Ancient Hawaii facts for kids
Ancient Hawaiʻi was the time in Hawaiian history before the islands were united in 1810. This was when Kamehameha the Great created the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.
For a long time, experts thought people first settled in Hawaii between 400 and 1100 CE. These first settlers were brave Polynesian navigators. They came from islands like Samoa, the Marquesas, and Tahiti. These islands are now part of French Polynesia.
However, a new study in 2010 changed this idea. It used better dating methods. This study suggested the islands were settled much later, between 1219 and 1266 CE. This happened quickly, in a short period of time.
The cultures across Eastern Polynesia are very similar. This quick settlement helps explain why. Ancient Hawaiians used smart farming methods. They grew plants and raised animals. They also used aquaculture (fish farming) to get food. Their homes were built from tropical materials. They also built special temples called heiau using lava rocks.
Hawaii's rich natural resources supported many people. These people were organized into a society with a ruling class and religious leaders. Captain James Cook was the first European to meet ancient Hawaiians. This happened in 1778. Many other Europeans and Americans followed him.
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How People Arrived in Hawaii
How the first Polynesians found and settled Hawaiʻi has been a changing story. Early studies suggested people arrived as early as 124 CE. Other ideas pointed to dates around 300 CE or even 600-800 CE.
In 2010, new research came out. It used very accurate dating methods. This research showed that Polynesians settled the eastern and northern Pacific much later. It happened in two main waves. The first wave reached the Society Islands around 1025–1120 CE. This was about 400 years later than thought before. Then, after 70 to 265 years, people quickly spread to all other islands. This happened around 1190–1290 CE.
According to this research, Hawaii was settled between 1219 and 1266 CE. This fast colonization helps explain why the culture, language, and even people across East Polynesia are so alike.
Hawaiian stories also talk about other settlers. These were people who lived in Hawaii before the main Hawaiian groups arrived. They were pushed into hidden valleys by the newer arrivals. Stories about the menehune (little people) are often told. These stories say the menehune built heiau and fishponds. This suggests there were people on the islands before the Hawaiians.
Early Hawaiian Settlements
People have found old sites that tell us about early Hawaiian life.
Waiʻahukini Rockshelter (Site H8)
The Waiʻahukini Rockshelter is a site inside a lava tube. It is about 600 feet (180 meters) from the coast on the island of Hawaiʻi. This place was likely not a home. It was too dark and small for daily living.
Archaeologists started digging here in 1954. They found eight fireplaces at different levels. They also found over 1,600 artifacts. These included animal bones, fishhooks, and tools made of stone. The way artifacts were spread showed it was used as a fishing shelter. It was used until a volcano erupted in 1868. Early estimates said people first used it around 750 CE. But newer dating methods suggest it was used later, around the mid-1300s.
Hālawa Dune Site
The Hālawa Dune Site is on the island of Molokaʻi. It was found in 1964 and has two mounds. In 1970, an archaeologist named Patrick Vinton Kirch dug into the larger mound. He found six main layers.
In one layer, he found artifacts, animal remains, and house foundations. Among the 496 artifacts, fishhooks and adzes (a type of axe) were important. These adzes were like those found on Nihoa and the Necker Islands. This showed that the Hālawa Dune Site was an early example of Hawaiian culture. Early dating suggested the site was used from 600 to 1200 CE. But new dating in 2007 showed it was used no earlier than 1300 CE. It was mainly used between 1400 and 1650 CE.
Life in Ancient Hawaii
Early settlers brought many things with them. They brought clothing, plants, and animals. These plants are called "canoe plants" because they were carried in canoes. They set up homes along the coasts and in large valleys.
When they arrived, they grew plants like kalo (taro), maiʻa (banana), niu (coconut), and ulu (breadfruit). They also raised puaʻa (pork), moa (chicken), and ʻīlio (poi dog). These meats were eaten less often than fruits, vegetables, and seafood.
Popular seasonings included paʻakai (salt), ground kukui nut, limu (seaweed), and ko (sugarcane). Sugarcane was used as a sweet and a medicine. The settlers also found ʻuala (sweet potato). This plant began to be grown across Polynesia around 1000 CE or earlier. The first evidence of sweet potato farming in Hawaii is around 1300 CE.
Sweet potatoes are native to South America. Recently, scientists studied the DNA of 1,245 sweet potato types. They found a genetic link. This proves the sweet potato traveled from the Andes to Polynesia around 1100 CE. This finding suggests that ancient Polynesians might have met people in South America. This happened long before Europeans arrived there.
The Pacific rat also traveled with humans to Hawaiʻi. Some experts believe that humans and the animals they brought (pigs, dogs, chickens, and rats) caused many native birds, plants, and snails to disappear.
