The Hawaiian Islands were discovered and settled almost 2,000 years ago by people from the Marquesses Islands in the South Pacific. There was a second major wave of immigrants who came from Tahiti in about the 12th or 13th century. They were extraordinary explorers who used the sun, star and seas to navigate over 2,000 miles across the vast Pacific Ocean. In the late 1700s, before the arrival of foreigners, it is estimated that more than 300,000 Hawaiians lived throughout Hawaii's eight major islands.
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The first people who came and settled in Hawaii were the Polynesians. They came from Marquesses Island. They came around 500 AD- 750 AD. A few years later, people from Tahiti and the other smaller Hawaiian Islands settled in Hawaii. They called this place their home and were here to stay. They settled in Hawaii over 2,000 years ago. |
 The Hawaii Loa, the kind of boats that the Polynesians came to Hawaii in |
The Hawaiians believed in many legends and had many gods to worship. For example, they worshipped Pele, the Goddess of the Fire. Whenever Pele was angry or got restless, that was when, the Hawaiians believed, her volcanoes erupted. Another famous goddess was the Goddess Hi'iaka. Hi'iaka was the Water Goddess, and was Pele's sister. It was believed that she had a calm demeanor and soothed her sister. Some people say that Hi'iaka was an egg shaped object that Pele usually carried around with her under her arm. Another god was Wakea. Wakea is known as Father Sky or Mother Earth. The Hawaiians believed that these gods created and controlled Hawaii using their secret and magical powers. The Polynesians came to Hawaii in large boat-like canoes. The canoe had to have a navigator. The navigator was a person that was able to read the stars and the sky as directions. These people were able to tell if there was land ahead even before they were able to see land from the canoe.
Plants in Hawaii were very important to farming, agriculture, food, and tools. Some plants that the Polynesians found in Hawaii were:
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Koa |
Trunk for Canoe |
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Olona |
Bark for Ropes |
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Mamaki |
Bark for Cloth |
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Uki'Uki |
Fruit for Dye |
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A'Ali'i |
Bark for Dye |
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Kolea |
Fruit and Sap for Dye |
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Olapa |
Bark for Dye |
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Ie'Ie |
Roots for Baskets and Fish Traps |
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Keuila |
Hard Wood for Tools |
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Mamane |
Hard Wood for Tools |
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Alahe'e |
Hard Wood for Tools |
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Ulei |
Hard Wood for Tools |
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Alani |
Hard Wood for Tools |
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WiliWili |
Light wood for fishnet floats |
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Akala |
Berries for food |
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Ohelo |
Berries for food |
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Ohi'a Lehua |
Wood for images of their god |
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Hapu'u Ferns |
Inside trunk for food for people and pigs |
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Maile |
Leaves for Lei |
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Ilima |
Flowers for Lei |
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Pukiawe |
Berries for Lei |
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Mokihana |
Berries for Lei |
Some plants that the Polynesians brought in were:
Ohe Tools and Musical
Instruments Kalo Leaves, Stem, and Corm for
Food Uala Roots and Leaves used for
Food Uhi Food Pia Root used for
Starch Niu Nut for Food Mai'a Food Ko Food Ulu Fruit used for
Food Ohi'a A'i Fruit used for
Food Kukui Nut for Lamps
Some animals that were brought to Hawaii by the Polynesians were the pigs, dogs, rats, and chickens.
The Hawaiians had a royalty system which included many rules. The rulers were called chiefs or Ali'i. The Ali'i were the ones who made all the rules and laws or kapu. These chiefs had helpers, called the Kalaimoku. The Kalaimoku helped run the island. They were the Chiefs' helpers who had the highest rank in all of the Ali'i helpers. He helped the Ali'i set the laws and taxes. The Kahuna Nui was the next highest in rank, and helped the Ali'i and the Kalaimoku set the laws. The society was made up of the ali'i (ruling class), the kahuna (priests or experts), maka'aina (commoners) and the kauwa (slaves). Social status was determined at birth through hereditary.
