Vancouver’s expedition) arrived in that bay where the Resolution and Discovery had anchored in 1779, but Mr Hergest declined anchoring there, as he considered the inhabitants of that neighbourhood to be the most savage and deceitful of any amongst those islands.”

“For this reason he lay to, and purchased from the natives some hogs, vegetables, and a few gourds of water. In the evening he stood off shore, and desired that the inhabitants would bring a farther supply of water and refreshments the next morning …”

“… but it falling calm, and the current setting the ship to the westward, it was near noon on the nth before they regained the shore, when Mr Hergest receded from his former wise determination, and, unhappily for himself and those who fell with him, ordered the ship to be anchored.”

“The cutter was hoisted out and veered astern for the better convenience of purchasing water from the natives, but before three casks were filled, which was soon done, he ordered the cutter alongside, the full casks to be taken out and replaced by empty ones …”

“… and then, accompanied as usual by Mr Gooch, he went on shore, and another boat was hoisted out for the purpose of obtaining water, while those on board continued making purchases until near dusk.”

“At this time the cutter returned with only five persons instead of the eight who had gone on shore in her, from whom was learned the distressing intelligence that Mr Hergest and Mr Gooch, and two of the boat’s crew, having landed, unarmed with two of the water-casks to fill …”

“… their defenceless situation was perceived by the natives, who immediately attacked them, killed one of the people, and carried off the commander (Hergest) and the astronomer (Gooch.)”

“The other, being a very stout active man, made his escape through a great number of these savages, fled to the boat, and with two others landed again with two muskets, and with the intention to rescue their officers and to recover the body of their messmate. “

“They soon perceived that both Mr Hergest and Mr Gooch were yet alive amongst a vast concourse of the inhabitants, who were stripping them and forcing them up the hills behind the village: they endeavoured to get near the multitude …”

“… but were so assailed by stones from the crowd, who had now gained the surrounding hills, that they were under the painful necessity of retiring -, and as night was fast approaching, they thought it most advisable to return on board, that more effectual means might be resorted to on this unfortunate occasion.”

“Mr New immediately assembled all the officers, to consult with them what was best to be done. It was agreed to stand off and on with the ship during the night, and in the morning to send the cutter well manned and armed on shore, and if possible to recover their unfortunate commander and shipmates.”

“An old chief belonging to Attowai, who had been on board since the Dædalus entered the Bay, and had been promised by Mr Hergest a passage to his native island, went also in the boat, to assist as an interpreter, and to employ his good offices. He was first landed, and went towards the natives, of whom he demanded the absent gentlemen …”

“… on which he was informed they were both killed the preceding night. Having delivered this message, he was sent back to demand their bodies; but was told in reply, that they had both been cut in pieces, and divided amongst seven different chiefs; at least it was fa understood by those in the boat from the language and signs which the chief made use of.”

“After this conversation the savages came in great numbers towards the sea side, and threw stones at the party in the boat, who fired several times and at length obliged them to retire. Finding their errand to be completely fruitless, the boat returned on board, in which the old chief re-embarked, and the vessel bore away …”

“… they filled their sails, and having then no business at Attowai, they made the best of their way towards Nootka, agreeably to my directions.” (Vancouver)

In the spring of 1793 Vancouver returned from the coast of America to Hawai‘i …

“On the 18th March Vancouver left Lahaina with Kamohomoho on board. After examining the southern and western shores of Molokai, he anchored off Waikiki, Oahu, on the 20th March 1793.”

“The main object of Vancouver’s visit to Waikiki was to see that the remaining murderers of the officers and man of the ‘Dædalus’ were apprehended and punished. Kamohomoho, who had accompanied Vancouver as high commissioner from Kahekili to attend to this business, secured the apprehension of three natives, who were brought on board the ‘Discovery’ for trial.”

“A native – whom Vancouver calls Tohoobooarto, who had been a voyage to China with some of the foreign traders, who spoke a little English, and who said he had visited the ‘Dædalus’ in Waimea Bay, and went ashore in the same boat as Lieutenant Hergest after dissuading him from landing – was the principal witness who identified the prisoners to Kamohomoho, by whose orders they were apprehended.”

“A Mr Dobson, who had been midshipman of the ‘Dædalus’ on the occasion, identified one of the prisoners as having been very turbulent and insolent on board of the ‘Dædalus’ before Lieutenant Hergest went ashore, and who immediately followed him thither …”

“… and whom the crew of the ‘Dædalus,’ after the occurrence, accused of having been the ringleader or principal actor in the murders committed on shore.”

