Ancient Hawaiian History
A series of historic videos hosted by Richard Wong, our expert tour guide
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Hawaiian Ancient History stories
A Feast For Chiefs
Waimanalo is famous not only for its breathtakingly beautiful white sandy beaches, but also for its magnificent vista of the Koolau mountain range. Although typically described as a serene and peaceful setting, Waimanalo bustled with excitement in November 1875 when the picturesque panorama became the venue for one of the most grandiose events in Hawaiian history.
The Chief of Waimanalo at that time was John Adams Cummins, the son of an English settler and a Hawaiian mother, and also one of Kamehameha V’s closest friends. Queen Emma, who was the widow of King Kamehmeha IV, had summoned Chief Cummins and requested that he organize and host an extravagant lu’au event. The glorious celebration was to be the commencement of a royal tour of the island for the regal monarchy.
Cummins was a fervent follower of David Kalakaua and, although he had vied against Queen Emma in the 1874 elections for the crown of Hawaii, he readily obeyed his Queen’s command. That is because it was most fitting for Chief Cummins to be assigned this task, given his friendship with the Queen’s family, and his impressive skills for entertaining guests!
Chief Cummins made sure meticulous arrangements were in place as twenty men safeguarded the Queen around the clock. Then on November 5, 1875, the festivities began. Leading a vibrant procession into Waimanalo were Chief Cummins, Queen Emma, and her mother. The Queen’s entourage consisted of more than 140 opulently-dressed Hawaiian women in beautiful, flowing pa’u (traditional skirts) riding horseback. Six mounted knights in scarlet costumes greeted the parade as it arrived in Waimanalo. Participants carried brightly-burning letters every 300 yards that spelled out Hawaiian slogans. What a glorious sight this pageant must have been!
The parade participants were not the only extraordinary features of this most-amazing lu’au. Several distinctive lanais, accommodating 200 guests each, had been constructed at the Cummings residence for this spectacular event. Every imaginable type of mouth-watering traditional cuisine was available for the partygoers. Entertainment consisted of a series of hula dancing and singing performances amidst massive bonfires throughout the night. Talented athletes also exhibited their feats for the guests.
The celebration was so grand that attendance at breakfast the next morning was exceedingly sparse – was no one hungry? The mystery was solved when it became apparent that the culprit must have been the over-consumption of pork the night before. The amazing festivities continued throughout next three days, with horse racing, target practicing, and bathing in magnificent mountain streams. Unfortunately, the party had to end eventually, and the Island tour continued with prominent Hawaiians as hosts.
Chief Cummins’ lavish arrangements pleased everyone in attendance. He summed the merriment up nicely when he said, “It is unlikely that such will ever be repeated.” As successful as the gala was, the unfortunate outcome is that Chief Cummins, owner of a lucrative sugar plantation, passed near bankruptcy from his passion for hosting such lavish events. One this is for sure – he did not disappoint Queen Emma or any of the guests!
-Jessi Schultz
Not Your Mother’s Air Force Base
Established in 1878, the Waimanalo Sugar Company became a main economic presence in Waimanalo, and thrived for many years. As the success of the sugar industry grew, grand innovations such as railroad tracks and the Olomana Locomotive, were introduced and brought to the area, which helped propel the sugar commerce internationally. People came in droves as a significant number of immigrants arrived to take advantage of the Waimanalo Sugar Company’s many opportunities. However, like so many other agricultural crops throughout history, the lucrative sugar fields began to succumb to other forces.
Rice paddies and rice mills began to dot the area, while another crop – pineapples – began to emerge also. Interestingly, it was not the economic pressure of new agricultural commodities that most changed the Waimanalo Sugar Company. More surprisingly, it was an Executive Order, from President Woodrow Wilson in 1917 to Territorial Governor Lucius E. Pinkham, which changed the landscape most significantly. The Executive Order required that more than 1,500 acres belonging to the Waimanalo Sugar Company be converted to a military reservation. The United States was in an unprecedented era due to the international conflict at that time. It was decided that O’ahu defenses needed to be enhanced, so the Waimanalo Military Reservation was established on Waimanalo Sugar Company soil.
