Peter T Young

May 13, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 163 – April 2, 1820

Still in Kawaihae, Captain Blanchard and Hiram Bingham visit Pu’ukohola Heiau with Kalanimōku.

April 2, 1820 – Lords Day. This morning Capt. B. and Brother B. visited Crymokoo and with him the most celebrated moreah of the Islands. It was built by Tamaahmoah who himself laid the cornerstone. It stands on the brow of a hill, fronting the seashore. It consists now principally of a huge wall about 10 feet thick at the bottom and 5 at top, 20 feet in a height, on three sides of the parallellogram which is about 120 feet in breadth and 240 in length; but on the front side the wall, instead of being elevated much above the area enclosed, consists of 4 or 5 large offsets down the declivity of the hill, which made convenient places for hundreds of worshipers to stand while the priests was within offering prayers and sacrifices of abomination. In this inclosure are ruins of several houses burnt to the ground, the ashed of various wooden Gods, remains of …. and other like buildings. the ashes and burnt bones of many human visitors, sacrificed to demons. At the foot of the hill is a similar enclosure 280 feet in length and 50 in breadth, which had been used for the sacrifice of various beasts and plants, &c. The walls and areas of these open buildings, once tabooed and sacred, are now free to every foot, useless and tumbling into ruins, and as upon the fallen walls of Jerico, every man goes up straight before him, to set up the banner of Jehovah, Israel’s God. In the afternoon, Crymokooand his suit and visitors came on board with an intention to accompany us to the residence of the King. In the midst of these interesting Isles, surrounded with a listening and admiring group of natives, we attended public worhip on deck and offered prayers and praises to the God of Zion. Brother Bingham preached from Isa. 42.4. “The Isles shall wait for his law”. and considered the character of the Law-giver; of the law waited for; of those who shall wait for it; the manner of waiting; the evidence that these Isles do now or soon will wait for it, and the consequences of receiving it. Tho’ these Islanders could not now understand the precepts of the law of Christ, yet they harkened to the sound with almost perfect stillness and were pleased with our singing and our worship. One of the former queens had before requested that our Wihenes would make her a gown like their own, was told that it was the Lord’s day, and that they would make it tomorrow. This evening they have spread their portable mats and tapas on deck and laid themselves down peacefully to sleep. May the watchman of Israel keep them, and bring them to heavenly rest. (Thaddeus Journal)

On the 2d, the first missionary, ‘Mr. Bingham, went on shore to wait on Kalanimoku to come off. Through the day many canoes with men and women came off to trade, others to see the white women.’ Mr. Bingham visited the abandoned temple near by, and described it as ‘built on arough hill, a little way from the shore of the bay,’ occupying ‘an area about 240 feet in length, and 120 in breadth,’ and appearing like a fort.’ … At noon the captain returned to the brig, ‘accompanied by Kalanimōku, his two wives, and two of the late queens with their servants and several other chief women and natives. They brought some taro, potatoes, sugar-cane, and one hog. We then made sail, with light sea breezes the remainder of the day and night, and slow progress. At 4 p.m. all hands, with the natives, attended public worship’ (it was Sunday). (James Hunnewell)

2nd. This has been a new Sabbath to us all. The Chief and his family came on board for the purpose ‘of accompanying us to Kiarooah, (Kailua) the place of the king’s residence. One of the Queens brought a piece of cloth and requested us to make a gown like ours. Thomas told her it was the Lord’s day and we would make it to-morrow. She answered, miti (that is good). How unlike to those peaceful Sabbaths I have enjoyed in America, have been the scenes of this day. Instead of a little retired spot in my chamber, I am thronged with these degraded natives, whose continual chattering has become wearisome to me, yet I think this has been the most interesting Sabbath of my life. In the afternoon brother B. preached from Isa. 42.4. “and the Isles shall wait for his law”. The heathens paid a listening attention to the sound of the voice and the appearance of the audience. Oh may the time be hastened in its season^ when these Chiefs & Queens who have now heard the words of life shall become nursing fathers and mothers to this little church. (Nancy Ruggles)

2. Sabbath This morning capt B went on shore and again brought off the chief who will accompany us to the king at Kairooah, to-morrow. Brother B preached from the words ‘the Isles shall wait for his law’ Though only the sound of the Gospel reached their ears we hope the time is not far distant when its power will reach their hearts. (Samuel Whitney Journal)

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May 12, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Pā‘aiea Pond

It is said there once was a very large fishpond extending from Ka‘elehuluhulu, adjoining the region of Mahai‘ula (now part of Ke Kahakai State Park,) running south past Ka-Lae-O-Keāhole to as far south as Wawaloli on the boundary of ‘O‘oma (the beach park within the Natural Energy Laboratory,) in North Kona on the Big Island.

