Ancient Hawaii is the period of
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
an history preceding the unification in 1810 of the
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...
by
Kamehameha the Great
Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. T ...
. Traditionally, researchers estimated the first settlement of the Hawaiian islands as having occurred sporadically between 400 and 1100 CE by Polynesian long-distance navigators from the
Samoan,
Marquesas
The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in t ...
, and
Tahiti
Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austr ...
islands within what is now
French Polynesia
)Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze")
, anthem =
, song_type = Regional anthem
, song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui"
, image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of Frenc ...
. In 2010, a study was published based on radiocarbon dating of more reliable samples which suggests that the islands were settled much later, within a short timeframe, in about 1219 to 1266.
The islands in Eastern Polynesia have been characterized by the continuities among their cultures, and the short migration period would be an explanation of this result. Diversified
agroforestry and
aquaculture
Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. lot ...
provided sustenance for
Native Hawaiian cuisine
Native Hawaiian cuisine refers to the traditional Hawaiian foods that predate contact with Europeans and immigration from East and Southeast Asia. The cuisine consisted of a mix of indigenous plants and animals as well as plants and animals int ...
. Tropical materials were adopted for housing. Elaborate temples (called ''
heiau
A ''heiau'' () is a Hawaiian temple. Made in different architectural styles depending upon their purpose and location, they range from simple earth terraces, to elaborately constructed stone platforms. There are heiau to treat the sick (''heia ...
'') were constructed from the lava rocks available.
The rich natural resources supported a relatively dense population, organized by a ruling class and social system with religious leaders. Captain
James Cook
James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...
made the first known European contact with ancient Hawaiians in 1778. He was followed by many other Europeans and Americans.
Voyage to the Hawaiian islands
![Chronological dispersal of Austronesian people across the Pacific](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Chronological_dispersal_of_Austronesian_people_across_the_Pacific.svg)
There have been changing views about initial Polynesian discovery and settlement of Hawai'i.
Radiocarbon dating in Hawai'i initially indicated a possible settlement as early as 124 CE.
's early books on Hawaiian archeology date the first Polynesian settlements to about 300 CE with more recent suggestions by Kirch of 600 CE. Other theories suggest dating as late as 700–800 CE.
In 2010, researchers announced new findings using revised, high-precision radiocarbon dating based on more reliable samples than were previously used in many dating studies.
This new data indicates that the period of eastern and northern Polynesian colonization took place much later, in a shorter time frame of two waves: the "earliest in the
Society Islands
The Society Islands (french: Îles de la Société, officially ''Archipel de la Société;'' ty, Tōtaiete mā) are an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are part of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the F ...
c. 1025–1120, four centuries later than previously assumed; then after 70–265 years, dispersal continued in one major pulse to all remaining islands c. 1190–1290."
[Janet M. Wilmshurst, Terry L. Hunt, Carl P. Lipo, and Atholl J. Anderson]
"High-precision radiocarbon dating shows recent and rapid initial human colonization of East Polynesia"
''PNAS'', vol. 108 no. 5, , accessed 26 October 2015 According to this research, settlement of the Hawaiian Islands took place c. 1219–1266.
This rapid colonization is believed to account for the "remarkable uniformity of East Polynesia culture, biology and language".
According to Hawaiian mythology, there were other settlers in Hawaii: peoples who were forced back into remote valleys by newer arrivals. They claim that stories about ''
menehune
Menehune are a mythological race of dwarf people in Hawaiian tradition who are said to live in the deep forests and hidden valleys of the Hawaiian Islands, hidden and far away from human settlements.
The Menehune are described as superb craft ...
'', little people who built ''heiau'' and fishponds, prove the existence of ancient peoples who settled the islands before the Hawaiians.
Early Hawaiian sites
Waiʻahukini Rockshelter (Site H8)
The Wai'ahukini Rockshelter, site H8, lies within a lava tube about 600 feet inland from the shore on the southern part of the island of Hawai'i. Based on the lack of light and space necessary for normal living conditions, it was unlikely that site H8 was used as a dwelling. Excavations of site H8 began in 1954 by William J. Bonk and students from the University of Hawaii, Hilo, and concluded in 1958.
