happy? – Nov 26 (Maui discovered)

Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 26 (Maui discovered)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 08:09 PM

Kalakaua was well-educated, certainly not a 'primitive native'; the last ruler of whom this might be said was Kamehameha I, although he made good use of advisors, mostly English, and many social changes took place under his long rule. The breakdown of the old feudal system left many young men without occupation, and they became sailors, whalers and harpooners, ranch hands in California, carpenters and loggers in British Columbia (built Fort Langley and Hudsons Bay Company farms) and voyageurs with the Hudsons Bay Company.

Kalakaua's education included music, although he only composed a couple of songs that are still played. He formed the Royal Hawaiian Band and encouraged musical education. He formed a rowing club modeled on those of English schools and encouraged sports. A lifelong interest was history and mythology; if he had not been ruler, he probably would have contributed more to literature and music. It was a difficult diplomatic job to keep Hawai'i free of English or American takeover; one move resulted in members of the family joining the Church of England. Of course the effort failed, but not until aftr his death, when a group of American merchants took over and deposed the Queen.

Subject: RE: happy? � Nov 26 (Maui discovered)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 06:46 PM

I agree. King David's book is certainly worth reading. I'm grateful it was cited to me a while back. A bit confusing to me keeping the names straight but you rarely get such a sophisticated perspective from the "primative natives" anywhere. Last time I posted about Cook & Hawaii, there were posts objecting that he was such a perfect character that King David was really misrepresenting the situation and slandering Cook. I'm more likely to believe Davie, though.

I like that he (same as devout practitioners of many other religions) makes little or no distinction between history and myth. At the same time, he seems very willing to accept best scientific evidence of the day.

Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 26 (Maui discovered)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 02:45 PM

Thanks, Q. Saved me doing the research to make the same point. This business of "discovering" inhabited islands needs to be put in perspective.

SRS

Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 26 (Maui discovered)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 02:34 PM

Maui, and the rest of the Hawaiian chain, was discovered by Polynesians, led by Nanaula, moving up from the southern Society Islands and Samoa, in the Sixth Century.

Nanaula, a distinguished chief, was the first to arrive. "He brought with him his Gods, priests, prophets and astrologers, and a considerable body of followers and retainers. He was also provided with dogs, swine and fowls, and the seeds and germs of useful plants for propagation. It is probable that he found the group without human habitation."
His Hawaiian Majesty KIng David Kalakaua, 1888, "The Legends and Myths of Hawai'i," (A well-written book, incorporating history as well as legends and chants; reprints by Tuttle Company).

The reigning monarch on Hawai'i, the 'Big Island' when Captain Cook came was Kalaniopuu, 1754-1782. The islands were not unified; the next monarch, Kamehameha I, accomplished this task.
This was the second visit of Cook to Hawai'i; he was an officer with the ships "Resolution" and "Discovery." On January 18, 1778 when they sighted Oahu and Kauai, and made landings on Kauai and Ni'ihau. In November, 1778, Cook returned. The ships had been charting the west coast of North America, as far north as the Behring Straits and were stopped by ice.
In other words, the forebiter quoted by Abby in his "Happy" probably reflected the feelings of the crew aboard Cook's ship as well as those of the whalermen who made the voyage in later years.

Juan Gaetano was the first European to arrive at the Hawaiian Islands, commanding a Spanish ship en route from the Mexican coast to the Spice Islands, in 1555. This claim is based on a manuscript chart in the Spanish archives, but the Spaniards did not publicize the information.

Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 26 (Maui discovered)
From: Willie-O
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 01:05 PM

I wasn't sure from the thread title if this was about the island or the song being discovered.

I had the extraordinary good fortune to see Stan Hugill perform the year before he died, about 1990. He must have been the oldest working pony-tailed folksinger alive (I think he was 86), and certainly the saltiest. Somewhere's that weekend I recall hearing the story that Stan (who was a genuine shantyman in the fading days of commercial sail, 20's and 30's) had been at a festival, needed to think of a song to sing for a workshop, someone gave him a shot of rum, and "Rolling Down to Old Maui" popped into his head--a song neither he nor anyone else had sung for forty or fifty years.

We came that close to never hearing it. How bout that?

Subject: happy? – Nov 26 (Maui discovered)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 11:21 AM

Capt. Cook (1728-1779) discovered Maui on 11/26/1778

(But overall, I don't think he was nearly as satisfied with the Hawaiians as they were with him.)

          Oh six hellish months
          Have passed away
          In the cold Kamchatka Sea,
          But now we're bound
          From the Arctic ground
          Rolling down to old Maui.
  
                  "Rolling Down To Old Maui"

Stan Hugill notes this forbitter was especially popular with the whalermen that were based in Maui.

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