This is the present area of Kona International Airport.

This fishpond, known as Pā‘aiea, was reportedly three-miles long and a mile-and- a-half wide; it was the large fishpond of Kamehameha.

The pond was so large that fishermen going to Kailua and further South, often took a short cut by taking their canoes into the pond and going across, thus saving time against the strong sea breeze and current from Keāhole.

There was a famous saying about this fishpond: O na hoku o ka lani, o Pā‘aiea ko lalo – The stars are above, Pā‘aiea below.

The reason for this saying was because of its exceptionally large size. Within the wide waters of this pond were numerous little islets that were compared to the stars in the heavens.

“Pā‘aiea was a great pond almost like the ponds of Wainanalii and Kiholo. In the olden days, when the great ruling chiefs were living, and when these fish ponds were full of the riches of Awa, Anae, and Ahole, along with all sorts of fish which swam within.”

“During that time, Konohiki were stationed, and he was the guard of the pond that watched over the pond and all things, as here we are talking about Pā‘aiea Pond which was destroyed by lava and became pahoehoe lava which remains today”.

“In the correct and trues story of this pond, its boundaries began from Kaelehuluhulu on the north and on the south was at the place called Wawaloli, and the distance from one end to the other was 3 miles or more, and that was the length of this pond …”

“… and today within these boundaries, there are a number of pools [lua wai loko] remaining during this time that the writer is speaking before the readers of the Hoku.”

“The great Overseer [Konohiki] who cared for this pond was Kepaalani, and everything fell under him: the storehouses [hale papaa] where poi and fish were stored, the halau for the fishing canoes, the nets and all thing, and from him the fishermen and the retainers of the court would obtain their sustenance.”

“And at this time when the pond was destroyed by lava, Kamehameha was residing in Hilo for the purpose of waging war, and this war was called Kaipalaoa …”

“… during this war, Namakehaikalani died and was offered atop the Heiau of Piihonua in Hilo; and this was Kamehameha’s final war, and his enemies lived quietly without uprising once again. “

“This was the time between 1798 until 1801, and it is said that this is when lava destroyed this pond that was full of riches, and turned it into a land of pahoehoe lava which remains to this day.” (Hoku o Hawaii, 2/5/1914)

Pā‘aiea Pond was reportedly destroyed by the 1801 eruption and lava flow from Hualālai. Two parts to a story relate to the cause of its destruction.

The first suggests that one day an old woman appeared at the large canoe shed of Kepa‘alani (the konohiki or overseer of the pond.)

Another man, Kapulau, asked: “Malahini?” (newcomer)

She replied “I am a Kama‘āina, not exactly a total stranger, but I do not often come down here to the seashore. Living in the restful uplands, and hearing that there was plenty of fish down at the beach, I hastened down to see if the fishermen would give me a bit of palu.”

The konohiki replied, “”No! You cannot have fish, palu, shrimps or anything. It all belongs to the Chief, and only the Chief can give them to you.”

“Well! That is all. I now return to the uplands without even a grain of salt.” The old woman stood up and turned around to go.

When she came to Kapulau’s house, she was urged to remain and have something to eat. She consented and sat down. When she had finished her meal, Kapulau gave her a fish.

The old woman stood up, and before starting to go, she gave these instructions to her host: “Tonight, you and your wife put up a lepa (kapa cloth on end of a stick, as used to mark a taboo area) back of your house and here on your fence.” They followed her instructions.

In the second part of the story, this same old woman soon afterwards appears at a village called Manuahi which was on the Western slope of Hualālai, and where two girls who figure in this story, lived; they were roasting bread-fruit.

The name of one of these girls was Pahinahina and the name of the other was Kolomu‘o. As soon as the old woman saw then she inquired: “For whom are you roasting your bread-fruit?”

Kolomu‘o answered: “I am roasting my bread-fruit for La‘i. That is my God and the God of my parents.”

Then the old woman turned and asked Pahinahina, the other girl, “and for whom, pray, are you roasting your breadfruit?” “For Pele,” Pahinahina replies.

