Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Third Outrage at Lāhainā

In the mid-1820s and early-1830s, several clashes (writers of the time referred to them as ‘ourtages’) happened that included the missionaries, merchants and whalers.

In 1825, an assault was made upon the house and family of Mr. Richards, by the riotous crew of the English whaleship Daniel, then lying at anchor off the town of Lāhainā; and that Capt Buckle, the master of that ship, evidently connived at the assault, (if he did not directly promote it,) and is therefore justly responsible for it (the First Outrage at Lahaina.)

About a year afterwards, a similar attempt to abrogate the laws of that place was made by the crews of several English and American whale-ships in concert, who doubtless acted with the connivance of their captains.

The sailors threatened to kill Mr. Richards; but he was providentially absent from the islands, on important business of the mission. They went in a body to his house to demolish it; but found it carefully guarded by the natives.

They then took away his hogs and poultry, which were at some distance from the house, and were probably the only property belonging to him, on which the rioters could lay their hands.

They continued several days in the town, trampling on the rights of the natives, breaking open houses, and committing other indignities (the Second Outrage at Lahaina.)

In a letter from Hoapili, Governor of Maui, to Kaʻahumanu, Regent (October 24, 1827,) Hoapili described the Third Outrage of Lāhainā:

“Love to you Elisabeth Kaahumanu.”

“This is the word which I have to declare to you. We have recently been in difficulty; we here of Maui. No one else is involved, I alone.—It was my own personal resolution.”

“This is the ground of the difficulty which you are to consider – a strict regard to God: because you and we had said, the women must not go on board the ships for the purposes of prostitution. I have strictly observed this word of ours.”

“There have recently gone off secretly several women for purposes of lewdness, Nakoko and Mikabako and others, whose names I do not know.”

“When I heard by the people, that the ship had got possession of the women, then I requested the commander of the ship (the John Palmer,) captain Clark (Elisha Clarke,) to return to me the women. He would not consent: – he ridiculed what I said.”

“That day passed; next morning I urged him again; three times I insisted on it.”

“He said to me: Your efforts are vain. It is not right. It is not thus in Great Britain. It is not right for you to withhold women from Englishmen. Do not keep back the women, that go in the bad way; otherwise a man of war will come and destroy you all.”

“Then I replied; I do not at all regard what you have said. There is but one thing that is right in my view – that you send me back the women: – but understand, if you do not return them, I shall detain you here on shore, till we get the women. Then you may go to the ship.”

“My requirement was not at all complied with.”

“Then I sent men to take the boat. The boat was detained by me; and the foreigner was detained by me, here on shore. He said to me, this place will be full of ships; and Maui shall be free from tabu, or entirely burnt, so that not a cluster of houses shall be left. My ship is ready to fire upon you this night.”

“I replied, if the guns of your ship fire, I will take care of you. You and I and my chief will go together to another place. If your men fire from the ship, we the people of the island will remain quiet, but if the people of the ship land here on shore to fight us, then my people will fight them.”

“You and I will sit still, and let your people and mine do the fighting. I will take care of you. If you do not give me back the women, you and I will dwell here on shore, and you shall not return to your vessel. I have but one desire and that is the return hither of the women. I ended.”

“We continued together from the early to the latter part of the evening, when the cannon of the ship were fired.”

(Five balls were discharged, all in the direction of the mission house. Capt. Clark afterwards asserted that he ordered his men to fire over the mission house, and not at it. One ball passed very near the roof.) (Tracy)

“Mr. Richards had come to me saying, ‘I have come to promote reconciliation, out of love to you and out of love to them.’ Mr. Richards inquired of me ‘What is your design?’ I replied, my only design is, that the women be returned. We were persuaded to yield by Mr. Richards. I therefore sent back the foreigner; but did not obtain the women.”

“These are my thoughts concerning the recent doing in this place belonging to your king. It is nearly right perhaps, it is nearly wrong perhaps. He said to me, I shall sail to Oahu. Boki and the consul will come and fight us.”