The installation was readily transformed into a formidable base, fully equipped with intimidating howitzer artillery machines, well-trained infantry units, and impressive fighting planes. Disciplined and fit soldiers and impressive military machines replaced benign sugar cane fields and gentle farm workers. Throughout the 1930’s, the reservation was used primarily as a bombing and gunnery range for other Oahu military bases, and as a basic training facility for new recruits. In 1933, to honor 2nd Lt. Franklin Barney Bellows, who was killed in battle in France while on a reconnaissance mission, the military reservation was renamed Bellows Field.
The unexpected Japanese attack on Oahu on December 7, 1941 resulted in utter destruction at Bellows Field. All but three P-40 fighter planes were demolished on the ground. Three courageous pilots scrambled hastily to engage the enemy in the remaining P-40’s, but were quickly shot down before getting the opportunity. A B-17 from California was caught off-guard and was forced into a crash landing, narrowly escaping a collision into the town of Waimanalo.
A surprising discovery was made in the early morning hours the next day. A miniature Japanese submarine had gotten wedged on the ocean reef near Bellows Field. The captured commanding officer was Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki and he became the United States’ first prisoner of war in World War II. A sign marking the spot of his unavoidable capture is located on a tree near that area.
More changed occurred when name of Bellows Field was modified again in 1958. Reassigned as Bellows Air Force Station, the base was no longer used as a flying field. Then in 1973, part of the beach area of Bellows AFS was designated a site of archaeological significance in the National Register of Historic Places. Some artifacts discovered there had confirmed human habitation long before this land was owned by Waimanalo Sugar Company, or became Bellows Air Force Station. If this land could talk, imagine what amazing stories it could tell about the people who have walked here. Currently, the base has a much more benign use as a rest and recreation location for the country’s military men and women. On weekends and holidays the beach is open to civilians, who have the opportunity to add their footprint to some of the most incredible soil on earth.
-Jessi Schultz
Kailua Heiau
Kailua boasts to be the site of one of the first settlements in Hawaii. As far back as 200 A.D. the Kawainui Marsh was the site of a beautiful lagoon that was fed by crystal mountain springs. Although a marsh today, these features sustained ancient life with it’s abundance. King Kamehameha worked the land side by side with his people around the early 1800′s. This area was known primarily for its agriculture and fishing. It was of primary importance to the Hawaiians that two Heiaus (temples) be built. Kailua Rd. next to the YMCA is the site of the Heiau that was devoted to worship of agriculture. High on Kapa’s landfill, visitors will find the other Heiau, of which was the site of human sacrifice to the god of war. Declining value placed on the type of work needed to sustain this community led to the abandonment of the Kawainui Marsh area. Left to fend for itself, grass overtook the area and blocked the easy flow of water and developed what we now see as fertile marshland, still valuable and precious. This area is the home to many valuable archeological sites.
Hawaii Trump Of His Day
The Castle name is everywhere on the windward side of Oahu, but why? Lets go back to the first Castle. In 1837 Samuel Castle arrived in Honolulu as a missionary. He left Hawaii for a short time then returned as a businessman for the mission. He than began the prosperous mercantile firm with an equally prominent individual and they called it, Castle & Cooke.
One of his ten children would surpass him as a businessman. This young man was named James Bicknell Castle and he lived a gilded upbringing in Hawaii. One of his first moves was in 1890 when Lorrin Thurston and others joined to create the Kahuku Plantation Company on land subleased from Benjamin Dillingham.
He then moved to his next phase of his work, which was to connect the Dillingham’s Oahu Railway & Land Co. (OR&L) in Kahuku with the proposed street railway system in Honolulu by way of the Windward Coast. This project was not completed and he became a partner of Alexander & Baldwin. After he obligation with A&B he continued his railroad dream and completed it from Kahuku to Kahana Bay. He extended his plantation and used this railway to haul it to the Kahuku mill.
