Ali’i / Chiefs / Governance | Page 117

February 22, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

‘Spencer’s Invincibles’

“Those who know Thos Spencer, know that the ‘gallant captain’ does not do things by halves, and he deserves no small meed of praise for the manner in which the celebration was carried through.”

“The ‘Invincibles’ are a fixed fact, are regularly called out on drill, and will be kept ‘in position,’ till the storm now hanging over the Union has blown over, and bright skies again appear.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, June 25, 1861)

“A company of infantry has been tendered to the Government from the Hawaiian Islands, and accepted. It consists of American emigrants and native Hawaiians. It is expected to come as soon as the news of acceptance is received.”

“This is the celebrated company of ‘Spencer’s Invincibles’ at Hilo, which is under the leadership of its gallant Captain and experienced aid ‘the orderly,’ is said to have arrived at a degree of perfection in military tactics, that throws the ‘regulars’ into the shade.”

“All the company now wants is a chance of a shot at Jeff. Davis’ bloodhounds. A patriotic master of a whaleship intends, we learn, to place his vessel at the disposal of the corps.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, October 24, 1861)

“Thomas Spencer came from a distinguished New England family that had been established at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, since 1660, when its ancestor, John Spencer, had been among the founders of the town.”

“Joseph Spencer, Thomas’s father, was a ship’s captain, and his eight sons followed him to sea, five becoming captains of whaling ships at the same time. Aged thirty-one and captain of the whaleship Triton, one of the Howland fleet out of New Bedford, Thomas Spencer was in 1848 involved in one of the most notable sagas in the South Seas whale fishery.”

“Having made landfall off Sydenham Island in the Kingsmill Group, Captain Spencer and some of the crew were lured ashore by a renegade castaway who, with the assistance of the natives, detained them on shore, seized the ship, murdered a number of the remaining crew, convinced the survivors that their captain was dead, and obliged them to sail the ship away.”

“Held prisoner on shore, Captain Spencer was about to be executed by the natives when he was rescued by the dramatic invention of a woman chief, in the manner of Pocahontas.”

“After a number of attempts to escape, during which the hapless captain and crew stole canoes and paddled out to sea in pursuit of passing ships who set sail away as fast as they could, believing them to be hostile islanders, the castaways were rescued by the Alabama out of Nantucket.”

“Captain Spencer then made his way to Honolulu, which he had visited on previous voyages, to await reports of the still-missing Triton. Deciding at length to give up the sea, he started a ship’s chandlery on Queen Street, which under his guidance served as the headquarters of the Pacific whaling fleet.”

“In 1853 he was joined by his brother, Charles Nichols Spencer, and by 1855 William L Lee, the close friend of Charles R Bishop, reported that Captain Spencer was ‘making more money than anyone else in town.’”

“Thomas Spencer embodied many of the Yankee virtues, notably industry, enterprise, and patriotism, but his love for the Islands surpassed that of his birthplace.”

“He was committed to the survival of Hawai’i as an independent kingdom, and he was an arch opponent of annexation. Yankee reserve found no place in his robust character, fulsome manner, and great personal warmth, nor did Yankee frugality, for his generosity was legendary.”

“He was fluent in Hawaiian and was known everywhere by his Hawaiian name, Poonahoahoa. It was later to be said of him, and of his brother Charles, that ‘they were on terms of social and political intimacy with the last six Hawaiian sovereigns.’”

“In 1861, in the full tide of success, Thomas Spencer sold the Queen Street chandlery and moved to Hilo, purchasing the house and sugar plantation at Amauulu (Puueo) of Benjamin Pitman, whose wife, Kinoole-o-Liliha, was the hereditary high chiefess of Hilo.”

“In Hilo, he removed stones from the luakini heiau on the shore opposite Coconut Island (Mokuola) to make a boat landing near the mouth of the Wailoa River, an uncharacteristic act that some believe cast a shadow over his subsequent endeavors on the island. He also became United States commercial agent and consul at Hilo.”