Excavation of the site revealed eight fireplaces at varying depths, as well as 1671 artifacts which included faunal remains, fishhooks, and lithic materials made of basalt and volcanic glass.
The distribution of artifacts in site H8 indicated that it was continuously used as a fishing shelter until the eruption of
Mauna Loa
Mauna Loa ( or ; Hawaiian: ; en, Long Mountain) is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The largest subaerial volcano (as opposed to subaqueous volcanoes) in both mass and ...
in 1868.
An early estimation of the site's initial occupation was A.D. 750 by Emory and Sinoto in 1969, but a more recent study using updated radiocarbon dating methods suggested a much later date, somewhere within the mid-14th century.
Hālawa Dune Site
Located on the island of Moloka'i, the Hālawa Dune Site was first discovered in 1964 and consists of two
mound
A mound is a heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded area of topographically higher el ...
s. In the summer of 1970, Patrick Vinton Kirch performed excavations on the larger of the two mounds, Mound B, revealing six major layers. Within the fourth layer were artifacts, faunal remains, and house foundations.
Of the 496 artifacts unearthed in this layer, the most significant included fishhooks and
adze
An adze (; alternative spelling: adz) is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel. Adzes have been used since the Stone Age. They are used for smoothing ...
s. The adzes recovered from Mound B were similar to those found in
Nihoa
Nihoa (; haw, Nīhoa ), also known as Bird Island or Moku Manu, is the tallest of ten islands and atolls in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). The island is located at the southern end of the NWHI chain, southeast of ...
and the
Necker Islands and, according to Kirch and McCoy, served as "evidence that the Hālawa Dune Site represented an early phase in the development of Hawaiian material culture." Initial radiocarbon dating for the site by Kirch suggested a range of A.D. 600 to 1200,
however a re-dating of samples in 2007 showed the site dated no earlier than A.D. 1300, and was occupied primarily between A.D. 1400 and 1650.
Settlement
Early settlers brought along with them clothing, plants (called "
canoe plants
One of the major human migration events was the maritime settlement of the islands of the Indo-Pacific by the Austronesian peoples, believed to have started from at least 5,500 to 4,000 BP (3500 to 2000 BCE). These migrations were accompani ...
") and livestock and established settlements along the coasts and larger valleys. Upon their arrival, the settlers grew (
taro
Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Africa ...
), (
banana
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
), (
coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
), (
breadfruit
Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (Moraceae) believed to be a domesticated descendant of ''Artocarpus camansi'' originating in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippi ...
), and raised (
pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...
), (
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
), and (
poi dog), although these meats were eaten less often than fruits, vegetables, and seafood. Popular condiments included (
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
), ground
kukui nut
''Aleurites moluccanus'', the candlenut, is a flowering tree in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, also known as candleberry, Indian walnut, ''kemiri'', varnish tree, ''nuez de la India'', ''buah keras'', ''godou'', kukui nut tree, and ''rata ke ...
, (
seaweed
Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of '' Rhodophyta'' (red), ''Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as ...
), and (
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
) which was used as both a sweet and a medicine. In addition to the foods they brought, the settlers also acquired (
sweet potato
The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Convolvulus, bindweed or morning glory family (biology), family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a r ...
), which began to be
cultivated across Polynesia around the year 1000 or earlier,
with the earliest evidence of cultivation in Hawaii around 1300AD.
The sweet potato is native to South America. Recently, an analysis of the DNA of 1,245 sweet potato varieties from Asia and the Americas was done, and researchers found a genetic link that proves the root made it to Polynesia from the Andes around 1100. The findings, published in the ''
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America'' (often abbreviated ''PNAS'' or ''PNAS USA'') is a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal. It is the official journal of the National Academy of Sci ...
