Peter T Young

May 27, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Aliʻi Letters – La‘anui to Ruggles (1827)

Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives (Mission Houses) collaborated with Awaiaulu Foundation to digitize, transcribe, translate and annotate over 200-letters written by 33-Chiefs.

The letters, written between 1823 and 1887, are assembled from three different collections: the ABCFM Collection held by Harvard’s Houghton Library, the HEA Collection of the Hawaii Conference-United Church of Christ and the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society.

These letters provide insight into what the Ali‘i (Chiefs) were doing and thinking at the time, as well as demonstrate the close working relationship and collaboration between the aliʻi and the missionaries.

In this letter, Gideon Laʻanui writes to Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles regarding cloth, expressing his affection to people there, and promoting faith in God.

The letter is addressed to Keiki. This is a name of endearment for Mr. Samuel Ruggles who arrived with the first company of missionaries.

Gideon Peleiōhōlani Laʻanui born in 1797, was a native of Waimea, Hawaiʻi who was partly raised in the court of Kamehameha I, and married Nāmāhana, a sister of Kaʻahumanu. After the arrival of the missionaries, he was an early convert and became an active member of the church, living in Waialua.

“May 29, 1827 Oahu”

“Greetings to you, Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles, and to all your retainers, as well as Kamahiainui and Haole.”

“Great affection to you all; may we all be saved through Jesus.”

“Here is my little message to you, Ruggles. Deliver my cloth. If it is with Maalo, then Kamahiainui should go get it, and once you see it, send it on one of your people’s ships, then document that and give it to Mr. Chamberlain.”

“Finished, that is all.”

“Relay my affectionate thoughts to the faithful men there and the faithful women there.”

“Let us all love God with great joy and with fear of God in our hearts for our many wrongdoings. That is my short message for you to tell them. It is done.”

“By Gideon Laanui”

Here’s a link to the original letter, its transcription, translation and annotation (scroll down):
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/1ddd918f2ae7aa030206f9bb8356b86c.pdf

On October 23, 1819, the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries from the northeast US, led by Hiram Bingham, set sail on the Thaddeus for the Sandwich Islands (now known as Hawai‘i.) They arrived in the Islands and anchored at Kailua-Kona on April 4, 1820.

Over the course of a little over 40-years (1820-1863 – the “Missionary Period”,) about 180-men and women in twelve Companies served in Hawaiʻi to carry out the mission of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) in the Hawaiian Islands.

One of the earliest efforts of the missionaries, who arrived in 1820, was the identification and selection of important communities (generally near ports and aliʻi residences) as “stations” for the regional church and school centers across the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Mission Houses’ Strategic Plan themes note that the collaboration between Native Hawaiians and American Protestant missionaries resulted in the

The introduction of Christianity;
The development of a written Hawaiian language and establishment of schools that resulted in widespread literacy;
The promulgation of the concept of constitutional government;
The combination of Hawaiian with Western medicine, and
The evolution of a new and distinctive musical tradition (with harmony and choral singing).

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Laanui – Ruggles May 29, 1827-1

Laanui – Ruggles May 29, 1827-2

May 25, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Aqua Marine

The area along the coast at the foot of Leahi (Diamond Head) between Waikiki and Kupikipiki (commonly called Black Point) is an area known as Kaluahole (‘the āhole fish cavern.’) Kaluahole is a noted place in several legends associated with the area.

In one story of Aiai, son of Kūulakai (a god who controlled all the gods of the sea,) following his father’s instructions “… traveled about the islands establishing fishing stations (ko‘a) at fishing grounds (ko‘a aina) …”

“… where fish were accustomed to feed and setting up altars (ku‘ula) upon which to lay, as offerings to the fishing gods, two fish from the first catch one for the male, the other for the female aumakua. Some accounts give Aiai a son named Puniaiki who is a fish kupua and trickster and helps his father set up fishing stations.”

“On Oahu, Aiai lands at Makapu‘u and makes the stone Malei the fish stone for the uhu fish of that place. Other stones are set up at grounds for different kinds of fish. The uhu is the common fish as far as Hanauma.”