Then they ate the breadfruit.

Then the old woman asked Pahinahina: “Where is your house?” Pahinahina told her they shared a house, but the families lived on respective end of it. The old women then told her, “When your parents come home, you tell them to put up a lepa on the end of your part of the house.” They complied.

That night, the people living at the beach saw an eruption on Mountain of Hualālai and as they saw the lava flow they realized that the old woman whose request for fish, palu and shrimps had been refused, could have been no other than the Goddess Pele.

The lava came and destroyed the great fishpond of Pā‘aiea, dried its water and filled and covered it with black rocks.

However, two places were spared.

There remained only that very small portion of the fishpond, close to Ho‘ona (within the Natural Energy Laboratory property at Keāhole Point.)

Also, the area where Pahinahina and her family lived was left untouched, and this open space bears the name of Pahinahina to this day (it is below the old headquarters at Hu‘ehu‘e Ranch).

It is said that because of this event that the lands of Manuahi came to be called Ka-ulu-pulehu (the roasted breadfruit (‘ū is short for ‘ulu,)) and this has been shortened to Ka‘ūpūlehu.

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May 12, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 164 – April 3, 1820

Kalanimōku and Kalakua ride on the Thaddeus from Kawaihae to Kailua-Kona. Kalakua asks the missionary wife to make her a dress like theirs. It is the sabbath, so they decline, but said they would make it the next day. The Thaddeus is offshore of Kailua-Kona at 8 pm.

April 3, 1820 – First Monday in April. Approaching Kirooah Bay, in sight of the King’s residence. Expecting an interview with him tomorrow, so lift up our petitions in concert with thousands of the friends of Zion, rejoicing in the hope that he who has begun a good work here will carry it on to perfection. (Thaddeus Journal)

At 8 p. m. on Monday the brig was off Kailua (James Hunnewell)

April 3rd. I intended giving particulars, from hour to hour, while each carries so much interest with it. But ray feeble frame seeks the couch so as to interrupt the pen. GOD will give me strength in his own good time. I have given some particulars, within the three last days, in letters to friends. You must gather from them. Now can I feel better than when I looked forward to it, what it is to have the jargon of savage tongues fall on the ear. But bless the Lord with me that tho the flesh is weakened the spirit if sustained. The accounts mentioned on Thursday, have been abundantly confirmed. The feet of some of our brethren have stood upon the ground v/here so lately the priests of idolatry offered up their bloody victims upon their cruel altars —their eyes have seen the wide ruins of their gloomy reign. But, 0, the wretched state of this poor people still! Could your eyes behold them your hearts would melt. The Lord strengthen us, and prepare our way before us, speedily and successfully to preach to them Jesus and him crucified. (Sybil Bingham)

Monday, April 3, 1820. Our ears are constantly stunned with the noise and jabbering of the natives about our vessel. I have counted 20 or 30 canoes about the Brig at a time; some, bringing fruits and vegetables, and others out of curiosity. Our deck is covered through the day with natives, and I have got so tired with the noise and sight of these naked creatures, that I could almost wish myself as far from them as you are. Since I have been sitting here by the cabin window, not less than a dozen canoes have come up to tempt me with their fruits. They want in exchange, scissors, beads, and knives. (Lucia Ruggles Holman)

April 3. Yesterday was a confused Sabbath. The chief & nobility came on board to accompany us to Kairooah, the residence of the King. He had previously sent presents of hogs, potatoes, cocoanuts, banannahs &c. They appeared much pleased with the women and children. One of the Queens admired our dress, & brought a piece of white cambrick for us to make her a gown. Thomas H told her it was the sabbath, the Lords day, and that we would make it the next day. She appeared satisfied with the answer. Today we have been employed in making it. We esteem it a privilege to do anything for these poor degraded heathen. We hope God will soon open their hearts to receive instruction. They seem pleased with the idea of learning to read and write. I hope we may spend our lives among them, & do them much good; but it is yet uncertain, whether we shall be permitted to land or not. (Mercy Partridge Whitney Journal)

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May 11, 2019 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

“The Queen’s Retreat” (Waikīkī)

“In 1868, the year of her 30th birthday and the sixth anniversary of her marriage to John (Dominis), Lili‘uokalani inherited valuable property in Waikiki”. (Star Bulletin)

“The Queen’s Retreat” was in the district of Hamohamo (“rub gently,”) it consisted of two homes – one, called Paoakalani (“the royal perfume,”) was her principal home in Waikīkī.