'', offer more evidence that ancient Polynesians may have interacted with people in South America long before the Europeans set foot on the continen
Article and Maps
The
Pacific rat
The Polynesian rat, Pacific rat or little rat (''Rattus exulans''), known to the Māori as ''kiore'', is the third most widespread species of rat in the world behind the brown rat and black rat. The Polynesian rat originated in Southeast Asia, a ...
accompanied humans on their journey to Hawaiʻi. David Burney argues that humans, along with the vertebrate animals they brought with them (pigs, dogs, chickens and rats), caused many native species of birds, plants and large land snails to become extinct in the process of colonization.
Estuaries
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
and streams were adapted into fishponds by early Polynesian settlers, as long ago as 500 CE or earlier.
Packed earth and cut stone were used to create habitat, making
ancient Hawaiian aquaculture
Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cov ...
among the most advanced of the original peoples of the Pacific. A notable example is the
Menehune Fishpond dating from at least 1,000 years ago, at Alekoko. At the time of Captain James Cook's arrival, there were at least 360 fishponds producing of fish per year.
[ Over the course of the last millennium, Hawaiians undertook "large-scale canal-fed pond field irrigation" projects for (taro) cultivation.
The new settlers built (homes) and (temples). Archaeologists currently believe that the first settlements were on the southern end of the Big Island of Hawaiʻi and that they quickly extended northwards, along the seacoasts and the easily accessible river valleys. As the population increased, settlements were made further inland. With the islands being so small, the population was very dense. Before European contact, the population had reached somewhere in the range of 200,000 to 1,000,000 people. After contact with the Europeans, however, the population steeply dropped due to various diseases including ]smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
.
Village
A traditional town of ancient Hawaii included several structures. Listed in order of importance:
* Heiau, temple to the gods. There were two major types. The agricultural ''mapele'' type was dedicated to Lono
In Hawaiian religion, the god Lono is associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music and peace. In one of the many Hawaiian stories of Lono, he is a fertility and music god who descended to Earth on a rainbow to marry Laka. In agricultu ...
, and could be built by the nobility, priests, and land division chiefs, and whose ceremonies were open to all. The second type, luakini
In ancient Hawaii, a luakini temple, or luakini ''heiau'', was a Native Hawaiian sacred place where human and animal blood sacrifices were offered.
In Hawaiian tradition, ''luakini heiaus'' were first established by Paʻao, a legendary priest ...
, were large war temples, where animal and human sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherein ...
s were made. They were built on high-rising stone terraces and adorned with wood and stone carved idols. A source of great ''mana
According to Melanesian and Polynesian mythology, ''mana'' is a supernatural force that permeates the universe. Anyone or anything can have ''mana''. They believed it to be a cultivation or possession of energy and power, rather than being a ...
'' or divine power, the luakini could only be entered by '' alii'', the king, important chiefs and nobility, and ''kahuna
''Kahuna'' is a Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers.
Background
A ''kahuna'' may be ver ...
'' who were members of the Kū priesthood.
* Hale alii, the house of the chief. It was used as a residence for the high chief and meeting house of the lesser chiefs. It was always built on a raised stone foundation to represent high social standing. ''Kāhili
A ''kāhili'' is a symbol of the aliʻi chiefs and families of the Hawaiian Islands. It was taken by the House of Kamehameha, Kamehamehas as a Hawaiian Kingdom, Hawaiian royal standard and used by the Royal Families to indicate their lineage.
H ...
'', or feather standards, were placed outside to signify royalty. Women and children were banned from entering.
* Hale pahu, the house of the sacred hula instruments. It held the ''pahu
The pahu or pau is a traditional musical instrument found in Polynesia: Hawaii, Tahiti, Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tokelau. Carved from a single log and covered on the playing end with a stretched sharkskin, the pahu is played with the palms and fi ...
'' drums. It was treated as a religious space as hula
Hula () is a Hawaiian dance form accompanied by chant (oli) or song (Mele (Hawaiian language), mele). It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of t ...
was a religious activity in honor of the goddess ''Laka
In Hawaiian mythology, Laka is the name of two different popular heroes from Polynesian mythology. (In other parts of Polynesia they are known as Rātā, Rata, Lata, Ata, or Lasa).
