Images of Old Hawaiʻi

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Hōkūle‘a Was An Official US Bicentennial Project

“[D]uring this Bicentennial Year, each of our States is planning events with which to commemorate our country’s beginning.”

“As each observance differs from the other, they serve to emphasize the diverse cultural backgrounds that combine to form that anomalous national, the American.”

“In my State of Hawaii, where no one culture or ethnic group constitutes a majority, the peoples of Asia and the Pacific have combined with those of European background to form that special kind of person, the Hawaiian American.”

“It is therefore fitting that a Hawaiian bicentennial event should commemorate the beginning of our State’s history.”

“I refer to the voyage this year – voyage plans to begin sometime during April-May of Hokule‘a, a 60-foot double hulled canoe that will sail from Hawaii to Tahiti, using only the ancient navigational aids of wind, wave, star, and bird. …”

“Hokule’a is sponsored by the Polynesian Voyaging Society. This is a nonprofit group, formed in our State of Hawaii for the sole purpose of proving that more than 1,000 years ago, the Polynesian ancestors of today’s Hawaiians deliberately chose to sail across unknown waters to find new land.”

“Mr. Speaker, I think my colleagues will agree with me that this is a most exciting Bicentennial event. It will not only prove – and disprove – many scientific theories regarding Polynesian navigation, but will also perpetuate the spirit of ’76 as displayed by those American – and Polynesians – who dared to challenge the unknown.” (Spark Matsunaga, US House of Representatives, Feb 26, 1977)

“Intended as Hawaii’s contribution to the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial, Hōkūle‘a was built as a replica of the vessels used by Polynesians, using illustrations made by European explorers of the canoes they encountered in the 18th century.” (American Indian Magazine)

“Our project has been chosen to be part of the State of Hawaii’s Bicentennial celebration and is receiving $7,000 seed money from the Commission 1974.  This includes $2,000 from funds raised locally by the Commission and $5,000 from the Federal Bicentennial Fund.” (Proposal for an Experimental Voyage between Hawaii and Tahiti)

“The Hokule’a is a 60‐foot sailing canoe constructed as the official 1976 Bicentennial project of the State of Hawaii.” (NY Times) “The canoe first become internationally famous when it sailed from the Hawaiian Islands to the Society Islands in 1976 as an official part of Hawaii’s celebration of the United States’ Bicentennial. …”

“[T]he project was the result of many minds and many hands from throughout the community. The result of all that energy was the most outstanding of all Bicentennial projects undertaken in the United States during 1976.” (Gordon Piianaina. Implications of Hokule‘a)

“The canoe itself was built of modern materials”. (American Indian Magazine) In making Hōkūle‘a, the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) wanted to use traditional materials (koa wood hulls, lauhala sails, sennit lashing) and traditional tools (adzes, bone gouges, coral files and sharkskin for sanding) in building the canoe.

Instead, the hulls were constructed out of plywood, fiberglass, and resin, and the sails were made from canvas; the lashings were done with synthetic cordage.  (PVS)

“She was a ‘performance replica,’ designed to perform like an ancient vessel and intended for one historic voyage: to sail to Tahiti using traditional navigation.” (American Indian Magazine)

“In 1976, Hōkūle‘a proved her mettle by sailing 2,400 miles across empty ocean to Tahiti, guided by traditional Micronesian navigator Pius ‘Mau’ Piailug.” (American Indian Magazine) “[T]he canoe had originally been built just for that voyage”. (Sail Magazine)

“The original crew consisted of Piailug as the navigator; Captain Kawika Kapahulehua; Clifford Ah Mow; Milton ‘Shorty’ Bertelmann; Ben R. Finney; Charles Tommy Holmes; Sam Kalalau; Boogie Kalama; Buffalo Keaulana; John Kruse; Douglas ‘Dukie’ Kuahulu; David Henry Lewis; Dave Lyman III; Billy Richards; and Rodo Tuku Williams.” (Sail Magazine)

“Hokulea’s first voyage away from Hawaii on May 1, 1976 took her to Tahiti and back – two crews and 52 days at sea. What initially began as a scientific experiment to prove that Polynesians navigated the Pacific, and a nod to the United States bicentennial, ended up being a cultural revitalization in the art of canoe voyaging and navigation.” (Hawai‘i Magazine)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

“Ka ʻaina a Kane-huna-moku”

Hawaiians recognize a Floating Island, or an Illusory Land which they call “Ka aina a Kane-huna-moku,” (the land of island-hiding-Kane.)

