Hawaii | Page 90 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

October 23, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Pineapple In Hawai‘i

Christopher Columbus brought pineapple, native of South America, back to Europe as one of the exotic prizes of the New World. (‘Pineapple’ was given its English name because of its resemblance to a pine cone.)

Pineapple (“halakahiki,” or foreign hala,) long seen as Hawaiʻi’s signature fruit, was introduced to the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in 1813 by Don Francisco de Paula Marin, a Spanish adviser to King Kamehameha I.

Credit for the commercial production of pineapples goes to the John Kidwell, an English Captain who started with planting 4-5 acres in Mānoa.

Although sugar dominated the Hawaiian economy, there was also great demand at the time for fresh Hawaiian pineapples in San Francisco.

After Kidwell’s initial planting, others soon realized the potential of growing pineapples in Hawaii and consequently, started their own pineapple plantations.

Here is some brief background information on four of Hawai‘i’s larger pineapple producers, Dole, Libby, Del Monte and Maui Land & Pineapple.

Ultimately, as part of an economic survival plan, pineapple producers ended up in cooperative marketing programs and marketed the idea of Hawaiian products, as in “Don’t ask for pineapples alone. Insist on Hawaiian Pineapple!”

Dole Pineapple Plantation (Hawaiian Pineapple Company)

James Dole, an American industrialist, also famously called the Pineapple King, purchased 60 acres of land in the central plains of Oahu Island and started the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1901.

In the year 1907, Dole started successful ad campaigns that introduced whole of America to canned pineapples from Hawaii.

In 1911, at the direction of Dole, Henry Ginaca invented a machine that could automatically peel and core pineapples (instead of the usual hand cutting,) making canned pineapple much easier to produce.

The demand for canned pineapples grew exponentially in the US and in 1922, a revolutionary period in the history of Hawaiian pineapple; Dole bought most of the island of Lāna‘i and established a vast 200,000-acre pineapple plantation to meet the growing demands.

Lanai throughout the entire 20th century produced more than 75% of world’s total pineapple. More land on the island of Maui was purchased by Dole.

In 1991, the Dole Cannery closed. Today, Dole Food Company, headquartered on the continent, is a well-established name in the field of growing and packaging food products such as pineapples, bananas, strawberries, grapes and many others.

The Dole Plantation tourist attraction, established in 1950 as a small fruit stand but greatly expanded in 1989 serves as a living museum and historical archive of Dole and pineapple in Hawai‘i.

Libby, McNeil & Libby (Libby’s)

Libby’s, one of the world’s leading producers of canned foods, was created in 1868 when Archibald McNeill and brothers Arthur and Charles Libby began selling beef packed in brine.

In the early 1900s it established a pineapple canning subsidiary in Hawaiʻi and began to advertise its canned produce using the ‘Libby’s’ brand name.

By 1911, Libby, McNeill & Libby gained control of land in Kāne‘ohe and built the first large-scale cannery at Kahalu‘u. This sizable cannery, together with the surrounding old style plantation-type housing units, became known as “Libbyville.”

The Kāne‘ohe facility ultimately failed; some suggest it was because Libby built it on and destroyed the Kukuiokane Heiau in Luluku.

In 1912 Libby, McNeill and Libby bought half of the stock of Hawaiian Cannery Co. By the 1930s, more that 12 million cases of pineapple were being produced in Hawaii every year; Libby accounted for 23 percent.

Del Monte Plantation

Del Monte another major food producing and packaging company of America started its pineapple plantation with the purchase of the Hawaiian Preservation Company in 1917. The company progressed and increased its plantation areas during 1940s.

In 1997, the company introduced its MD-2 variety, popularly known as Gold Extra Sweet pineapple, to the market. The variety, though produced in Costa Rica, was the result of extensive research done by the now dissolved Pineapple Research Institute, in Hawaii. In 2008, Del Monte stopped its pineapple plantation operations in Hawaii.

Maui Land & Pineapple Company

The family of Dwight Baldwin, a missionary physician, created the evolving land and agricultural company. It first started as Haiku Fruit & Packing Company in 1903 and Keahua Ranch Company in 1909, then Baldwin Packers in 1912.

