Astronomy in Native Hawaiian and Other Ancient Civilizations
Greek philosopher and mathematician, Plato, once said “astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another.” For many cultures around the world astronomy did, it allowed people to discover, create, and innovate. Astronomy continues to do so today. The understanding of the heavens is important in both Hawaiian and Western cultures. The astronomy used by native Hawaiians and other world cultures, although different in some ways, share many things in common.
According to the “out of africa” model, “modern humans evolved relatively recently in Africa, migrated into Eurasia and replaced all populations which had descended from Homo erectus” (Stringer). Human’s
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are land-based animals originating from Africa, yet, capable of inhabiting, and colonizing almost every corner of the world. One of the most notable applications of astronomy, with the biggest impact on history, is the use of celestial navigation. In Hawaiian culture, the use of the “star compass” allowed the ancient Hawaiians to navigate the oceans. Master native Hawaiian navigator and president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Nainoa Thompson, once described the star compass as: ...the basic mental construct for navigation. We have Hawaiian names for the houses of the stars – the place where they come out of the ocean and go back into the ocean. If you can identify the stars as they rise and set, and if you have memorized where they rise and set, you can find your direction. (Thompson) The Phoenician culture, an ancient maritime civilization situated on the coastline of modern Syria and Lebanon, also used astronomy. Many scholars attribute the Phoenicians as one of the first cultures in the world to utilize celestial navigation. The Phoenicians discovered Polaris, the north star --more formally known as α Ursae Minoris. Polaris is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa major, and lies close to the celestial pole --an imaginary point in the sky where the Earth’s axis of rotation intersects the celestial sphere. Before the discovery of Polaris, ships on the Mediterranean Sea tended to stay alongside the coast, even if it made the trip exponentially longer. Once the ships are out on the open ocean, it is lost. Once navigators discovered the fixed position of Polaris --in the northern direction-- sailors could put the star at the bow or stern of the ship. Polaris allowed the Phoenicians to do direct north-south navigation across the Mediterranean Sea (Warmflash). Astronomy is one of the sciences with the biggest impact on the world. It has allowed cultures to expand, create, and discover. The native Hawaiians used the knowledge of the heavens to become master navigators, leading to the colonization of the Hawaiian Islands and travel all across the Pacific. Celestial navigation also allowed the Phoenicians to navigate the Mediterranean Sea. Although the two cultures have many similarities, there are also many differences. The Phoenicians used Polaris as the North star, but since Hawai`i is on a different latitude, a different star had to be selected. Rather, the native Hawaiians used a star called Hokulea --more formally referred to as Arturus in western cultures-- as the northern star. Another major difference is Hawaiians had to navigate a larger body of water. Meaning, Hawaiians had to develop a more intricate system of navigation. Rather than just knowing where north is, the Hawaiians had to know every star position in the night sky all year around. Another important use of astronomy is agriculture, which also played an integral role in the rise, and fall, of civilizations throughout time. Many cultures around the world relied on understanding the almost clockwork nature of the heavens to grow. With the understanding of the constellations, ancient civilizations grew an understanding of seasons. Understanding the phenomenon of seasons had an impact on farming, as well as hunting. The most notable example of the Hawaiians understanding of the change in seasons is the time of the Makahiki. The Makahiki marks the yearly farming cycle in Hawai`i, honoring the god Lono --the Hawaiian god of rain and fecundity. During the Makahiki season all forms of war are ceased, including activities honoring the war god Ku, such as deep-sea fishing. The time of Makaliʻi hiki, or the rising of Pleiades --an open star cluster-- marked the beginning of Makahiki (Hawaii History). Another ancient culture with strong ties to astronomy would be the Babylonians. Ancient Babylonian calculation of time is based on the Moon. When the new moon first became visible in the evening, a new Babylonian month began. Tweleve or thirteen Babylonian months are combined into a “lunisolar year.” A year began at the beginning of spring. Due to the irregular nature of the babylonian months, sometimes years start earlier or later. Meaning, the normal farmer did not rely on the official beginning of the lunisolar year. Instead, the farmers became dependent on direct observation of the fixed stars and the sun. “In Babylonia a farmer paid attention to certain annually recurring celestial phenomena, which, for example, gave him advance notice of the beginning of the rainy season” (Waerden 13). Agriculture shaped the growth of empires, without astronomy many kingdoms would never have come into fruition.
Understanding how the sky “moved” allowed both cultures to know when to plant, harvest, and hunt. Although both Hawaiian and Babylonian cultures do share commonalities, there are also differences. The main difference between Hawaiian and Babylonian agriculture is Hawaiians had the unique luxury of living near the equator. With its location, Hawai`i would have near consistent weather year around. The minimal temperature fluctuations allowed Hawaiians to develop a simple farming system, essentially plants could grow any time of the year. Also, Hawaiians did not have to create a complicated calendar system, rather, see when Pleiades is …show more content…
visible. Astronomy, although beneficial in the physical world, also had cultural and spiritual implications.
Every culture around the world, in one way or another, has tried to understand a human’s role in the cosmos. The concept of creation and destruction in particular can be clearly seen in almost every culture and religion. Philosophy, although not as important as celestial navigation and agriculture, played a pivotal role in the rise and fall of civilizations.