“At Ka-lua-hole the ahole fish run. The fish still spawn about a round sandstone (called Ponahakeone) which Aiai placed outside Kahuahui …” (Beckwith)

Ponahakeone is offshore of Kaluahole … “In 1834, during the time of Kaomi, a malihini shark came to Waikiki in search of food. When he reached Kaʻalawai and Kaluaahole, he was refused by the guardian sharks of that place (ka poʻe kamaʻaina kiaʻi o ia wahi)…”

“… and then he came to Kapua, where the guardians of Waikiki were, and argued with them. They decided to kill him and to leave visible proof of it, so they forced his head into a cleft in the rocks at Kukaʻiunahi, makai of Kupalaha.” (Kamakau; Maly)

This is where Sanford B Dole had a beach bungalow – he called it Aqua Marine. (It’s about where the Le‘ahi Beach Park is situated.)

A portion of Royal Patent Grant 3219 was deeded in June 1879 to Kahololio. The grant consisted of all the land at Kaluahole and comprised 19 acres. In 1889 Kahololio sold +/- 15 acres of the grant lands to Sanford B. Dole.

Between 1892 and 1912, Dole deeded various parcels to George Beckley which eventually were subdivided into various lots and identified as portions of an estate known as “Aqua Marine” and the “Beckley Tract”. (Dye)

“Where the road leaves Kapiolani Park on the east, it passes a few houses and then comes out on an open space skirting the ocean. This is low and level at first, but further on rises to higher ground, whence the views seaward, south and west, are genuine Vistas of Hawaii.”

“The lapis-lazuli of the deep sea, starred with the sails of passing vessels, breaks into turbulent foam where it meets the outer reef, and ‘sliding its snow-white and swift avalanches’ into the inner lagoon …”

“… the waters, taking their tone from the corals below and the skies above, now break forth into an extravaganza of color as they hasten in subdued merriment to the shore of yellow sand.”

“‘In stillness far away, like phantoms, rise the bills of Waianae,’ while the bald-headed summit of Diamond Head looms up behind, almost over you, with startling distinct ness, but with a benignant and fatherly expression withal.”

“Besides this ideal environment, Aqua-Marine enjoys some substantial advantages as well. This strip of land between the road and the shore is divided into ten large lots, varying in size from half to three-quarters of an acre, each one fronting makai on the sea and mauka on the road for from 100 to 150 feet.”

“Government water is laid on along the fronts of these lots on the road. The sea-bathing is not very good as regards the footing on account of the coral, but can be improved by dynamite; as regards the sea-water it is first-class.”

“The trade winds are not shut out by Diamond Head, but, sweeping around the south east side of the bluff, blow freshly across these lots from the sea, the wind being perceptibly cooled by its passage over the water and carrying with it the tonic quality of the salt spray.”

“The reef is a famous fishing ground, and the fish are free to those who can circumvent them. Shellfish are abundant and ambrosial.”

“The road skirting these lots is being extended by the Park Association, and further on has been carried high up along the face of the bluff, giving a wide and beautiful outlook. It is to be continued around Diamond Head returning to the Park on its mauka side and when finished will be one of the most picturesque drives near Honolulu, abounding in a great variety of delicious views.”

“The tramway is to be extended through the Park, which will bring it within a live minutes’ walk from Aqua Marine. If the Oahu Railroad is extended in this direction according to its preliminary surveys, it will come within a few rods of these lots, which would bring them within fifteen minutes of Honolulu.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 5, 1892)

“‘Aqua Marine’ at Diamond Head is one of the prettiest places on the Island. Situated on high ground, one is enabled to command a magnificent view of the picturesque landscape and the lighthouse in the distance only adds fresh beauty to an entrancing spot.”

“The Doles are thinking of living at their bungalow all the year round, for the sea air agrees so well with the Judge’s health. The Emma street house is large and comfortable, but little ‘Aqua Marine’ is always occupied the greater part of the year.”

“If the family conclude to live there permanently many changes will be made to the home. The grounds are rapidly being improved and the large trees already planted by Judge Dole are making a fine showing.” (Evening Bulletin, January 14, 1905)

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Sanford Dole beach house at Kaluahole, Diamond Head-1905

Downtown_Honolulu-Map-1892-portion

Honolulu_Harbor_to_Diamond_Head-Wall-Reg1690 (1893) – Waikiki_portion-portion

Honolulu_Harbor-Diamond_Head-Monsarrat-Reg1910 (1897)-portion

May 24, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Hale Pa‘i

“Perhaps never since the invention of printing was a printing press employed so extensively as that has been at the Sandwich islands, with so little expense, and so great a certainty that every page of its productions would be read with attention and profit.”