“Where are you? Look out well for Nakoko and those with her, and if you can get them, send them back here to Maui; and if the vessel does not anchor, then give directions to Pelekaluhi. It is ended. Love to you all, Hoapiri – Kane.” (Missionary Herald)

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Edward_T._Perkins,_Rear_View_of_Lahaina,_1854-WC
Edward_T._Perkins,_Rear_View_of_Lahaina,_1854-WC
Two cannon balls fired at the home of Rev. William Richards in Lahaina-HSA-PP-37-2-007
Two cannon balls fired at the home of Rev. William Richards in Lahaina-HSA-PP-37-2-007

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Buckle, Wahinepio and Leoiki

At the end of May in 1823, Keōpūolani, Nāhiʻenaʻena and Hoapili (Keōpūolani’s husband) moved to Maui and took up residence in Lāhainā.

“The queen was desirous to have missionaries to accompany her … A meeting was called to consult whether it was expedient to establish a mission at Lahaina. The mission was determined on, and Mr. S. (Stewart) was appointed to go: he chose Mr. R. (Reverend William Richards) for his companion.”  (Betsey Stockton Journal)

At about the same time, whaling ships were calling at Hawaiʻi.  (Hawai‘i’s whaling era began in 1819 when two New England ships became the first whaling ships to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands.)

At that time, whale products were in high demand; whale oil was used for heating, lamps and in industrial machinery; whale bone was used in corsets, skirt hoops, umbrellas and buggy whips.

Rich whaling waters were discovered near Japan and soon hundreds of ships headed for the area.   The central location of the Hawaiian Islands between America and Japan brought many whaling ships to the Islands.  Whalers needed food and the islands supplied this need from its fertile lands.

Starting with Cook’s arrival, his crew and later the whalers sought and received other pleasures.  The matter of sailors and Hawaiian women got more complicated in 1825, when the British whaler Daniel IV, under the command of William Buckle, made its way into Lāhainā.

Before leaving, Buckle asking that Leoiki accompany him on his cruise sent her to her chiefess, Wahinepio, with eight gold doubloons. At first hesitant, Wahinepio spoke with Buckle and then gave her OK, after he promised to bring the girl back (as well as adding two more doubloons.  (Litten)

To many it appeared Wahinepio sold Leoiki, a girl of sixteen, into slavery to Captain Buckle.  The money was later added to the treasures left by Liholiho, because no one was found willing to be its owner.  (Thrum, 1918)

As was the practice, Richards sent his daily journal to the mission headquarters (his account of the matter later appeared in the newspapers – likewise, a new policy was established, not allowing women to board the ships at anchor.)

This brought two areas of disturbance: (1) a claim of slavery, with subsequent assertions of libel and (2) a rowdy crew expecting female companionship on board ship.

Let’s address the latter, first.

Take the scene of October, 1825. A missionary and his family are alone on the Island of Maui. The British whale ship Daniel, under Captain Buckle, arrives and comes to anchor. The crew soon find that a change has taken place. Instead of the accustomed throng of native females, not an individual of the sex approaches the ship. (Dibble)

With a law in force forbidding women to visit ships, the Captain and his crew threatened to burn Mr. Richards’ house, and to kill him and his wife. The next day fifteen sailors came ashore armed with knives and pistols and waving a black flag. By order of the chiefs the mission was surrounded by two hundred armed natives. The sailors marched up the hill with threatening mien but, seeing the array of bayonets, turned around and marched right back again. (Thrum, 1918)

The first matter of slavery claims did not go unnoticed by Kauikeaouli, King Kamehameha III.  “After sitting silent a short time Boki read a manao of the king & his sister in which they express their intention to prevent any violent measure being taken against Mr. Richards, that they would condemn the one that should be proved to be in the wrong and justify the one that should prove to be in the right.”  (Chamberlain)

Buckle had claimed libel against Richards for publishing the slavery claims in the papers (the story was not just mentioned in the Islands, it made the continental papers, as well.)