This appears at times on the ocean fertile green slopes with valleys and streams, and uplands towering up into a cloud-capped summit. Some now living claim to have seen it, and one man at least is said to have visited it and lived there for years.

How this came about was somewhat as follows:
There was once a chief called Keawe-ahu who lived in Kona, Hawaii, who by his exacting disposition and harshness with which he treated his people, won their everlasting hatred.

But the more they complained the more vigorous and exacting became his treatment, until his people made up their minds that they couldn’t stand it any longer and began to cast about for some way to get rid of him.

On a suitable occasion the chief Keawe-ahu was invited to go out fishing, and on his acceptance the old fisherman and his assistant manned the canoe, taking care to hide at either end of the canoe under the little deck and the fishing gear, a couple of extra paddles.

They went far out, trying their luck at various places, but always assured that it would be better farther out. At length when they were so far out that the land was misty and dim in the distance, at a preconcerted signal the two fishermen giving the canoe a vigorous spurt which shot it forward, let the paddles slip from their hands.

The impetus of the canoe left the paddles away behind. Of course the thing to do was to jump overboard and secure them, but this the fishermen were unwilling to do. One claimed that he had a bad cold, the other had rheumatism. Perhaps Keawe-ahu would do it

Keawe-ahu was an excellent swimmer; suspecting nothing, he plunged in without a word. No sooner was he out of the canoe than the fishermen whisked out the hidden paddles and pulled away, never even pausing to look back until they had reached the shore.

When Keawe-ahu realized what had happened, he turned over on his back, ceased swimming and closed his eyes to think. There was a moment of lost consciousness, and when he opened his eyes there before him was a strange, unfamiliar, beautiful land, with fertile green slopes and smiling valleys and limped flowing streams.

He swam to it; landing, he saw near at hand a banana-leaf hut under a big kukui tree, in front of which sat a beautiful maiden. It was at once evident to him that she was a Menehune.

She asked who he was? “I am Kanakao-Kai,” the Man of the Sea, he replied. ”And who are you?” “I am the maiden Ana-like, we live here alone, the three of us together, my father, my mother and I.”

He then inquired more at length concerning the land. He found that it was inhabited by a race of Menehune who lived on the natural fruits of the earth uncooked as they plucked them. Taro and sweet potatoes grew in abundance but were untouched by the people because of the lack of means to cook them.

Keawe-ahu set himself assiduously to two things; winning the favor of the maiden Ana-like, by personal attention and service, and winning the favor of the old folks and people generally by showing them how to make fire, cook food, etc. He succeeded at both.

So Keawe-ahu and Ana-like were married according to such simple custom as was common among the Menehune, and again there was a cooked food ahaʻaina, more generous and wonderful than before.

In due time there came to the new home a son, whom they named Na Maka o ke Ahi – the light of the fireside – equally dear to both the mother and the father.

The years flew by – the son grew up to be like his father and seemed to be drifting away from his mother. Sometimes it seemed as though the father encouraged this; he himself had drifted away from the tenderness of his early affection. In truth he had grown weary of the narrow life and the limited interests.

Keawe-ahu had kept all this to himself, but the keen eyes of his wife had not been blind to the change that had come over him, and suspected the cause of it. She surmised that if the chance of escape ever offered itself he would take advantage of it.

But what about the boy? Would he leave him behind?

His devotion to the lad and his constant and almost exclusive monopoly of him convinced her that the father would never leave him behind. He would either forego his chance of escape or take the boy with him.

At first, naturally and instinctively, she steeled herself against the loss of her son; she would herself carry him off and go into hiding with him. Yet when she came to think of it more carefully she saw how futile this was, Keawe-ahu would certainly find them.

And then too did she want to ruin the boy’s future for the sake of her own enjoyment of him?

