Read this article in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
When Captain Cook folks arrived in 1778, they introduced the Hawaiians to the strange and different things of the foreigners such as iron. As for the iron, the Hawaiians traded plant and animal supplies to the sailors. Iron was valuable to the Hawaiians for carving images, bamboo stampers for kapa designing, designed mallets, and many other things. Then, when Captain Vancouver returned, he introduced Kamehameha to several “gifts” – cattle, oranges, and pumpkins to name a few.
Caring for these “gifts” was to supply the ships and was not for [use by] the natives as Kamehameha placed a prohibition on the cattle. After the death of Kamehameha, the prohibition on the “gifts” from Vancouver were lifted and the ranching business flourished from that century to this century. However, these gifts changed the livelihood of the Hawaiian, namely from one dependent on the land and sea for sustenance, to one of trade and commerce for monetary gain.
As foreigners increased in Hawaiʻi, a great passion for pork arose. As a result, the natives sold their pigs and depended solely on fish for their livelihood. In addition, many moved from the uplands to the seaside. Hawaiians migrated towards peaceful and protected harbors like Kealakekua, Lahaina, and Honolulu. The chiefs guided and managed commerce until the islands were unified under Kamehameha, except for Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, when the king supervised commerce.
In Lahaina, where Kauikeaoului dwelled with his court, he engaged in commercial activities of the foreigners, namely that of trade for money. He built and supported the Seamen’s Home (later called Seamen’s Hospital), named Moanui, on the opposite side of the homes and church of the missionaries at Waiola. He didn’t want the complaints of the missionaries, as rum was one of the desires of the sailors staying there. There, natives of Lahaina could go and sell produce from their gardens and other foodstuffs from their small plots and farms like eggs, chickens, goats and other sources of protein like fish. With the money earned, they could buy flour, crackers, sugar and other new commodities.
There is a Seamen’s Home in Honolulu which Kamehameha IV established. It is now located on Alakea Street (‘White Road’ named for the crushed white coral to pave it) although the original was on Bethel Street. It was close to many Native Hawaiian-owned businesses on the narrow lanes such as on Laulau Lane and on Beef Lane. Also in Honolulu, many Hawaiians were working in trades such as welding, making barrels, and supportive work for the visiting ships.
The means of livelihood from the time of Kamehameha has changed but the resiliency and persistence of the Hawaiians to survive lives on. Seek life!