In 1932, it was renamed Maui Pineapple Company, which later merged with Baldwin Packers in 1962. In 1969, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (ML&P) was created and went public.

In 2005, the company introduced its now famous “Maui Gold” variety, which is naturally sweet and has low acid content. Maui Gold pineapple is presently grown across 1,350 acres on the slopes of Haleakala.

Maui Land & Pineapple Company is now a landholding company with approximately 22,000-acres on the island of Maui on which it operates the Kapalua Resort community.

In 2009, the remnants of the 100-year old pineapple operation were transferred to Maui Gold Pineapple Company (created by former Maui Pineapple Company employees who were committed to saving the 100-year tradition of pineapple on Maui.)

While the scale of pineapple farming has dwindled, the celebration of pineapple lives on through Lāna‘i’s Pineapple Festival. Starting in 1992, the event, formerly known as the “Pineapple Jam,” honors the island’s pineapple history. (June 30, 2012 will be the 20th annual Pineapple Festival)

The image is the iconic Dole Cannery pineapple 100,000-gallon water tank. Built in 1928, it was a Honolulu landmark and reminder of pineapple’s role in Hawaiian agriculture until it was demolished in 1993. (images via: A Pineapple Heart and Burl Burlingame, Honolulu Star-Bulletin)

October 22, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Barrier Forests

“Our native forests are being rapidly depleted through the operation of several factors. Opinions may differ as to the relative importance of these factors, but the undeniable fact remains that the forests are disappearing at an alarming rate and the denudation has already gone so far on many of our important watersheds as to jeopardize the water supply obtained therefrom.”

“Cattle and Hilo grass are the most potent factors in bringing about the final elimination of our native forest trees, shrubs, vines and ferns.”

“The first problem to be considered in any constructive forestry plan should be the protection and preservation of our native forests; in other words, we should take steps to keep what we still have.”

“To do this we must build fences to keep out animals and plant barrier forests of strong introduced trees to hold back and smother out the Hilo grass.”

“In selecting trees and shrubs for our forest planting, we should give preference to those that show ability to spread spontaneously through the free production of seed that will be carried by natural agencies such as wind and birds.” (Watt, McLennan, Knudsen & Lyon; Hawaiian Planters Record, Vol XX, 1919)

“There are water-conserving native forests still covering areas of considerable extent in these Islands …. These forests are doomed to destruction if prompt protective and constructive measures are not adopted for their preservation.”

“If we would save what is left of our native rain-forests we must eliminate the cattle now present in them, prevent their further invasion by stock with proper fences, and build barrier forests along their exposed edges.”

“These measures should be instituted at once, not in one small area only, but throughout the Islands wherever there is a native forest of any extent.”

“Some seem to think that reforestation in these Islands means the immediate replacement of the native trees with foreign stock. Such a course is altogether inadvisable.”

“We should first save what we still have in the way of forests and create our new forests on the large areas from which the native forests have nearly or quite disappeared.”

“At a recent meeting of the Committee on Forestry of the H. S. P. A., the following resolution was adopted: ‘RESOLVED, That it is the desire of this Committee that the preservation and extension of the native forest be the main consideration in all planting operations undertaken on our forest areas.’” (Hawaiian Planters Record, Vol XX, 1919)

“The primary object of all forest plantings on our watersheds must be to revive and create plant formations, including trees, shrubs, ferns and mosses, which will grow in a harmonious society and afford the greatest possible water-conserving capacity. No pure-culture forest can equal a mixed plant society in this respect.”

“Reforestation as commonly dealt with in text-books on forestry or as practiced by foresters in various parts of the world, aims at the creation of pure-culture forests.”

“Our reforestation problem is, therefore, unique; we have no precedent to go by. Ecological botanists have, however, supplied us with many careful analyses of such forest formations as we desire to create on our own watersheds.”

“Our problem is to build similar forest-formations, using such material as is already available in the Islands, and importing such additional material as is needed to round out our new plant societies.”

“The forest-formations which we must create are of two general types: barrier-forests and deep or interior rain-forests.”

“I employ the term barrier-forest to include the plant formations which must constitute the outer exposed edge of our forests and form the transition from denuded areas to rain-forest.”