He would be better off with his father. On his father’s estates he would be a prince; a prince and a hero in that large and wonderful life that she had heard of. Gradually she became reconciled; if the father went and took the lad, it would break her heart, but it was better so.

Nor was the prospect of their departure so utterly remote. This wonderful floating island was constantly shifting, mostly it drifted in shoreless seas, but sometimes it came within sight of land and several times in earlier years Keawe-ahu had seen the familiar shores of Hawaii; then he didn’t want to leave, now he did.

Any day the chance might come again. And one day, sure enough it did come.

In the early morning at daylight, there they were close to off the coast of Kona. It was the impulse of a moment to seize the lad, throw him across his shoulders, run down the slope and leap into the warm ocean.

It was a long hard swim, but was he not a master swimmer, and had he not, secretly, been training for just this kind of feat? However that may be, they reached the shore safely, though very much exhausted. (This summary is entirely from Legend of the Floating Island, A Kauai version narrated by Mrs S Polani, of Kapaʻa, by JM Lydgate; Thrum.)

It appears that Kane-huna-moku has been seen in many places within the Hawaiian Islands and beyond, which suggests that many instances of coastal submergence in these islands may have been enshrined in oral traditions, sometimes by modifying existing stories.

For example, the occasional reappearances of Kane-huna-moku in Hawaiʻi may be the outcome of a mirage or the appearance of a pumice mat, combined with a perceived need to reinforce some element of tradition. (Nunn; Heggen)

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Poʻolua

Poʻolua is literally broken down as Poʻo (head) and lua (two) and refers to a child who has two fathers (the child is sired by other than the husband, but he is accepted by both the husband and the sire.)

A child said to be poʻolua, “that is, a child of two fathers, was considered a great honor by chiefs of that period.” (Luomala)

Kamehameha has been referred to as poʻolua (shared, two-headed) son of Keōua and Kahekili by his mother Kekuʻiapoiwa.  (VanDyke)

Kamakau references Kamehameha was born at Kokoiki in Kohala.  His father was Keōua, younger brother of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, and his mother was Kekuʻiapoiwa, daughter of Kekela and Haʻae, both of whom belonged to families of chiefs.

Kamakau explains that it was the custom from ancient times among the chiefs of Hawaiʻi for the chief of one island to give a child to the chief of another island. This is the reason why Kahekili has often been called the father of Kamehameha, for chiefs of Hawaii and Maui were closely related.  (Kamakau)

Kamehameha, who had always thought that Chief Keōua of the island of Hawaiʻi was his natural father until a few years after he conquered all the islands but Kauaʻi.  Dibble notes that when Keōua, the father of Kamehameha, died, he commended his son to the care of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, who received him, and treated him as his own child.

Per Kamakau’s account, in 1802, Kamehameha, on hearing that Chief Kameʻeiamoku was dying at Lāhainā, went to him.  Kameʻeiamoku had attended Kamehameha since his boyhood and was one of his four Kona Uncles who had engineered his rise to power and made him king.  Kameʻeiamoku (on his deathbed) said to Kamehameha, “I have something to tell you: Kahekili was your father, you were not Keōua’s son. Here are the tokens that you are the son of Kahekili.”  (Kamakau)

Kamehameha responded, “Strange that you should live all this time and only when dying tell me that I am Kahekili’s son! Had you told me this before, my brothers need not have died; they could have ruled Maui while I ruled Hawaii.”    (Kamakau)

Kameʻeiamoku answered, “That is not a good thought; had they lived there would have been constant warfare between you, but with you alone as ruler the country is at peace.”    (Kamakau)

Kahekili’s age is not accurately known, but as by all native accounts he was the reputed father of Kamehameha I.  (Fornander)

“Kamehameha was the reputed son of Keōua otherwise called Kalanikupuapaikalaninui, a younger half-brother of Kalaniopuʻu, king of Hawaiʻi. It is said, however, that Kamehameha was the real son of Kahekili, king of Maui and that Kahekili gave him the name of his brother which was Kamehameha.”   (Dibble)

Kalākaua notes, “To this record of the tangled relationships of the chiefly families of the group at that period may be added … that Kahekili, the mōʻi of Maui, was the real father of Kamehameha; and in proof of the latter the acts and admissions of Kahekili are cited.”

