In 1819, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, a Protestant organization supported by the Congregational, Presbyterian, and several other churches, agreed to expand their work to the Hawaiian Islands. (“Kawaiaha’o Church and Mission Houses (U.S. National Park Service)”)

Constructed of indigenous coral blocks from ocean reefs and of timbers from the Pacific Coast of North America, from plans prepared by Rev. Bingham, this edifice dominated the scene of man-built structures with its austere architectural dignity. (Historic American Buildings Survey et al.)

A missionary party landed in Honolulu on April 19, 1820 and was quickly accepted by the Hawaiian ali'i (chiefs). King Kamehameha II assigned the missionaries land near a spring known as Kawaiaha'o and directed Hawaiian laborers to build them thatched houses in which to live. The missionaries resided in the houses and used one room as a meeting place for school during the week. Within four decades of its founding, the school had helped to raise the literacy rate on the island to 80 percent. (“Kawaiaha’o Church and Mission Houses (U.S. National Park Service)”)

In 1821, the growing congregation in Honolulu constructed a thatched-roof wooden church a short distance toward the sea from the site of the present church. This church burned down in 1824, but Chief Kalanimoku, the Prime Minister of the Hawaiian Islands, ordered another erected near the original. In 1825, the first public ceremony of Thanksgiving took place in this chapel. A storm demolished a temporary chapel built in 1825, to accommodate large crowds. A third meetinghouse was erected in 1827, and a fourth in 1829. (“Kawaiaha’o Church and Mission Houses (U.S. National Park Service)”)

David Chamberlain began building the First Printing House in December of 1822. The missionaries needed a means of printing and brought a second-hand press with them to the island. Completed in December of 1823, the shop, standing at just 28 by 17 feet, is thought to be the first printing house west of the Rocky Mountains. By 1828, due to increased volume and demand, the press moved to a larger space across the street. The First Printing House is the oldest surviving building associated with the Hawaiian Mission press. Today the house serves as a museum; a replica of the first printing press and its print work are on display in the building along with other items from the early mission period. (“Kawaiaha’o Church and Mission Houses (U.S. National Park Service)”)

The Chamberlain House got its name from Levi Chamberlain, who came to Honolulu in 1823 to store food, clothing, furniture, and other supplies needed by the various island mission stations and to distribute supplies as needed. In 1830, Chamberlain started to build a two-story, coral-stone building with a cellar and attic, similar to houses of the same period in New England. The house had a design that suited it to the New England climate, not Hawaii. Upon completion of the building in December of 1831, Chamberlain's family moved into three rooms on the lower level.

The church remained in thatched houses, four of them, until the young King, Kauikeouli, Kamehameha III, indicated in 1835 that there were three things he greatly desired: a royal yacht, a royal palace, and a new church. His advisors thought it wise to secure the church first and a meeting of chiefs was called in January 1836 to discuss the project. The Rev. Bingham presented plans he had prepared for a stone building of two stories with cellar, gallaries, pillars in front, and a "bell tower. The final dimensions were 144 feet long by 78 feet wide, large enough to accommodate thousands. (Historic American Buildings Survey et al.)

In 1910, the Mission Children's Society acquired ownership of the house. (“Kawaiaha’o Church and Mission Houses (U.S. National Park Service)”)

Today, Kawaiaha'o Church is still an active place of worship and the Mission Houses, located across the street, are part of the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives. Both sites are open to the public. (“Kawaiaha’o Church and Mission Houses (U.S. National Park Service)”)

The significance of the church is pretty spectacular when you read and learn about the history and importance of the church. I think overall it servs an amazing purpose and significant impact on the Hawaiian Kingdom.

References:

Historic American Buildings Survey, et al. “Kawaiahao Church.” Historic American Buildings Survey, 1966, tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/hi/hi0000/hi0050/data/hi0050data.pdf.

“Kawaiaha’o Church and Mission Houses (U.S. National Park Service).” Www.nps.gov, www.nps.gov/places/kawaiaha-o-church-and-mission-houses.htm.

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This old photo that I was able to find online pre 1885 was just an amazing find. I thought that the land itself was just so bare to see which ultimately was nice versus everything we see now surrounded by buildings.

References: “N-3186 - Kawaiahao Church, with original steeple, pre 1885. Photograph.,” Hawaiian Mission Houses Digital Archive, accessed September 24, 2024, https://hmha.missionhouses.org/items/show/5898.

