The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-11-05
Bob44ss
Ddvi/AN
Mte0621s
Amazing Sea Earring Accomplish
ments of Polynesian Sailors.


HAWAII
A MONG the great nautical
L \ events scheduled for small
boats, nothing arouses more in
terest than the annual yacht races
for sailing craft registered from
Hawaiian ports from San Fran
cisco across the Pacific. As bet
ting proposition, money goes
down in considerable amounts,
upon the mainland as among the
islanders, who design and rig. as
we'll as back each amateur mari
ner responsible for the sailing of
his ship.
When this race is on, all trans
Pacific liners carry on continuous
radio chatter with one another, re-
cording the positions of the frail
hulls reaching for home.
Present in Honolulu last July,
when the race was on, I heard more
talk about boat racing than one
hears in New York when the Amer
ica's Cup is being contended for.
Be it known, while on the subject,
those Honolulu people known more
about what a yacht can and will
do on the bounding main than any
other set of island jewellers in the
seven seas. And why should they
not? Ever since the Thirteenth
century sailormen throughout TIL e
Polynesian archipelago have been
breaking canvas into the trade
winds and making distance willy
nilly through the uncharted deep.
Not in all history is there any
thing to campare with the achieve
ments of those savage mariners
coming and going between widely
separated ports. They were at
work colonizing long before the
Caucasians began exploration of
the South Pacific.
It is regrettable that numberless
accomplishments in early-day navi-
cation have been swallowed up to
remain forever unrecorded. Others,
of which indisputable evidence re-
mains, have challenged duplication
during the succeeding centuries.
While there is still doubt as to
whether the people of the South
came first to Hawaii, or vice versa,
the fact remains that there was con-
tinued intercourse across the twenty
three hundred miles of ocean that
lay between.
Paao a Columbus of His Day.
Setting aside prior myth and ex-
travagance, the maritime activities
of Paao, the Samoan, who, quarrel
ing with his brother, decided to
move into more agreeable atmos-
phere further north, are worth look
ing into. Without definite informa-
ton as to where the promised land
might be situated, Paao built a
mighty canoe, large enough to seat
forty paddlemen, plus necessary
space for himself and minor off,
Gals, among them a navigator, an
astronomer, trumpeter and Paao's
sister. To augment the man power,
sails were also provided. A few
idols, sacred stones and gadgets that
went with the mysticism of the South
seas served as ballast. Despite dire
curses and black arts launched from
Samoa by his antagonistic brother,
the fearless Paao, after matter of
thirty days, landed on Hawaii, in
the district of Puma, where he and
his followers received cordial well
come. Later he made his headquar-
tiers at Kohala.
It is interesting to note that none
of the voyagers suffered from hum
ger, thirst or illness, nor at any
time during the cruise did they wa
yer in their determination to pro-
coed until land was sighted. After
a few years of observation Paao
J came to the conclusion that the
royal strain among the Hawaiians
was sorely in need of requirements.
To readjust this state of affairs he
decided to set sail for Tahiti and
bring back kahuna of noble birth,
preferably one Lonokaeho, tried,
trusted and by Paao regarded as a
suitable party to remake Hawaii
into a powerful kingdom.
With the ratification of this pro-
posal, Paao put back to the sea, and
five weeks later, driven by fair
winds and strong arms, dropped
anchor in the Bay of Moaulanuia-
kea, Tahiti.
Hawaii Takes Front Seat.
But the great Lonokaeho, lacking
nerve to serve on a foreign throne,
sent Pill Kaaiea, who made an in
Simultaneous hit no sooner had he
landed in Hawaii, where he settled
and established his government in
the valley of Waipio, with Paao
for a campaign manager. Through
these two accomplished go-getters
Hawaii took front seat in the
Pacific ocean. Paao's canoes, de-
signed to tackle any weather and
remain afloat, for five centuries
dominated all boat buildin g
| throughout the PolyneSianS.
Other famous navigators include
Paumakua, who is said to have
visited all of the islands known to
the ancient Kaulu-a-Kalana, VIII o
"spanned the heavens" and M i
keha, who could smell land thou
sand miles in any direction. He
and his brother loved the same
woman, Luukai. Havoci That was
FIVE centuries ago. Moiheha h a d
son, Kila, who became the great
est canoe builder of his time, a