His plan was to extend his Koolau Railroad Co. south of Kahana Bay through Kane’ohe and Kailua, and on to Waimanalo where it go through a tunnel and into Manoa Valley and connect with the Rapid transit & Land Co. Unfortunately he died in 1918 before he could execute his lofty goal. He train service completely closed down by 1952.
James Castle and his wife had one child, Harold Castle who had development in his genes I suppose. Harold Castle is the man behind Castle hospital, Castle High School, Kainalu Elementary, Central Union Windward Church, and the Windward Branch of Hawaii Pacific University all in the form of gifts.
Humble Beginnings in Hawaii
In the area of Mauna Kea St and Beretania St in downtown Honolulu was the original Iolani school. Two young Chinese boys, Sun Yat Sen and Ho Fon were students at this school. While being educated the two young men began to plot the Chinese revolution. They developed a secret society called the Kuo Min Tang Society whose main purpose was to overthrow oppressive Chinese government. With the patronage of the Chinese community these young men managed to overthrow the Manchu Empress of China and created the Republic of China. With Dr. Sun Yat Sen becoming the first president of the new republic in 1895.
Politics As Usually
The last conquest in the unification of the Hawaiian Islands was to conquer the Island of Kauai. On two occasions Kamehameha’s armies attempted to cross the channel from Oahu to Kauai. On both instances a storm arose and the fleet of canoes were decimated. Then Kamehameha begin to use diplomacy. He arranged to marry the daughter of the King of Kauai, Kaumualii and bring the island into the Kingdom Nation. After the marriage Kauai took its place as a part of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The King of Kauai retained the position as the high chief of the island.
He was invited to visit Oahu by the Oahu chiefs. They secretly planned to kill him to extend their holdings with portions of the island of Kauai. When the high chief arrived Issac Davis informed of the plot to take his life and had him return to Kauai. To gain revenge for Davis’s betrayal, the Oahu chiefs used poison to take Davis’s life.
Crouching Lion
The stone image on the ridge which is the Eastern boundary of Kahana Valley has a stone which English sailors named the Crouching Lion. The stone resembles a Lion in a crouching or pouncing position. However, Hawaiians never had any Lions or cats for that matter. The figure is said to be the remains of the demigod or Kapua Kauhi-imaka—o-kalani. Kauhi-i-maka-o-kalani was a demigod who had come to Hawaii from Tahiti with the fire goddess Pele and her followers. When the followers made their home at Kahana, Kauhi-i-maka-o-kalani was sent to the ridge as a watchman to protect the valley. After a long period of time Kauhi-i-maka-o-kalani lay on the ridge and protected the valley root and grass grew among him. One-day Pele’s sister Hiiaka was traveling past Kahana on her way back to Kilauea. Kauhi-imaka-o-kalani recognized Hiiaka as the woman who burned the forest of Puna. He asked her if he could travel with her because of her great beauty. As he rose from the ground his body turned to stone into the figure, which is crouching lion.
The Marsh in Kailua
One of the first settlements in Hawaii was right in Kailua. The Kawainui Marsh provided the best features to sustain life as far back as 200AD. During this time it was not a marsh but a beautiful lagoon being fed by mountain streams. King Kamehameha also spent time here connecting with his people around 1804 working the land. The area was primarily agricultural and fishing. It was so important to the local Hawaiians that two heiaus (temples) were built. One of which is next to the YMCA on Kailua Rd. Ulupo Heiau was devoted to worship of agriculture. The other heiau is high on Kapa’a landfill and was the site of human sacrifice for the god of war. As the decline of traditional values within the Hawaiian community the lagoon was left to fend for itself and grass grew in blocking the easy flow of water and developed into the marsh.