The creation story of the Hawaiian people is told through the Kumulipo --a cosmogonic genealogy. The Kumulipo is divided into 16 sections called wā. The beginning of the Kumulipo describe the creations of the universe:
O ke au i kahuli wela ka honua / O ke au i kahuli lole ka lani / O ke au i kuka'iaka ka la / E ho'omalamalama i ka malama / O ke au o Makali'i ka po / O ka walewale ho'okumu honua ia / O ke kumu o ka lipo, i lipo ai / O ke kumu o ka Po, i po ai / O ka lipolipo, o ka lipolipo / O ka lipo o ka la, o ka lipo o ka po / Po wale ho--'i / Hanau ka po / Hanau Kumulipo i ka po, he kane / Hanau Po'ele i ka po, he wahine. (Beckwith)
Queen Lili`uokalani translated the Kumulipo while under house arrest at ‘Iolani Palace. The beginning roughly translates
to: At the time that turned the heat of the earth, At the time when the heavens turned and changed, At the time when the light of the sun was subdued To cause light to break forth, At the time of the night of Makali`i (winter) Then began the slime which established the earth, The source of deepest darkness. Of the depth of darkness, of the depth of darkness, Of the darkness of the sun, in the depth of night, It is night, So was night born. (Lili`uokalani) When analyzing the philosophical significance of the stars and the connection between mankind and the Heaven, astrology should come to mind. Astrology, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “the divination of the supposed influences of the stars and planets on human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects.” The study of astrology is used all around the world, primarily to understand a person’s connection to the universe. Astrology is considered to be the precursor the modern-day astronomy, and one of the oldest sciences on the earth. Philosophy has an integral role in the formation of civilizations. Understanding the stars in a spiritual context helped the ancients to develop creation stories and build a connection to the universe. Both the Kumulipo and astrology address the issue. Both Hawaiians and those who followed astrology believed humans had a connection to the heavens, in some shape or form. Even though both describe the same phenomena, there are differences. For example, in Hawaiian culture creation is the only spiritual connection to the stars, while astrology describes a permanent connection. In conclusion, astronomy in general played an integral role in the formation of many ancient civilizations. With the understanding of astronomy mankind colonized the earth through celestial navigation, built empires through agriculture, and developed scholars through philosophy.
Ii, John Papa., Mary Kawena Pukui, and Dorothy B. Barrère. Fragments of Hawaiian History. Honolulu: Bishop Museum, 1983. Print.
Conclusion: In conclusion, Kauikeaouli worked to preserve the Hawaiian people and culture because tried new things, put his people first, and he got Hawaiians involved in Hawaii’s government. The effects of things such as the Great Mahele are still heavily felt today. Even though some of these effects were/are negative, Kauikeaouli tried to do what's in the best interest of the people. Despite the bad things that happened during and after his reign, some still claimed him to be their favorite
Creation stories have profound effects on humans. Those associated with ancient cultures/civilizations aim to ensure the successful survival or well-being of themselves and that particular culture/civilization of their association, but not all are beneficial, prosperous, or fortunate. Mesopotamia’s “The Gilgamesh Epic”, Egypt’s “Hymn to the Nile-Documents”, and Mesoamerica’s Mayan and Aztec creation stories/religion are influential to establishing significant relationships within society, whether that is between humans and nature or humans and their “god(s).”
Have you ever wonder how the universe was created? Some people believe in the Earth creation by the Supreme Being, some believe in the scientific explanation of Big Bang explosion theory. Every civilization in the world has its own story of how things are created. Each story reflects how people see and think the world at their time. In this essay, I am going to compare two myths of how man was created – the creation tale of Mohawk Tribe and the Hebrew Bible creation story. There are a lot of similarities as well as differences between these legends. While some differences between the two tales are the development of the stories and the meaning behind the stories, the similarities between them is the concept of creationism.
The story of Princess Ka’iulani is remembered as a tragic one, she passed away young and frail, and never was able to fulfill her duties as Hawaii’s next ruling queen. What many people have never known, is the warrior that hid behind her beautiful physique. She was a fighter; for her country, people, and the truth. Within her short 23 years, Princess Kaiulani became Hawaii's last hope to save the monarchy that had existed for so long. Sadly, she did not accomplish this feat, and her heroism and efforts have either been overlooked or forgotten. To be knowledgeable of her childhood, teenage life, and final years is the least that can be done out of respect for this great Hawaiian Princess.
The Hawaiian Islands are well known for their beauty, tranquility, and unique culture that have shaped this state into what we see today. The special bond that the natives have formed between themselves and nature is not exactly one of a kind, but it is something that can truly be admired. Around approximately 300 AD, Hawaii was discovered by Polynesians who arrived by canoe from Tahiti. These migrants brought their polytheistic spirituality and formed a large intricate society with hierarchies consisting of many chiefs. Alongside the ruling of the chiefs, the newborn Hawaiians followed a strict belief system known as Kapu akua otherwise known as the “law of the gods”. The Kapu was a strict set of rules and restraints that dictated all aspects of ancient Hawaiian life, including political. These rules were used as a means to control the lives of lower class and female population in order to honor their gods and maintain balance within their Mana.