When Kamehameha prepared an invasion in east Maui, Kahekili sent his younger brother, Alapaʻi, with the following orders: “Go, and bestow our kingdom upon our son; and if he will receive it, well; but if he does not recognize me as his father and will not respect the gift, but insists upon war; then, tell him that both he and his soldiers shall die in their youth, before the going down of the sun.”  (Dibble)

“If, indeed he shall listen to my request, then, say to him, ‘Wait, till the black tapa, shall cover me and my funeral rites shall be performed, then, come and receive his kingdom, without the peril of war,’ – for indeed, he is my son, and from me he received his name Kamehameha after that of my elder brother.” (Dibble)  Receiving the message, Kamehameha delayed his invasion.

Some say that Kekuʻiapoiwa had a liaison with Kahekili (ruler of Maui) and from this union was born Kamehameha.  Though Kahekili was thought to be his biological father, he was raised by his parents (and was considered the son of Kekuʻiapoiwa and Keōua.)

After Kahekili died, Fornander had an interesting perspective related to the relationships of the parties.  Fornander notes, “Kameʻeiamoku and his twin-brother Kamanawa secretly took Kahekili’s body away and hid it in one of the caves at Kaloko in North Kona, Hawaii.”

Kameʻeiamoku and Kamanawa were the children of Kekaulike of Maui, and thus half-brothers of Kahekili.  The twins (Kameʻeiamoku and Kamanawa) were Chiefs from the Kohala and North Kona districts and were uncles of and his counselors in the wars to unite the islands.

This relationship receives further confirmation from the native legends when they relate that, on learning the birth of Kamehameha, Kahekili sent these two sons of his father Kekaulike to Hawaiʻi to be and act as “Kahus” to Kamehameha.  (Fornander)

“In no other way can the otherwise singular fact be explained that two of Kamehameha’s oldest and most prominent and trusted councilor chiefs, during a time of what may be called suspended hostilities, should have repaired from Hawaii to Oahu for the purpose of securing and safely hiding (Huna-kele) the bones of Kamehameha’s political rival; nor the otherwise equally inexplicable fact that they should have been permitted by Kalanikūpule, Kahekili’s son and successor, to carry their design into effect.”  (Fornander)

Under the social system of the old regime, and of time-hallowed custom, Kamehameha would have had no power to prevent those chiefs from executing their pious errand, and Kalanikūpule would have had no motive to mistrust their honesty when resigning to them his father’s remains; and a breach of trust on their part would have consigned them to an infamy of which Hawaiian history had no precedent, and so deep, that the Hawaiian language would not have had a word detestable enough wherewith to express it.  (Fornander)

“He was the reputed and accepted son of Keōua, the half-brother of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, although it was believed by many that his real father was Kahekili, mōʻi of Maui. But, however this may have been, he was of royal blood, and was destined to become not only the king of Hawaiʻi, but the conqueror and sovereign of the group. This chief was Kamehameha.”  (Kalākaua)

Kamehameha, through the assistance of the Kona “Uncles” (Keʻeaumoku, Keaweaheulu, Kameʻeiamoku & Kamanawa (the latter two ended up on the Island’s coat of arms;)) succeeded, after a struggle of more than ten years, in securing to himself the supreme authority over that island (and later, the entire Hawaiian Islands chain.)

The image shows Kamehameha (drawn by Choris in 1816.)  

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Moon Nights

Reasoning from observations has been important to modern scientific practice at least since the time of Aristotle (384–322 BC.) A scientific process or scientific method requires observations of nature and formulating and testing the hypothesis. It consists of following four steps.

Scientists observe something and ask questions about a natural phenomenon (scientific observation,) make hypothesis, make predictions about logical consequences of the hypothesis, test the predictions by observational study and create a conclusion on the basis of the information gathered. (Stanford)

Hawaiians in traditional times also made observations of the world around them. Most of the makaʻāinana (common people) were farmers, a few were fishermen. Tenants cultivated smaller crops for family consumption, to supply the needs of chiefs and provide tributes.

