Hawaiians and Italy

Aloha kakou!

It's been a awhile since my last blog, but Ku'ulei has been busy. I'm reminded of a chef whose adding beautiful spices and colorful garnishes to a dish. Mahalo Ku'ulei.

As promised, here's the first mention of Italy in the Hawaiian language newspapers. One of the first printed newspapers in Hawai'i was called, Ka Lama Hawaii. This newspaper began printing on February 14, 1834 by students of the Lahainaluna Seminary under the guidance of Lorrin Andrews and Sheldon Dibble. Articles often had lessons that were being taught in their classes. Classes included bible study, foreign language, astronomy, math, writing and world geography. The article below was printed on April 11, 1834. It posts a picture of a buffalo and begins describing the animal, the lands that different types of buffalo are found, and some information about the different places & uses of such an animal. Here's the first mention of Italy:

Ma Italia, a me kekahi aina, e kauo no lakou ma ke auamo, e like me na bipi. Na lakou no e huki i ka oo palau, a me na kaa, e like me na bipi kauo. Ua like ka ikaika o na Bufalo elua, me na bipi eha a eono paha.
He ili maikai kona, i mea kamaa. Ma ke kahi aina, ua ai ia kona io, aka, ua eleele, a ua haona. Ma Italia, hana lakou i kona waiu i bata, a i waiu paa, aole nae i ono, ua aiia i ka poe hune wale no.

In Italy, as well as other lands, they are beasts of burden, like cattle. They are the ones that pull the plows, and carts similarly to oxen. The strength of two Buffalo equals that of four or perhaps six cattle.
It has good leather, for shoes. On other lands, the meat is eaten, however, the meat is black and malodorous. In Italy, they make butter and cheese with its milk, it isn't delicious. It is only eaten by poor folk.

The article continues on to describe other foreign lands and uses of buffalo. At this point in Hawaiian history, ships from all over the world were stopping in Hawai'i to resupply, to trade, to hunt or prepare whale and to seek Hawaiians as crewmembers as they were known to be excellent watermen. The first ship to arrive in Hawai'i came in 1778. An inundation of foreign ships came shortly after for various reasons. Ships from England, France, Russia, America and Spain passed through Hawaiian waters. Hawaiians were jumping on ships to travel and see foreign lands. In fact at some point, Kamehameha established a law forbidding Hawaiians to leave Hawai'i as large numbers of Hawaiians were seeking ships to go abroad.

The next blog will have information regarding the first foreign ships to pass through Hawai'i.....
Hawaiians go abroad.
Kalei Nu'uhiwa