Kahuna Kilo Hoku Ancient Astronomer

•Expertly skilled in the study of the heavenly bodies•Trained from childhood•The rising and setting of stars were observed all night, memorized and passed down to future generations•After discovery of a new island, the altitude of stars would be Observed and put into the stories of the navigators. •The knowledge would enable them to find the island again•By memorizing the stars locations the Kahuna could always find the way home•Stone platforms were oriented in some relationship to certain celestial events

Modern Navigators

A brotherhood of experts trained to acute powers of observation and memory, Polynesian navigators

were also priests responsible for conducting the rituals of their profession and invoking spiritual

help. Whereas the modern navigator is equipped to fix his position without reference to his place of departure, the Polynesian used a system that was

home-oriented. He kept a mental record of all courses steered and all phenomena affecting the movement of the canoe, tracing these backwards in his mind so that at any time he could point in

the approximate direction of his home island and estimate the sailing time required to reach it—a complex feat of dead reckoning. This required

careful attention. It also meant insufficient sleep. It's been said that the navigator could always be

distinguished among his companions on a canoe by his bloodshot eyes.

Kāhunā Kilo HōkūAncient Navigator

Kalākaua’s Interest in Astronomy

In 1874 Hosted English Astronomy

Expedition “Transit of Venus”

Transitof

VenusLocation

First Observatory onPunchbowl Street, Oʻahu

Transit of Venus Astronomy Expedition

Address read to the audience of astronomers at

ʻIolani Palace, December 15, 1874:

King Kalākaua

“It will afford me unfeigned satisfaction if my kingdom

can add its quota toward the successful accomplishment of

the most important astronomical observation of

the present century and assist, however humbly, the enlightened nations of the

earth in these costly enterprises...”

King Kalākaua’s desire to have an

observatory in Hawaiʻi: October 20, 1881 – Lick Observatory

Log:“King Kalākaua observed until well after midnight;”

“The King got up at 9:00 am after breakfast he went on the hill and told me he was delighted with what he saw and says he

wants a transit at his place.”

King Kalākaua’s1881 Visit to

Lick ObservatoryFirst visitor to use 12"

telescope at Mt. Hamilton, CA - October 1881

• King’s letter to Captain R.S. Floydrequesting visit(dated Nov.11,1880):

“Something of the kind is

needed here very much, but we have so few people who take

interest in scientific matters. Everybody is bent upon making

money on sugar and the all mighty dollar.”

Mary Shane Archives, Lick Observatory, UCSC

Visit to Lick Observatory, 1881

Credit: Mary Shane Archives,Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa

Cruz

Technology at ʻIolani Palace• 1886 Arc Lighting demonstrated for

King’s Jubilee Birthday• 1887 Palace wired and generator

installed• 1888 Permanent electric street

lights• 1889 Government electric plant

What Would King Kalākaua Think Today?

Photo CreditsBishop Museum Archives

• 1968.385 (no negative). “Iolani Palace Illuminated,” August 12, 1898. Photographer: F.J. Lowery. Government & Politics.Buildings.Iolani Palace. Illuminated.

• 1992.0011.0007 (no negative) “Venus as seen from telescope, Honolulu, 1874”. Photographer: Edwin Myers (?). Sciences.Astronomy.

• BM 30, 081 (no negative). “Fishhooks-One-piece barbed rotating hooks are of turtle shell, top, and whale ivory and were collected by the explorers. They were probably made as souvenirs and trade items. Lines on rotating hooks are always attached to the inside of the shank top for rotating action. If attached to the outside hook would bend backwards scale [sic]. Book 2, pg. 39.

• CP 117,610. “Sketch of proposed double screw invention by King David Kalakaua from his scrapbook,” ca. 1872. Photographer: Christine Takata. People.Kalakaua.Scrapbook.

• CP 117,611. “Sketch of proposed torpedo cannon by King David Kalakaua from his scrapbook,” ca, 1872. Photographer: Christine Takata. People.Kalakaua.Scrapbook.

• CP 118,649. “Kaimuki Observatory of the College of Hawaii. Diamond Head in distance,” ca. 1910. Photographer: Ellerman. Sciences.Astronomy.

• CP 99,206. “Kalakaua Scrapbook-front & back inside covers. Pre-PRCC treatment photo, 1986,” ca. 1874. People.Kalakaua.Scrapbook.

• CP 99,880. “Marshall Island navigation charts.” Marshall Islands. Transportation.Navigation.

• CPBM 31,725. “King David Kalakaua,” ca 1874. Photographer: Bradley & Rulofson, San Francisco. People.Kalakaua. 1874-1881, folder 2.

Photo CreditsBishop Museum Archives

• CP 127132. “The Reciprocity Commission (lt.-rt.): John O. Dominis, H.A. Peirce, Kalakaua, E.M. Mayor (private secretary), Johm M. Kapena, in San Francisco, California,” 1874. Photographer: Bradley & Rulofson, San Francisco. Government & Politics.Monarchy.Kalakaua, 1874-1891.

• CP 45398. “Iolani Palace, Honolulu, Hawaii, as seen from Judiciary Building,” pre-1900. Government & Politics.Buildings. Iolani Palace.From Judiciary Building.

• CP 56433. “Canoes and fishing nets, Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii,” 1886. Photographer: Alfred Mitchell. Geography. Oahu. Waikiki, pre-1900, folder 1.

• CP 96160. “Bringing the Trans-Pacific cable [from Mainland U.S. to Hawaii] ashore at Sans Souci Beach, Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii; group includes: Mrs. A.G. Hawes (with flowers on cable; the Hawes family owned Sans Souci), Mr. & Mrs. Jack Hawes, Mr. & Mrs. Gerrit Wilder, Mr. & Mrs. Ranney Scott, Dr. & Mrs. Humphreys, Mr. & Mrs. F.M. Hatch, Sid Hatch, Miss Harriet Hatch, Gilchrist Hatch, Whilhelmina Tenney, Manuel Reis, Canavaro (?), ” December 1902. Hedemann Collection. Communications.Public Utilities.

• Credit: Photographer/Bishop Museum. 3/23/2004