The Hawaiian People

I always find it amusing that historians credit discoveries to explorers who landed on already occupied lands or islands. Do you know who discovered the Hawaiian islands? It was a group of sophisticated voyagers who traveled from the Marquesas Islands arriving around 600 A.D., populating the land they called their new discovery — Hawaii.

Ancient Hawai’i

Sophisticated not only in navigating waters, the people of ancient Hawai’i, the Hawaiian people, had a deep understanding for cultivating the land. Individual land ownership was unheard of, as the islands were divided into several large sections which extended from the mountain to the ocean. The large sections were further divided into smaller divisions that too extended from the mountain to the ocean. These smaller, self-sustaining divisions of land were called ahupua’a.

Daily management of an ahupua’a was determined by the Kapu sytem. With respect to the ahupua’a, the kapu system mandated fishing seasons and horticultural practices.

Hawaiian Culture

The roots of the Hawaiian culture can be found in southern Polynesia, the Western Pacific, and Asia. Historians believe that the Hawaiian people brought with them the more ancient Polynesian beliefs and practices which manifested over time with additional deities and practices.

More than hula and surfing, ancient Hawaiian traditions and culture extends to their comprehensive food preparation and cooking methods, as well as their sports and games.

Read more about Ancient Hawaii.

Kingdom of Hawaii

Here’s a list of Hawaii monarchy:

Kings:

• Kamehameha I
• Kamehameha II (Keopuolani)
• Kamehameha III (Kauikeoauli)
• Kamehameha IV (Liholiho)
• Kamehameha V (Lot)
• William Charles Lunalilo
• David Kalakaua

Queens:

• Lili’uokalani
• Ka’ahumanu
• Kamamalu
• Kalama
• Emma
• Kapiolani

Read more about the Hawaiian Monarchy:

• The Monarchy
• The Overthrow of the Monarchy
• The Hawaiian Monarchy by Allan Seiden
• Timeline of the Hawaiian Monarchy

The Hawaiian people were very simple and practical in their way of life, yet their navigational skills through the Pacific Ocean and their systematic approach to cultivating the resources of the land and ocean proved they were a refined people.

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