To this Richards replied that he had not seen the communication alluded to and that he could not make oath to any newspaper declaration & moreover that he had never written or said anything which by a fair interpretation could be construed to mean that Buckle had made a purchase for the purpose of reducing to slavery.  (Chamberlain)

Supporting the ‘no sale’ situation, Leoiki (and Buckle) denied that she had been sold to Captain Buckle.  (Chamberlain)

Later, Richards addressed a conciliatory letter to Buckle stating the reasons which he sent his report to the Mission Board and that he did not authorize the publication of it and that he had never supposed that Buckle had obtained the woman for the purpose of reducing her to slavery, nor did he think that by a fair interpretation that meaning could be inferred.  (Chamberlain)

Buckle, feeling his reputation has been damaged, answered Richard’s letter declaring false the account of the purchase & of the riot & pronounces the whole to be a libel, and states if this were a civilized country where justice could be obtained he should bring him to the punishment which he deserved; and that even now he could demand that Richards retract what he had written and acknowledge his statements to be false.  (Chamberlain)

Richard Charlton, British Consul-General, noted, “Captain Buckle could not be convicted of having bought a female slave as the inmate of his cabin.”  (Bingham)  The natives say Mr. Richards is to be put to death for falsely accusing Buckle. (Chamberlain)

While the transfer of funds raised the suspicion of many that Leoiki was sold into slavery, some suggest the payment was simply the traditional payment of dowry. (While we sometimes limit the context of ‘dowry’ to the property a woman brings to a marriage; it can also mean money given by the groom to the family of the bride.)

Then, on December 26, 1827, the Daniel IV, under the command of Captain Buckle, left Lāhainā.  “The departure of this captain who has been the occasion of so much trouble to the mission gave us no small comfort. She sail’d in company with the Elizabeth Capt. Stewart. We were happy to see both vessels steer directly off without altering their course.”  (Chamberlain)

A meeting of the chiefs followed.  There, they agreed to close the subject.  The meeting did, however, proclaim three general laws: those against murder, adultery and theft. (Litten)

There is another tangential end to this story.  On February 5, 1826 (very much in the middle of the above timeframe,) William Wahinepio Buckle was born to Buckle and Leoiki (apparently born while they were at sea.)

The Māhele documents show that Leoiki was given five lands on three islands; she also received title to the land Captain Buckle bought for their home in downtown Honolulu: both definite indications that she was still considered an Aliʻi.  (Creed, waihona)

William Wahinepio Buckle later was a member of King Kalākaua’s Privy Council.  His daughter, Jane Kahakuwaiaoao Keakahiwalani Buckle Clark, was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Liliʻuokalani.

Some of the Buckle descendants are buried in the Honolulu Catholic Cemetery on King Street. 

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Burial of Joseph Nāwahī

“For ten days or more the movements of certain parties have been subjected to very close scrutiny. Though without their knowledge they have been under careful surveillance.”

“Reports by the police are to the effect that an uprising was scheduled for Saturday night. The capture of the Executive building was not to be undertaken until very late. President Dole and his Cabinet Ministers were to be taken prisoners. At the same time the insurgents were to take possession of the Police Station.”

“At 10 o’clock Lieutenant Holi was dispatched for Joseph Nāwahī.  He was found at his home at Kapalama. He reached the station house twenty minutes later. The charge against Mr. Nāwahī was treason. He was given a cell all to himself.  No bondsman appeared on behalf of Mr Nāwahī.”  (Hawaiian Star, Dec 10, 1894)

“Born in 1842 at Kaimū, his parents named him Joseph Kahoʻoluhi Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu. Raised by his uncle, Joseph Paʻakaula, twelve-year-old Nāwahī enrolled in Hilo Boarding School. His first teachers were Rev. David and Sarah Lyman.”

