Nineteenth-Century Pacific Expansion: Out-Migration of Native Hawaiian and Pacific

Islanders Aboard American WhalersSusan A. LeboBishop Museum

PNC-ECAI-PRDLA ConferenceUniversity of Hawaii, ManoaNov 1-3, 2005 Stranded Pacific Islanders in San Francisco, c1880

Funding Acknowledgements

Hawaii Council for the Humanities (HCH)

Education through Historical and Cultural Organizations (ECHO)

Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

Institutional Acknowledgements

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Peabody Essex Museum

Nantucket Historical Association

Bishop Museum

eCulture in the Global Community

• Creating Digital collections

•Primary source materials•Secondary source materials

• Hawaiian• Pacific Islander• Native Alaskan• American

Digital Collections

• Historical Images

• Cultural Objects

• Historical Recordings• Oral, Written, Visual

• Contemporary Recordings• Oral, Written, Visual

Historical Images

• Places

• People

• Activities

Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii – c1820New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling MuseumLahaina, Maui

Peabody Essex MuseumHonolulu Harbor - 1831

Bishop MuseumHonolulu Harbor - 1834

Peabody Essex MuseumHong Kong

Bishop MuseumBorabora - 1840

Bishop MuseumRewa, Fiji - 1844

Islands off coast of Chile New Bedford Whaling Museum

Peabody Essex MuseumSouth American village

Peabody Essex MuseumBark Europa

Peabody Essex MuseumChincha Islands, Chile

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Siberian village – c1881Native Alaskan village – c1881

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Native Alaskan village – c1881

New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum

CaptainGeorge Gilley

Kanaka captain of Hawaiian whaling & trading vessels

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Iñupiatfamilies aboard whaler

c1881

Peabody Essex Museum

Peabody Essex Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Cultural Objects

• Native Hawaiian

• Pacific Islander

• Native Alaskan

• Foreign Whalers

Nantucket Historical Association

Lei Niho Palaoa83.79.1

Acquired by Dr. Benjamin Sharpduring expedition to the Pacific, 1893

Pandanus cloakNew Bedford Whaling Museum

Whale tooth comb

Walrus teeth & glass bead lei

Courtesy of Bishop Museum

Marquesan fishhook New Bedford Whaling Museum

Nantucket Historical Association

Sharkskin belt77.2.1b

South Pacific,Protective armor, c1850

Nantucket Historical Association

Uu Club2000.1101.18

Marquesas IslandsCarved with iron tools, c1800

Fijian comb Nantucket Historical Association

Wooden Moai5340, 5341, 5951

Rapa Nui(Easter Island)

Bishop Museum

New Bedford Whaling MuseumIñupiat Umiak model

Scrimshaw

Courtesy of Peabody Essex Museum

Historical Recordings

• Mele & Mo`olelo

• Whaling Documents

Primary Sources of Whaling Materials

Hawaiian-Language English-Language

Native PopulaceMele (songs)Hula (dance) (rare)Mo‘olelo (stories/narratives)‘Olelo No‘eau (sayings/proverbs)Newspapers

Native/Foreign Populace Government records (some bilingual)

Foreign PopulaceNewspapersBusiness recordsPersonal records

Foreign VisitorsPersonal records

Na Mo‘olelo Kahiko o KoholäAncient Whale Traditions

Our ancient stories tell of our connection to koholä, whales. Whales appear in stories, place names, sayings, proverbs, and chants.

Old song about the palaoa or the teeth of sperm whales

I lelo ka niho i kai ai ka palaoaPala mala ia lena keoho kaunoaI po kaunoa i ke kula o MalamanuiUa luluhi wale i ka noenoeMe kela ipo hau o ke moo---aPe la---eO ka moo o ke aloha ke waiho neiO ia ke meheu nei ka hele anaE imi ana au aloaa eha ia---aIa---la---e

Na P.S. Kamae

HI.M.32, Ka hoopaa ana o ko A. Liholiho, Kapiolani-Kalanianaole Collection, Bishop Museum Archives

Makemake na au e ‘ike ia KaleponiI ka ‘aina o ka nani a me ka maika‘i.Maika‘i ‘oko‘a no ke kai kuono o Hukekona.He nani Papine me Kaliona.Ka ‘oi loa aku na o ka lae Hao me Aukaki.Ke home i aloha ‘ia na na holokahikiI aloha ‘ia i ka leo ho‘oholehole o ka hulipahu,I na olelo ke i ke aloha a ke kolomeki.‘A‘aki polo ihola ka maka ua ‘ike ‘ia ka i‘a,Pi‘oloke na li‘i, ‘oehuehu ke kapena,Pinapina i ka leo o ka malama moku,Pau loa na poki i ka la‘i ke ‘ia i ke kai,Kukupa‘u ihola na kela i ka pulaheki,‘Oi lua kekahi ‘o ia i ka ‘ehu kai.A papani, papani ke ‘o holu ka ‘aianaKawewe akula ka laina i ka la’i kuela.