They followed a systematic and careful regimentation of planting in accordance with what had been observed over time, noting the influence of the stages of the moon had on farming and fishing.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Lunar_libration_with_phase2.gif

Following is a summary noted in Handy & Handy with Pukui for planting according to moon phases, together with the names of the ‘Moon Nights,’ are compiled by them from notes derived from a variety of sources:

Hilo (first ‘night.’) The new moon appears ‘slender and twisted’ (hilo.) Fish ‘hide’ in the lagoons on this night, but it is good for deep-sea fishing; food maturing underground will ‘hide,’ but some recommend the day following Hilo for planting, especially sweet potatoes and taro, although they will be small when mature as the new moon is small. This was the first night of the kapu period of Ku.

Hoaka (second ‘night.’) The name means ‘faint light’ or ‘casting a shadow.’ Ghosts cast shadows and frighten fish away. The second night of the Ku kapu.

Ku kahi, Ku lua, Ku kolu, Ku pau (third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ‘nights’.), The names mean ‘First Ku’ ‘Second Ku,’ ‘Third Ku,’ and ‘Last Ku.’ The kapu period of Ku ended with ‘First Ku,’ Recommended for planting sweet potato and taro, which will grow ‘upright’ (ku) in the soil. Recommended also for fishing.

Taros planted on this first night will have but one shoot (ku kahi ), second night will have two (ku lua), and third night will have three (ku kolu.), Bananas planted these nights will stand erect (ku.) The ocean currents change.

‘Ole ku kahi, ‘Ole ku lua, ‘Ole ku kolu, ‘Ole pau (First ‘Ole, Second, Third, Last; seventh to tenth ‘nights’). The tides run high and the sea is rough. Fishing is poor. Not recommended for planting or fishing, for ‘ole means ‘nothing, without, nonproductive.’ Recommended for weeding. However, planting at ‘Ole pau (‘end of non-productivity,’) especially for breadfruit.

Huna (eleventh ‘night’), The name means ‘hidden’ and is recommended for root plants which will flourish, hidden under dense foliage, and especially for gourds which will be hidden under their leaves. Recommended also for fishing, for the fish are hiding-in their holes.

Mohalu (twelfth ‘night.’) Good for planting flowers, which will be round and perfect like the moon all this night; and gourds, potatoes and taro will grow well. Fruits, fish, and seaweed were kapu, for this night was sacred to Kane the life-giver. This is a good ‘night,’ for fishing. ‘The sea is covered with fishing canoes’ (after abolition of kapu).

Hua (thirteenth ‘night’), The name means ‘fruit’ and ‘seed,’ hence it was fruitful on land and sea, especially for many-seeded gourds, The moon is egg-shaped (hua), This night is sacred to Lono, Good fishing.

Akua (fourteenth ‘night.’. All things reproduce abundantly (ho‘oakua.) Fishing is good. This is a kapu night when the gods (akua) are about, and offerings are made to them to increase food (ho‘oulu‘ai) and fish (ho‘oulu i‘a).

Hoku (fifteenth ‘night.’) Hoku kua means ‘lined up close together,’ hence root plants and bananas will be prolific, but fruit will be small. Good for trees in general. Good fishing.
Mahealani (sixteenth ‘night’: full moon.) Mahea means ‘whiter,’ and the plants are so prolific and large that they say ‘whither can we grow?’ Currents run strong, but fishing is good. Good for all work.

Kulu (seventeenth ‘night.’) Kulu means ‘to drop.’ The banana sheath drops off this day exposing the new bunch. Good for potatoes and melons. Currents are strong, but it is a good time for fishing. This was the time for offering first fruits to the gods.

La‘au ku kahi, La‘au ku lua, La‘au pau (First La‘au, Second, Last: eighteenth to twentieth ‘night’). Sweet potatoes, melons, and gourds will run to woody (la‘au) vines. For medicines (la‘au) this is a time favored for gathering herbs and for their preparation by the medical kahuna.

Good for planting banana and other trees (la‘au): the fruit will be so heavy that poles (la‘au) will be required to support them. Favorable for fishing. Breadfruit planted in these days will be hard and woody (la‘au.) Some say bananas will be hard and woody. Some say La‘au pau is a good day for all planting.

