Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands - In the Beginning (Part 2) The US GenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. All submissions become part of the permanent collection. Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands " Keepers of the Culture " A study in time of the Hawaiian Islands by Darlene E. Kelley October 8, 2000 http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In the Beginning-- part 2 Perhaps quarrels as to chieftainship and prestige led small groups, perhaps in single canoes, to make further expeditions to the east to intervening islands, thus causing the central region of the Society Islands to become occupied. From traditional narratives and the distribution of certain cultural elements, we divide the movements of the Polynesians into an earlier and a later period. The earlier people were the pioneers who reached various islands and settled down without thought of returning whence they came. Such were the original settlers of Hawaii known as the Menehune, and the also the first settlers of Tahiti named Manahune. The first settlers of New Zealand and the Chatham Isands may have belonged to the same early wave. The Maori traditions that the earliest settlers had marked Melanesians characteristics were recorded by the later people and cannot be accepted without reservation. The Chatham Islanders were a Polynesian people and it is probable that the earliest settlers in New Zealand were Polynesians also. The early wave thus settled in central Polynesia [ Society Islands ] and reached Hawaii in the North and New Zealand in the South. It is probable also that they extended east as far as Easter Island. From such evidence as we have, it seems that the earlier people had a simpler form of social organization in which the blood kinship of all members of the tribe was stressed. They had an open religious meeting place in which spaced upright stones formed the main feature. They thatched their houses with grass and leaves tied to horizontal battens. They probably had no cultivable foods and relied upon the Pandanus largely for their vegetable food. They deserve admiration for their achievements. The later periods is charaterized by the rich traditional narratives of the long voyages. These voyages were made in organized expeditions under the leadership of chiefs [ Ali ] with earned priests as navigators. They discovered unoccupied lands and also rediscovered islands already occupied by the earlier people of the same stock. The main voyages extended from the end of the 11th to the 14th centuries, and then ceased. The voyages were actuated in the first instances, by the spirit of pure adventure, the desire to break through the " hanging skies." In many instances the voyagers who returned to their orginal homeland, and not only related their discoveries but gave directions by which the new land might be reached. The crews consisted of picked men whose shoulders could bear the strain of the deep sea paddle. They were trained to endurance and to self-control with regard to food and water. They were brave men who feared neither adverse elements nor hostile forces. If they weathered the storm and emerged to a fair haven, all was well. If they engulfed in the waters of the great ocean, they went down as men. The earlier voyagers of this period took no women or food plants with them. The later voyagers took cultivable food plants, an so the coconut, taro, yam, and sweet potato were spread. Between these two types of voyagers conflict sooner or later occurred but in the end the ali chiefs of the later wave acquired dominance and rule. An interesting Maori tradition relates the arrival of two chiefs who brought dried cooked sweet potatoes as part of their sea stores. The new food created a desire for the plant and an epedition sailed back to secure potato tubers for cultivation. Between the years of 1150 A.D. and 1350 A.D. various voyaging canoes came to New Zealand from Hawaii. It is probable that during this time return voyages were made. Much island hoping was also done during this period. The northern discovery and settlement of the Hawaiian Islands had been made by the Menehune at some early period. Later came the ali invaders from Tahiti [ Kahiki ]. Those voyages appear to have extended from the 11th and 13th centuries and thus ceased earlier than those to New Zealand. From Tahiti to Hawaii is 2400 hundred miles but some of the intervening small islands may have been used for resting places. The Hawaiian Myth of Papa [ ancient god spirit-- who was the earth mother] who after marriage to Wakea