Na Mele Welo: Songs of Our Heritage. Bishop Museum Press, 1995.

Piha ‘oli‘oli na li‘i me na kela,‘A‘aka iki ihola kahi kalina hanaUa piha ka moku.Ku ka moku i ka pea wini O‘ahu ka ihuKu ka lukau, nana i ka puka makani,Ua ‘ike ‘ia ka poe, ua malie ke kai.A ka uka o Nu‘uanuKe lohi ‘ia maila i ka uaAhe nui ka pua o ka ‘ahili.E hana ‘ia maila,Ke hana maiau ‘ia maila,E ka pua o ke kamakahala,A ka la ho‘i keia e ‘ahi ai.Ke kaki ua ‘ike ‘ia ka nele,E aho na ka kahi po‘ola o Honolulu nei.He wahi aloha no na holokahiki.

— Ku, a native of Manoa Valley, O‘ahu

19th century Hawaiian whaling song

Makemake na Au e ‘Ike ia Kaleponi

Saul Enos, 2003

WWhales often carried boys and men on spiritual journeys to become a kahuna or priest.

AArtisans carved our revered lei niho palaoafrom the tooth of a sperm whale (palaoa). The palaoa is a body form of Kanaloa. It brought the mana, spiritual power and knowledge, of Kanaloa to the artisan, the pendant, and the wearer.

OOnly high chiefs and chiefesses wore the palaoa, which gave them authority to speak.

Courtesy of Herb Kane

Names of Native Hawaiian Seamen inHonolulu Harbormaster Records

Hawai‘i State Archives

Document Type Years # Seamen

Port Shipping Records 1842-1867 ~ 5,000 Port Discharging Records 1859-1867 ~ 4,700Shipping Articles 1859-1867 ~ 3,000

Master’s Bonds 1853-1855 ~ 450Death Accounts 1856-1867 ~ 100Marshall’s Records 1897-1899 ~ 20

Whaling Years: 1820 – 1900

Missing data for 1820-1842, 1867-1900 [50 years]

•Ships Hiring Seamen at Honolulu

•Seamen Hiring on in Honolulu

•Ships Discharging Seamen at Honolulu

•Seamen Discharged in Honolulu

http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/whaling/mainscreen.asp

Click on a Ship Name to Learn More Find more ships | A - E | F - L | M - P | Q - ZF - G J K - L

F. Hutchinson (1859)Fabius (1856)Faith (1859)Fanny (1859)Far West (1860)Florence (1859)Florence (1860)Florence (1861)Florence (1864)Florence (1866)Florida (1867)Florida (1861)Florida (1857)Florida (1856)Fortune (1859)Frances Palmer (1858)Gambia (1859)Gay Head I (1859)Gay Head I (1867)Gefoe Berg (1860)General Scott (1860)General Scott (1866)General Teste (1862)General Teste (1864)

Hae Hawaii (1865)Hae Hawaii (1866)Hae Hawaii (1867)Harmony (1859)Harmony (1860)Harmony (1858)Harmony (1856)Harrison (1861)Harvest (1859)Harvest (1860)Harvest (1862)Harvest (1863)Harvest (1864)Hawaii (1856)Hawaii (1859)Helen (1863)Helen (1865)Hercules (1864)Hero (1861)Hero (1860)Hibernia (1859)Hibernia (1856)Hibernia II (1860)Hillman (1859)Hillman (1864)

J. D. Thompson (1867)James Andrews (1856)Japan (1858)Jason (1859)Jason (1860)Jeannette (1860)Jeannette (1861)Jefferson II (1856)Jireh Perry (1867)Jireh Perry (1865)John and Elizabeth (1858)John Carver (1867)John Howland (1856)John Howland (1857)John Howland (1861)John Howland (1866)John P. West (1864)John P. West (1866)John P. West (1861)John Wells (1860)Joseph Hayden (1855)Joseph Maxwell (1866)Joseph Maxwell (1867)Josephine (1865)Josephine (1859)

Kalama (1858)Kamehameha IV (1859)Kamehameha IV (1860)Kamehameha V (1865)Kauai (1858)Kauai (1859)Kauai (1860)Kinoole (1859)Kohola (1863)Kohola (1866)Kohola (1865)Kohola (1861)Kohola (1859)Kohola (1860)Kutusoff (1859)Laanui (1861)Lark (1856)Lark (1859)Levi Starbuck (1859)Lewis (1856)

