Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 152 – March 22, 1820

March 22, 1820 – Proposed some important measures of economical polity for the regulation of our domestic concerns. Some objection being offered by one of the brethren, against one of the principles established by the Board with respect to common-stock, the passing of the Byelaws was postponed till tomorrow evening. (Thaddeus Journal)

March 22nd. We are no longer languishing under a vertical sun, wishing for the favorable winds of heaven. Saturday last, when about the 5 deg. of lat. we were brought into the trade winds which at once took us on in one uniform rapid course. We had then 2000 miles remaining of our journey, but counted it almost the last stage. This morning a log of wood passed the vessel, upon which the Capt. cried, ‘from Owhyhee’. Something less than a week we hope will land us there. 0, am I so near that heathen land J I cannot say, what I have been permitted to say through all these pages, my health is good. But I would call upon my heart for gratitude for what I have enjoyed. It was uninterrupted for four months. I think not one day after commencing systematic study that I was interrupted by ill health, till within 2 deg. of the Equator, two weeks ago last Saturday. The day before, I had recited my last lesson in logic, through which I had been, very laboriously, and that day came to the last theorem in the first book of Euclid, and came almost as near what I desired to do in some other things. So you will see how I have been favored. Do not think study has hurt me, I am not seriously unwell, and hope to be allowed, before sending this, to speak of comfortable feelings, if no more. With little strength, and no appetite, I feel the scarcity of our board after a five months voyage. Nothing fresh—not one kind of vegetable —no bread, no butter, no milk. The sea biscuit I cannot now taste. But very many are our comforts. I think I feel them, I would consider myself bound by them to cheerful, active obedience. (Sybil Bingham)

Thursday. 22d. Lat. 12° Long. 137 West. Owhyhee is now the nearest land-much talk about preparations for landing on the shores of the heathen. May the Lord prepare us for whatever awaits us in his providence. and O! that the Heart of the King may be prepared to receive the law of Christ. (Lucia Ruggles Holman)

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by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Holokū and Mu‘umu‘u

In pre-contact Hawaii, the predominant form of dress for women was the pā‘ū.

This consisted of a rectangular piece of kapa (or tapa, which was fabricated from the inner bark of wauke (paper mulberry) trees) that was wrapped several times around the waist and extended from beneath the bust (for royalty) or the waistline (for commoners) to the knee (it looked like a hula skirt.)

After contact (and particularly in the early-1800s with the start of the sandalwood trade in 1810 and then the whaling industry,) fabrics made of silk, satin and gingham began to replace the kapa fabric for the pa‘u. This was especially true among the Ali’i.

An even more important change in dress began in the 1820s with the coming of the New England missionaries, who sought to cover the bodies of Hawaiian women, who traditionally wore nothing more than the skirt.

The missionary wives modified their New England-style dresses to adapt to the hot, humid environment. They replaced the high waistline of Western fashion with a yoke.

The end result was a basic design (referred to as a “Mother Hubbard”) which was simply a full, straight skirt attached to a yoke with a high neck and tight sleeves.

The missionaries established women’s societies that advanced the notion of modesty.

The diaries of missionary women report that Hawaiian women who had been Christianized adopted the holokū as daily dress by 1822 and it became standard dress of all Hawaiian women as early as 1838.

“All the women wore the native dress, the sack or holokū, many of which were black, blue, green, or bright rose color, some were bright yellow, a few were pure white, and others were a mixture of orange and scarlet.” Isabella Bird 1894

“At first the holokū, which is only a full, yoke nightgown, is not attractive, but I admire it heartily now, and the sagacity of those who devised it.”

“It conceals awkwardness, and befits grace of movement; it is fit for the climate, is equally adapted for walking and riding, and has that general appropriateness which is desirable in costume.” (Isabella Bird, 1894)

Various stories place the naming of the garment very early in its creation. According to one, the term holokū was created from two Hawaiian words, holo meaning to go, and kū meaning to stop.

Wearing the garment for the first time, the Hawaiian women are reported to have said “Holo! Kū!” Very roughly translated, this means “We can run in it – we can stand!”

The more commonly cited explanation for the term, holokū, suggest native seamstresses, when sewing their dresses, would say “holo!”(run) as they turned the wheel to operate the sewing machine, and “kū” (stop) when they wished to stop at the end of a seam. Consequently, these two words were connected and the term is explained.