In one Hawaiian legend, Laka is the son of the '' Ali'i nui'' W ...
''.
* Hale papaa, the house of royal storage. It was built to store royal implements including fabrics, prized nets and lines, clubs, spears and other weapons.
*
Hale ulana, the house of the weaver. It was the house where craftswomen would gather each day to manufacture the village baskets, fans, mats and other implements from dried pandanus leaves called ''lauhala ''Lauhala'', ''lau'' meaning "leaf" in the Hawaiian language, refers to the leaves of the hala tree ''(Pandanus tectorius)''.
Uses
The hala tree is of great cultural, health and economic importance in many Pacific Islands. The fruit of the tree i ...
''.
* Hale mua, the men's eating house. It was considered a sacred place because it was used to carve stone idols of ''aumakua
In Hawaiian mythology, an ʻaumakua (; often spelled aumakua, plural, aumākua) is a personal or family god that originated as a deified ancestor, and which takes on physical forms such as spirit vehicles. An 'aumakua may manifest as a shark, ow ...
'' or ancestral gods. The design was meant for the men to be able to enter and exit quickly.
* Hale aina, the women's eating house. Women ate at their own separate eating house. Men and women could not eat with each other for fear that men were vulnerable while eating to have their ''mana'', or divine spirit, stolen by women.
* Hale waa, the house of the canoe. It was built along the beaches as a shelter for their fishing vessels. Hawaiians also stored koa logs used to craft the canoe
A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle.
In British English, the term ...
s.
* Hale lawaia, the house of fishing. It was built along the beaches as a shelter for their fishing nets and lines. Nets and lines were made by a tough rope fashioned from woven coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
husks. Fish hooks were made of human, pig or dog bone. Implements found in the ''hale lawaia'' were some of the most prized possessions of the entire village.
* Hale noho, the living house. It was built as sleeping and living quarters for the Hawaiian family unit.
* Imu, the communal earth oven. Dug in the ground, it was used to cook the entire village's food including ''puaa'' or pork. Only men cooked using the ''imu''.
Caste system
Ancient Hawaii was a caste society
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...
developed from Polynesians. In ''The overthrow of the kapu system in Hawaii'', Stephenie Seto Levin describes the main classes:
* Alii. This class consisted of the high and lesser chiefs of the realms. They governed with divine power called ''mana''.
* Kahuna
''Kahuna'' is a Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers.
Background
A ''kahuna'' may be ver ...
. Priests who conducted religious ceremonies, at the ''heiau'' and elsewhere. Professionals included master carpenters and boatbuilders, chanters, dancers, genealogists, physicians and healers.
* Makaāinana. Commoners that farmed, fished, and exercised the simpler crafts. They labored not only for themselves and their families, but to support the chiefs and ''kahuna
''Kahuna'' is a Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers.
Background
A ''kahuna'' may be ver ...
''.
* Kauwā. A broad and degrading term referring to servants, slaves, and outcasts. Marriage between higher castes and the ''kauwā'' was strictly forbidden. The ''kauwā'' worked for the chiefs and males were often used as human sacrifices via drowning at the ''luakini
In ancient Hawaii, a luakini temple, or luakini ''heiau'', was a Native Hawaiian sacred place where human and animal blood sacrifices were offered.
In Hawaiian tradition, ''luakini heiaus'' were first established by Paʻao, a legendary priest ...
heiau''. (Lawbreakers of other castes and defeated political opponents were also sometimes used as human sacrifices.)
Education
Hawaiian youth learned life skills and religion at home, often with grandparents. For "bright" children[Handy and Pukui, ''The Polynesian Family System in Ka-'U, Hawai'i'' pp. 90] a system of apprenticeship existed in which very young students would begin learning a craft or profession by assisting an expert, or ''kahuna
''Kahuna'' is a Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers.
Background
A ''kahuna'' may be ver ...
''. As spiritual powers were perceived by Hawaiians to imbue all of nature, experts in many fields of work were known as ''kahuna'', a term commonly understood to mean ''priest''. The various types of ''kahuna
''Kahuna'' is a Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers.