Most Hawaiians made a living by farming, fishing, or making crafts. They had to pay their taxes to the Ali'i every year. This festival in which the tax paying is held was called the Makahiki. This is when all the village people get together and worship the gods, pay taxes, and give the gods offerings.
The Hawaiians were very healthy people and were not sick often. They ate food that was healthy and worked hard which allowed them to become strong healthy people.
Each of the eight Hawaiian Islands had their own heiau, or place of worship. On each island, they were created differently. But all were made of stones, rocks, and boulders. At some of the heiaus, only the Ali'i worshipped, but on others, everyone was allowed to worship. Here in Kailua, Oahu, one of the eight Hawaiian Islands, there is a heiau still standing called Ulupo Heiau. Heiau are made by piling rock, on rock, on rock, on rock, on rock until the pile is high enough and now you have a heiau.
Hawaiians made Petroglyphs.
Petroglyphs are carvings that are put into stone and tell
stories, about the past, legends, or special events.
Petroglyphs usually are not full pictures, do not give
much detail, and have stick men instead of real looking
men, but have a big story behind it.
Petroglyphs
made by the Hawaiians
The Hawaiians fought in many civil wars. The wars were over land and seas. The battles were fought to win land, property, rights, and some were even over items owned that were very precious and had stories behind them. During these ferocious battles, they made special weapons. They made clubs, spears, Leiomano (shark tooth weapons), slings, daggers, strangling cords, and tripping cords. All of these weapons were made out of Hawaii's natural environment, showing that Hawaiian's were very resourceful.
In their spare time, Hawaiians loved to play games and sports. They loved to bet also. Sometimes they bet on food, or even more valuable such as property. Some games they played were spear and dart throwing, wrestling, sledding, bow and arrow, cock fighting, surfing, and fireworks. All of these games showed skill training, and good spirit, which helped the Hawaiians with their daily life.
Another custom of the
Hawaiians was the Hula. The hula was a major event.
Usually, hula dancers wear ti-leaf skirts and leis and
dance in a swaying motion that usually gets the man's
attention and makes the hula dancer very attractive. That
is how we came up with the Merry Monarch Festival as a
challenge between the best Hula dancers as they compete
for the gold. The festival was a tradition the Hawaiians
had as a tribute to David Kalakaua, the "Merry Monarch".
The Merry Monarch Festival is held in The Edith
Kanaka'ole Stadium, Hilo in the spring. Lots of the
different hula halaus from all over the state come to
compete to win. If you win, you get trophies and prestige
among the other halaus.
Three Hula
Girls Dancing
Upon the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1778, Hawaii underwent a dramatic change. Traders and whalers arrived. They were followed by American missionaries. The Hawaiian way of life had changed. It was previously based upon cooperation, sharing of goods and services, natural resources. It then became based on money, private ownership and competition. The Hawaiian monarchy, which was a form of government based on the beneficence of ruling kings and queens, was replaced by an oligarchy, which was a government controlled by a small, but powerful group of people.
Hawaiians were the first group of people to work on the sugar cane plantations in Hawaii. The Hawaiians were given housing and were allowed to return to their homes to care for their taro and other plants to sustain their diet. They worked quite hard clearing the land of trees and rocks. They tilled the land, planted sugar cane and took care of the plants until they were ready to be harvested by hand. They used oxen to prepare the soil for planting the sugar cane seed. Additionally, they made building, bridges and housing in the camps. They also received some medical care. A family of commoners (maka'aina) usually lived in a single room house. There was also a sleeping house for the entire family (Hale Moe). The Hawaiians had no natural immunities to diseases introduced by outside foreigners. They were hit by diseases such as cholera, bubonic plague, small pox, measles, leprosy, and other diseases. The Hawaiians were stripped of their land, traditional way of life, and their population soon became less then 50,000 by the early 1800s.
Cultural Experience
http://www.hanaleibayresort.com/hanaleibay/culture.html
Ukuleles, A Brief History
http://makeaukulele.tripod.com/page1.htm
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Elementary |