Oahu Guide Blog - All About Oahu

                  Oahu’s rich historic past influences the future to a considerable extent. The first settlers of the Hawaiian Islands were good navigators from the south Pacific. In fact, the Polynesian Migration to these islands can be classified into two phases: the first group migrated sometime around 600-750 A.D. In the second phase, the Marquesas migrated to this land around 1100 A.D. from the Society Islands. The Polynesians developed their culture & divided the island into small kingdoms, which were ruled by chiefs. A system of “kapu” was imposed to maintain to a distinction between those with power & those without. One rule of the “Kapu” was that men & women could not eat together.

                    It was only in 1778 that with the arrival of Captain James Cook changed the lives of Hawaiian forever. Captain Cook had maintained constant contact with the Polynesians & they showed him great hospitality. However, with the passage of time, tensions grew & a war broke out between them resulting in the death of Captain Cook. Whatever it may be, contact with the Europeans also introduced a number of diseases like small pox, whooping cough & measles. They were also introduced to the use of metals & firearms.

                   Kamehameha I was the greatest Hawaiian ruler of all times. He fought his uncle Kiwalao in order to gain control over the land & the people. He also went on to conquer the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai & ultimately Oahu. Kamehameha II ignored the laws of Kapu & let men & women eat together. It was during his visit to England in 1824, that he & his queen contracted fatal diseases. Kamehameha IV & his wife together founded The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, the Episcopal Church in Hawaii. Kamehameha V was the last king directly from this royal lineage. Lunalilo, Kalakaua & Liliuokalani were all elected by the Legislature of Hawaii. Many American missionaries & the missionaries of Christianity influenced the Hawaiians greatly. It was in 1835 that the first sugar plantation was noticed as a place for agricultural purposes. These plantations flourished & gradually foreign laborers began to be recruited.