“In July 1856 Nāwahī became a seminary student at Lahainaluna, Maui and finally a scholar at the Royal School in Honolulu. His career included periods as a teacher, assistant principal, and briefly principal at Hilo Boarding School. He also chose to work as a surveyor, lawyer, and newspaper publisher.”

“Nāwahī served many years for the Kingdom government: as a representative for the people of Puna (1872–1876), then Hilo (1878–1884, 1890–1893) and as Minister of Foreign Affairs for Queen Liliʻuokalani.” (Lyman Museum)

He spent nearly three months in jail before his supporters were able to raise the money and bail him out, where it is believed he contracted tuberculosis. (Oiwi TV and Ka‘iwakīloumoku)

At the trial, “When the jury were out two hours they came out for instructions. They retired again and at 8 o’clock returned a verdict of not guilty for Nawahi …. Judge Cooper discharged Mr Nawahi and, thanking the jury for their close attention, dismissed them ….”  (The Independent. May 10, 1895)

Following his imprisonment, he founded the Hui Aloha ʻĀina political party [a patriotic group created to support Lili‘uokalani and oppose annexation] and published the newspaper Ke Aloha ʻĀina. (Lyman Museum)

He was ill; “Mr and Mrs Joseph Nawahi will leave for the coast by the Alameda. Mr Nawahi has been quite ill recently and his physician advised a sea voyage.” (The Independent, August 19, 1896)

“Joseph Nawahi, one of the ablest Hawaiian members of the Honolulu bar, died in San Francisco from consumption [Tuberculosis] on the 14th inst. [September 14, 1896]”

“He had been in failing health here for some time, and visited California in the hope that a change of climate would benefit him, but his weakened condition left him without the means to combat the disease. … His remains will be returned to Honolulu on Monday by the SS Australia. Deceased leaves a widow and two sons.  (PCA, Sept 25, 1896)

“The two native societies Aloha Aina and Kalaiaina had made arrangements with undertaker EA Williams to take charge of the remains of Joseph Nawahi on their arrival on the Australia”.

“The wharf was crowded to suffocation with some three or four thousand natives who had intended to follow the hearse after the two societies.”  (Evening Bulletin, Sep 29, 1896)

“The body was carried to the undertaking parlors of HH Williams, and about noon conveyed in a hearse drawn by four bay horses to the Nawahi’s residence at Palama where the last respects were paid to the deceased patriot by his mourning compatriots.”

“Mrs Nawahi, the widow, brought her husband’s body from San Francisco to his island home and was received at the wharf by her grief-stricken sons and relatives.”

“The casket containing the remains was wrapped in a Hawaiian flag and numerous floral offerings were sent to the house during the day.”

“The remains will be sent to Hilo tomorrow afternoon by the steamer Hawaii for interment, after the services have been held at 12:30 pm at the homestead.”  (The Independent, Sep 29, 1896)

“Excitement ran high in [Hilo] when a telephone message from Purser Beckley of the Kinau, sent from Kawaihae early Wednesday morning last, announced that the body of the late Joseph Nawahi would arrive here on the steamer Hawaii, to leave Honolulu on that same day.”

“The mere fact that the arrival of the Hawaii was a matter of conjecture, due to the large amount of freight for Lahaina and other way ports, increased the excitement to a still higher pitch, so that when a telephone message was received from Mahukona Thursday afternoon that the Hawaii had reached that port, Hilo was in a perfect whirlwind.”

“From Puna, Puneo, Wainaku, Papaikou, from Onamea and other small places near Hilo, there was a steady inpouring of natives, dressed in either white or black.”

“Between 7 and 8 o’clock Friday morning, minute bells from Hilo Church announced that the Hawaii had come in sight, and a little later your reporter saw her drop anchor in Hilo bay, somewhat further toward the Puna side than usual.”

“As the Hawaii gave one long whistle, there appeared moving slowly out from Wailoa river four large double canoes manned by sturdy natives. Between each of the two were platforms for the coffin and the people who accompanied the body.”

“The head canoe was manned by natives grown old in the art of canoeing, and the top of the platform was covered with a heavy black pall.”