Early Polynesian settlers also built fishponds. They changed estuaries and streams for this purpose. This started as early as 500 CE. They used packed earth and stones to create places for fish. This made ancient Hawaiian fish farming very advanced. A famous example is the Menehune Fishpond at Alekoko, which is over 1,000 years old. When Captain James Cook arrived, there were at least 360 fishponds. They produced about 900,000 kilograms (2 million pounds) of fish each year. Over many centuries, Hawaiians also built large irrigation systems for growing kalo (taro).
The new settlers built hale (homes) and heiau (temples). Archaeologists think the first settlements were on the southern part of the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. From there, people quickly spread north. They settled along the coasts and in river valleys. As the population grew, people moved further inland.
Because the islands are small, the population became very dense. Before Europeans arrived, there were between 200,000 and 1,000,000 people. After contact with Europeans, the population dropped sharply. This was due to diseases like smallpox.
Village Life
A traditional village in ancient Hawaiʻi had several important buildings:
- Heiau: These were temples for the gods. There were two main types. The mapele type was for farming and dedicated to Lono. Anyone could help build these, and their ceremonies were open to all. The second type was the luakini. These were large war temples. Sometimes, animal and even human sacrifices were made here. They were built on high stone platforms and decorated with carved wood and stone statues. Luakini were very sacred. Only aliʻi (the king and important chiefs) and kahuna (priests) could enter them.
- Hale aliʻi: This was the chief's house. It was where the high chief lived and where lesser chiefs met. It was always built on a raised stone foundation to show its importance. Feather standards called Kāhili were placed outside to show royalty. Women and children were not allowed inside.
- Hale pahu: This was the house for sacred hula instruments. It held the pahu drums. It was a religious place because hula was a religious dance honoring the goddess Laka.
- Hale papaʻa: This was the royal storage house. It held royal items like fabrics, special nets, clubs, spears, and other weapons.
- Hale ulana: This was the weaver's house. Craftswomen gathered here daily. They made baskets, fans, mats, and other items from dried pandanus leaves called lauhala.
- Hale mua: This was the men's eating house. It was a sacred place. Men carved stone statues of ʻaumakua (ancestor gods) here. It was designed so men could enter and leave quickly.
- Hale ʻaina: This was the women's eating house. Women ate in their own separate house. Men and women did not eat together. This was because men feared women might steal their mana (divine spirit) while they were eating.
- Hale waʻa: This was the canoe house. It was built on the beaches to shelter fishing canoes. Hawaiians also stored koa logs here, which were used to build canoes.
- Hale lawaiʻa: This was the fishing house. It was built on the beaches to store fishing nets and lines. Nets and lines were made from strong rope. This rope was woven from coconut husks. Fish hooks were made from human, pig, or dog bone. The tools found in the hale lawaiʻa were some of the most valuable things in the village.
- Hale noho: This was the living house. It was where the Hawaiian family slept and lived.
- Imu: This was the communal earth oven. It was a pit dug in the ground. It was used to cook food for the whole village, including puaʻa (pork). Only men cooked using the imu.
Social Classes
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Ancient Hawaiʻi had a caste system, which means people were born into different social groups. Here are the main classes:
- Aliʻi: This was the highest class. It included the high chiefs and lesser chiefs. They ruled with divine power called mana.
- Kahuna: These were priests who led religious ceremonies. They also included skilled professionals like master carpenters, boat builders, chanters, dancers, healers, and those who knew family histories.
- Makaʻāinana: These were the commoners. They farmed, fished, and practiced simpler crafts. They worked for themselves and their families. They also worked to support the chiefs and kahuna.
- Kauwā: This was the lowest class. It included servants, slaves, and outcasts. People from higher classes were not allowed to marry kauwā. The kauwā worked for the chiefs.
Learning in Ancient Hawaii
Young Hawaiians learned life skills and religion at home, often from their grandparents. For smart children, there was a special way to learn. They would become apprentices. This meant very young students would start learning a skill or job by helping an expert. These experts were called kahuna.
Hawaiians believed that spiritual powers were in all parts of nature. So, experts in many jobs were called kahuna, which often means "priest." Different types of kahuna taught their skills. This included things like family histories, songs (mele), plant medicine, canoe building, or land boundaries. They taught by having apprentices help them with their work. There were also more formal schools for learning hula and higher levels of sacred knowledge.
A kahuna would often take an apprentice into their home as part of the family. Sometimes, the teacher was even a relative. After training, there was a religious ceremony. The teacher would bless the student. After this, the student and teacher had a special bond, like family. Just like children learning from grandparents, apprentices learned by watching and taking part in daily life. In traditional Hawaiian culture, children were not encouraged to ask many questions.
Land and Its Use
In Hawaiian beliefs, people did not "own" land. They only lived on it. Hawaiians believed that the land and the gods were immortal. This meant land was seen as godly. So, humans, who were mortal, could not own it. Hawaiians thought all land belonged to the gods (akua).
The aliʻi were seen as "managers" of the land. They controlled the people who worked on the land, the makaʻāinana.
