The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-11-11
The Hawaiian Exhibit.

IAAooC hlSAdll people. Drought 10 the
notice of the civilized world in 1878, bv
the discovery of the islands by the cele-
brated navigator, Capt. Cook, only two
years subsequent to the advent OF these
United States into the family of nations,
and into the notice of the Christian world
by the labOrs Of the American Presbyte-
rian missionaries, who commenced their
work in 1920, these islanders have taken
their place rs an independent nation
among the civilized and Christian ma
tons Of the world. The Hawaiians are
peculiarly interesting to the American
people, as owing in Il great measure TO
them their Christian and commercial ad-
vancement from barbarism to their pres
eIit condition; also, from their neighbor-
hood, their islands being the nearest land
off the west coast of the republic Their
trade, nearly all confined to the United
States, is Mt the present time nearly
1900, 900, and is increasing yearly.
The exhibit shows specimens of their
sugars, rice and coffee, for the culture of
which their lands are well adapted. The
sugars are dark-colored, raw sugars, ex-
ported for sale to refners. StOck-farm-
ing, the raising of cattle, horses and
sheep, and also culture of tropical fruits,
are largely pursued and contribute to the
list OF their exports.
The peculiarities of the Hawaiian are
shown in the specimens of taro flour.
This taro is the staple food of the island
ers-the5 bread of the country, in fact
1t is large tuber, grown under water,
and when steamed and pounded into
thick paste, forms a nutritious article IOi
food. 1t is easily grown, is very produc-
tive, less than an acre being sufficient to
feed man through a whole year. Like
the Casava, it is poisonous, unless cooked
This taro, with fish from the sea, was an
GENTLY the principal food of the natives.
The unsightly and bunchy roots of the
Ava exhibit another popularity. This
rootsis strong narcotic stimulant. 1t is
prepared and used as an intoxicant for
going on a drunken spree, for having a
blowout. In Siberia the natives get
"high ON toadstool in the islands
this awa-root serves similar purpose
1t has it's value, however, as a medicine
for skin diseases, and has already found
its place in the materia medica
In the Kaha is seen a specimen of the
ancient and only cloth of the people pre-
vious to their introduction to commerce.
1t is a paper, rather than cloth, made
from the bark of the Wauke bush. This
bark is macerated in water, and the pulp
being pounded with serrated wooden
mallets, adheres in thin sheets. Several
of these fastened together form the
papery, stiff bed-quilt of old times. Rude
patterns of colOrs stamped on them
illustrate their attempt in the fine arts
The specimens of mats woven from
grasses, rushes, and the leaves of the
palm, or pandamus, do exhibit, how
ever, great dexterity, as well as taste, in
their makeup. They are as soft and
flexible as cloth; the Nihau mat espec-
tally 50, as it is braided of a fine and
family used to be gagged by its mats,
the forms on which they slept being
piled with scores of these fine wrought
mats.
In fibres are shown specimens of the
hau, olona, and the raInie, all of which
grow abEndantly on the Islands. The
hau is tough, coarse fibre. From it the
natives make rope, the specimens show
ing it to be as tough and flexible as the
Manila hemp cordage. The olona, a
finer fibre, is used for twines, fish nets,
lashings, etc. As race of fishermen, a
moiety of whose food was caught in the
sea, these fibres, before iron was known
to them, were invaluable for their canoes,
as well as fishing tackle. The ramie is
an introduced plant, and is fibre which
is destined to make a noise in the world
A native drum, with tom-tom held
in the hand and ratified by the dancing
girls, gives an idea of the rude music
furnished for festive occasions. !
The articles made by native women
for the adOrnment of the person, or per
sonal wear, show ingenuity in the use of
odd material, and dexterity in the /
The straw hats are noticeable /
for beauty of material One is braided |
Of the maiden hair fern, another of the [
pamoho fern, others of the sugar cane I
of oane leaves, of bamboo, of /
he fan-leaf palm, of corn blossoms; and !
here is Il hat, with a wreath of flowers, /
md a fan, exquisitely done, of the inner
ind of the squash vine. Fans, also, are
shown, OF these same materials, as well |
rs of peacock and other feathers Brace
cts, necklaces and reticules, made of the
'eeds of the kou and the mimosa, in
,eniously put together; also of shells, of
,ukui, or candle-tree nuts, of bamboo
eeds, and canes of various woods, san
koa palm, coffee and orange
some choice perfumes of the native
,lants, especially the Male vine, add
interest to the exhibit.
An interesting portion of the exhibit
re the necklaces made OF feathers. Two
f these, made of the creamy yellow
gathers of the MaIno, a rare and now
early extinct bird of the island, used
My for royal regalia, are exceedingly