The property includes two forested valleys, a portion of lagoon and coral reef and a strip of open ocean. At the heart of the property is the Taputapuātea marae complex, a political, ceremonial and funerary centre. It is characterized by several marae, with different functions. Widespread in Polynesia, the marae were places where the world of the living intersected the world of the ancestors and the gods. Taputapuātea is an exceptional testimony to 1,000 years of mā'ohi civilization. (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)

Taputapuātea marae complex is marae Taputapuātea itself, dedicated to the god ‘Oro and the place where the world of the living (Te Ao) intersects the world of the ancestors and gods (Te Po). It also expresses political power and relationships. The rise in the importance of Taputapuātea among the marae on Raiatea and in the wider region is linked to the line of Tamatoa ari’i (chiefs) and the expansion of their power. Taputapuātea was the centre of a political alliance that brought together two widespread regions encompassing most of Polynesia. The alliance was maintained by regular gatherings of chiefs, warriors and priests who came from the other islands to meet at Taputapuātea. The building of outrigger canoes and ocean navigation were key skills in maintaining this network.

A traditional landscape surrounds both sides of the Taputapuātea marae complex. The marae complex looks out to Te Ava Mo'a, a sacred pass in the reef that bounds the lagoon. Atāra motu is an islet in the reef and a habitat for seabirds. Ocean-going arrivals waited here before being led through the sacred pass and formally welcomed at Taputapuātea. On the landward side, ’Ōpo’a and Hotopu’u are forested valleys ringed by ridges and the sacred mountain of Tea’etapu. The upland portions of the valleys feature older marae, such as marae Vaeāra’i and marae Taumariari, agricultural terraces, archaeological traces of habitations and named features related to traditions of gods and ancestors. Vegetation in the valleys is a mix of species, some endemic to Raiatea, some common to other Polynesian islands and some imported food species brought by ancient Polynesians for cultivation. Together, the attributes of the property form an outstanding relict and associative cultural landscape and seascape. (“Taputapuātea.”)

Taputapuātea illustrates in an exceptional way 1000 years of mā’ohi civilisation. This history is represented by the marae complex of Taputapuātea at the seashore and the variety of archaeological sites in the upland valleys. It reflects social organization with farmers who lived in the uplands and warriors, priests and kings settled near the sea. It also testifies to their skill in sailing outrigger canoes across long stretches of ocean, navigation by observation of natural phenomena, and transformation of newly settled islands into places that provided for the needs of their people. (“Taputapuātea.”)

Taputapuātea provides eminent examples of marae: temples with cult and social functions built by the mā'ohi people from the 14th to the 18th century. Marae were the points of intersection between the world of the living and that of the ancestors. Their monumental form reflects competition for prestige and power among the ari’i chiefs. Marae Taputapuātea itself is a concrete expression of the paramount alliance formed by its line of chiefs and the cult of worship associated with it, as stones were transported to other islands to found other marae with the same name. (“Taputapuātea.”)

As the ancestral homeland of Polynesian culture, Taputapuātea is of outstanding significance for people throughout the whole of Polynesia, for the way it symbolises their origins, connects them with ancestors and as an expression of their spirituality. These living ideas and knowledge are embedded in the landscapes and seascapes of Raiatea and particularly in the marae for the central roles that they once performed. (“Taputapuātea.”)

The property is a relict and associative cultural landscape with attributes that are tangible (archaeological sites, places associated with oral tradition, marae) and intangible (origin stories, ceremonies and traditional knowledge). It is an exceptional example of the juxtaposition and continuity of the ancient (traditional) and modern (contemporary) values of the mā'ohi people and their relationship with the natural landscape. It contains all the elements necessary to express Outstanding Universal Value. The buffer zone is adequate and does not contain any elements that should be in the property. (“Taputapuātea.”)

Credible and objective information confirms authenticity of the major physical attributes of the property. Intangible sources and oral traditions of the mā'ohi people are both diverse and mutually supportive. There is a convergence between the oral knowledge and documentary sources based on testimonies left by early explorers and missionaries. In sum, these factors provide evidence that the information is genuine. Efforts by the community to gather knowledge related to the property and to transmit traditional knowledge in recent years have strengthened the authenticity of the cultural landscape. Some marae at the marae complex of Taputapuātea have been restored, but the layout of the complex and most of the materials themselves are original. (“Taputapuātea.”)

The Taputapuātea marae complex has been protected since 1952 under French Polynesian law and it has recently been classified as a historical monument. A protective and planning system, called a Zone de Site Protégé, is being put into place that would cover the whole of the property and the buffer zone. A steering committee has guided management of the property since 2012. This committee is creating the permanent management structure for the property and a management plan was adopted in 2015. The plan will preserve the sites of memory that testify to the ancient mā'ohi civilization, protect the marae, preserve the terrestrial and marine environments of the cultural landscape and seascape and preserve and transmit traditional knowledge and skills. A three person secretariat will manage the property in concert with a staffed bureau and the steering committee. (“Taputapuātea.”)