The holokū was worn with a loose-fitting undergarment, the mu‘umu‘u (meaning cut-off, shortened.) Eventually, the mu‘umu‘u came to be worn as an outer garment, as well.

The muʻumuʻu in the early days was a dress for home wear. It was made full and unfitted with high or low neck and long or short sleeves

It is the more comfortable muʻumuʻu that has challenged the present day designers to create many variations for home, street and party wear.

Although it originated in Hawaii in the 1820s as a loose gown without a waistline or train and was worn for everyday wear, the holokū today is a long formal gown with a train.

For formal events, and other celebrations related to Hawaiian culture and ethnicity, the holokū is the quintessential Hawaiian gown.

While both holokū and mu‘umu‘u continue to be very important in Hawai‘i, it is the mu‘umu‘u that is regarded by most of the world as Hawaiian dress and the holokū that is practically unknown outside of Hawai’i.

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Holoku-Kinau_returning_from_church-Masselot-1837
Holoku-Kinau_returning_from_church-Masselot-1837
Kapa Holoku-MissionHouses
Kapa Holoku-MissionHouses
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women_holoku_1880s_williams_square
hokolu_grande
hokolu_grande
Tahitiennes_en_robe_mission
Tahitiennes_en_robe_mission
Hula-Holoku-Herb-Kane
Hula-Holoku-Herb-Kane
Woman in Holoku Looking Right-Tennent
Woman in Holoku Looking Right-Tennent
Woman in Holoku Looking Left-Tennent
Woman in Holoku Looking Left-Tennent
Hawaiian Lady in Holoku, Facing Right-Tennent
Hawaiian Lady in Holoku, Facing Right-Tennent

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 153 – March 23, 1820

March 23, 1820 – Adopted the rules proposed last evening. (Thaddeus Journal)

March 23,1820. The following by-laws having been under consideration for some time, were adopted this evening:
That the Property furnished by the Christian public, either in money or other articles of any kind, for the purposes of the Mission shall be at the disposal of the members jointly and subject to their vote.
The property acquired by the members jointly or by individuals of the body either by grant, barter, or earnings shall also be subject to the disposal of the members Jointly.
The property thus furnished or acquired, either divided or undivided, shall be devoted to the general purposes of the mission, according to the tenor of our Instructions from the A. B. Com. F. M. and according to our own regulations, not incompatible with those instructions.
No member of this mission shall be entitled to use or allowed to appropriate such property divided or undivided, in bying [sic], selling, giving, or consuming, etc. in any manner incompatible with our general Instructions, or contrary to the voice of a majority of the members.
Should any member withdraw from the service of the AmerBoard, or abandon the mission, or without material consent separate himself from the community, or for heresy or misdemeanor be cut off from this church, he shall be considered, of course, as forfeiting all right to the patronage of the Board, and to the property of this community; – and that the holy cause may not suffer or be embarrassed by loss of property in such cases, if he shall have received a dividend of the property furnished by the Christian public, or acquired while under the patronage of the Board, he shall be bound to restore that dividend to the common stock, to be again at the disposal of the community.
Should any member of this Mission persist in violating the regulations of the Prudential Committee, or the rules adopted by this body, such violation shall be considered as uncharitable, insubordination to rightful direction, and sufficient ground for Christian Discipline.
Should it be thought advisable by this body that one or more of the members should be separate from the rest, in order more happily or effectually to secure the benevolent object of our mission, such person, or persons, whether separated at their own request, by the consent of the mission, or by nomination or ballot, shall be subject to the same general rules, as to support and labor, and the application of property and talents, and receive his proper dividend from the common stock.
No member shall be allowed to make a bargain, to bind his brethern, without their consent; but a Com. may be appointed, with discretionary powers to buy and sell for the community. (Minutes of the Prudential Meetings of the Mission Family)

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Day 155 – March 25, 1820

March 25, 1820 – no entry. (Thaddeus Journal)

March 25th. 18 deg 33m. N. Lat. This is the 23rd Sabbath we have spent on the water, and probably the last before we revisit our native element. The Lord has indeed been good to us, in sparing our lives and bringing us thus far on our voyage. We hope He has a work for us to do among the Heathen, & that we shall soon enter upon it. May his gracious presence ever go with us, & his Spirit be our constant guide & director. Then we shall labour cheerfully and suffer patiently for his sake. (Mercy Partridge Whitney Journal)

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