‘Ole ku kahu, ‘Ole ku lua, ‘Ole ku pau (First ‘Ole, Seconds, Last: twenty-first to twenty-third ‘night.’) Not recommended for planting or fishing. It is windy and tides run high. A good time for weeding. ‘Lazy days for farmers.’ ‘Ole pau and kaloa ku kahi are the kapu periods of Kanaloa or Kaloa, when offerings are made with prayers.

Kaloa ku kahi, Koloa ku lua, Koloa pau (First kaloa, Second, Last: twenty-fourth to twenty-sixth ‘night.’) Good for fishing. Makaloa and ‘ole shellfish are plentiful. It is a good time to plant bamboo for braiding hats. Plants with long stems (banana, sugar cane, bamboo) will grow long. Potato and yam will run to long vines (ka loa.) Good for wauke, which will develop long stems (ka loa). Pandanus will develop long leaves. The first Kaloa is sacred to Kanaloa with mild kapu.

Kane (twenty-seventh ‘night’). This and the night following Lono, are sacred to Kane. This period was devoted to prayers to Kane and Lono for health and food. The Kane kapu was rigorous.

Lono (twenty-eighth ‘night.’) Prayers for rain. Recommended for melons and gourds (which were ‘bodies’ of Lono.)

Mauli (twenty-ninth ‘night.’) Uli (dark) implies rich, dark-green vegetation. Tides are low. Fishing is good, good day for marriages.

Muku (thirtieth ‘night.’) Bananas will bear bunches one muku long (from tip of fingers of one hand to opposite elbow.) Not recommended for sweet potatoes. Trees and sugar cane will prosper. Fishing is good. The moon is cut off, muku (vanishes.)

The planting calendar may be summarized as follows : On the Ku nights potatoes will grow erect (ku,) also taro. The ‘Ole nights are periods of scarcity (‘ole ) on land and sea. On Huna, roots and gourds will prosper, hidden (huna) under earth or dense foliage. Hua (fruit, seed) means plenty, Akua (deity) supernatural abundance.

In Hoku the fruits will be lined up (hoku hua.) In Mahealani roots will ask ‘ ‘whither can we grow (mahea, whither ; lani (under) heaven?’ Kulu (drop) implies dropping of the fruit sheath.

The la‘au are good for woody growth (la‘au means wood.) The second series of ‘Ole are again periods of dearth. Kaloa indicates long vines and stems. Kane and Lono, nights of prayer for plenty, health, and rain. Mauli implies dark green (uli) vegetation, and Muku long bunches of bananas.

During each month (moon, mahina) there are four kapu periods. Families who worshiped one of the major gods to whom the ‘nights’ were dedicated abstained from work and play and prayed to their gods at the altar (kuahu) in the men’s house (mua.)

The kapu periods were:
On Hila, Hoaka and Kukahi (1st-3rd,) the Ku kapu.
On Mohalu and Hua (12th-13th,) , the Hua (Lono) kapu.
On ‘Ole pau and Kalo aku kahi (23rd-24th,) the Kanaloa kapu.
On Kane and Lono (27th-28th), the Kane kapu.

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The Hawaiian Club

The Hawaiian Club (sometimes referred to as the Hawaiian Club of Boston) was formed in January, 1866, by a few gentlemen, who having, at different periods during the preceding forty years, resided at the Hawaiian Islands, felt that strong attachment for them which is so general among those who have once lived there.

Its purpose was to promote social intercourse among the friends of Hawaii, resident in or visiting Boston and vicinity, and to advance the interests of the United States at the Hawaiian Islands, and the welfare of the Hawaiian nation, by collecting and diffusing information bearing thereupon, and by all other honorable means. (Articles of Organization)

There were 15-original members, and by 1868 the total had increased to 45. Although the club was in existence for many years, this volume of papers was their first (and only) publication. A note on the reverse of the title page says, ‘Four hundred fifty copies plain, fifty club copies (on) tinted (paper.)’

Their object was partly to revive pleasant associations by occasional meetings to discuss the past and present condition of Hawaii, and partly to advance the prosperity of the country and the interests of the United States and her citizens there.