“The language of the islands has been reduced to writing, and in a form so precise, that five vowels and seven consonants, or twelve letters in the whole, represent all the sounds which have yet been discovered in the native tongue.”

“And as each of these letters has a fixed and certain sound, the art of reading, spelling, and writing the language is made far easier than it is with us.” (Barber, 1834)

“On the 7th of January, 1822, a year and eight months from the time of our receiving the governmental permission to enter the field and teach the people, we commenced printing the language in order to give them letters, libraries, and the living oracles in their own tongue, that the nation might read and understand the wonderful works of God.”

“The opening to them of this source of light never known to their ancestors remote or near, occurred while many thousands of the friends of the heathen were on the monthly concert, unitedly praying that the Gospel might have free course and he glorified.”

“It was like laying a corner stone of an important edifice for the nation.” (Bingham)

“A considerable number was present, and among those particularly interested was Ke‘eaumoku, who, after a little instruction from Mr. Loomis, applied the strength of his athletic arm to the lever of a Ramage press, pleased thus to assist in working off a few impressions of the first lessons.”

“These lessons were caught at with eagerness by those who had learned to read by manuscript. Liholiho, Kalanimōku, Boki and other chiefs, and numbers of the people, called to see the new engine, the printing-press, to them a great curiosity.”

“Several were easily induced to undertake to learn the art of printing, and in time succeeded. Most of the printing done at the islands has been done by native hands.” (Bingham)

“Liho-liho was glad to have the chiefs instructed and took 100 copies of the first primer for his friends and attendants. Ka-ahu-manu took 40 for her friends. These probably came from this printing of 500 copies. In the latter part of September, another printing of 2,000 copies was made from the same type.”

“Liho-liho felt a little like the foreigners who did not want the natives instructed. He wanted the education reserved for the chiefs because, according to Mr. Bingham, ‘he would not have the instruction of the people in general come in the way of their cutting sandalwood to pay his debts.’”

“Nevertheless, the flood could not be held back and the privilege of reading and writing rapidly spread among the people.” (Westervelt)

“… until March 20, 1830, scarcely ten years after the mission was commenced, twenty-two distinct books had been printed in the native language, averaging thirty-six small pages, and amounting to three hundred and eighty-seven thousand copies, and ten million two hundred and eighty-seven thousand and eight hundred pages.”

“This printing was executed at Honolulu, where there are two presses (in Hale Pa‘i, the printing house (across King Street from Mission Houses – and later at Hale Pa‘i at Lahainaluna.) But besides this, three-million three-hundred-and-forty-five-thousand pages in the Hawaiian language have been printed in the United States (viz. a large edition of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John) …”

“… which swells the whole amount of printing in this time, for the use of the islanders, to thirteen-millions six-hundred-and-thirty-two-thousand eight-hundred pages.”

“Reckoning the twenty-two distinct works in a continuous series, the number of pages in the series is eight hundred and thirty-two. Of these, forty are elementary, and the rest are portions of Scripture, or else strictly evangelical and most important matter, the best adapted to the condition and wants of the people that could be selected under existing circumstances.” (Barber, 1834)

The mission press printed 10,000-copies of Ka Palapala Hemolele (The Holy Scriptures.) It was 2,331-pages long printed front and back.

Mission Press also printed newspaper, hymnals, schoolbooks, broadsides, fliers, laws, and proclamations. The Mission Presses printed over 113,000,000-sheets of paper in 20-years.

A replica Ramage printing press is at Mission Houses in Honolulu (it was built by students at Honolulu Community College in 1966.) Likewise, Hale Pa‘i in Lahainaluna has early Hawaiian printing displays. (Lots of information here is from Mission Houses, and Barber.)

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Mission Houses Hale Pai Sign

Ramage Press replica at Mission Houses

ENTRANCE, INSIDE PORCH – Mission Printing Office-(LOC)

GENERAL VIEW, NORTH (FRONT) ELEVATION FROM NORTHEAST – Mission Printing Office-(LOC)

INTERIOR, LOOKING TO REAR – Mission Printing Office-(LOC)

Lahainaluna Hale Pa’i (Printing Shop)-LOC-058643pv

Lahainaluna Hale Pa’i (Printing Shop)-LOC-058642pv

Lahainaluna Hale Pa’i (Printing Shop)-LOC-058644pv

May 23, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Timeline Tuesday … 1990s