The human archaeological record is a long and undefined story that may be the most complex question researched today. One of the big questions in human history is the disappearance of the Neanderthal people from the archaeological record around 30,000 BP. While for thousands of years Neanderthals and Anatomically modern humans crossed paths and perhaps lived in close relations, we have yet to really understand the degree to which they lived together. My hypothesis is that these two hominids, Neanderthals and Anatomically Modern Humans, interbred exchanging genes after Modern Humans dispersed from Africa and creating like cultures and material remains. The differences between Neanderthal and Modern humans are not only physical but also genetically evolved and this research will determine an estimated amount of admixture between the two groups.
Castanha, Anthony. (1996, August). “A History of the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement.” The Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement: Roles and Impacts on Non-Hawaiians, Chapter 3. <http://www.hookele.com/non-hawaiians/chapter3.html>[10/14/00]
prophecy. They also were able to predict planetary cycles, phases of the moon and Venus.
Throughout the history of the world there have been a number of civilizations which have had a longstanding influence not only their own people and culture, but also on various other societies and civilizations. The Greek and Roman civilizations are two such civilizations. Both Greek and Roman influences have permeated societies and cultures besides their own. While there are many notable similarities between ancient Greek and Roman mythology and religion, there are likely also many differences in their origins, beliefs, and practices. Still, ancient Greek and Roman mythology and culture have influenced people of the world from the medieval ages up to the present. Indeed, ancient Greek and Roman mythology and culture have influenced world theology through the ages.
Otherwise, your stomach would be growling until your next one after this! The Hawaiians have developed a unique diet of fish, shellfish, and edible plants. These foods include taro root, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, yams, a fish called mahimahi, and much more. The abundance of edible plants you can find in Hawaiian originally brought by the first Polynesian voyagers and settlers to arrive at Hawaii in ancient times. Later immigrants from Japan, Portugal, China, and The Philippines arrived in Hawaii during the 1800’s as laborers for the sugar plantations, and they brought food from their homeland too. This impacted the Hawaiians’ own cuisine because they started to add parts of the immigrants’ foods to their own like they did with hula. Soon, popular modern dishes were created, like malasadas, saimin, and spam. Malasadas are doughnuts covered in sugar that was inspired by Portuguese sweetbread. Saimin is noodles in a broth mixed with meat, vegetables, and seasoning, created when the Hawaiians were introduced to Asian forms of noodles. Finally, spam is canned meat that has grown very popular with the locals, particularly as spam musubi, a slice of the meat on a block of rice wrapped in seaweed called nori.
The code of Hammurabi was one of the most important documents in Babylon history. It was adopted from many Sumerian customs that had been around for a while before the Babylonians. Though many of the Laws were adopted from Sumeria they were published by Hammurabi and thus known as the code of Hammurabi. This code had four main parts to it. They were: Civil Laws, Commercial Laws, Penal Laws, and the Law of procedures.
Millions of years ago the procreant low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris was probably the home of some animal life, but no great civilizations. However, things change over time, and just a few thousand years ago the same fertile low lands in the river basins of Euphrates and Tigris became the home of a very rich and complex society. This first high society of man was located in what some still call "Mesopotamia". The word "Mesopotamia" is in origin a Greek name meaning "land between the rivers." The name is used for the area watered by the Euphrates and Tigris and its tributaries, roughly comprising modern Iraq and part of Syria. South of modern Bagdad, this alluvial plain was called the land of Sumer and Akkad. Sumer is the most southern part, while the land of Akkad is the area around modern Bagdad, where the Euphrates and Tigris are closest to each other. This first high, Mesopotamian society arose as a combined result of various historical, institutional, and religious factors. The reality of these factors occurring at a specific place within the fabric of space / time indeed established the basis for this first high civilization. Items like irrigation, topography, and bronze-age technical innovations played a big part along with the advent of writing and the practice of social conditioning (through the use of organized religion) in this relatively early achievement of man.
Throughout the history of the world there have been a number of civilizations which have had a longstanding influence not only their own people and culture, but also on various other societies and civilizations. The Greek and Roman civilizations are two such civilizations. Both Greek and Roman influences have permeated societies and cultures besides their own. While there are many notable similarities between ancient Greek and Roman mythology and religion, there are likely also many differences in their origins, beliefs, and practices. Still, ancient Greek and Roman mythology and culture have influenced people of the world from the medieval ages up to the present. Indeed, ancient Greek and Roman mythology and culture have influenced world theology through the ages.
For several thousand years, mankind has looked at the sky and inquired about the workings of the universe. Many early cultures abstained from developing technologies to examine the cosmos because of their belief in the existence of an all-powerful, unpredictable god that controlled existence. However, some ancient cultures have evidence of their early astronomical findings. For example, the Chinese have records dating back to 1300s B.C. Around 750 B.C., Babylonian’s discovered the 18.6 year cycle in the rising and setting of the moon and compiled almanacs to predict eclipses. Around 600 B.C., the Greeks began to develop an interest in astronomy.