Background
A ''kahuna'' may be ver ...
'' passed on knowledge of their profession, be it in "genealogies, or ''mele
Mele () is a ''Comune'' (Municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa.
Mele borders the following municipalities: Genoa, Masone
Masone ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the ...
'', or herb medicine, or canoe building, or land boundaries", etc. by involving and instructing apprentices in their work. More formal schools existed for the study of ''hula
Hula () is a Hawaiian dance form accompanied by chant (oli) or song (Mele (Hawaiian language), mele). It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of t ...
'', and likely for the study of higher levels of sacred knowledge.
The ''kahuna'' took the apprentice into his household as a member of the family, although often "the tutor was a relative". During a religious "graduation" ceremony, "the teacher consecrated the pupil, who thereafter was one with the teacher in psychic relationship as definite and obligatory as blood relationship". Like the children learning from their grandparents, children who were apprentices learned by watching and participating in daily life. Children were discouraged from asking questions in traditional Hawaiian culture.
Land tenure
In Hawaiian ideology, one does not "own" the land, but merely dwells on it. The belief was that both the land and the gods were immortal. This then informed the belief that land was also godly, and therefore above mortal and ungodly humans, and humans therefore could not own land. The Hawaiians thought that all land belonged to the gods (''akua'').
The '' alii'' were believed to be "managers" of land. That is, they controlled those who worked on the land, the '' makaāinana''.
On the death of one chief and the accession of another, lands were re-apportioned—some of the previous "managers" would lose their lands, and others would gain them. Lands were also re-apportioned when one chief defeated another and re-distributed the conquered lands as rewards to his warriors.
In practice, commoners had some security against capricious re-possession of their houses and farms. They were usually left in place, to pay tribute and supply labor to a new chief, under the supervision of a new ''konohiki
A ''konohiki'' is a headman of a land division or ahupuaʻa of the Kingdom of Hawaii who administered the land ruled by an aliʻi chief.
Background
The lands of the ruling chiefs of Hawaii were divided into radial divisions of land when possible. ...
'', or overseer.
This system of land tenure is similar to the feudal system
Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structur ...
prevalent in Europe during the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
.
The ancient Hawaiians had the '' ahupuaa'' as their source of water management. Each '' ahupuaa'' had a sub-division of land from the mountain to the sea. The Hawaiians used the water from the rain that ran through the mountains as a form of irrigation. Hawaiians also settled around these parts of the land because of the farming that was done.
Religion and the ''kapu'' system
Religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
held ancient Hawaiian society together, affecting habits, lifestyles, work methods, social policy and law. The legal system was based on religious ''kapu Kapu may refer to:
* Kapu (Hawaiian culture), a Hawaiian code of conduct
* Kapu (caste), a social group of India
* Kapu, Karnataka, a town in Karnataka, India
** Kapu Assembly constituency
* Kapu, Arunachal Pradesh, a settlement in Tirap district, A ...
'', or taboo
A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
s. There was a correct way to live, to worship, and even to eat. Examples of ''kapu'' included the provision that men and women could not eat together (Aikapu religion). Fishing was limited to specified seasons of the year. The shadow of the '' alii'' must not be touched as it was stealing his ''mana''.
The rigidity of the ''kapu'' system might have come from a second wave of migrations in 1000–1300 from which different religions and systems were shared between Hawaii and the Society Islands. Hawaii would have been influenced by the Tahitian chiefs, the ''kapu'' system would have become stricter, and the social structure would have changed. Human sacrifice would have become a part of their new religious observance, and the '' alii'' would have gained more power over the counsel of experts on the islands.
''Kapu'' was derived from traditions and beliefs from Hawaiian worship of gods, demigods and ancestral ''mana''. The forces of nature were personified as the main gods of Kū (God of war), Kāne
In Hawaiian mythology, Kāne is considered the highest of the three major Hawaiian deities, along with Kū and Lono. He represented the god of procreation and was worshipped as ancestor of chiefs and commoners. Kāne is the creator and gives ...