“We should first concern ourselves with these barrier-forests, for such forest-formations must be built up along the exposed edges of all the existing remnants of our native rain-forests if these remnants are to be preserved, and they must also be constructed along the margins of any area on which we could create a new rain-forest.”

“It is then quite evident that the barrier-forest must be constructed first in any reforestation project we may undertake. It follows, therefore, that our first problem is to get together the proper components for a barrier-forest formation.”

“Experimental plantings looking toward the building of rainforest formations can be started as soon as plants are available for the purpose.”

“This work must progress more slowly than that in the barrier-forest formations and should be undertaken first on denuded areas where the native forest has nearly or quite disappeared.” (Lyon; Proceedings of the HSPA, 1919)

October 21, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kona Lagoon

“Originally called the ‘Kona Hawaiian Resort,’ the new hotel’s developers renamed it ‘to better reflect its environment and because operations will be under management of Hawaiian Pacific Resorts, operators of Hilo Lagoon.’” (HTH, Nov 9, 1972)

“Located next to the Keauhou Beach Hote on Alii Drive, the new Lagoon is a joint venture between Hawaiian Pacific Management Resorts and Mitsubishi of Japan.” (HTH, May 30, 1973) The 462-room hotel opened April 6, 1973

“A prime feature of the resort will be a 600 person capacity convention hall in Polynesian longhouse design.” (HTH, May 30, 1973) “With the completion of the Kona Lagoon hotel recently my list of impressive buildings on this island is up not one, but two!”

“Portions of this new hotel are the equivalent of an artistic museum of Hawaiian history. The main lobby is a bifurcated sort of a structure with an ‘island’ in the middle on which there is a pictorial history that really amounts to an art gallery.”

“The presentation is vital and the art good, and with enough variations in style to denigrate any possibility of the boredom that can sometimes come with historic subjects.” (Von Garske, HTH, Agu 4, 1974)

“The Kona Lagoon is the third large-scale resort hotel in Keauhou, joining the 314-room Keauhou Beach Hotel operated by Amfac and the 550-room Kona Surf operated by Interisland Resorts. The Bishop development south of Kailua Village now has nearly 1,500 guest rooms in a project that has cost more than $40 million to date.”

“The Lagoon features a 700-seat convention building known as the Polynesian Long House, a highly decorative structure in front of the hotel along AIii Drive. … The resort has two dining facilities – the Tonga Dining Room and the Wharf Gourmet Restaurant – two bars and a specialty Japanese steak house.”

“Another feature is a salt water lagoon surrounding the hotel with first floor guests encouraged to leap immediately from their rooms into the water.” (HnlAdv, March 21, 1974)

“When the Kona Lagoon Hotel opened its doors, guests and staff reported a wide variety of unexplained phenomena – shadowy figures roaming the hallways, disembodied screams piercing the night, and lights flickering without cause. Such events led to whispers of a curse, a belief that the hotel was built upon land that the living were never meant to inhabit.” (AmericanGhostWalks)

“The property was sold in May 1986 through a foreclosure auction … to Otaka Inc.” (Hnl Adv, May 7, 1988) In 1987, Azabu USA, a subsidiary of Azabu-Jidosha, a foreign car bought the Kona Lagoon from Otaka. (SB, April 17, 1987) About a year later, they announced the hotel would close for a 17-month reconstruction to turn it into an all-suites resort. (SB, April 15, 1988)

“When the hotel closed in 1988, the official reason was because the Japanese owners ran out of money and were unable to obtain additional financing.” (Harry Helms)

“Some people think the Kona Lagoon Hotel was cursed from the start. Surrounded by ancient temples and archaeological sites, it was built on the dwelling place of supernatural twin sisters, ‘aumakua who took the form of lizards, according to Hawaiian legend.”

“Security guards hired to watch the property when the 462-room hotel closed in 1988 were frightened at night, said Joe Castelli, who lives at the neighboring Keauhou Kona Tennis and Racquet Club.”

“They told me that they would see lights up there and hear Hawaiians singing and talking,” Castelli said. “…But when they got there, they didn’t find anything. So they said they just didn’t go anymore.” (HnlAdv, Oct 14, 2002)

“Construction of the hotel obliterated the legendary Keawehala Pond, once thought to be inhabited by twin sisters who wielded extraordinary powers. These superwomen were the fierce protectors of local fresh water, who could transform themselves into formidable 30-foot lizards known as mo‘o.”