“As the procession of these four canoes, each with a Hawaiian flag at half mast, approached closer and closer to the steamer, the decks of the latter seemed to be all animation, and in a short time preparations were completed for putting the body off.”

“Just as the funeral canoe had reached the side and as the body was being lifted over, the steamer Hawaii, hitherto pointing directly toward Hilo, swerved around slowly and pointed to ward Waiakea, this, although being due to natural causes, striking the natives as something in the realm of the supernatural.”

“As soon as the body had been taken aboard, one lone bomb boomed out from the direction of Waiakea, and the canoe and procession of boats started away from the side of the vessel, the Hawaii swerving still further around and pointing toward Puna.”

“Long before the procession reached Waiakea, the beach near by, the jutting rocks, the bridge and every position of vantage was occupied by people, the greatest number of whom were natives.”

“The rays of the morning sun shone brightly upon the procession and upon the funeral canoe, whither all eyes were directed.”

“The appearance of this catamaran around the turn was the signal for a burst of wailing on the part of the native women, something that has never failed to strike the hearts of foreigners with a feeling of awe.”

“In a short time the funeral canoe had reached the Hilo side of Wailoa river, and the natives who had guided the corpse of Nawahi to land now stepped into the shallow water to complete their mission by lifting it off the platform and placing it upon the open funeral carriage that had been provided by the natives of Waiakea.”

“In the wagonette immediately behind the funeral carriage were Mrs. Joseph Nawahi, widow of the deceased, with Rev. Stephen L. Desha at her side, Albert and Alexander Nawahi, her two sons, Miss E. K. Nawahi, an adopted niece; Miss Simeona, another niece; Mrs. Aoe Like. Miss Anna. Mrs. Alapai and joe Kaiana.”

“When the remains had been set in Haili Church in front of the pulpit, watchers were assigned, and then came a steady inpouring of visitors to pay their last respects and bringing with them floral offerings to show their aloha for Nawahi.”

“Two o’clock Sunday afternoon found Haili Church crowded to the doors with people present to hear the services previous to burial. The front part of the old native church was a mass of flowers, in the right hand corner was a great bunch of greens of various kinds across the center of which was pinned the word ‘Aloha,’ done in marigolds.”

“Then came the sermon of Rev SL Desha in Hawaiian, abounding in richness of language and aptness of illustration, that held the attention of the audience closely.  Then came the funeral procession to the graveyard, in which nearly a thousand people took part.”

“The services at the grave in the [Homelani] cemetery were very simple, and in very short time the remains of Joseph Nawahi were laid to rest in the ground and covered with the loving floral tributes of his many friends.”

“Even after the Hawaiian patriot’s death, the political struggle against annexation only intensified. The women’s chapter of the Hui Aloha ʻĀina, founded by his wife Emma Nāwahī, circulated the Kūʻē Petitions across the islands and held numerous rallies and meetings in support of their cause.”

“One of these meetings was held at the Salvation Army hall in Hilo, one week after the Republic of Hawaiʻi ratified a treaty of annexation with the United States. … Emma Nāwahī addressed the crowd of over 300 people, saying in part:”

“‘[W]e Hawaiians… have no power unless we stand together. The United States is just; a land of liberty. The people there are the friends, the great friends of the weak.’”

“‘Let us tell them—let us show them that as they love their country and would suffer much before giving it up, so do we love our country, our Hawaiʻi, and pray that they do not take it from us… In this petition, which we offer for your signature today, you, women of Hawaiʻi, have a chance to speak your mind.’”

“An account of the meeting, along with an accompanying picture, was published in the San Francisco Call (coincidentally, the same city where Joseph passed away). During a time of political turbulence matched only by Kamehameha’s unification of the archipelago, Hilo once again proved itself to be a place of powerful political action (San Francisco Call, 1897).”  (HHF Story Map)

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kawaihae

Kamehameha had granted Kawaihae Komohana ahupua‘a (present Kawaihae 1) to Kalanimōku, his “prime minister;” Kawaihae Hikina (present Kawaihae 2) was one of several ahupuaʻa on Hawai‘i and other islands allocated to John Young by Kamehameha.

