“The Hawaiian mode of building habitations was, in a measure, ingenious, and when their work was carefully executed, it was adapted to the taste of a dark, rude tribe, subsisting on roots, fish, and fruits, but by no means sufficient to meet their necessities, even in their mild climate.”
“Round posts, a few inches in diameter, are set in the ground about a yard apart, rising from three to five feet from the surface. On a shoulder, near the top, is laid a horizontal pole, two or three inches in diameter, as a plate; on this, directly over the posts, rest the rafters.”
“A point of the post, called a finger, rises on the outside of the plate, and passes between two points of the rafter projecting over the plate and below the main shoulder.”
“The joint thus constructed is held together partly by the natural pressure of the roof, and partly by lashings of bark, vines, or grassy fibres beaten, and by hand twisted and doubled into a coarse twine, and put on manifold, so as to act as four braces – two from the post, and two from rafter, extending to the plate, all being attached six to twelve inches from the joint.”
“Three poles or posts, about three times the length of the side posts, are set in the ground, one in the centre of the building, and the others at the ends, on which rests the nether ridge pole, supporting the head of the rafters.”
“These crossing each other, the angle above receives the upper ridge pole, which is lashed to the nether and to the head of the rafters.”
“Posts of unequal length are set at the ends of the building, sloping a little inward and reaching to the end rafters, to which their tops are tied. A door-frame, from three to six feet high, is placed between two end or side posts. Thatch-poles are bed horizontally to the posts and rafters, from an inch to three inches apart, all around and from the ground to the top ridge pole.”
“At this stage the building assumes the appearance of a huge, rude bird cage. It is then covered with the leaf of the ki, pandanus, sugarcane, or more commonly (as in the case of the habitations for us) with grass bound on in small bundles, side by side, one tier overlapping another, like shingles.”
“A house thus thatched assumes the appearance of a long hay stack without, and a cage in a hay mow within. The area or ground within, is raised a little with earth, to prevent the influx of water, and spread with grass and mats, answering usually instead of floors, tables, chairs, sofas, and beds.”
“Air can pass through the thatching, and often there is one small opening through the thatch besides the door, for ventilation and light.”
“Such was the habitation of the Hawaiian, – the monarch, chief, and landlord, the farmer, fisherman, and cloth-beating widow, – a tent of poles and thatch-a rude attic, of one apartment on the ground-a shelter for the father, mother, larger and smaller children, friends and servants.” (Hiram Bingham)
When the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries arrived in the islands (April, 1820,) through the kindness of some of the traders living in Honolulu three grass houses were offered to the five families. It is believed that these houses stood near the site of the McCandless building, at the corner of King and Bethel Streets.
The Binghams occupied one of these, which consisted of a single room, one corner being partitioned off by mats, providing a little privacy. (Restarick, Sybil Bingham Journal)
“April 23rd, (1820) Sabbath. With what interest would our friends in America look upon us to-day, could they cast an eye over the wide waters and behold I The season is truly an interesting one. Probably the first sabbath in which the worship of Jehovah was ever observed in these pagan Isles.”
“We have had divine service to-day in our own dwelling—our straw-thatched cottage—the congregation composed of white residents and Commanders of vessels now lying at the harbour, with many of the natives seated on the mats and surrounding the door.” (Sybil Bingham Journal)
About 3-months after their arrival, Boki began building hale pili for the missionaries. There were three hale connected by a long covered lanai with a fourth hale used as a storage room, separated from the rest.
One part of the Bingham’s hale was to be used as a schoolroom and meetinghouse for Church. The Bingham’s lived at one end of the three connected ones, the Loomises in the middle one, and Daniel Chamberlain and his family in the last one. The missionaries quickly set about preparing the hale pili for their use:
“Mr. (Ruggles) and Capt. (Chamberlain) fitted up the schoolroom for school and meetings (church services,) hanging the walls and covering the ground with mats and making commodious seats …We felt the need of lumber, an article most difficult to be obtained here.”
“It would hardly be possible, at any price to purchase a sufficient quantity of plank for seats in this public room. Some of the timber brought with us will answer very well for temporary seats, placed around the room double and covered with hay and mats.” (Thaddeus Journal, September 16, 1820; Mission Houses)
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Mahalo for sharing so many interesting stories and images of old Hawai‘i. Your site is quite enjoyable and keeps my curiosity stimulated about these islands I call home. It gives me great pleasure to poke through your pages and discover so many new things while I deepen my understanding of the people and places that have shaped this culture.