The other was Ke‘alohilani (“the royal brightness,”) located opposite Kūhiō Beach, which she referred to in her memoirs as “my pretty seaside cottage.”

“In contrast to stately Washington Place, the one-story Ke‘alohilani was open on two sides with a large and inviting living room ‘filled with all things Hawaiian,’ where Lili‘uokalani and her ohana could gather in joy and hospitality”.

“Next to a satin pillow, embroidered in heavy thread proclaiming ‘There Is No Place Like Home,’ stood feathered kahilis. … A feather cape, a knitted afghan, a dog’s tooth necklace, a gold-plated bracelet …”

“… all intermingled in the home Lili‘uokalani came to love so dearly. ‘I danced around the rooms. It was my own!’” (Lili‘uokalani; Hawaii Bar Assn)

Here, she retreated to relax and informally entertain family, friends and on occasion, visiting royalty. She also spent much of her time composing her songs and translating Hawaiian stories into English.

Her home served as a comforting getaway from the pressures of business at ʻIolani Palace, several miles away.

“Hamohamo is justly considered to be the most life-giving and healthy district in the whole extent of the island of Oʻahu; there is something unexplainable and peculiar in the atmosphere of that place, which seldom fails to bring back the glow of health to the patient, no matter from what disease suffering.”

The Queen “derived much amusement, as well as pleasure: for as the sun shines on the evil and the good, and the rain falls on the just and the unjust, I have not felt called upon to limit the enjoyment of my beach and shade-trees to any party in politics …”

“While in exile it has ever been a pleasant thought to me that my people, in spite of differences of opinions, are enjoying together the free use of my seashore home.” (Lili‘uokalani)

In setting up the Lili‘uokalani trust, “Assisted by her attorneys, Lili‘uokalani conveyed all her real property to three trustees (brother-in-law Archibald S Cleghorn, business agent Curtis P Iaukea, and attorney William O Smith) on December 2, 1909. She retained the right to use Washington Place and Ke‘alohilani as her residences”. (Hawaii Bar Assn)

After the Queen’s death, Ke‘alohilani, as well as the pier and beach fronting the area (including the fisheries,) was transferred to Prince Kūhiō.

The Prince and his wife, Princess Elizabeth Kahanu, temporarily lived in Queen Lili‘uokalani’s Waikīkī cottage, Ke‘alohilani, for about a year.

They razed it and constructed a new home, which they called Pualeilani (“heavenly flower lei” or “flower from wreath of heaven.”)

After Prince Kūhiō died at Pualeilani on Jan. 7, 1922, the property was given to the city; by 1938 the name of the pier, as well as the beach area fronting it, became known as Kūhiō Beach.

The surf break in front of this is still known as Queen’s, because this was facing the Queen’s home.

Kuekaunahi stream used to run through the property; this small stream paralleled Kapahulu Avenue and crossed Waikīkī Beach at the intersection of Kalākaua and Kapahulu Avenue.

The stream was eventually enclosed in a culvert and at the shore its waters were channeled into the ocean through the Kapahulu Groin.

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Waikiki-Queen’s_Pier-Private_Beach_Houses

Queen_Liliuokalani-1891

Waikiki-Queen_Liliuokalani’s_Pier

Paoakalani_Hamohamo_c.1880

Home believed to be one of Liliuokalani’s residences

Hamohamo-now the corner of Liliuokalani Street and Kuhio Avenue

‘Diamond_Head_from_Waikiki’,_oil_on_canvas_painting_by_Enoch_Wood_Perry,_Jr.,_c._1865

Alohilani location map-Beall

May 10, 2019 by Peter T Young 8 Comments

Maunaʻolu Seminary

Back in the beginning of the 19th-century, it was believed that women should be educated to understand domestic economy, because they were to play the major role in educating the young, primarily in their homes, and later as school teachers (as the school population grew and there was a shortage of teachers).

Gender segregated schools were established. The seminary’s primary task was professional preparation: the male seminary prepared men for the ministry; the female seminary took as its earnest job the training of women for teaching and motherhood. (Horowitz, Beyer)

Although schools for upper-class women were in existence prior to the 19th-century, the female seminary for middle-class women became the prevailing type of institution from 1820 until after the Civil War.