I chose this area because of the significance it held under French Polynesia. I that this area has a great cultural influence and historical impact on the land and how complex their heritage is.

References: Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Taputapuātea.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org/en/list/1529/.

Reference

“HABS HI,2-HONLU,13- (Sheet 10 of 10) - Kawaiahao Church, Punchbowl and King Streets, Honolulu, Honolulu County, HI.” The Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.hi0050.sheet/?sp=10.

Salvat, Bernard, et al. “The Marae of Taputapuātea (Ra’iatea, Society Islands) in 2016: Nature, Age and Origin of Coral Erected Stones.” Journal De La Société Des Océanistes, no. 149, Dec. 2019, pp. 281–300. https://doi.org/10.4000/jso.11070.

References: Salvat, Bernard, et al. “The Marae of Taputapuātea (Ra’iatea, Society Islands) in 2016: Nature, Age and Origin of Coral Erected Stones.” Journal De La Société Des Océanistes, no. 149, Dec. 2019, pp. 281–300. https://doi.org/10.4000/jso.11070.

Nan Madol is a series of more than 100 islets off the south-east coast of Pohnpei that were constructed with walls of basalt and coral boulders. These islets harbour the remains of stone palaces, temples, tombs and residential domains built between 1200 and 1500 CE. These ruins represent the ceremonial centre of the Saudeleur dynasty, a vibrant period in Pacific Island culture. The huge scale of the edifices, their technical sophistication and the concentration of megalithic structures bear testimony to complex social and religious practices of the island societies of the period. The site was also inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to threats, notably the siltation of waterways that is contributing to the unchecked growth of mangroves and undermining existing edifices.(Centre)

References “Nan Madol (U.S. National Park Service).” Nps.gov, 2018, www.nps.gov/places/nan-madol.htm.

Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org/en/list/1503/.

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Nan Madol bears exceptional testimony to the development of chiefly societies in the Pacific Islands. The huge scale, technical sophistication and concentration of elaborate megalithic structures of Nan Madol bear testimony to complex social and religious practices of the island societies.

Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org/en/list/1503/.

Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org/en/list/1503/.

Nan Madol and its importance involving stone structures that have more than 100 islets that is formed off the shore is amazing in it self. The ceremonial centre significance during the Saudeleur dynasty in it self were very interesting to learn about.

References: Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org/en/list/1503/.

Athens, J. Stephen. “POTTERY FROM NAN MADOL, PONAPE, EASTERN CAROLINE ISLANDS.” The Journal of the Polynesian Society, vol. 89, no. 1, 1980, pp. 95–99. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20705462. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Trobriand Islands". Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Jan. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Trobriand-Islands. Accessed 23 September 2024.

Reference: Pariona, Amber. “The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea.” WorldAtlas, 25 Apr. 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-trobrianders-of-papua-new-guinea.html.

Families continue to trace their ancestry through one of four matrilineal lines thought to exist on the islands. Chiefs are chosen based on matrilineal birthright as well. Marriage cannot occur between two people from the same matrilineal family and so partners are chosen from paternal side of the family.

Pariona, Amber. “The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea.” WorldAtlas, 25 Apr. 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-trobrianders-of-papua-new-guinea.html.

Colonial attempts at establishing cash crops on the islands were unsuccessful, as the tribes traditionally have relied upon non-monetary bartering. The biggest trading system is called “kula”, and it involves tribal chiefs traveling by canoe among the islands. This is done in order to establish friendly relations among tribes. Red shell necklaces are traded in the northern islands and white shell armbands in the south. Possession of these items brings prestige to the owner, although, ownership is brief and the items continue to be circulated throughout the trading ring. They are never sold, and the kula practice is not meant for financial gain.

During the 1970’s tourism was popular, which led to an increased production and selling of wood carvings from the islands. Visitors to the island, however, have decreased in recent decades. Women also trade for goods by using dried banana leaves, allowing them to purchase such items as kerosene, cloth, and tobacco without legally tendered money.

I had no idea the Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea would use the amount of yams as a way to find out what her power and worth were. I thought the ways of the Trobrianders were probably the most interesting findings of this project. I learned a lot about them and I am glad to have learned so much about this tribe.

References Pariona, Amber. “The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea.” WorldAtlas, 25 Apr. 2017, www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-trobrianders-of-papua-new-guinea.html.