In furtherance of these objects the Club met once a month, usually in the city of Boston, but occasionally in a more social way at the country residence of some one of its members. It has corresponded with the friends of Hawaii, resident at the Islands.

It has sought, through delegations at Washington, and through newspaper publications and personal interviews of its officers and members with men of influence, to further every measure which would benefit the Islands.

One such was the establishment of steam mail communication between San Francisco and Honolulu, and the negotiation and ratification of a treaty of commercial reciprocity between the United States and Hawaiian Governments.

One interesting issue raised by the Hawaiian Club relates to the Kamehameha Statue – an ‘error’ in how the King is dressed.

“When the Kamehameha had been modeled by Gould, the attention of the Hawaiian Club of Boston … was called to the completed model and it was noticed that the great Moi was represented wearing a sort of apron”.

“(T)he sculptor was informed that this was by no means a correct costume of the time of Kamehameha and would appear ridiculous to the modern Hawaiian.”

It turns out, when the statue was being prepared, King Kalakaua had recently acquired “Malo of Kaumualiʻi” and he selected that to be photographed for the sculptor’s use, providing the model with an ordinary malo at the same time.

William Tufts Brigham – the first director of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum – had written a book on Hawaiian featherwork; he had also been Hawaiian Club president for ten years.

His initial reaction about the “Malo of Kaumualiʻi” was, “how could a band four yards long, made as this is with feathers on both sides be disposed on the wearer? The term malo is certainly misleading”. He suggested it was rather a cordon or sash.

“In the statue the cordon passes from the pendent end up behind the portion used as a waist-band, over the left shoulder, outside the cloak, instead of returning down the back to form the belt as it should have done with the end tucked in to tighten the band, it leaves this belt as an independent member and passes down over the cloak to trail on the ground!” (Brigham)

“The ordinary malo is shown on the statue, a proof that the cordon was not used as a malo, an impossible feat. Perhaps no competent critic saw the model after the cordon was added, or it was thought best not to remove the band after the cast was made.”

“As there was no living Hawaiian who had seen such a cordon worn either by Kamehameha or Kaumualiʻi, the absence of criticism may be understood.” (Brigham)

It turns out Brigham found out it was not the sculptor’s fault, but, rather, the photographer who sent the statue maker photos of what was to be designed (Gould simply sculpted what the photographer provided.)

“The ungraceful position of the left hand was changed by the artist but he could not have been expected to be versed in the peculiarities of ancient Hawaiian adornment. In the photograph sent not only was the cordon placed over the cloak but the main ornament, the terminal set with teeth was not visible in front!”

“I can only suppose that King Kalakaua in his apprenticeship to royalty as assistant chamberlain to Kamehameha V, never saw such a cordon adorning his royal master who was greatly averse to personal display as I was convinced by my acquaintance with that monarch, who probably never saw the cordon in question.” (Brigham)

“The final arrangement must be based on esthetic rather than historical grounds. In fact, the decorated end of the sash drags on the ground behind the figure. The other end has had to be supplemented with a fictitious terminal band to be presentable in front.”

“If you look closely, the final arrangement is impossible without two sashes: a long one from malo front over the shoulder and down to the ground, and a short, separate belt.” (Later noted by Charlot.)

Traditionally, a sash is worn by first draping the sash over the left shoulder to where it falls between the knees. Then the remaining length is wrapped around the waist and over the front flap of the sash to around the back, fed behind the part over the shoulder, and the remaining hangs down in the back (at knee length.) (San Nicolas) After that, you put the cape on over it all.

As attention is drawn to the Kamehameha Statue, with lei draping and anticipation of Kamehameha Day, folks might now all look at the Kamehameha Statue a little closer now.  (The painting pattern of the sash on the Kapaʻau Statue illustrates the error best, but it is evident on each.)

Most of the attention has been to the front of the statue; but we have overlooked a little bit of history without looking at the sash as it simply flows from the front over the shoulder (over the cape) to a pile in the back (rather than in the traditional wearing of the sash (wrapped before the cape is worn; under the cape around the waist and looped down.))

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Kamehameha_Statue-Kapaau_front_and_back
Kamehameha_Statue-Honolulu-front_and_back