gave birth to the islands, contains what might be regarded as confirmatory evidence. Papa left the Hawaiian region on a visit to Tahiti and in her absence Wakea married Hoohoku-lani. The news of Wakea's infidelity was told to Papa in Tahiti by the Kolea, or golden plover. The dates of the ali voyages to Hawaii are like all others, approximate. Hawaiian genealogies though long, are somewhat confused. An analysis shows that a number of names personifying natural phenomena have been introduced among the names of human ancestors. This has occurred to also in other parts of Polynesia. The dates of the outstanding ali immigrants are tabulated below by a analysis of Hawaiian genealogies. The number of generations is taken back from 1900 A.D. and allowed 25 years to a generation. Ancertral vistitor to Generations Appx date Line Hawaai from 1900 of arrival 1. Puna Newa-lani 34 1050 A.D. 2. Hema Hua or son Pau 31 1125 A.D. 3. Nana-mua Mawake 28 1200 A.D. Moikeha 26 1250 A.D. 4. Pili-kaaiea 25 1275 A.D. The Puna line is well known in the Society and Cook Islands. The Hema line is also widely known even as far as New Zealand. The voyage of Moikeha from Tahiti brought up in Hilo Bay, when bard Kama-hua-lele stood up to the platform of the double canoe and recited his chant to the land commencing with words; Eia Hawaii Behold Hawaii E moku An island E Kanaka A people The last voyage was brought about by the priest Paao who came from Tahiti and seeing that the chiefly stock had degenerated in the person of Kapawa, he returned to Tahiti to get fresh blood. He returned with Pili-kaaiea whom he established in high chieftainship on the island of Hawaii. Traditional narritive relates that he was responsible for a changed form in the heiau religious structures, and that he also introduced human sacrifice and the red feather girdle [malo ula] of the ali nui. From these introductions, Paao must be associated eith Tahiti and not Samoa. The voyages of Lono-mai-kahiki, Kalana, and others are recorded in Hawaiian tradition. The channel between the islet of kahoolawe [ the way to Tahiti ] remains as a record of the fact that the voyagers took their departure from this point when they ran south to Tahiti. They sailed south by keeping the North Star [Hokupaa ] directly eastern and when they lost it in the sea behind on crossing the equator [ Te Piko o Wakea ], they picked up the southern guiding star Newe and the constellation of Humu stood overhead. In the period of the long voyages, the 2400 miles of sea were crossed and recrossed by the Hawaiian ancestors who had handed down a record of daring achievement of which their decendants may be justly proud. In the central area, the Manahune original settlers were overcome by the Arii families who spead out from Raiatea [ original name for Hawaii ]. The later waves spread out from the central distributing center to the neighboring islands. Each Island or Island group has its own historical narritive, and most have evidence of an earlier wave of people followed by later adventurers who secured the chieftainship and rule. The Tahitian narritives and genealogies while quite clear about the conquest of Manahune of Tahiti by the Arii families from Raiatea are strangely lacking in detail as to whence the Arii families came to Raiatea [ Hawaii ] Lacking a separate origin, it is possible that they belonged to the earlier wave but developed a higher form of culture in Hawaii. The growth of the population and increase in knowledge in organization and seacraft may have led to the adventurous voyages that extended from the10th or 11th centuries. Voyages continued and migration to other islands ensued. The Hawaiian Islands are a group of islands located almost in the center of the Pacific Ocean between 19 and 22 degrees north latitude. Hawaii's land area of 6,425 square miles is made up of 8 large islands and 124 small islands, reefs, and shoals. They are; Kaua'i -- The garden Isle. It contains 552.3 square miles. Is the wettest spot on earth. Ni'ihau -- The forbidden Isle. Contains 69.5 square miles. Oahu -- The gathering place. Contains 597.1 square miles. Moloka'i -- The friendly Isle. Contains 260 square miles Lana'i -- The Private Isle. Contains 140.6 square miles. Maui -- The Valley Isle. Contains 727.3 square miles. Kaho'olawa -- has no nickname. Contains 44.6 square miles. was inhabited by the U.S. Navy for target practice in the past. Hawaii -- the big Island. Consists of 4028.2 square miles. The total land mass grows by hundreds of acres every year due to Kilauea Volcano. Hawaii is the longest chain of islands in the world.