Today’s ‘Timeline Tuesday’ takes us through the 1990s – construction of first geothermal well, Akebono becomes first foreign-born to achieve Yokozuna rank in sumo, H-3 opens and Hawaii Convention Center opens. 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 22, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Branfleet

French Actor George Brangier met Duke Kahanamoku in Los Angeles while both were acting. Brangier asked Kahanamoku to teach him how to surf. Kahanamoku agreed. Brangier moved to Hawai‘i in 1928. He later returned to the Islands after serving his French military obligations. (Nendel)

Brangier and a California surfer, Nat Norfleet Sr, started Branfleet in January 1936 at 1704 King Street. “We began like nearly everybody else in the business – not with a pair of shoestrings but with on shoestring between the two of us.” (Norfleet; Devine & Marcus)

“Red McQueen had brought back from the 1932 Olympics in Japan some shirts made out of silk kimono cloth. We copied them to produce our first aloha shirts. … Elmer Lee had a stand in front of the old Outrigger Canoe Club where he sold coconut milk and pineapple juice, and he sold our horrible shirts.” (Devine & Marcus)

The company was one of the first to switch from making strictly tailor-made shirts to making them through a manufacturing process. (On July 23, 1939, they moved into a factory on Kapiʻolani Boulevard. (Krauss))

“The factory will turn out a complete garment from the design and pattern of the finished product. A special designer, Betty Gregory, will design for Branfleet sports wear. A staff of 45 persons is employed by the company.” (Advertiser, July 23, 1939)

In 1937 Branfleet signed Duke Kahanamoku to a five-year contract allowing them to use the noted champion’s name on their sportswear. The shirt tag stated, “this is designed by Duke Kahanamoku, World’s Champion swimmer, and is made in the Hawaiian Islands.”

Kahanamoku’s name recognition allowed Branfleet to be the first Hawaiian company “to supply sportswear to the US mainland on a large scale.”

The agreement allowed Kahanamoku to make 35 cents per dozen shorts sold and $1.00 per dozen for shirts sold. Since a dozen shirts typically sold for an average of $12.00 wholesale, Kahanamoku’s take ended up being less than 10% of the sales. (Nendel)

“Branfleet is the originator of ‘Duke Kahanamoku’ shirts and swim suits, also the ‘Kahala’ brand of all types of women’s sportswear, and the popular island ‘in and ‘out’ shirt.” (Advertiser, July 23, 1939)

With both their “Kahala Sportswear” and “Duke Kahanamoku Beachwear” lines, under the Branfleet label, Brangier and Norfleet would eventually (1951) rename their company Kahala to avoid confusion.

Considering that the aloha wear industry and Branfleet were relative newcomers to the mainland marketplace this contract represented a reasonably fair deal for Kahanamoku.

However, due to the novelty and youth of the industry the company never approached the great success that they had envisioned at the start of the contract. (Nendel)

Branfleet popularized a fabric they trademarked as “Pineapple Tweed”, which was a rough but strong linen, and was used in simple long sleeved shirts adorned with the Hawaiian crest and its motto.

During World War II, the Aloha shirt industry thrived as GIs stationed on the Islands wore them while off-duty, and the shirt became popular with locals now deprived of imports.

After the war, servicemen transported them back to Mainland. Between the 1940s and ‘60s, Kahala’s complete line of women’s clothing met with great success across the country, and the firm went on to produce clothing for some of the era’s best surfers.

The “Duke” was associated with the company again in 1961. During this period a Duke Kahanamoku label was created with the words “made in Hawai‘i by Kahala” directly beneath Duke’s name. (Myers)

But by the 1970s the company had fallen into disarray. Once one of America’s leading clothiers, it finally went bankrupt. Dale Hope bought the Kahala name in 1979.

“We wanted to keep its legacy going with quality garments, and interesting art reflecting a passion for the Islands,” he recalls. “But it had a formidable reputation.” (Myers)

Hope had been working with his dad in the men’s shirt business under the label HRH (His Royal Highness.) “Our label was confused with the English royalty; it wasn’t romantic; and it was a hard name to advertise,” says Hope.

The name Kahala was also the name of a fashionable O‘ahu neighborhood bounded by Kahala Beach. “I wanted to change the name,” he says, “so we threw a big garden party and fashion show at a house on Kahala Beach.” He sold in 1991; then, Tori Richard bought the company in 2006.

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