Shark Week
A malhini shark (Mikololou) from the island of Hawaii visited Puuloa (Pearl Harbor) with the desire of dinning on human flesh. Some of the resident sharks discovered his purpose and reported to their queen shark of Oahu (Ka’ahupahau). The queen shark had a covenant with the humans of Pearl Harbor that sharks would not eat human flesh. A trap was set for Mikololou; he was captured and thrown ashore at Honouliuli, which is near Ewa Beach. His body rotted away leaving only his tongue. A dog ate the tongue and following the meal jumped into the ocean and once again reincarnated into the shark Mikololou. Given life once more, he recruited sharks from the Windward Islands to wage war on the presumptuous guards of Oahu’s waters. Returning to Puuloa, a great battle occurred between his forces and the guardians of Oahu. The shark queen’s forces were triumphant in their battle once again leaving the waters of Puuloa safe for humans to use.
In 1900 the United States Navy built dry dock #1 at Pearl Harbor. Which was an enormous structure to get the Navy ships out of the water to be repaired. As it neared completion, the structure suddenly collapsed. Navy divers were sent into the remains of the dry dock. They discovered the remains of a 14ft hammerhead shark in the debris. A Navy admiral realized that Pearl Harbor was the home of a Hawaiian shark god. Fearing any more problems with the completion of the dry dock he got a young ensign to go up in the hills and get a Kahuna (Hawaiian priest) to bless the dry dock. The ensign completed his assignment and since that day there has not been a reported shark attack in Pearl Harbor.
Waikiki Beach
Waikiki is the center of tourism for Hawaii. Before that, it was the center of politics for the ancient Hawaiians. Chief Mailikukahi in the fifteenth century established Oahu’s government at Waikiki. It wasn’t until 1807 when Kamehameha I moved the government to Honolulu to be closer to the harbor.
Along the coast where Halekulani, Royal Hawaiian, and Moana Hotels are nestled were the locations of chiefs. A concept conjured up by Edward Tenney in 1925 was to bring visitors to the remote Waikiki. This concept included the Matson 650-passenger liner, Malolo, and they would stay at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel by Matson’s partner in the venture. Since that time the Royal Hawaiian has been sold to the Sheraton hotel chain. The true jewel of Waikiki was the Moana Hotel more commonly known as “The First Lady of Waikiki”. The structure bragged of its own electrical plan, an elevator with five levels, and seventy-five rooms and suites, each with a bathroom and telephone. Perhaps the best quality was its location on the tramway.
Another fascinating quality is the “wizard stones.” These are near the police sub-station in Waikiki. The stones have been dragged there before 1400AD to commemorate the visiting four wise men from Tahiti. These four men transferred their healing powers to these stones before their mysterious disappearance. The statue of Duke Kahanamoku is near the stones. The Duke is one of Hawaii’s greatest athletes and was eventually elected sheriff of Honolulu and official city greeter, which he served until his death. He is also famed for being the oldest athlete to medal in the Olympic events.
Honolulu Aquarium
In 1900 the Honolulu Rapid Transit & Land Company was financially in trouble. James Castle and his brother bought the controlling stock and properly financed the company. In 1904 the H.R.T.&L. was running streetcars down King St and through Waikiki on Kalakaua Ave. This line replaced the mule-powered tramway that was in place since about 1890. Castle noticed he needed more people on the transportation system and the first aquarium was built as an attraction and made the line one of the most prosperous until it was replaced by trolley buses in 1938.
Even Freeways Have History
It was part of President Eisenhower and the launching of the interstate highway program. It was meant for military purpose of enabling quicker transport from the bases on the west side of the island to the east side of the island.
The project had a rough preliminary start with the State in 1959. The big problem was trying to preserve archaeological and environmental assets. The route was changed from Moanalua Valley to Halawa Valley. A heiau on Kaneohe side also changed aspects of the freeway. Some believe all these hurtle were in align with the grand scheme of delaying the project and increasing the cost.
As we know it was finally completed at a cost of 100 million dollars per square mile and is considered one of the most beautiful freeways in the world and most expensive per foot. A special coloring was also added to better match the local rocks. The freeway is very unique in that most of the pieces fit together like a giant Lego structure set by epoxy.