The most prominent female seminaries on the continent were Troy Seminary (1821,) Hartford Seminary (1823,) Ipswich Seminary (1828,) Mount Holyoke Seminary (1837) and Oxford Seminary (1839.)

In the Islands, the first female seminary students were adult Hawaiian women. Patricia Grimshaw states: “… that (s)oon after their arrival in Hawai’i in 1820, and over the next three decades, New England missionary women embarked on an ambitious plan to transform Hawaiian girls and women to notions of femininity upheld by their culture.”

“The plan and design of the Female Seminary is to take a class of young females into a boarding school—away in a measure from the contaminating influence of heathen society, to train them to habits of industry, neatness, and order …”

“… to instruct them in employments suited to their sex, to cultivate the minds, to improve their manners and to instill the principles of our holy religion – to fit them to be suitable companions for the scholars of the Mission Seminary and examples of propriety among the females of the Sandwich Islands.” (Dibble)

In 1835, at the general meeting of the Mission, a resolution was passed to promote boarding schools for Hawaiians; several male boarding schools and two female boarding schools were begun (Wailuku Female Seminary on the island of Maui and the Hilo Girls Boarding School on the island of Hawai’I; others followed.)

The last of the female seminaries that was begun by the missionaries was initially called the Makawao Family School. Reverend Claudius B. Andrews and his wife, Anne Seward Gilson Andrews, began it in 1861 in a location above Makawao Village on the island of Maui.

Maunaʻolu Seminary is an out-growth of the “East Maui Female Seminary.” It first sprang into existence, through the earnest desire of the Andrews for a school for Hawaiian girls, where they might he educated in the atmosphere of a Christian home, and so be equipped for their future life work.

Mr. Andrews purchased a piece of land called “Maluhia,” selecting a site about 2,000-feet on the slopes of Haleakalā.

It was here that Mr. and Mrs. Andrews with their family first conceived the idea of a “Home School” for Hawaiian girls, as Mr. Andrews said, “Where the girls are to be taught as my own daughters”.

It was not so much the idea of book knowledge as that in the early years of the child-life they would be given the essential elements of true character building, looking to future development of Hawaiian womanhood.

A year after the school began, Mrs. Andrews died.

Throughout the next seven years, Reverend Andrews received help from a variety of people, and attendance grew to 70 students. But then, in 1869, the school building burned; the school was temporarily closed, but reopened in 1871.

Reverend Andrews, along with his second wife, Samantha Andrews, were in charge of operating the school. (The second Mrs. Andrews was a sister of his first wife.)

Miss Helen E. Carpenter was engaged as an assistant teacher. Both Samantha Andrews and Helen Carpenter were graduates of Mount Holyoke Seminary. In 1874, the latter was appointed principal.

Throughout the following years, the curriculum included the usual academic courses in reading, mathematics, literature, history, language (all instruction was in English), geography, spelling, civics and the Bible. The industrial departments included sewing, domestic arts and culinary.

During the last two decades of the 19th century, the school was nicknamed the Mount Holyoke Seminary of the Hawaiian Islands due to the connection of its instructors with that American seminary and the large number of Hawaiian Islands ministers’ daughters in attendance.

Additions to the buildings and aid from both the Government and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) led to the enrollment climbing to 100 students.

At the end of the century, all the female seminaries in Hawai‘i began to lose students to the newly-founded Kamehameha School for Girls.

This latter school was established in 1894; it was not technically a seminary or founded by missionaries, but all the girls enrolled were Hawaiian, and its curriculum was very similar to what was used at the missionary-sponsored seminaries.

After a second fire in 1898, Maunaʻolu Seminary moved into temporary quarters in the buildings of the old Haleakala government boy’s school, also above Makawao.

In 1900 Maunaʻolu was rebuilt in a place closer to Pā‘ia on land known as Pu‘u Makani (windy hill). This was brought about by the generosity of the honored trustee, Mr. Henry P. Baldwin.

Maunaʻolu Seminary continued to exist through the 1920s, offering a high school diploma to their graduates. Its last commencement was in June 1942.

The school was used for the military hospital during World War II. Reopened in 1950 as a coeducational junior college run by the Hawaiian Evangelical Association of Congregational Christian Churches, Maunaʻolu Community College offered the last two years of high school and the first two years of college.

A four-year college curriculum was developed in 1969, but the college had difficulty attracting students.

In 1971, Maunaʻolu College was acquired by United States International University, and later by the County of Maui. The college is no longer in existence.

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