“For the next twenty-three years, Thomas Spencer struggled to achieve success in sugar planting, but the venture was to prove disastrous, and while the plantation continued to operate, by the time of his death it had consumed nearly all of his fortune.”

“Thomas Spencer had been made a Knight Companion of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I for his actions in sending, at his own expense, boats filled with food to relieve Big Island inhabitants faced with starvation when they had been cut off by a lava flow.” (O’Connor)

And, ‘Spencer’s Invincibles?’ – The Hawaiian government disbanded the group, but the monarchy could not stop others from joining the fray. (Smith; NY Times)

When reminded that Hawai‘i took a neutral position on the Civil War, Spencer was purported to have burst into tears of despair for not having the opportunity to serve. (NPS)

With the eruption of the Civil War in 1861, King Kamehameha IV declared a neutral stance but held largely Unionist sympathies – as did the majority of people living in Hawai‘i. The country had deep ties to the expanding United States and war with the South enabled Hawaii to fill part of the void left by the absence of then blockaded southern exports.

Sugar and other products once exported by the newly-formed Confederacy was confined thanks to the establishment of the Union naval blockade on southern ports. Hawaiian-grown sugar soon replaced much of this southern sugar through the duration of the conflict.

Because of this boom in business, the majority of Americans living and working on the islands were devoutly pro-Unionist. In fact, many living in Hawaii had an ardent desire to serve in the armed forces.

Nevertheless, the nation’s neutrality did not prevent many of its citizens from enlisting in either Union or Confederate forces. (NPS)

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Captain Thomas Spencer

Thomas Spencer Headstone

February 21, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Timeline Tuesday … 1870s

Today’s ‘Timeline Tuesday’ takes us through the 1870s –first Kamehameha Day, Reciprocity Agreement, Lili‘uokalani writes Aloha ‘Oe and Iolani Palace is started. 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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February 19, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Aliʻiolani House

By 1866, the need for a new courthouse government building in the Hawaiian Kingdom was apparent. The old courthouse, completed in 1852, accommodated not only the judicial needs of the young nation, but also served as the reception hall for diplomatic ceremonies and official social functions.

The legislature appropriated $40,000.00 respectively towards a new palace and a new government building. Delays ensued, and those figures were increased to $60,000.00 each by 1870. (Friends of the Judiciary History Center of Hawai‘i)

Kamehameha V envisioned a civic center around the palace, and plans were made to purchase the Mililani premises on King Street, “a long and fatiguing journey over the dustiest street in the city.” (HABS)

“In 1871, (Robert Lishman) was summoned from Australia where he had been living for many years, by King Kamehameha V to come to Hawaii to superintend the construction of Aliʻiolani Hale, and now known as the Judiciary building.” (Independent, May 13, 1902)

On behalf of King Kamehameha V, Stirling wrote Alex Webster, Hawai‘i’s Counsul in Sydney, “As His Majesty’s Govt has within the next 18 months or two years to erect buildings of considerable magnitude, & the supply of skilled & steady builders her is very limited, and not equal to our requirements …”

“… His Excellency wishes you, if possible, to engage two young, steady & intelligent builders to come here, offering them the engagement for 12 months, paying their passage hither, and paying them $4 p day to begin with, and a promise of $5 p. day if they give satisfaction.”

“Our work will be chiefly done in concrete, so that simple stone cutters will not serve our purpose. What we want them for chiefly is to look after & teach the natives, and to set the blocks of concrete on the buildings.” (Stirling, February 25, 1871)

In a subsequent letter, Stirling wrote, “It is the intention of this Govt to build a new Royal Palace here, and to commence operations as soon as they can produce suitable plans …”

“… but, as we have not Architect here, capable of designing such a building, and as Architects in Northern Countries would not be likely to have a proper appreciation of the nature of the climate in the Islands, and its requirements …”

“… it has appeared to His Excellency probable, that in Sydney, where the summer climate is very similar to ours, as Architect might be found more likely to be able to design an appropriate building.”

“The style of building considered most suitable is the Italian, of one Storey in height; this however may to a certain extent be departed fro ti give variety of outline.”