When a chief died and a new one took over, lands were often given out again. Some "managers" would lose their land, and others would gain it. Land was also given out again when one chief defeated another. The winning chief would give the conquered lands to his warriors as rewards.
However, commoners usually had some safety for their homes and farms. They were usually allowed to stay. They would then pay tribute and provide labor to the new chief. This was done under the watch of a new konohiki, or overseer.
This system of land use was similar to the feudal system used in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Ancient Hawaiians used a system called the ahupuaʻa to manage water. Each ahupuaʻa was a piece of land that stretched from the mountain to the sea. Hawaiians used rainwater that flowed down the mountains for irrigation. People also settled in these areas because of the farming that was done there.
Religion and the Kapu System
Religion was very important in ancient Hawaiian society. It affected daily life, work, social rules, and laws. The legal system was based on religious kapu, or taboos. There was a right way to live, to worship, and even to eat.
For example, one kapu was that men and women could not eat together. Fishing was only allowed during certain seasons. Touching the shadow of an aliʻi was forbidden. This was because it was believed to steal his mana (divine power).
The strictness of the kapu system might have come from a second wave of settlers. These settlers arrived between 1000 and 1300 CE. They brought new religions and systems from the Society Islands. Hawaii was influenced by Tahitian chiefs. This made the kapu system stricter. It also changed the social structure. The aliʻi gained more power.
Kapu came from Hawaiian beliefs about gods, demigods, and ancestor mana. Nature's forces were seen as main gods. These included Kū (God of war), Kāne (god of light and life), Kanaloa (god of death), and Lono (god of peace and growth). Other well-known gods included Pele (goddess of fire) and her sister Hiʻiaka (goddess of dance).
In a famous creation story, the demigod Māui fished the Hawaiian islands out of the sea. From Haleakalā, Māui also trapped the sun. He made the sun slow down so there would be equal amounts of darkness and light each day.
Hawaiians believed that different gods and spirits could be present in any part of nature. For example, the god of light and life, Kāne, could be seen in lightning and rainbows. He could also be present in rain, clouds, and a peaceful breeze.
All food and drink had religious meaning to ancient Hawaiians. But ʻawa (kava) was especially important. This drink, made from a root, was a relaxant. It was used to bless meals and celebrate ceremonies. It is often mentioned in Hawaiian chants. Different types of ʻawa were used by different social classes. The drink was seen as a way to connect with spiritual things.
Chiefs and Rulers
The four largest islands were Hawaiʻi, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu. Each was usually ruled by its own aliʻi nui (supreme ruler). Below them were lower-ranking chiefs called aliʻi ʻaimoku. These chiefs ruled smaller areas called districts. They had land agents called konohiki.
All these ruling families were related. Hawaiians believed that all Hawaiian people (and perhaps all humans) came from legendary parents. These were Wākea (who stood for the air) and his wife Papa (who stood for the earth).
By the late 1700s, the island of Hawaiʻi had been ruled by one family line for centuries. When Chief Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku died, a lower-ranking chief named Alapainui took over. He removed the former ruler's two sons, who were next in line to be the island's supreme ruler.
It is thought that the Aliʻi ʻAimoku ruling families were about 300 to 600 years old by 1800 CE. The Tahitian settlement of the Hawaiian islands is believed to have happened in the 1200s. The aliʻi and other social classes were likely set up during this time.
A Developed Economy
Over time, the ancient Hawaiian economy became complex. People started to specialize in certain skills. Families would often work in the same job for generations. There were roof thatchers, house builders, stone grinders, and bird catchers. Bird catchers made the feather cloaks for the aliʻi. There were also canoe builders.
Soon, entire islands became known for certain skilled trades. Oʻahu became the main producer of kapa (tapa bark cloth). Maui became the main canoe maker. The island of Hawaiʻi traded large amounts of dried fish.
First European Visitors
European contact with the Hawaiian islands marked the end of the ancient Hawaiʻi period. In 1778, British Captain James Cook first landed on Kauaʻi. Then he sailed south to explore the other islands.
When he first arrived at Kealakekua Bay in 1779, some Hawaiians believed Cook was their god Lono. Cook's ship mast and sails looked like the symbol for Lono. This symbol was a mast with a white kapa cloth. Also, his ships arrived during the Makahiki season, which was dedicated to Lono.
Captain Cook was later killed during a fight. His sailors left his body on the beach. The British demanded his body back. But the Hawaiians had already performed their traditional funeral rituals.
Within a few decades, Kamehameha I used European fighting methods and some firearms. He used these to unite the islands into the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.
See also
In Spanish: Antiguo Hawái para niños
Images for kids
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Map showing the migration of the Austronesians.
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Priests traveling across Kealakekua Bay for first contact rituals. Each helmet is a gourd, with foliage and tapa strip decoration. A feather-surrounded akua is in the arms of the priest at the center of the engraving.
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A drawing of a heiau at Waimea, Kauai.