“The giant edifice of concrete and glass also infringed on nearby heiaus, sacred Hawaiian temples. … One of these sacred Hawaiian temples, called a luakini, was specifically dedicated to human sacrifice.”

“This ancient walled structure, built from native volcanic rocks, was 7-feet high. Providing a platform for carved wooden idols called ki‘i, which represent Hawaiian gods, the fortress-like enclosure protected thatched huts that held drums and offerings. This luakini was named Ke‘eku Heiau.” (AmericanGhostWalks)

“Whether or not the property is cursed, it’s true that attempts by landowner Kamehameha Schools and its for-profit subsidiary, Kamehameha Investment Corp., have failed to find a lessee.” (HnlAdv, Oct 14, 2002) The Kona Lagoon was demolished in 2004.

October 19, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Exchanging Malo

“In the course of my several voyages, I never before met with the natives of any place so much astonished, as these people were, upon entering a ship. Their eyes were continually flying from object to object …”

“The inhabitants are of a middling stature, firmly made, with some exceptions, neither remarkable for a beautiful shape, nor for striking features, which rather express an openness and good-nature, than a keen, intelligent disposition.”

“They seem to be blest with a frank, cheerful disposition; … They seem to live very sociably in their intercourse with one another; and … they were exceedingly friendly to us.” “(T)hey spoke the language of Otaheite, and of the other islands we had lately visited.”

Men wore a ‘maro’ (malo,) “pieces of cloth tied about the loins, and hanging a considerable way down.” “The only difference in (women’s) dress, was their having a piece of cloth about the body, reaching from near the middle to half-way down the thighs, instead of the maro worn by the other sex.” (Journals of Captain Cook)

Hawaiian bark cloth was originally called kapa which literally translates to “the beaten thing.” Kapa was used for clothing, bed covers, items of trade and gift items, indicators of wealth and status and objects of ceremonial or religious events. (Romanchak)

Clothing consisted of three main items of apparel: the pāʻū or skirt for the women, the malo or loincloth for men and the Kihei or shawl for members of both sexes. (Romanchak) Its earliest and most important use is for clothing; malo: a strip of cloth nine inches wide and nine feet long for the man. (Brigham)

Most kapa was made from the inner bark of the wauke plant (paper mulberry) because it made soft, white kapa. The bark is stripped, soaked, and then compressed into sheets with special patterned wooden beaters and finally dyed and decorated.

To make kapa, Hawaiian women used wooden mallets to pound the strips of bark together to form sheets of various sizes, textures, and thicknesses. (Arthur)

“In 1810 Kaumualii was persuaded to visit Kamehameha on Oahu to consider the political position of Kauai which alone remained to complete his conquest of the Group.”

“It required no little courage on the part of the young king in view of the fate of Keōua who returned to the gods on the altar of Kamehameha’s new temple at Kawaihae, but the interview proved a pleasant one so far as Kamehameha was concerned …”

“… and Kauai and its adjoining islands were ceded to the Conqueror and Kaumualii was reinstated as Moi for life with the understanding that he should make Liholiho (Kamehameha II) his heir.” (Brigham)

“When Kamehameha desired Kauai (you must understand that there was no war waged when Kamehameha obtained the island, because of the fact that he and its king were relatives), he (Kaumuali‘i) sent a messenger to Kamehameha to tell him,”

“‘When the black cloud [kapa] covers (meaning his death), Kauai is yours.’ Kamehameha desired that they two should confer. They met in the year [1810] on Oahu.” (Palekaluhi; Brigham)

“The canoe that had been boarded by Kamehameha was seen in the midst of the fleet marked by the pūlo‘ulo‘u sticks which denoted kapu. When Kaumuali‘i’s and Kamehameha’s canoes met, Kamehameha immediately left his canoe and boarded that of Kaumuali‘i.”

“Kaumuali‘i greeted Kamehameha … At the same time, Kaumuali‘i said these good words to Kamehameha: ‘Perhaps this sea journey of yours, Pai‘ea, is one to take land. The sharp-spurred cock has come (Ua hele kā ho‘i ka moa a kukū kākala).”

