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The history of Kauai prior to the arrival of the missionaries is based entirely upon oral tradition passed down in the form of stories and chants, so records can vary greatly. Accounts vary. Authorities argue. This is what anthropology is all about.
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For instance, we have this time line. 200-750: Polynesians arrive 1778: Capt. James Cook discovers Hawaii near Waimea Bay 1810: Kamehameha brings Kauai into his sovereignty 1820: Missionaries arrive in Waimea 1835: Hawaii's first sugar plantation is in Koloa 1860: Princeville is named after Prince Albert by Robert C. Wyllie 1913: Kilauea Lighthouse boasts world's largest clamshell lens 1957: "South Pacific" filmed on Kauai -This Week Kauai, April 2002- |
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The history of Kauai prior to the arrival of the missionaries is based entirely upon oral tradition passed down in the form of stories and chants, so records can vary greatly. Accounts vary. Authorities argue. This is what anthropology is all about.
Kauai's first settlers appeared on the scene in approximately fourth or fifth century A.D. to be among the privileged few to set eyes on the earliest of the Hawaiian islands in its most untouched form. http://www.kauaidiscovery.com/kauai/history/
Some historians now believe, contrary to popular opinion, that Capt. Cook was not the first European to discover these islands. It is thought that the Spanish navigator Gaetan was blown off course while traveling to Mexico in 1542.
Capt. James Cook came in two enormous ships - a sight never before seen by Hawaiians- on the west coast of Kauai near Waimea Bay in 1778.
Kamehameha
was attempting to unite the islands at this time. Kauai had become a pawn
in a power struggle between Russia, Britain and America. Kaumuali’i off against each other.
But Kamehameha never actually conquered Kauai. The channel and then a cholera epidemic wiped out Kamehameha’s armies. It was the 1810 agreement between Kaumuali’i and Kamehameha that allowed Kaumuali’i to continue to govern Kauai while pledging allegiance to Kamehameha, that united the islands.
The Russian American Fur Company had a cargo ship run aground on Kauai. It was captured by Kauai. The company sent Dr. George Shaffer to Kamehameha on Oahu. He refused to help.
Shaffer promised Kaumuali’i that he would help him rise up against Kamehameha. Four Russian forts were built around the island. Then false rumors about a war and growing mistrust caused Kaumualii to suddenly, unsympathetically dismiss Dr. Shaffer from the island.
In spite of the agreement, Kamehameha kidnapped King Kaumuali’i in 1821, and forced him to live his remaining days in Oahu. Ironically, after Kamehameha died, Kaumuali’i married his widow, Queen Ka’ahumanu. The couple, went on to produce the heirs of who continued to rule the now united Hawaiian Islands.
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