Daily Life Without Aloha: Following Gregory
In the sun-drenched bay of Kealakekua, on the island of Hawaii, remnants of Ka'awaloa, the ancient village, still stand as a silent witness to a historic event that unfolded over two centuries ago. It was here, on a fateful morning, that the British explorer Captain James Cook met his untimely end.
The Resolution and its companion ship, Discovery, were greeted by a spectacle of colorful boats and hundreds of paddlers. The natives, predominantly bare-breasted women, waved and paddled towards the ships, their vibrant adornments adding a touch of exotic beauty to the scene.
As the sun rose high, painting the sky with hues of gold and orange, Captain Cook was woken by a shaft of sunlight in his cabin aboard the Resolution. The sight of the native girls, who had come to welcome the ships, was an appealing one to Cook and his crew, after months at sea.
However, the peaceful encounter was not to last. Captain Cook ordered two boats filled with armed British sailors to row towards the peaceful village. The natives in the canoes did not have English sailors among the rowers, a decision that would prove to be significant.
The morning on Kealakekua Bay was bright and sunny, with the water appearing as sparkling sapphires. But as the British boats approached, a chill seemed to descend. The water in the bay turned dark and cold.
Among the natives, a giant, muscular man named Kamehameha stepped onto the deck of the Resolution. Kamehameha, later identified as the young chief, was fearsome to look at, with stern eyes and a face filled with tattoos. However, it was not Kamehameha who played the role of the young chief during the events surrounding Cook's death. That honour fell upon Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the ruling chief (aliʻi nui) of the island of Hawaii, whom Cook attempted to take hostage.
The encounter between Cook and Kamehameha ended in a heated exchange, leading to an altercation. In the ensuing chaos, Cook was wielding a cutlass when he was struck by a spear, which proved to be fatal.
The stolen long boat, which Cook was enraged to find missing, was never found. Thirty Hawaiians and four Englishmen died that morning, marking a tragic end to an otherwise promising encounter.
Today, a monument stands at Kealakekua Bay, a poignant reminder of the fateful encounter between Captain James Cook and the natives of Hawaii. Dennis Gregory, a local historian, writes a bimonthly column for West Hawaii Today, providing insights into the island's rich history. If you have any comments or questions, you can reach him at [email protected].
The village of Ka'awaloa, though a shadow of its former self, stands as a testament to the past. The memory of that fateful day lives on, a stark reminder of the complex relationship between exploration, discovery, and cultural clashes.
