Images of Old Hawaiʻi

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Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center Presents “Aloha Lāna‘i”

No plans this weekend?  Problem solved.
Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center Presents “Aloha Lāna‘i” a Benefit Fundraising Event on the Island of O‘ahu, Sunday, March 25th, 2012 – Saint Louis High School – Mamiya Theater.
I was early and fortunately got my tickets early; but I understand due to an overwhelming response to the Aloha Lanai Benefit Concert, the event has been sold out.
Not to fret – arrangements have been made for overflow seating in the Saint Louis Presidential Suite adjoining Mamiya Theater.
Sunday, March 25, 2012 at Saint Louis Campus – Mamiya Theater; $30.00 at door.
Outside at 4:00 pm – Strolling musicians; Voices of Lanai Oral History Program; Silent Auction Opportunities viewing and bidding; Food ; Sales of CDs from contributing musicians; Sales of Lanai Culture & Heritage Center Publications and a special “Aloha Lanai” t-shirt.
In the Mamiya Theater at 6:00 pm – Welcome presentations/program background and call to support; Raffle Giveaway and Silent Auction; Music and Hula.
Proceeds benefit heritage, preservation and cultural-historical education programs on Lāna‘i.

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Kauikeaouli – Kamehameha III

When I was a sophomore at University of Denver, I transferred into the business school and changed my major to real estate.
As a student of real estate, I became fascinated with Hawai‘i’s Great Māhele and the actions of Kauikeaouli, Kamehameha III.
Prior to the Māhele, the king controlled everything; he delegated authority to some of the land to his favored chiefs.
Although the chiefs controlled the land and extracted food and labor from the commoners who farmed the soil, “everyone had rights of access and use to the resources of the land and the sea … The people were sustained by a tradition of sharing and common use.”
The Great Māhele did not convey land, but established a land commission and provided the means whereby land claims could be presented to the commission and decided by them.
Ultimately, it transformed land tenure from feudal/communal trusteeship to private ownership.
It turns out that the Māhele is not my only tie to Kamehameha III.  In doing research for various planning projects we have been involved with, I learned of Kamehameha III’s ties back to Hiram Bingham, my great-great-great grandfather.
While doing a Master Plan, Cultural Impact Assessment and Environmental Assessment for DHHL on their lands on Mauna Kea, I learned that Bingham and Kamehameha III traveled to the summit of Mauna Kea together.  Mauna Kea is a very special place for me.
In doing some preliminary research for another planning project on Kaua‘i, I learned that Bingham and Kamehameha III interacted with each other there, as well.
Since I spent a lot of time in Kona, I was aware that Kauikeaouli’s Birthsite was in Keauhou.  This is one of the featured sites in the Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast Scenic Byway; we prepared its Corridor Management Plan.
Kauikeaouli spent the first 5-years of his life in the ‘O‘oma ahupua‘a in Kona (the place where he first learned to be a king.)  For the past five years, I have been working on planning and permitting on the coastal part of the ‘O‘oma ahupua‘a.
In 1846, Kamehameha III and the legislature passed a law declaring “the forests and timber growing therein shall be considered government property” in an effort to conserve the forests from further encroachment on the seaward side by the plantations’ need for fuel and on the mountain side from grazing animals.
The Forest Reserves in the state are managed by DLNR; as Director of DLNR, I oversaw the activities and was responsible for DLNR’s Forestry and Wildlife Division, which oversees the State’s forested lands.
Interesting; somehow I feel a link – I feel close to Kauikeaouli.  (Whenever his name comes up, I have anticipation on learning more about him.)
I wonder how our next project will link me back to Kauikeaouli – Kamehameha III.
Kauikeaouli was stillborn, but was revived.  He was the second son of Kamehameha I. 
The younger brother of Liholiho, he served as Hawai‘i’s King from 1825 to 1854.  Kauikeaouli was only about 10 or 11 when he ascended to the throne and had the longest reign in Hawaiian history.
In the early years of his rule, he served under a regency with Ka`ahumanu, his father’s favorite queen, as joint ruler.
In addition relinquishing his ownership and control of lands through the Great Māhele, a major gift to the people of Hawai‘i, Kauikeaouli also initiated other beneficial programs for his people.
Kamehameha III promulgated the Declaration of Rights, called Hawai‘i’s Magna Charta, on June 7, 1839, the Edict of Toleration on June 17, 1839 and the first constitution on October, 8, 1840.
Kauikeaouli’s second major gift to the Hawaiian people was when he granted the common people the right to participate in governing the Hawaiian Kingdom.
This first written constitution for Hawai‘i contained several innovations, including a representative body of legislators elected by the people.  It also set up a supreme court.  The first compilation of laws was published in 1842.
His exact birth date is not known; however, the generally accepted date is August 11, 1813.
Never-the-less, Kauikeaouli was an admirer of Saint Patrick and chose to celebrate his birthday on March 17 (today.)
Happy Birthday and Cheers to Kauikeaouli, Kamehameha III.  I think I’ll have a Guinness (or two) tonight in his honor.

