Hawaii holomua = Progress. [volume] (Honolulu) 1893-1895, 1894-04-06
aTba. Is mainly correct so far

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the tribal system seems TO have
been the paramount organization
from before the time that they
first entered the Pacific. and was
brought with them TO the various
groups where they finally settled.
It existed in full force in New
Zealand. in Samoa. in Marqaesas.
as late as the discovery of those
groups in the last century.
rs. In his clocing remarks
DR.. Hyde says: In the utter
ab5ence of what we mean BY the
husband and the family, in the
loose pTomiscuous intercourse in
which men and women INDUCED
in with little or no restraint. We
should expect to find inter social
disorganizauon and disintergra-
ton, but there must have been
somewhere, somehow. checks and
balances that kept the social life
in working order with some
wholesome restraint.
The first portion of the doctor S
remarks contain some strong as
sertions which are not justified
by the social usages and actual
every day life of the old Hawai-
ian before the foreigner came
and enlightened him bow to defy
his ancient gods with impanity,
how to eyade the tcbus. how to
draw profit from seusuality, and
how to kill himself with ram.
The social and family affections
were as strong in the old Hawai-
ians. as in any modern people,
Christian or Pagan, although
they used concrete terms to de-
signate father or mother. The
ancient legends are full of the
most touching instances of mar
tai love and of filial affection.
The husband who puts away his
wife-his ,cdhine hoao--except for
cause, had to reckon with her
relatives; and the wife who clan
destinely dishonored Ter hus-
bands bed generally paid the
forfeit with her life. The de-
grees of relationship were most
intimate and more endearing
among tie old Hawaiians than
among many modern nations.
Their fourth and fifth deg. ees of
consanguinity were not only cal
led, but considered and cherish
ed as brothers and sisters. The
intercourse between the sexes
was regulated by rules and tabus,
long ago discarded and now
hardly remembered. And the
old legends, in depicting ancient
social life. give no warrant for
accusing the Hawaiians, as a
people, of 'iudulg ne in promis
cuous intercourse. That was
one of the many dead sea apples
which the foreigner planted on
the ruins of the old tabns. Any
comparison that may be made
between the Hawaiians of fifty
years before Cooks arrival and
fifty years afterwards can only
result to the credit of the former
period; and coany mparison of
the Hawailans of either period
with on ideal Christian COM
munity is as unfair ms it is
uncritical.
In the later part of the re-
marks above quoted, DR.. Hyde
says: But there must have been
somewhere, somehow, checks
and balances that Kept the So
cial life in working order, etc.
"As the doctors diagnois OF
the social life of the old Hawai-
ians before Cooks arrival, is in
correct, | need not dwell upon
the checks and balances which
then kept the social life in work
ing order. They were patent, OF
immemorial usage. and of suffi
cient force to ensure comparative
peace, an abundant food supply
and an increasing population.
Daring the period that followed
Cooks arrival, and up to the nd
vent of the Christian mission
aries. those checks and balances
were strained to the utmost aud
finally broke down completely.
No wonder that, when the mis-
sionaries arrived, they found a
moral darkness without compare
a social looseness that battles de :
scription. a land without a God
or a religion, for the t,bus
bad been abolished, the
heidus closed, and the an
cient priesthood virtually self
effaeed before tue missionaries
arrived. And the .tacilis descen-
sas Arernf kept on for many
years after their arrival. Ali
honor to their zeal. all credit for
what they accomplished although
their methods may not always
have been the most judicious.
They had to create, as we'll as to
direct; and the checks and btl-
ances,' which now are slowly but
surely gaining the acceptance of
the people. are their crown of
glory. their title to grateful re-
membrance. / have had oppor-
tunifias of lnowino fb;s paonls