H - I

Ships Discharging Hawaiian Seamen at Honolulu

Ka (Maunaloa, 1871)Ka (Julian, 1870)Kaaa (Europa, 1868)Kaaa (Onward, 1869)Kaaea (Minerva, 1853)Kaahanui (Ocmulgee, 1859)Kaahu (Florence, 1859)Kaahu (Florence, 1859)Kaahu (Count Bismark, 1868)Kaahu (Citizen, 1853)Kaahualama (South Seaman, 1859)Kaai (Agate, 1859)Kaai (Victoria, 1859)Kaai (Antilla, 1858)Kaai (Antilla, 1859)Kaai (Antilla, 1859)Kaai (Oahu, 1858)Kaaiana (James Allen, 1868)Kaaiavaava (Giovanni Apiani, 1873)Kaaiawa (James Allen, 1868)Kaaihue (Oriole, 1868)Kaaihue (North America, 1853)Kaaihue (Margaret Scott, 1853)Kaaikikaula (Washington III, 1853)Kaailaau (Sea Breeze, 1868)Kaailaau (Isaac Howland, 1863)

Kaia (Count Bismark, 1869)Kaia (Trident, 1867)Kaia (James Allen, 1868)Kaia (Thomas Dickason, 1870)Kaia (Sarah, 1853)Kaia (Almira, 1870)Kaia (Pfeil, 1858)Kaiahua (Courser, 1866)Kaiaiti (Isaac Howland, 1863)Kaiakahi (Vernon, 1859)Kaiakahi (Oahu, 1858)Kaiakahi (Antilla, 1859)Kaiakea (Comet, 1871)Kaialii (Puget Mill Co., 1859)Kaiama (Three Brothers, 1867)Kaiama (John P. West, 1865)Kaiama (Julian, 1869)Kaiama (Elizabeth Swift, 1870)Kaiamawaho (Gambia, 1859)Kaiana (Daniel Webster, 1869)Kaiana (New England, 1859)Kaiana (Metropolis, 1858)Kaianae (Giovanni Apiani, 1873)Kaianai (Pauahi, 1871)Kaiane (Henry Taber, 1869)Kaianui (Pfeil, 1868)

Keaalakaa (Arctic, 1876)Keaauloa (Emily Morgan, 1866)Keaauloa (Wilhelm I, 1869)Keahe (Count Bismark, 1869)Keahe (Progress, 1874)Keahe (Arctic, 1876)Keahe (Daniel Webster, 1870)Keahe (Julian, 1869)Keahe (Josephine, 1873)Keahe (Progress, 1872)Keahe (2nd) (Arctic, 1876)Keahikauole (Oahu, 1859)Keahilele (Mary, 1870)Keaho (Oahu, 1859)Keaho (Oahu, 1858)Keaive (Robert Morrison, 1858)Keaka (Active, 1873)Keaka (Arctic, 1876)Keaka (Illinois, 1873)Keaka (Gambia, 1859)Keaka (Alice, 1858)Keaka (Giovanni Apiani, 1873)Keakahawaii (Helen Snow, 1864)Keakua (Corinthian, 1859)Keala (Alice, 1858)Kealahou (Victoria, 1864)

Native Hawaiian Seamen inHonolulu Harbormaster Records

Hawai‘i State Archives

Seamen WhaleshipHawaiian Name [over 80%] NameStation CaptainLay HomeportPay Advance Length of VoyageDate Signed Aboard DestinationDeparture Date Purpose of VoyageDischarge DatePayDeath, Desertion

Ship: Thomas Dickason Home Port: New Bedford, MA

Captain: James Stewart Discharge Port: Honolulu

Discharge Date: November 8, 1858

Crew Pay Crew PayHailikulani $28.05 Kamakala $39.02

Heenalu $36.94 Kaumoana $34.11

Hilo $24.92 Kuhimanu $22.51

Hilo (2nd aboard) $13.71 Naai $15.04

Kaalu $25.09 Pahi $19.76

Kahalau $42.55 Paku $23.41

Kahimoku $20.28 Papuka $17.21

Kaiki $21.98 Pokini $4.57

Kamai $27.68 Pokini (2nd aboard) $16.43

Pupuka $31.76

Ship: Onward Home Port: New Bedford, MA

Captain: William H. Allen Discharge Port: Honolulu

Discharge Date: November 12, 1866

Crew Pay Remarks Crew Pay Remarks

Amelama in debt died Kuipuke $112.42

Henry Wale $52.62 Mahoe $73.20 joined crew in spring

Kahai $79.42 Maikuli $60.50 joined crew in spring

Kaive $199.50 joined crew in spring Maoiamau $43.37

Kale $114.62 Ninanau $119.07

Kamaau $108.62 Paaiai $141.87

Kanale $75.82 Palahu $150.87

Kane $111.87 Pualoa $50.90 joined crew in spring

Kelia $146.42 Pupule $126.57

Letter to King Kamehameha III

Hong Kong, China

August 8, 1850

Dear Sir

. . . There are now about forty natives of the Islands here neither a penny in their pockets or the means of obtaining a subsistence or of getting away from here in order to return to their native isles.