“All the principal rooms must be on the ground-floor, but the Billiard-room, some of the bed-rooms, and perhaps the Ladies & Gentlemen retiring rooms might be in the second storey.”

“The main entrance should have a spacious Portico, semicircular or semieliptical in form, in front, flanked by wide Verandahs with columns of the Ionic Order; in fact it is desirable that the entire front and at least two sides of the buildings should be protected by a verandah of say, 15 ft wide.”

“About Twenty Rooms in all will be required, consisting, in addition to the spacious entrance Hall, of a Council Chamber of about 50 x 30 ft. An Audience Chamber about 40 x 40 ft with another room of similar dimensions adjoining it …”

“His Excellency requests that you will endeavor to get one or two sketches f such a building from one or more of your architects, shewing the Plans and elevations only, without entering into details until the design is approved”. (Stirling, June 24, 1871)

Sketches were sent back and Stirling followed up stating, “I am now directed by His Excellency to inform you that he has carefully studied all the Designs sent, and is much pleased with all of them …”

“… but owing to a difficulty about the site to be selected for the Palace – involving I believe a doubt as to the proprietorship of a portion of the land proposed to be occupied – he cannot yet, and may not for some time to come be able to say which of the designs will be chosen.”

“In one respect however, the arrival of the Designs was most opportune, as we were just commencing to build our New Govt Offices, upon a very indifferent Plan, and no sooner has His Excellency seen Mr Rowe’s Design B than he conceived that …”

“… with modification which I shall presently state – it would answer well as a plan for these offices, and further consideration confirmed him in this view, so that he has now determined to adopt it, & is consequently prepared to pay Mr Rowe the 100 additional for this design as p your agreement with him.”

The alteration of the Plan proposed, applies only to the wings, the body of the building remaining the same as before. The verandah all around will be dispense with, and will be retained only on the front and rear of the Main building. The Wings will be of the same length as in the Design, but will be 5 ft wider, and the semicircular ends will be cut off.”

“It is probable that the upper portion of the central tower may ultimately be used for a public clock, but in any case it will be necessary to have access to it, and His Excellency requests you to ask Mr Rowe how he proposes that this should be had, as it is not shewn in the design, and he cannot see how it is to be done without disfiguring the tower.” (Stirling, December 15, 1871)

Not receiving plans in time, Stirling then wrote, “With regard to the build of the New Govt Offices, I am directed by His Excellency the Minister of the Interior to say, that as it was impossible to wait for working drawings from Sydney before commencing, …”

“… we had to prepare them here, and consequently full two months ago we begun to mould blocks of concrete for the walls of the first story, and have now fully a third of what we require for it prepared.” (Stirling, March 17, 1872)

The cornerstone the Government Building was laid on February 19, 1872 with full Masonic ceremony. The new building was of concrete block, a technique first used in 1870 when the government built the Post Office building.

Although Stirling wished to support the first floor with iron girders, in view of the uncertainly as to the length of time it might take to procure them, wooden beams were used instead.

(In 1913, a system of steel columns, girders and beams supporting concrete slab floors and roofs replaced the earlier system. During the renovations, nothing of the interior seems to have been retained. In addition to the rearrangement of office spaces, the character of public spaces and circulation was completely altered.) (HABS)

Kamehameha V never saw the completion of the Government Building; nor did they build his new Palace. The Government Building officially opened by the Legislature on April 30, 1874. “‘Ali‘iolani House’ is the name by which the new Government house is to be hereafter known, by command of His Majesty (Kalākaua.)”

“‘Ali‘iolani’ was one of the titles given to Kamehameha V at his birth, and is now appropriately applied to the building which was projected under his reign.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, May 2, 1874)

The building is known as Ali‘iolani Hale; it is the former seat of government of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and the Republic of Hawaiʻi and now houses the Hawai‘i Supreme Court and Judiciary History Center of Hawai‘i.

