I hope those who are still living will be glad to see their knowledge recorded: Lily Akana, Hilo, Hawaii Charles Alona, Waimanalo, Oahu Hamana Kalili, Laie, Oahu Sarah Jacobs, Hana, Maui Edward Kaauwana Aukai, Kualoa, Oahu Kalokuokamaile, Kona, Hawaii Keliikipi Kanakaole, Ka'u, Hawaii William K. Many Hawaiian informants and some others gave information and a list of their names follows. The offered corrections were made not all suggestions could be followed, therefore all errors and omissions are attributable to the author alone. John Embree, for editorial and ethnological criticism, and to one ichthyologist in the Armed Forces who read with care the statement on Hawaiian nomenclature, and who prefers to remain unacknowledged. Emory, Ethnologist, Bishop Museum, for criticism of the Hawaiian lore, to Dr. Douglas Oliver, Ethnologist, for criticism of the whole plan and scope, to Dr. Vernon Brock, of the staff of the Board of Agriculture and Foresty, Honolulu, for general - 3 biological criticism, and especially for corrections suggested for the sketches, to Dr. David Bonnet, Zoologist, formerly of the University of Hawaii, for corrections and criticisms of the descriptive list of fishes, to Mr. Nichols, Department of Fishes, American Museum of Natural History, for encouragement, to Dr. Gudger, Department of Fishes, American Museum of Natural History, for editorial comments and Mr. I am greatly indebted to the following kindly persons: to Dr. Pukui also segregated material as she translated legends at Bishop Museum, and all statements have been checked against her knowledge. Pa'ahana Wiggin, of Ka'u, Island of Hawaii. Much material was set down from her own store and from that of her mother, Mrs. Mary Kawena Pukui, Hawaiian translator at Bishop Museum. The offering would have been small indeed without the help at every turn of Mrs. The preparation of this paper on use of fish by Hawaiians, use dictated by attributes of their own culture, was started at the suggestion of Dr. Several early voyagers commented on their being almost amphibious. Like other Polynesians, Hawaiians were able swimmers, navigators and seamen. Therefore the bulk of the population preferred to live along the shores. Though there were trails, some paved with flat stones, the easiest way of getting from one shore area to another was by water. The sea was the great highway between shore localities, and between islands. Most of the important land creatures had counterparts in the sea which enabled priests to accept the sea counterpart for an offering to the gods if the land creature were unobtainable. In the Hawaiian mind, there was a balance between sea and land. In property divisions the ideal unit extended from the mountain top down to the shore and beyond into the sea, stopping only at the reef, or about a mile out, if there were no reef. The sea and its creatures were almost as well known as the life and attributes of land areas. Legends and - 2 chants contain some characters that change at will to sea creatures, and there are numerous incidents in Hawaiian oral literature that reflect intimate knowledge of fish, their characteristics, habits and domain. Priests prescribed certain fishes as acceptable to the gods, sometimes a fish was the essential object to offer the gods as well as eat after a period of sickness, and fish were used in some other ceremonies.Ĭertain sea creatures, most commonly sharks, sometimes became 'aumakua (personal gods) and were fed with regularity and recognized as individuals. When supplies were abundant there was hearty indulgence in the joy of eating when scarce, endurance was eased by the knowledge that effort would bring further supplies, except for the calamity of war or the occasional periods of long stormy weather.Ĭhiefs became epicurean in their taste, demanding rarities, or regal service, such as the supplying of live fish from far places. A catch was portioned out to all within the 'ohana, or related community. “There is no animal food which a Sandwich Islander esteems so much as fish,” said a visitor in 1834 (6, vol. The sea was a great reservoir of food for the Hawaiians and they were fond of a wide variety probably everything edible was consumed. By salting, drying, impounding, the supply was made somewhat independent of weather conditions. Fishing required a search of the sea, from the areas within the reefs to the sea scarcely within sight of land. Daily life was one of fishing and cultivating the plantations. Pig, dog, chicken and wild birds furnished some additional proteins but the comparatively small supply marked them more for the chiefs' than the commoners' use. FISH, including shellfish, were the main protein-giving elements of the Hawaiian diet.
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