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Mokulua Islands, Lanikai

Mokulua (meaning, “the two islands”) are two islets off the windward coast of O‘ahu.
They are also commonly known as “The Mokes” or the “Twin Islands.” They are about a mile off Lanikai.
The larger island is also known as Moku Nui, Big Moke and Two Humps (13-acre land area.)
The smaller island is also known as Moku Iki, Baby Moke and One Hump (9-acre land area.)
The Mokulua islands are part of the summit caldera of the Ko‘olau shield volcano that slid into the ocean in one or a series of massive landslides more than a million years ago.
In what scientists call the Nu‘uanu Debris Avalanche, a landslide sheared off a third of O‘ahu and swept material more than 140 miles north of O’ahu and Moloka’i.
These old offshore islets (as well as many others off O‘ahu and around the Neighbor Islands) form the Hawai‘i State Seabird Sanctuary, created to protect the thousands of seabirds who seek refuge in and around the main Hawaiian Islands.
The sanctuary, administered by DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife, exists to protect not only seabirds but also endangered native coastal vegetation.
Mokulua are primary nesting sites for ‘Ua‘u kani (Wedge-tailed Shearwater) and ‘Ou (Bulwer’s Petrel.)
The Wedge-tailed Shearwater is a dusky brown bird with white breast feathers, long and thin wings, a hooked bill and a wedge-shaped tail.
The wailing sound made by these birds at their burrows at night inspired the Hawaiian name, which means “calling or moaning petrel.”
The Bulwer’s Petrel has long pointed wings, a long pointed tail, a black bill and pale short legs.  Adult males and females are overall sooty-brown, with a pale bar across the proximal half of upper wings.
Access is restricted to areas below the high water mark, around the perimeter of the island to minimize disturbance to the birds.
You cannot go onto the island without a special permit; access is restricted to daylight hours, between sunrise and sunset.
Overnight camping, alcohol and dogs are prohibited on the Mokulua Islands
The sandy beach at Moku Nui is a destination for thousands of (resident and visitor) kayakers, surfers, and boaters every year.
Multiple commercial operations cater to the Mokulua-bound kayakers and provide equipment rental and guided eco-tours.
Because of growing public use and associated concern for water safety, last summer the city quietly set-up an undercover state-of-the-art camera surveillance system.  The city installed the camera on the smaller island.
The camera faced its sister island and monitored what was going on using a wireless satellite connection to transmit video back to the lifeguard headquarters.  Having monitored the situation, the City removed the camera to use at another undisclosed location.

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John Webber Images of Old Hawaiʻi

John Webber (1751 – 1793)
John Webber served as official artist on Captain James Cook’s third voyage of discovery around the Pacific (1776-1780) aboard HMS Resolution.
On this voyage, during which Cook lost his life in a fight in Hawai‘i.
Webber became the first European artist to make contact with Hawai‘i, then called the Sandwich Islands.
He made numerous watercolor landscapes of the islands of Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i, and also portrayed many of the Hawaiian people.
I have uploaded a number of John Webber images (landscapes, portraits and other scenes) into a folder of like name in my Facebook Photos section.