Kamehameha had a house here.  Following his death and the succession of Liholiho to rule as Kamehameha II, Kawaihae served as the initial Royal Center for Liholiho, who sought consolidation of his forces and consecration of his leadership role, there.  (Kelly)

Then, as now, the area was relatively barren and people typically lived near the shore, not up the hill.   As noted in 1832, by missionary Lorenzo Lyons in his journal, “about as desolate a place as I have ever seen, nothing but barrenness, with here and there a native hut”.

The area is also generally referenced as Pelekane, which means ‘British,’ possibly named after the Young and Isaac Davis families that lived there (when Davis died in 1810, his friend and co-advisor to Kamehameha, John Young, looked after Davis’ children.)

These were not the only high-ranking people associated with Kawaihae during the first decades of the 19th century. Kamāmalu, daughter of Kamehameha and Kaheiheimālie was born at Pelekane (ca 1802.)

She would later become the wife of her half-brother Liholiho (Kamehameha II,) the son of Kamehameha and the high chiefess Keōpūolani (Kamāmalu died of measles in London with Liholiho in 1825.)  Some suggest Queen Emma (granddaughter of John Young) was also born here.

Over time, Kawaihae and Waimea (up the hill) developed a synergistic relationship.  The area was a canoe landing area, whether for commerce or combat.  (This is where Maui’s chief Kamalālāwalu landed in his assault against Lonoikamakahiki’s Hawaiʻi forces (Lono won.)  But Kawaihae’s presence was really focused on commerce as a landing site.

Archibald Menzies, reporting on Vancouver’s third layover at Kawaihae Bay in March 1793 after leaving Kealakekua Bay, recorded that Young and Davis had accompanied “us thither (i.e. to Kawaihae) on purpose to make presents of hogs and vegetables…from their plantations, which lay near this part of the island…”  (Menzies, Cultural Surveys)

Young built a storehouse in his family compound.  During the sandalwood trade, Young supervised royal warehouses that were the central depository for the wood brought in from the surrounding district.

William Ellis, in 1831 wrote, “Before daylight on the 22d, we were roused by vast multitudes of people passing through the district from Waimea with sandalwood, which had been cut in the adjacent mountains for Karaimoku (Kalanimōku,) by the people of Waimea, and which the people of Kohala, as far as the north point …”

“… had been ordered to bring down to his storehouse on the beach, for the purpose of its being shipped to Oahu.  There were between two and three thousand men, carrying each from one to six pieces of sandalwood, according to their size and weight.”

Another early foreign visitor to Kawaihae was Frenchman, Louis Claude Desaulses de Freycinet, in 1819; he met Liholiho here.  Following closely in the wake of Freycinet’s visit of 1819 were the American missionaries, who stopped first at Kawaihae on April 1, 1820 (before heading down to Kailua-Kona.) They were met by Kalanimōku and his wives and two of Kamehameha’s widows (Kalākua and Namahana.)

During subsequent decades, other missionaries visiting Hawai‘i Island would record their impressions of the life and landscape of the 19th-century Kawaihae region. According to Rev. William Ellis, who, along with other missionaries, stopped at Kawaihae in 1823, the village in the early 1820s contained one hundred houses.

Ellis noted the same salt pans mentioned by Archibald Menzies in 1793 and described the salt-making operations he witnessed:  “The natives of this district manufacture large quantities of salt, by evaporating the sea water. We saw a number of their pans, in the disposition of which they display great ingenuity.”

“(T)he Sandwich Islanders eat (salt) very freely with their food, and use much in preserving their fish. … The surplus … they dispose of to vessels touching at the islands, or export to the Russian settlements on the north-west coast of America, where it is in great demand for curing fish, &c.” (Ellis)

The salt also came in handy with the region’s supplying whalers with fresh and salt beef that called to the Islands, as well as the later Gold Rushers of America.  Here is where Samuel Parker (of the later Parker Ranch fame) started out as a cattle hunter to fill those needs.