“Adding to this the general belief of the chiefs present that the prisoners were concerned in and guilty of the crime they stood accused of – an opinion confirmed by Kalanikūpule himself, who, however, pleaded sickness as an excuse for not attending the trial – Vancouver considered himself justified in sanctioning their conviction and punishment.”

“The three prisoners denied their guilt, and stoutly asserted their ignorance of the whole occurrence. ‘This very assertion,’ Vancouver thinks, ‘amounted almost to self-conviction …”

“… as it is not easy to believe that the execution of their comrades by Titeeree’s orders for the same offence with which they had been charged had not come to their knowledge, or that it could have escaped their recollection.’”

“On the 2nd March the prisoners were placed in a double canoe alongside of the ‘Discovery,’ and, in sight of the shore and of numbers afloat in their canoes, were publicly executed, a chief, whom Vancouver calls Tennavee, shooting each one of them with a pistol.”

“It is very probable that the three first natives who were punished with death by the order of Kahekili for the murder of the ‘Dædalus’ people were more or less concerned in the affair …”

“… and that when Kahekili learned from the foreigners residing with him that such an outrage on an English national vessel would surely, sooner or later, meet with condign punishment and prove highly injurious to himself, he then ordered the execution of the three first offenders as an expiation, and to put himself right on the record, as it were.”

“And it is equally probable – their protestations to the contrary notwithstanding – that the three last offenders, who were executed in the presence of Vancouver, were also implicated in the murder.”

“But we have the positive declaration of SM Kamakau, who in after-life conversed with one of the parties participating in the murder, that Koi, the head and instigator of the whole affair, and his immediate subordinates, were neither apprehended, punished, nor even molested …”

“… and that the parties executed were criminals of other offences, who, their lives having been forfeited under the laws and customs of the country, were imposed upon Vancouver as the guilty parties in the ‘Dædalus’ affair.” (Fornander)

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May 6, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Entourage

On November 27, 1823, L’Aigle, an English whaling ship under the command of Captain Valentine Starbuck, on which Kamehameha II (Liholiho), Kamāmalu, and their entourage traveled to England to gain firsthand experience in European ways.

The king and his chiefs agreed that Liholiho needed a competent interpreter to travel with him, and they asked Starbuck to permit the Englishman William Ellis and his family to join the royal suite. Starbuck adamantly and persistently refused. Frenchman John Rives went as interpreter.

Liholiho’s chosen party were Governor Boki and his wife, Liliha, Kapihe, Chief Kekuanaoa, steward Manuia, Naukana (Noukana), Kauluhaimalama, servant Na‘aiweuweu, and James Kanehoa Young. (Corley)

Boki was the son of Kekuamanoha, a chief of Maui (but it was rumored that he was the son of Kahekili II.) His original name was Kamaʻuleʻule; his nickname came from a variation on Boss, the name of the favorite dog of Kamehameha I.

His older brother, Kalanimōkū, was prime minister and formerly Kamehameha’s most influential advisor. His aunt was the powerful Kaʻahumanu, queen regent and Kamehameha’s favorite wife.

King Kamehameha II appointed Boki as governor of Oʻahu and chief of the Waiʻanae district. John Dominis Holt III said Boki was “a man of great charisma who left his mark everywhere he went.”

Boki married Chiefess Kuini Liliha; Liliha was the daughter of Kalaniulumoku II (some say Koakanu was her father) and Loeau, who were themselves full blooded brother and sister (children of Kalaniulumoku I and his own mother the venerable kapu chiefess Kalanikuiokikilo.)

This makes Liliha a niaupio child, a chiefess of the highest possible princely rank in the system of Hawaiian chiefs. She was hānai (adopted) daughter of Ulumāheihei (Hoapili). (Kekoolani)

Ulumāheihei’s father, High Chief Kameʻeiamoku, was one of the “royal twins” who helped Kamehameha I come to power – the twins are on the Islands’ coat of arms – Kameʻeiamoku is on the right (bearing a kahili,) his brother, Kamanawa is on the left, holding a spear.

Kapihe (Naihekukui) “was very intelligent, had an excellent memory, and spoke English tolerably. He was remarkably skillful in the game of draughts (Kōnane,) which he played with uniform success.” (Byron)

He was son of the chief Hanakāhi and also known as Jack the Pilot or Captain Jack. He had been the pilot for the Russian explorer Golovnin in 1818 and piloted Freycinet from Kailua Bay to Kawaihae in August 1819. (Birkett) Lord Byron referred to him as ‘Admiral.’