(god of light and life), Kanaloa
In the traditions of ancient Hawaii, Kanaloa is a god symbolized by the squid or by the octopus, and is typically associated with Kāne. It is also an alternative name for the island of Kahoolawe.
In legends and chants, Kāne and Kanaloa are por ...
(god of death), and Lono (god of peace and growth). Well-known lesser gods include Pele (goddess of fire) and her sister Hiiaka (goddess of dance). In a famous creation story, the demigod Māui fished the islands of Hawaii from the sea after a little mistake he made on a fishing trip. From Haleakalā
Haleakalā (; Hawaiian: ), or the East Maui Volcano, is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. The western 25% of the island is formed by another volcano, Mauna Kahalawai, also referred to as the West ...
, Māui ensnared the sun in another story, forcing him to slow down so there were equal periods of darkness and light each day.
The Hawaiian mystical worldview allows for different gods and spirits to imbue any aspect of the natural world.[Dudley, Man, Gods, and Nature. pp. 77] From this mystical perspective, in addition to his presence in lightning and rainbows, the god of light and life, Kāne
In Hawaiian mythology, Kāne is considered the highest of the three major Hawaiian deities, along with Kū and Lono. He represented the god of procreation and was worshipped as ancestor of chiefs and commoners. Kāne is the creator and gives ...
, can be present in rain and clouds and a peaceful breeze (typically the "home" of Lono).
Although all food and drink had religious significance to the ancient Hawaiians, special cultural emphasis was placed on ''awa'' (''kava'') due to its narcotic properties. This root-based beverage, a psychoactive and a relaxant, was used to consecrate meals and commemorate ceremonies. It is often referred to in Hawaiian chant. Different varieties of the root were used by different castes, and the brew served as an "introduction to mysticism".
Chiefs
The four biggest islands, the island of Hawaiʻi, Maui
The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...
, Kauaʻi
Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the List of islands of th ...
and Oʻahu
Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O’ ...
were generally ruled by their own ''aliʻi nui
The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands. They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the ''noho aliʻi''.
The word ''aliʻi'' has a similar meaning in the Samoan language and other Polynesian languages, and in Māori ...
'' (supreme ruler) with lower ranking subordinate chiefs called ''aliʻi ʻaimoku'', ruling individual districts with land agents called ''konohiki
A ''konohiki'' is a headman of a land division or ahupuaʻa of the Kingdom of Hawaii who administered the land ruled by an aliʻi chief.
Background
The lands of the ruling chiefs of Hawaii were divided into radial divisions of land when possible. ...
''.
All these dynasties were interrelated and regarded all the Hawaiian people
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii ...
(and possibly all humans) as descendants of legendary parents, Wākea
In the Hawaiian religion, Wākea, the Sky father weds Papahānaumoku, the earth mother. The two are considered the parent couple of the ruling chiefs of Hawaii.
''Wākea'' was the eldest son of Kahiko ("Ancient One"), who lived in Olalowaia. ...
(symbolizing the air) and his wife Papa (symbolizing the earth). Up to the late eighteenth century, the island of Hawaiʻi had been ruled by one line descended from Umi-a-Liloa
ʻUmi-a-Līloa (fifteenth century) was the supreme ruler Aliʻi-ʻAimoku (High chief of Hawaiʻi Island) who inherited religious authority of Hawaiʻi from his father, High Chief Līloa, whose line is traced, unbroken to Hawaiian "creation". Ali ...
. At the death of Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku
Keaweīkekahialiiokamoku (c. 1665 – c. 1725) was the king of Hawaii Island in the late 17th century. He was the great-grandfather of Kamehameha I, the first king of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
He was a progenitor of the House of Keawe.
Biography
He ...
, a lower ranking chief, Alapainui, overthrew the two sons of the former ruler who were next in line as the island's ''aliʻi nui''.