“Kamehameha replied with a smile on his face: “I am on a journey to seek an ali‘i, O ali‘i. It is a journey to seek friendship. Our meeting is friendly, and friendship is the important thing.” Because of this kind reply by Kamehameha, Kaumuali‘i said to him:”

“‘This journey of yours is well, O ali‘i. Here in your presence are the ali‘i of Kauai, and all of Kauai is here. There is no other ali‘i that we know of, only you O Kamehameha, therefore here I am before you. Kauai is yours from the upland to the sea.’”

“‘All the places of Kauai and the big men and the little men [the chiefs and the commoners] are all yours. This is my request to you: you are the ali‘i and we and the Kauai chiefs shall dwell under you as your people. Your voice is the one we shall obey.’”

“When Kamehameha heard Kaumuali‘i’s words, tears welled up in his eyes as he gazed at him and he replied affectionately: ‘Astonishing! Your heart is pure, O chief. E! Excellent is Kauai.”

“‘You have given the land from the horizon to the horizon with all its boundaries connected together and yourself as well. You have taken this responsibility upon yourself, O Kaumuali‘i. How excellent is the giving of this land, O good chief of Kauai.’” (Desha)

Kamehameha “took his mahiole, Koki, from a basket and placed it upon the head of Kaumualii. Kamehameha removed his royal malo and so too did Kaumualii remove his malo, and they exchanged them with each other.” (Na‘i Aupuni, 9/14/1906)

“It was at that time that Kamehameha gave to Kaumualii the Malo, Mahiole and Ahu‘ula. Then Kaumuali‘i called the Malo ‘Kanikawi’. Kaumual‘ii finally died and these things were kept by his retainers (Kahu) until the reign of Kalakaua who searched for them and finally obtained possession of them from Kaumualii’s retainers.” (Palekaluhi; Brigham)

“It is a reasonable explanation … to suppose that the ‘Malo’ was given by Kamehameha to Kaumualii as a pledge of the treaty by which Kaumualii surrendered the sovereignty of Kauai to Kamehameha”. (Judd; Brigham)

“When those ali‘i finished the ‘awa drinking in the midst of the wide ocean, they finished their discussion, and Kaumuali‘i prepared to return to Kauai, followed by the persons whom Kamehameha had ordered to follow the good-hearted ali‘i ‘ai moku of Kauai, “Excellent in the Calm.” Kamehameha and his ali‘i returned to the island of Kākuhihewa.” (Desha)

Some suggest that the ‘Malo’ Kaumuali‘i gave was “a closely woven net of olonā 4.5 inches wide and 11 feet and 10 inches long, is covered on both sides by red iiwi feathers … to this on both edges is attached by frequent cords a lei of oo feathers increasing the width of the cordon to six inches.”

“The chief end which is to hang in front is thickened and weighted by the insertion of three rows of human teeth … the rows being separated by the insertion of the little bundles of fish teeth …. All the teeth are included from incisor to molar and drilled and firmly attached to the net …”

“A band of yellow oo crosses the cordon 17 inches from the end, with teeth set in the feathers, 4 on one side of the cordon, 10 on the other; a second similar band comes 33 inches from the end and this has 10 teeth on one side and 13 smaller ones on the other. (Brigham)

Brigham notes that “The term malo is certainly misleading [with respect to the Kaumuali‘i ‘malo’]: it is the Hawaiian (and Polynesian) name for the article in question, but in English it would properly from its use be called a cordon.” (Brigham)

He also notes that the Kaumuali‘i ‘malo’ was used in the making of the King Kamehameha statue. (Note that it was depicted correctly as a cordon/sash, however, it was not put on correctly – a portion goes over the shoulder outside of the ahu‘ula (cape.))

“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.)

October 18, 2024 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Devil Pups

The basis for the name was conceived during World War I when German soldiers gave the United States Marines opposing them in battle the name “Devil Dogs,” because of their battlefield accomplishments and valor of the Marines [and “never give up” spirit]. (Devil Pups)

The Marines who organized this youth citizenship program chose the term “Devil Pups” to describe the quality of teen who can complete this program. (Southern Utah Devil Pup)

“Devil Pups are [14] – to 17-year-old high school students from all over California [and, now, beyond] who assemble each summer here for 10-day physical fitness and citizenship training sessions. Sometimes the Pups are referred to as junior Marines.”