Kekūanāoʻa’s name (literally, the standing projections) is said to refer to ships’ masts seen in the harbor when Kekūanāoʻa was born. (Pukui) (Some claim Kekūanāoʻa to be the son of Ki‘ilaweau, the grandson of Alapaʻi, King of Hawai‘i, and the Chiefess Kaho‘owaha of Moana. (Kapi‘ikauinamoku))

“As a young man he was a favorite and attendant of the declining years of Kamehameha I. With Liholiho he was a punahele, or intimate attendant and friend, and in that capacity accompanied the Royal party to England”.

Kekūanāoʻa married Pauahi, formerly a wife of Liholiho. They had a daughter, Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani. In 1827, Kīnaʻu, daughter of Kamehameha, became Kekūanāoʻa’s wife. Kīnaʻu and Kekūanāoʻa had five children: Prince David Kamehameha (who died as a child;) Prince Moses Kekūāiwa (who died in 1848;) Prince Lot Kapuāiwa (Kamehameha V); Prince Alexander Liholiho (Kamehamhea IV) and Princess Victoria Kamāmalu.

Boki’s younger cousin, Manuia, was in command of Fort Kekuanohu, of the fortified hill of Punchbowl and the harbor of Kou, and Boki made him Chief Marshall with power over life and death. He an Boki later set up grog shops at Honolulu.

Naukana (Noukana) was son of Kamanawa (one of the twins on the Islands’ coat of arms – and one of Kamehameha’s four Kona Uncles who helped him rise to control all of the Islands.)

Kauluhaimalama was son of Kekūhaupiʻo. Hawai‘i Island ruling chief Kalaniʻōpuʻu instructed Kekūhaupiʻo to teach Kamehameha the ancient martial arts of the land. Kekūhaupiʻo was determined to give all his knowledge to his chiefly pupil, and he indeed did so. This brought about the firm bond between Kekūhaupiʻo and the young Kamehameha.

Kekūhaupiʻo is arguably the one man most closely connected to Kamehameha I during Kamehameha’s formative years, while he developed his skills as a warrior, and through the early period of Kamehameha’s conquests.

“Kanehoa Young, the second son of John Young, was about the same age as Liholiho, had traveled widely throughout the world, and spoke English.” (Corley)

John Young, a boatswain on the British fur trading vessel, Eleanora, was stranded on the Island of Hawai‘i in 1790. Kamehameha brought Young to Kawaihae, where he was building the massive temple, Pu’ukoholā Heiau.

For the next several years, John Young, and another British sailor, Isaac Davis, went on to assist Kamehameha in his unification of the Hawaiian Islands.

Because of his knowledge of European warfare, Young is said to have trained Kamehameha and his men in the use of muskets and cannons. In addition, both Young and Davis fought alongside Kamehameha in his many battles.

With these powerful new weapons and associated war strategy, Kamehameha eventually brought all of the Hawaiian Islands under his rule.

In London, Liholiho and Kamāmalu became ill. It is believed they probably contracted the measles on their visit to the Royal Military Asylum (now the Duke of York’s Royal Military School.) Virtually the entire royal party developed measles within weeks of arrival, 7 to 10 days after visiting the Royal Military Asylum housing hundreds of soldiers’ children.

Kamāmalu (aged 22) died on July 8, 1824. The grief-stricken Kamehameha II (age 27) died six days later, on July 14, 1824. Prior to his death he asked to return and be buried in Hawai‘i.

Kapihe was the only one of the followers who had suffered from the disorder in a degree at all equal to the king and queen. Boki and Kekūanāoʻa rapidly recovered; and Kapihe soon grew better.

Shortly thereafter, the British Government dispatched HMS Blonde to convey the bodies of Liholiho and Kamāmalu back to Hawaii, along with the entourage. The Captain of the Blonde, a newly commissioned 46-gun frigate, was Lord Byron (a cousin of the poet.) The Blonde arrived back in Honolulu on May 6, 1825.

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May 5, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kapiʻolani Breast Cancer

“Kapiʻolani was born at Hilo, Hawaii, in the year 1781. She came into the world at a time when Kamehameha was engaged in his struggle for the conquest of Hawaii. It was not until she was fourteen years old that, for the first time in Hawaiian history, there ruled over all the islands, except Kauai, one king; and Kauai was soon to fall under the sway of the mighty Kamehameha.”