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Aliiolani_Hale-PPWD-1-7-017-1888

Aliiolani_Hale-1888

Aliiolani_Hale-1900

Aliiolani-Hale

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Judiciary and Territorial Buildings – 1935

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Aliiolani_Hale-proposed_design

Aliiolani_Hale

February 15, 2017 by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Cook’s Heart

“Thus fell our great and excellent Commander!”

“After a life of so much distinguished and successful enterprise, his death, as far as regards himself, can be reckoned premature; since he lived to finish the great work for which he seems to have been designed; and was rather removed from the enjoyment, than cut off from the acquisition of glory.”

About eight o’clock, it being very dark, a canoe was heard paddling toward the ship; and as soon as it was seen, both the sentinels on deck fired into it. … Luckily neither of them was hurt”.

“After lamenting, with abundance of tears, the loss of Orono, he told us that he had brought us a part of his body. He then presented to us a small bundle, wrapped up in cloth, which he brought under his arm …”

“… and it is impossible to describe the horror which seized us, on finding in it a piece of human flesh, about nine or ten pounds weight. This, he said, was all that remained of the body; that the rest was cut to pieces and burnt but that the head and all the bones, except what belonged to the trunk, were in the possession of Terreeoboo (Kalaniʻōpuʻu.”)

“This afforded an opportunity of informing ourselves, whether they were cannibals ; and we did not neglect it. We first tried, by many indirect questions, put to each of them apart, to learn in what manner the rest of the bodies had been disposed of …”

“… and finding them very constant in one story, that, after the flesh had been cut off, it was all burnt ; we at last put the direct question. Whether they had not ate some of it?”

“They immediately showed as much horror at the idea, as any European would have done and asked, very naturally, if that was the custom amongst us?” (Cook’s Journal)

“The bodies of Captain Cook and the four men who died with him were carried to Kalaniʻōpuʻu at Maunaloia, and the chief sorrowed over the death of the captain.”

“He dedicated the body of Captain Cook, that is, he offered it as sacrifice to the god with a prayer to grant life to the chief (himself) and to his dominion.”

“Then they stripped the flesh from the bones of Lono. The palms of the hands and the intestines were kept; the remains (pela) were consumed with fire.”

“The bones Kalaniʻōpuʻu was kind enough to give to the strangers on board the ship, but some were saved by the kahunas and worshiped.” (Kamakau)

“The bones were preserved in a small basket of wicker-work, completely covered over with red feathers; which in those days were considered to be the most valuable articles the natives possessed, as being sacred, and a necessary appendage to every idol, and almost every object of religious homage throughout the islands of the Pacific.” (Ellis)

“We learned from this person, that the flesh of all the bodies of our people, together with the bones of the trunks, had been burnt ; that the limb bones of the marines had been divided amongst the inferior chiefs …”

“… and that those of Captain Cook had been disposed of in the following manner the head to a great chief, called Kahoo-opeon ; the hair to Maia-maia ; and the legs, thighs, and arms to Terreeoboo.” (Cook’s Journa)

There are stories about Cook’s heart …

“The body of Captain Cook was carried into the interior of the island, the bones secured according to their custom, and the flesh burnt in the fire.”

“The heart, liver, &c., of Captain Cook, were stolen and eaten by some hungry children, who mistook them in the night for the inwards of a dog. The names of the children were Kupa, Moho‘ole, and Kaiwikoko‘ole.”

“These men are now all dead. The last of the number died two years since at the station of Lahaina. Some of the bones of Captain Cook were sent on board his ship, in compliance with the urgent demands of the officers; and some were kept by the priests as objects of worship.” (Dibble)

Another notes, “Kealakekua is an historical spot. l write this in sight of the very rock where the celebrated Captain Cook was killed, and l have seen the man who ate his heart.”

“He stole it from a tree, supposing it to be a swine’s heart hung there to dry, and was horrified when he discovered the truth.” (Judd)

“Eight days after the death of Captain Cook, friendly relations were resumed with those on board the ship.”

