The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-02-21
LAWS Of
FISHEHIES
aaaaasaaa
Plans for 'Savin
Sea Food OF
Islands.

created Che government ul iH' lriiA-
tory Mr. cobb. of ihc expedition so1i
down here. spent bis time boo l''sIuE
into The history N The Fisheries. ANA
the laws under which they have been
conducted ever since there was ans lass
upon the subject
Ia the preliminary report which has
just been sent o. Congress hs tlo Pres
Ident Of the United states. from The
Commissioner ~ Fish and FISHERIES
there is much attention paid o. this
phase II the subject and the summary
made of the legislation having tp do
with these matters. is most fun and
complete. The following is an abstract
Of the many laws and customs which
have governed the fishing privileges
from 1880 10 the present time:
LAWS RELATING TO THE FISHER
les
Previous TO about 1880 % state Of affairs
very much resembling the fcuda system
of Europe during the middle ages ca
lsted on the islands The King and chiefs
owned all the lands, while the common
people were mere tenants al VIII. whose
duty 10 was to support their icudul lord
and his numerous rctinue ia peace by
the sweat OF their brows, and in war de-
fend him with their lives.
a unique feature OF TINS system was
that not only were the lands owned by
the chiefs but the exclusive right to fish
In the waters Of the ocean adjacent 10
the estates was Boo most instances con-
sidered a part of the estates themselves,
and as q result OF this condition Of ar
fairs the common people We're prevented
from gathering from the sea, without
N,Nauous restrictions ana grievous oN-
actions that very necessary part of their
and which the sea could furnish In album
dance. The only r,dgumlng feature in
this WAS that lf his landlord became too
eXaouuL the tenant could move on 20
the land of some more lDulout iasknua-
ter. As the Importance of the chief was
determined largely by the number OF tcu-
ants he had on his lands, this proved al
times "a check ON the rAyag.Ousucss Of
some Of the chiefs.
In order TO continue this condition OF
affairs more securely ga their own hands
the ruling classes had recourse 90 the
system Of taboo O. corruption OF the lla-
wai.an word "kapuD. TO taboo was to
command 20 do or not TO do, ana the
meaning Of IL was "oboy or die" The
taboo was prerogativo adheriug tNclu-
sivcly 10 political and ecclesiastical rank
and was common TO the Polynosian
tribes having been adopted and cnfOrc-
cd by the priesthood ald nobility as q
protection 20 their lives, property and
dignity. In nearly every instance the
penalty for breaking a taboo WAS death.
Taboos were OF two kinds perpetual and
temporary.
The perpetual taboos were universal
and We're Wen known to the people II
was perpetual taboo. except to the high
er nobility. to cross the shadow Of the
King, to stand in his presence without
permission or to approach him except
uDon the kuaag T,yarythIng nprtpinfug
10 the priesthood and temples was un-
der perpetual taboo. squ!d, turtle, and
TWO OF three species OF blrds could be
eaten only by the priests and taboo no.
hllity while women were tabooed from
eating piantains' bananas, cocoanuts.
me nesh OF swine and certain hsh. among
them the kumu, moano. ulua, honu, ca.
hahalua al naia' Men ana women were
allowed under no circumstance to par
take OF iooa together TINS last taboo
hppHed 10 everybody IN the Kingdom
KING hopIes ana common people-and
was one of the most oppressive OF the
religious taboos. as 1t necessitated hay
ing separate eating houses FOR the wom'
en- ana men, mus putting everybody TO
considerable unnecessary expense and
trouble.
The incidental and temporary taboos
were the most oppressive and danger
Gus to the common people. as they were
llable 10 be thoughtlessly violated. The
king and taboo nohInty would taboo fay
orite paths, springs, streams and bath
ing places, etc, as the within seized them.
The general taboos declared by the
king were proclaimed by herald, while
the temporary taboos were notified TO
the people by star, FurmOuntod by
crown OF white or black KAPPA, stuck IN
the ground close 10 the object declared
sacred
The priesthood received its death blow
In 1919, when LihOliho. the king destroy
ed the idols and broke the worst Of the
religious taboos by eating openly with
his queen. The common people. and
strange to relate tba nrIasts t,.,,,s,I,,os
followed his example, and In a few weeks
me country was without any religion at
az
III the nahefles the KING usually had
ceE,aIh hshes taDooed' WINE the chiefs
or IhhuIoIGs Icailei kohohlkls had the
ssIhe privilege WIN one species In the