Western Powers in the Pacific
European expansion: * Empire building led to expansion of territories (Portugal, Spain, Netherlands) all for spice trade, development of “blue water” technology, Columbus (1492), terra austeralis. * Diffusionism: Polynesian people were the degenerated descendants of Europeans. * Noble savage: child like innocence, lived with ease in a tropic eden and sexual bliss, concerns over moral & industrial capacity * Semitic Polynesian: Polynesians as the descendants of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. * Aryan or Caucasian Polynesian: intellectual colonialism of Indigenous people and their lands. * Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1513)
American Expansion * Hawaii provided America raw materials to fuel production, and land for a growing population.
Captain Cook * Came Hawaii in search of Northwest passage * Arrived 1778 and named Hawaii Sandwich Isles * Died February 14, 1779 in Kealakekua bay Hawaii
The Hawaiian Kingdom
Kamehameha Domain * Kamehameha I (KI) is from Hawai’i and is the first King of Hawai’i. * In 1795 the battle of Nu’uanu was fought for the dominance over the archipelago. * King Kaumuali’i was Mö’i of Kauai and his kingdom was conquered by KI with 1810 treaty. * KI dies may 8, 1819, significant for missionaries because they came in march 20, 1820 when war had cooled down. * Ka’ahumanu was Kamehameha’s favorite wife of 20+, however Keöpüolani was Kamehameha’s highest ranking wife and mother of Liholiho (KII)
‘Ainoa
* Liholiho (KII) became Mö’ï after KI’s death * Kuhina nui is a girl chief.
Christianity
* Missionaries arrived march 20, 1820 * Viewed Hawaiian people as foolish, uneducated. * They respected the monarch but yet looked down upon it * God became number one on chart instead of the King * Schools drew Hawaiian crowd to missionary instruction * Hiram Bingham-
‘Ölelo Hawai’i * “I ka ‘ölelo no