“On Monday, February 23 (1779,) the ship sailed and it anchored at Kauai on the 29th of that month to get water and food supplies, then sailed to Ni‘ihau and got a supply of yams, potatoes, and hogs.”

“On March 15, the ship sailed into the blue and disappeared. This was the end of Captain Cook’s voyages of exploration among these islands ….” (Kamakau)

“For several years after this melancholy event no ship visited the islands after Captain Cook.” (Dibble)

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Death of Cook

February 13, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Anahola

Poetically the island is reportedly called, “Manōkalanipō”, or “Kauai a Manō” after the ancient chief who was largely responsible for elevating Kauai’s ancient society to sophisticated heights of advancement and productivity. (NativeKauai)

Geologically, Kauai is the oldest of the main inhabited islands in the chain. It is also the northwestern-most island, with Oʻahu separated by the 70-mile long Kaʻieʻie Channel.

Kauai is the fourth largest island in the Hawaiian chain, comprised of a land area of 352,000-acres. Kauai was traditionally divided into 5 moku (districts) including: Koʻolau, Haleleʻa, Nā Pali, Kona and Puna.

(Common district names that are universally used across of the Hawaiian Islands include “Koʻolau” marking the windward sides of the islands; “Kona” – the leeward sides of the islands; and “Puna” – indicating regions where springs and fresh water abound.)

Moku were changed in the late 1800s to Kawaihau, Hanalei, Waimea, Kōloa and Līhuʻe. In 1877, Hanalei and Līhuʻe shared a common boundary.

Kawaihau was set apart by King Kalākaua, who gave that name to the property lying between the Wailua River and Moloa‘a Valley.

Formerly, Anahola (fish poison cave) was part of the moku or district of Ko‘olau. Within the Ko‘olau district were the ahupua`a of: Kīlauea, Kāhili, Waiakalua, Waipake, Lepe‘uli, Ka‘aka‘aniu, Moloa‘a, Papa‘a, Aliomanu and Anahola.

Lae Kuaehu (also Kuaehu) is the promontory that divides Anahola from Aliomanu. Lae Lipoa serves as the southernmost boundary in the Anahola Ahupua‘a – the boundary line runs toward Kalale‘a mountain from east to west.

The Kalale‘a mountain at Anahola includes two prominent mountain peaks known as Hōkū‘alele peak and Kalale‘a Mountain. This latter pu‘u can be seen from land and sea and is spoken of in chants and mele.

With the Anahola Stream as its main water source, generations of native Hawaiians thrived in the ahupua‘a of Anahola inhabiting mostly the valley and nearby coastal areas.

The principal location of the house sites is on the shore line, especially near the mouths of the river valleys where the taro was growing; in the mountains are some house sites and small villages.

In pre-contact times, prior to transformation of ancient Hawaiian religious and political systems, Anahola’s population was comprised of ali‘i, kahuna and makaʻāinana that were experts in the professions of planting and farming, fishing, healing and kapa making.

Commercial sugar cultivation began in 1880 and continued until 1988. The shift from subsistence lifestyle to commercial agricultural impacted the Anahola Hawaiian community.

Cultural traditions like canoe construction, tapa making and traditional houses were lost with the shift of lifestyles.

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) is one of the large landowners in the region with approximately 5,000 acres in the Anahola region. DHHL’s 20,565-acres make up 6 % of the total land area of Kauai.

The Hawaiian Homelands Program was started in 1921 with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. The department extended the first homestead lease on the island of Kauai to native Hawaiian families in Anahola in early 1957.

An Anahola Japanese community was established by first generation Japanese immigrants from DHHL leaselands in the early 1900s.

Records show that prior to 1947, there were 70 Japanese families living in the Anahola area as farmers. By 1991, there were 19 Japanese families.

In 2008, it was estimated that Native Hawaiians accounted for approximately 5,700 (9%) of the 63,000 residents on the island of Kauai.

Anahola is home to the largest population of Native Hawaiians, approximately 61%, residing on Kauai. Based on historic trends and proposed development, the population in the Kawaihau region can be expected to increase between 8-10% over the next 10 years.

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