Increasing demand for meat, hides and tallow prompted Kuakini, governor of Hawai‘i Island, to establish a residence (and corrals) at Waimea in 1830. After having difficulty traversing the rocky trail from Waimea to Kawaihae, he “wisely sentenced forty persons guilty of violating the seventh commandment (committing adultery”) to construct a road connecting the two.

About this time, 2-wheeled Mexican ox carts started to appear; they were used to transport the meat and other goods between Waimea and Kawaihae (lots of white and sweet potatoes were grown in Waimea for export to California during the Gold Rush.)

As the area continued to grow and develop, most of the residential and commercial buildings that comprised Kawaihae Town continued to be located close to the shoreline of the bay; the uplands of the Kawaihae region remained undeveloped pasture land.  (Cultural Surveys)

The WWII years brought dramatic change.  The vast isolated plains of Waimea were viewed as an ideal location for a troop training center and in the spring of 1942 an army recruit camp was built there. The recruits were followed by the Second and Fifth Marine Divisions that recuperated and trained at Waimea. At its height, the Waimea camp (later dubbed Camp Tarawa,) consisting of tents and Quonset huts set on thousands of acres, housed up to 40,000 men.

Troops were shipped in and out through Kawaihae. At the southern end of the bay, in Kawaihae 2, amphibious landing exercises were conducted and military emplacements were set up in the area of Puʻukohola Heiau.

The war in the Pacific had been over less than a year when on April 1, 1946, an earthquake off the Aleutian Islands caused a tsunami that devastated the Hawaiian Islands.  Although no lives were lost at Kawaihae, its effects wiped out commercial fishing activity there and it was reported that the tsunami “…was the beginning of the end for the Kawaihae Fishing Village. People left.”  (Cultural Surveys)

By the 1950s, the need for improved harbor facilities at Kawaihae was apparent. The old landing had been destroyed in the 1946 tsunami and the one built in 1937 had proven unsafe in high seas. The Kawaihae Deep-Draft Harbor project was authorized by the US Congress in 1950 and finally dedicated on October 5, 1959.

The harbor’s construction was hailed as an “economic shot in the arm,” for sugar planters in the Kohala region of the island would no longer have to ship their crops overland to Hilo or to Kailua-Kona. The harbor would serve military needs as well. The Army was about to acquire a 100,000-acre training site nearby and could unload supplies at Kawaihae Harbor.  (Cultural Surveys)

On August 17, 1972, the US Congress authorized the designation of Puʻukohola Heiau as a National Historic Site. This site also encompasses Mailekini Heiau; Hale O Kapuni Heiau (a submerged “shark” heiau;) Pōhaku o Alapaʻi ku palupalu mano (a stone on the beach where chief Alapaʻi leaned against while watching sharks circling around offerings placed at the submerged heiau;) Pelekane (Kamehameha’s Kawaihae residence) and the site of John Young’s house.

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by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hawaiʻi Loa College

Usually you like to start at the beginning of a story – however, as you will see, there are lots of beginnings here – so we’ll start at the end … this is a little about Hawaiʻi Pacific University (HPU), particularly its “Hawaiʻi Loa” campus.

HPU is the state’s largest private university; it is the third-largest tenant of the Downtown area, after Bank of Hawaii and First Hawaiian Bank … since it’s beginning, it has continued to expand.

Let’s step back a bit.

In the early 1960s, a survey was done concerning the possible need for a high-quality four-year liberal arts college.  The idea originated with Rev. Harry S. Komuro, then superintendent of the Methodist Mission in Hawaii.

The survey was completed in April 1962. Once it was determined that there was such a need, several churches joined in to help accomplish this goal.