“Her father was Keawemauhili, one of the very highest chiefs known to the heralds. He was half-brother of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, king of the island of Hawaii.”

“The earliest incident on record of Kapiʻolani is her narrow escape from death, as a baby in arms, at the time of Kamehameha’s contest with the chiefs of Hilo. The little girl’s guardians, fleeing from the battle, in order to hasten their flight, threw her into a clump of bushes.”

“The story of her rescue, by an old native chronicler, tells that a certain man, named Ha‘aiawi, “passing that way, heard the voice of a child crying. He stood to listen, and being assured of the child’s voice, he drew near and looked, and behold there was his chiefess in the bushes, deserted by her guardians. His compassion was aroused and he hurriedly grasped the child and fled to the mountains.” (Morris)

“Kapiʻolani was one or the most distinguished of the female chiefs of the Islands. She was the wife of Naihe, a high chief on the island of Hawaii, who was an early convert, and became one of the most influential Christian chiefs, and one of the ablest counsellors of the missionaries.”

“The conversion of Kapiʻolani, and her elevation in character, is perhaps one of the most delightful instances of the results of missionary labour.” (Lucy Thurston)

“She told the missionaries she had come to strengthen their hearts and help them in their work. They rejoiced in the salutary influence which she exerted in favor of education and reform, an influence felt at once and happily continued when she had returned home.” (Bingham)

“Kapiʻolani was early converted to the truth, – applied herself to study, – readily adopted the manners and usages of civilized life, – and soon became distinguished for devoted piety, for intelligence, and for dignity of manners.”

“She took a bold stand against the vices and superstitions of her people, and exerted a decided influence in favour of Christianity.” (Thurston)

She won the cause of Christianity by openly defying the priests of the fire goddess Pele in 1825. In spite of their threats of vengeance she ascended the volcano Mauna-Loa, then clambered down to the great lake of fire – Kilauea – the home of the goddess, and flung into the boiling lava the consecrated ohelo berries which it was sacrilege for a woman to handle. (Tennyson)

Kapiʻolani, for more than a year before her death, suffered from breast cancer. “She came to Honolulu about the 20th of March by the advice of Dr. Andrews her Physician to be operated on”.

“It lasted about half an hour, and the ordeal was endured by this heroic woman without a tremor. During the course of the operation, Dr. Judd asked her if it pained. She replied, ‘It does pain, but I have fixed my mind on Christ, thinking of his pain on the Cross for me, and I am thereby enabled to endure.’” (Morris, Thrum)

“She bore the operation, which was severe, without manifesting the least symptom of pain. Her breast as she afterwards expressed it was with Jesus …”

“… and so vivid was her sense of the Divine presence that she seemed to be almost unconscious of what she was suffering. She was ready to die, and equally ready to live if that were the will of God.” (Judd, Report to Sandwich Islands Mission, 1840-1841)

“Both Dr Woodd & Dr Fox surgeon of the Vincennes united in opinion with me that the disease was removed & we might expect a perfect cure.”

“The wound healed kindly & at the end of a fortnight was really closed. She attended meetings & at the Poalima was very animated in her arguments with her sisters on the subject of their old superstitions about ghosts and pule ana‘ana which she had determined to refute as long as her life should be spared her.”

“About six weeks after the operation deeming my attendance no longer necessary I gave her permission to visit Maui as soon as she could procure a passage, and in preparation for leaving she took a long walk in the heat of the day which brought on a pain in the side.”

“The next day Apl 29th she visited each of the missionaries at their houses including those from other islands. Erysipelous now made its appearance which after two or three days by Metastasis affected the brain and she sunk away into palsy (paralysis with involuntary tremors)”. (Judd, Report to Sandwich Islands Mission, 1840-1841)

“The day before her death, those around the bed asked her, ‘To whom shall we attach ourselves if you die?’ meaning what chief should they follow. She replied, ‘Follow Jesus Christ.’”

“Thinking she had misunderstood, the question was repeated, but she again made the same answer. Kapiʻolani died about 11 am on May 5, 1841.” (Morris; Thrum) In communicating the intelligence, Mr. Forbes writes: ‘The nation has lost one of its brightest ornaments.’”