Assuming five to ten generations per century, the ''Alii ʻAimoku'' dynasties were around three to six centuries old at 1800 CE. The Tahitian settlement of the Hawaiian islands is believed to have taken place in the thirteenth century. The '' alii'' and other social castes were presumably established during this period.
Complex economy
The ancient Hawaiian economy became complex over time. People began to specialize in specific skills. Generations of families became committed to certain careers: roof thatchers, house builders, stone grinders, bird catchers who would make the feather cloaks of the '' alii'', canoe builders. Soon, entire islands began to specialize in certain skilled trades. Oahu
Oahu () (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering place#Island of Oʻahu as The Gathering Place, Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over t ...
became the chief ''kapa
Kapa is a fabric made by native Hawaiians from the bast fibres of certain species of trees and shrubs in the orders Rosales and Malvales.
Description and uses
It is similar to ''tapa'' found elsewhere in Polynesia (the Hawaiian phoneme corre ...
'' (tapa bark cloth) manufacturer. Maui
The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...
became the chief canoe manufacturer. The island of Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
exchanged bales of dried fish.
First recorded European contact
European contact with the Hawaiian islands marked the beginning of the end of the ancient Hawaii period. In 1778, British Captain James Cook
James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...
landed first on Kauai
Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest island ...
, then sailed southwards to observe and explore the other islands in the chain.
When he first arrived at Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona.
Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples (heiaus) and also ...
in 1779, some of the natives believed Cook was their god Lono. Cook's mast and sails coincidentally resembled the emblem (a mast and sheet of white ''kapa
Kapa is a fabric made by native Hawaiians from the bast fibres of certain species of trees and shrubs in the orders Rosales and Malvales.
Description and uses
It is similar to ''tapa'' found elsewhere in Polynesia (the Hawaiian phoneme corre ...
'') that symbolized Lono in their religious rituals; the ships arrived during the ''Makahiki
The Makahiki season is the ancient Hawaiian New Year festival, in honor of the god Lono of the Hawaiian religion.
It is a holiday covering four consecutive lunar months, approximately from October or November through February or March. The focu ...
'' season dedicated to Lono.
Captain Cook was eventually killed during a violent confrontation and left behind on the beach by his retreating sailors. The British demanded that his body be returned, but the Hawaiians had already performed funerary rituals of their tradition.[Kamakau 1961, pp. 103–104]
Within a few decades Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. T ...
used European warfare tactics and some firearms and cannons to unite the islands into the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...
.
See also
* Māori culture
Māori culture () is the customs, cultural practices, and beliefs of the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand. It originated from, and is still part of, Polynesians, Eastern Polynesian culture. Māori culture forms a distinctive part of Cul ...
* Mary Kawena Pukui
Mary Abigail Kawenaulaokalaniahiiakaikapoliopele Naleilehuaapele Wiggin Pukui (20 April 1895 – 21 May 1986), known as Kawena, was a Hawaiian scholar, author, composer, hula expert, and educator.
Life
Pukui was born on April 20, 1895, in her ...
, scholar of ancient Hawaiian culture
* Polynesian culture
Polynesian culture is the culture of the indigenous peoples of Polynesia who share common traits in language, customs and society. The development of Polynesian culture is typically divided into four different historical eras:
*Exploration and se ...
* List of monarchs (Aliʻi ʻAimoku) of Hawaii
* List of monarchs (Aliʻi ʻAimoku) of Kauai
* List of monarchs (Aliʻi ʻAimoku) of Oahu
* List of monarchs (Aliʻi ʻAimoku) of Maui
* List of monarchs (Aliʻi ʻAimoku) of Molokaʻi
Notes
References
Primary sources
*
Secondary sources
*
*
*
*
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*
External links
*
*
*
* {{cite web , url= http://www.hawaiianhistory.org/ref/chron.html , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124141942/http://www.hawaiianhistory.org/ref/chron.html , archive-date=2010-01-24 , url-status=dead , publisher= Hawaiian Historical Society , title= Significant Dates in the History of Hawaiʻi , access-date=February 18, 2015
Ancient peoples
Polynesian culture
ja:ハワイの歴史#先史時代