Then, on August 8, 1963, trustees signed a charter and bylaws for a four-denominational (United Church of Christ (Congregational), Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian) Protestant college, tentatively named the Christian College of the Pacific. (SB, Aug 10, 1963)

The founding trustees were Dr. Joseph Bevilacqua, general secretary of the United Church of Christ; Rev. Frank E. Butterworth, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Honolulu; Bishop Harry S. Kennedy of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii; and Dr. William E. Phifer, Jr., pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu.

About a year later, “A new and permanent name for the Christian College of the Pacific was adopted by the Board of Trustees. Hawaii Loa College is the first college in the US to be organized by four Protestant denominations.

“Island History has it that Hawaii Loa was a great Polynesian navigator who sailed across the Pacific from the south, discovered the Hawaiian Islands, and settled here”.

“[T]he name was adopted because in ‘conveys to the people of Hawaii, the Mainland, and the entire Pacific Basin the true meaning of our multi-cultural and multi-racial background.” (Rev. Joseph J Bevilacqua, board chairman, SB, Sep 29, 1964)

Hawaii Loa College will be a four-year, residential, co-educational liberal arts school.  It will be built in Windward Oahu directly across from the Pali Golf Course on 100 acres of land donated by Harold KL Castle.  (SB, Sep 29, 1964)

In 1965, Dr Chandler W Rowe. Former dean of academic affairs at Lawrence University in Wisconsin, was named the school president. “Dr Rowe said the new school will not try to become a university. ‘We don’t intend to compete with the University of Hawaii; rather, we want to cooperate fully with all of Hawaii’s institution of higher learning.’” SB, May 5, 1965)

Hawaii Loa College buildings were designed by Gin Wong from William Perriera & Associates. Wong is best known for his work on the Los Angeles Airport modernization (the spaceship), a Union 76 station in Beverly Hills and the Transamerica Tower (Pyramid) building in San Francisco. (Docomomo)

In September 1967, the first Hawaii Loa College students met in temporary classroom buildings at Chaminade College.  The forty-three students who completed applications, 32 men and 11 women, were from Oahu (35), California, Massachusetts and Japan (2-each) and Tennessee and Illinois (1-each). (SB, Sep 4, 1967)

At that time, school trustees were contemplating selling the Windward site. Castle’s will gave the land in fee simple with no striction on its use.  In addition, site development costs for the Windward campus were “so heavy that it is unable to proceed with construction.” (SB, Aug 31, 1967)

About 100 people met and organized a Citizens Committee for Hawaii Loa College to help the school turstees in efforts to build on the land donated by Castle at the foot of Nuuanu Pali.  Windward Jaycees presented petitions signed by 1,300 people asking that the school be built on the Pali site. (SB, Dec 1, 1967)

The Windward campus construction moved forward, and Hawaii’s newest four-year liberal arts college moved into its new campus in January 1971.  Prior to that classes were held at Chaminade and Community Church in Honolulu.  One hundred and five students began their 2nd semester classes in the new library-classroom building.

Hawaii Loa and Hawaii Pacific University had discussed merging as far back as 1977.  (Adv, Apr 24, 1992) Then, in 1992, Hawaiʻi Loa College, with about 500 students, merged into HPU, with nearly 6,700 students – the Windward campus was then referred to as the Hawaii Loa campus of HPU. (Adv, April 22, 1992)

Hawaii Loa was in danger of losing accreditation, pressed to meet payrolls and $3 million in debt. HPU centered its nursing and marine science programs at Hawaii Loa.  (Smyser)

Then, in 2016, it was announced that Castle Medical Center planned to buy the HPU Hawaii Loa campus to expand its health care offerings.  Adventist Health Castle had been serving Windward Oʻahu since Castle Memorial Hospital first opened its doors in 1963.

They plan a modern healthcare campus with inpatient facilities that meet an emerging standard of care, medical offices with adaptable spaces to accommodate changing care models and a cancer treatment center.

The hospital will provide emergency services and rooms for inpatient services. Outpatient support will be provided in the medical office buildings and the Cancer Center.

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