“’She was confessedly the most decided Christian, the most civilized in her manners, and the most thoroughly read in her Bible, of all the chiefs this nation ever had, and her equal in those respects is not left in the nation. Her last end was one of peace, and gave decided evidence that your missionaries have not laboured in vain.” (Thurston)

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May 4, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Initial Homes for the Missionaries

“The Hawaiian mode of building habitations was, in a measure, ingenious, and when their work was carefully executed, it was adapted to the taste of a dark, rude tribe, subsisting on roots, fish, and fruits, but by no means sufficient to meet their necessities, even in their mild climate.”

“Round posts, a few inches in diameter, are set in the ground about a yard apart, rising from three to five feet from the surface. On a shoulder, near the top, is laid a horizontal pole, two or three inches in diameter, as a plate; on this, directly over the posts, rest the rafters.”

“A point of the post, called a finger, rises on the outside of the plate, and passes between two points of the rafter projecting over the plate and below the main shoulder.”

“The joint thus constructed is held together partly by the natural pressure of the roof, and partly by lashings of bark, vines, or grassy fibres beaten, and by hand twisted and doubled into a coarse twine, and put on manifold, so as to act as four braces – two from the post, and two from rafter, extending to the plate, all being attached six to twelve inches from the joint.”

“Three poles or posts, about three times the length of the side posts, are set in the ground, one in the centre of the building, and the others at the ends, on which rests the nether ridge pole, supporting the head of the rafters.”

“These crossing each other, the angle above receives the upper ridge pole, which is lashed to the nether and to the head of the rafters.”

“Posts of unequal length are set at the ends of the building, sloping a little inward and reaching to the end rafters, to which their tops are tied. A door-frame, from three to six feet high, is placed between two end or side posts. Thatch-poles are bed horizontally to the posts and rafters, from an inch to three inches apart, all around and from the ground to the top ridge pole.”

“At this stage the building assumes the appearance of a huge, rude bird cage. It is then covered with the leaf of the ki, pandanus, sugarcane, or more commonly (as in the case of the habitations for us) with grass bound on in small bundles, side by side, one tier overlapping another, like shingles.”

“A house thus thatched assumes the appearance of a long hay stack without, and a cage in a hay mow within. The area or ground within, is raised a little with earth, to prevent the influx of water, and spread with grass and mats, answering usually instead of floors, tables, chairs, sofas, and beds.”

“Air can pass through the thatching, and often there is one small opening through the thatch besides the door, for ventilation and light.”

“Such was the habitation of the Hawaiian, – the monarch, chief, and landlord, the farmer, fisherman, and cloth-beating widow, – a tent of poles and thatch-a rude attic, of one apartment on the ground-a shelter for the father, mother, larger and smaller children, friends and servants.” (Hiram Bingham)

When the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries arrived in the islands (April, 1820,) through the kindness of some of the traders living in Honolulu three grass houses were offered to the five families. It is believed that these houses stood near the site of the McCandless building, at the corner of King and Bethel Streets.

The Binghams occupied one of these, which consisted of a single room, one corner being partitioned off by mats, providing a little privacy. (Restarick, Sybil Bingham Journal)

“April 23rd, (1820) Sabbath. With what interest would our friends in America look upon us to-day, could they cast an eye over the wide waters and behold I The season is truly an interesting one. Probably the first sabbath in which the worship of Jehovah was ever observed in these pagan Isles.”

“We have had divine service to-day in our own dwelling—our straw-thatched cottage—the congregation composed of white residents and Commanders of vessels now lying at the harbour, with many of the natives seated on the mats and surrounding the door.” (Sybil Bingham Journal)

About 3-months after their arrival, Boki began building hale pili for the missionaries. There were three hale connected by a long covered lanai with a fourth hale used as a storage room, separated from the rest.

One part of the Bingham’s hale was to be used as a schoolroom and meetinghouse for Church. The Bingham’s lived at one end of the three connected ones, the Loomises in the middle one, and Daniel Chamberlain and his family in the last one. The missionaries quickly set about preparing the hale pili for their use:

“Mr. (Ruggles) and Capt. (Chamberlain) fitted up the schoolroom for school and meetings (church services,) hanging the walls and covering the ground with mats and making commodious seats …We felt the need of lumber, an article most difficult to be obtained here.”

“It would hardly be possible, at any price to purchase a sufficient quantity of plank for seats in this public room. Some of the timber brought with us will answer very well for temporary seats, placed around the room double and covered with hay and mats.” (Thaddeus Journal, September 16, 1820; Mission Houses)

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