. . . Upon their arrival in China . . . they are turned on shore without a penny in their pockets and no means of redress. The Government here will have nothing to do with them . . . The remainder that are here are suffering . . . Ships are arriving here every day “nea Oahu” and all have natives of the Islands on board.

. . . I shall strive and hoping at the same time that H. H. M. Government will take some immediate steps in the matter.

. . . H. H. M., Minister of Foreign Relations

Letter about the death of Pupau on the ship “Three Brothers”

Lahaina Nov 18, 1858Spencer, EsquireChief Clerk of Interior DepartmentHonolulu

Sir,

Will you please forward me by first opportunity some blank discharges. Will you also please say to His R. Highness Prince Lot that I have in my possession a chest containing some clothes and the sum of $33.76 – received from Ship Three Brothers - on account of a native Pupau who died at sea – I cannot discover the relatives of the deceased, although I have made every inquiry and advertised in the Ka Hae.

Respectfully yoursL. W. Barton

Hawaiian-Language Newspapers

- Published 1834-1948

- Less than 1% digitized & indexed

- 3 published before start of “The Friend” in 1843- English-Language paper reporting missionary & whaling

news

- Ka Lama Hawaii, started February 14, 1834

- Ke Kumu Hawaii, started January 1, 1841

- Ka Nonanona, started July 6, 1841

Hawaiian-Language Newspapers

Whaling Stories

- Of the < 1% newspaper issues in digitized format

- 166 stories about – Moku ‘o kohola (whaling ships)

- 58 stories (1834 – 1842) predate “The Friend”

- 1st dates 21 March 1834 - “Ka Lama Hawaii”

- 1st story reporting “whaling news”

- 1st story of whaling ships arriving & their cargo

Hawaiian-Language Newspapers

Unique Whaling Stories

- stories written by Native Hawaiian seamen

- 1st stories from Native Hawaiian perspective on whaling issues

* whaling & decline of Native Hawaiian population

* whaling & foreign immigration & loss of sovereignty

* whaling competition to building a plantation economy

Charles Edward Kealoha’s Arctic Whaling Narrative

HE MOOLELO WALOHIA!Ka noho pio ana iwaena o ka Lahui Naguru ma Alika!KA IKE HOU ANA I KA AINA!

E KA LAHUI HAWAII; Aloha oe:—

A STORY OF PATHOS!A Fugitive in the Naguru Tribe of the Arctic!SEEING LAND AGAIN!

TO THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE, Greetings—

Document: MooleloTitle: He Moolelo Walohia!Author: Kealoha, Charles Edward Publication: Ka Lahui Hawaii, November 8, 1877, Buke III, Helu 45 and November 15, 1877, Buke III, Helu 46. [newspaper]

Charles Edward Kealoha’s Arctic Whaling Narrative

Iñupiat — Hawaiian Glossary

Olelo Naguru Olelo Hawaii Olelo Naguru Olelo Hawaii

Um-ia-pang Moku Cucu Dia

Machuah Pea o ka moku Lahno Bea

Igaru Ia Naitac Ilio Sila

Aipah Ai Aiwa Uwalo

Coicoi Kanaka Cico Hau

Ama’m Wahine Anium Kano (Snow)

Picnini Keiki Cauchu Ike mai

Alacha Hele Ah-pah Makuakane

Mah-ney Noho Ah-ki-lah Kahaha

Nag-guru Aloha Naome Eia ka oe

Conclusions

-Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Native Alaskan materials provide uniquedata & native perspective

- Wealth of untapped Hawaiian materials

- Hawaiian-Language newspapers

- Stories by Hawaiian whalers

- Government documents

- Traditional mele & mo‘olelo

- Whaling database/website unique

Saul Enos, 2003

WWhen whales drifted ashore, they became the property of the chief. Skilled artisans fashioned ornaments, weapons, tools, and containers from whale teeth and bone.

Herb Kane

2004 Storytelling Festival

Acknowledgements

Our Echo (Education through Cultural & Historical Organizations)partners—

Alaska Heritage CenterIñupiat Heritage Center

New Bedford Whaling MuseumPeabody Essex Museum

Photos courtesy of—

New Bedford Whaling MuseumBishop Museum

Peabody Essex Museum