“They also are taken to Marine training sessions and to firing ranges, where they observe weapon firing, tanks, artillery and aerial firing. But otherwise they have little contact with firearms.” (LA Times, Advertiser, Aug 24, 1970)

‘‘The Idea caught on and in the summer of 1954 we were able to send 30 boys to Camp Pendleton for a one-week trial program of training in physical fitness and respect for authority and the flag.’” (San Bernardino County Sun, Aug 20, 1982)

“Duncan Shaw, a Los Angeles Marine Corps reserve officer [and] president of the Devil Pups since it was inaugurated, said, ‘The idea started here when we read of some high school boys who had torn the American flag, kicked it around and generally behaved like idiots.’”

“‘We thought maybe we could do something about it in a small way by starting a health education and citizenship program for teen-agers. … Since then the program has grown and has been most successful.’”

“‘We have liaison officers in each town of any size who work with the Boy Scouts, the Salvation Army and other groups and clubs to select boys for the program. A boy, however, does not have to belong to a club to get on the program so long as his parents’ permission is given.’”

“‘We are not trying to run a juvenile delinquency school. Any deserving boy is welcome. We simply put them through a regimented program of health education and citizenship, try to develop a competitive spirit and give them lectures on the American flag and what it means to be an American.’” (Evening Vanguard, Nov 18, 1964)

“One of the more enthusiastic supporters of the Devil Pups program is Richard Charest, 16, of Anaheim, Calif., who was impressed by the physical fitness aspects. ‘I think we ought to get more of these idiots off the streets – who are fouling up on drugs – and involve them in a program like this.”

“This would clean up the United States. There is a lot of garbage out there in the streets and we ought to clear them out by involving them and teaching them about citizenship and the flag,’ he said.” (LA Times, Advertiser, Aug 24, 1970)

“‘We had considerable trouble with the Devil Pups that first year. Nearly all of them were juvenile delinquents and weren’t about

to be changed in one week. They almost tore their building apart.’”

“‘Today’s Devil Pups are the pick of the crop, from all parts of the community, to be sure, but to be accepted, they must show their interest in the program. Then they are interviewed and and tested physically before they are sent here to camp,’ [Maj. Tom Vener, USMCR] said.” (San Bernardino County Sun, Aug 20, 1982)

The program is not a ‘mini boot camp’ or recruiting organization for the Marine Corps. The 10-day program is a combination of outdoor physical exercises, inspirational classroom lectures and demonstrations of Marine Corps operations.

The activities during both increments are overseen by our Encampment Commander and his executive staff (employees of Devil Pups, Inc.). Each day, the running, diving, and hiking exercises are balanced with inspiring classroom sessions. The “Role Model” classroom segments are conducted by an assortment of board members, veterans, and Devil Pups alumni. (Devil Pups)

“Since 1954 we have not asked our participants to pay tuition to attend our program. We spend the entire year raising the funds we need which go towards the cost of the camp including counselor fees, food, transportation, clothing, insurance, fundraising, office supplies, and more.”

“Devil Pups, Inc. raises 100% of the funds for 100 youth to attend our camp every year, which is budgeted at a rough cost of $975 per Pup. We want every Pup not to be hindered from acceptance due to financial reasons, and have been doing so since we started 70 years ago. We want them all to have an equal opportunity to participate.” (Devil Pups)

For at least the last couple of years including on August 16, 2024, “The [MCBH Lifestyle Insights, Networking, Knowledge, and Skills (LINKS) program of the] Marine Corps Family Team Building hosted the [Little] Devil Pups workshop, which included a miniature physical fitness test, water gun shooting range, vehicle and aircraft tours, and a readiness class.”

This was for children with parents living or working at MCBH; the MCBH included a Homecoming Run, a resource fair and homecoming sign making.

“The Devil Pups Youth Program For America is all about helping young boys and girls build confidence and learn about responsibility while taking on new challenges.” (U.S. Marine Corps by Lance Cpl. Samuel Estridge)