Spirit of Aloha | Features | December/February 2006

Mapping Hawai‘i
By Susan Halas

The history of how Hawai‘i found its place on the map in the mid-Pacific is filled with discovery, adventure and conflict. The first great map to fill in the knowledge void in Pacific geography was Capt. James Cook’s huge General Chart, from his atlas published in London in 1784. Most people know Cook’s name, but what they don’t usually realize is how much of the Pacific was first charted by this English navigator during his three famous 18th-century expeditions. Not only was he the first European to chart the Hawaiian Islands, between 1778 and 1779, he was also the first to outline the extent of the southern ice mass, the coastline of Australia and New Caledonia, and chart many features on the northwestern coast of North America and various parts of the North Pacific.

Of course, Hawai‘i was known to the Polynesian voyagers for centuries before Cook visited the Islands in 1778. He named them the Sandwich Islands after the expedition’s patron, the Earl of Sandwich. Though the first map of the Islands published in English is often credited to Cook, it is officially attributed to Lt. Henry Roberts, who prepared for publication all of the maps for Cook’s third (and final) voyage.

The famed map, titled “Karakakooa Bay,” shows the site where Cook was killed by natives on the Big Island of Hawai‘i on Feb. 14, 1779. This event captured the popular imagination around the world and inspired hundreds of gory illustrations in the centuries that followed. The murder scene is vividly illustrated on one of the most decorative of all the early Hawai‘i maps, “Le Isole di Sandwich,” by Giovanni Cassini. Published in 1798, it is based on Cook’s chart, but, because the artist had little knowledge of Polynesians, he used his imagination to depict a warlike band of American Indians stabbing the good captain in the back.

Another notable English explorer was Capt. George Vancouver, who visited Hawai‘i between 1792 and 1794. His was the only expedition to completely circumnavigate all the islands of the chain. Vancouver’s voyage resulted in the first published map of Hawai‘i depicting the Islands in their entirety. This landmark work, credited to Joseph Baker, remained the basic map of Hawai‘i for nearly 80 years, though some of the errors found in this chart were corrected by later map makers.

Other explorers who mapped Hawai‘i were the French navigator La Perouse, who was the first to chart Ni‘ihau and the Leeward Islands 1,500 miles northwest of Kaua‘i, and the Russian Capt. Otto von Kotzebue, who provided the earliest known plan of Honolulu in 1816. Kotzebue twice visited what was to become the largest city in Hawai‘i and was among the first to recognize the area’s potential as a major harbor.

Large-scale scientific investigation in Hawai‘i began with the visit of the United States Exploring Expedition in 1840. This expedition, which also visited many other parts of the Pacific, was under the command of Lt. Charles Wilkes. Of particular interest to later scholars and map enthusiasts were the expedition maps of Hawai‘i volcanoes, including the summit of Mauna Loa, the crater of Kïlauea on the Big Island and Haleakalā on Maui.

American activities in the Islands were not limited to those of seafarers and scientists. U.S. missionaries, who were to be a major force in Hawai‘i for more than a century, arrived in 1820. By 1831, they had opened a school for Native Hawaiians at Lahaina Luna on Maui. Here the Islands’ first printing presses were set up and the first maps of the Islands, engraved by Hawaiians, were created. Maps made at Lahaina Luna are some of the rarest and most sought-after of all the Hawaiian maps, since they show the Islands and other geographic features of the world written entirely in the Hawaiian language.

By the mid-19th century, Hawai‘i was firmly established on the maps of the world, but mapping of its own geographic features was entirely another story. At that time, Hawai‘i was a monarchy, with all land owned by the crown. The king assigned portions to various chiefs, or ali‘i, who in turn permitted the lesser chiefs and commoners to use and access the land under a long-standing custom. Land did not pass by inheritance; what the crown gave, it could also take back or reassign to others.

To no one’s surprise, Americans and other foreign residents of Hawai‘i found this system unfamiliar, and especially unfavorable to their own business plans. Foreign advisers to the monarchy eventually persuaded the king to allow private land ownership.

The first land division in 1848 was termed the Great Māhele. In 1850, it was expanded to permit private ownership of land by non-Hawaiians. The upshot was that the king retained some land for himself and distributed most of the rest to his chiefs. The chiefs and the ordinary people did not fully understand the differences between the old and new systems. Soon, significant amounts of the land were purchased by foreign interests.

Eventually, the Great Māhele did produce surveys and surveyors who attempted to record the actual detailed geographic features of the Islands. By the 1880s, the Alexander surveys recorded all the Islands as government documents. The colorful survey map of Maui is notable both for its engaging detail, as well as the way it shows many of the original grants made under the monarchy system.

The rise of tourism in the Islands prior to World War II spurred another kind of map making. These were mainly decorative, illustrated maps created for souvenirs. Printed in many colorful styles, they were often issued by hotels, shipping lines or private companies and helped to popularize knowledge of Hawai‘i. Very popular were the series of cartoon maps by Ruth Taylor White. Stylized views published by Dole Pineapple were also graphically appealing. Many maps from these years bear the initials “T.H.”, for Territory of Hawai‘i.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the entry of the United States into the war made Hawai‘i an important strategic outpost in the Pacific. Maps from this period show the Islands in relation to the movement of ships, planes and troops. While these are not as rare or expensive as some of the early maps of Hawai‘i, they are eagerly sought by collectors of World War II memorabilia.

Alaska and Hawai‘i achieved statehood in 1959, important events in cartographic terms, because it meant that all maps of the U.S. had to be altered. Since both of the new states were far from the Mainland, common practice (even to this day) was to include both areas as insets on existing maps. Often, this led to some confusion, because Hawai‘i is almost never shown in correct scale or in the correct geographic relationship to the North American continent.

Finally, at the end of the 20th century, other new technological developments resulted in computer simulations that helped predict the weather, tides, storms, waves and other activities on land, air and sea near the Islands. Perhaps the most important new tool in map making—one not yet fully utilized—are three-dimensional build-out maps of cities like Honolulu. Using these advanced computer techniques, planners and residents can better visualize and appreciate the impact of ever-increasing development throughout Hawai‘i.

COLLECTING HAWAI‘I MAPS

A love of travel, geography and history often leads to a fascination with maps. Collecting early views of the Hawaiian Islands in original editions is now an expensive hobby. Maps such as the 18th-century Cook General Chart of the Pacific or early 19th-century rarities from the presses at Lahaina Luna can sell for thousands of dollars—if, indeed, you can find them.

On the other hand, map enthusiasts who select a more contemporary period for their collections, or who decide to collect later styles, including the decorative travel and cartoon maps from the territorial era, or early days of statehood, will discover many images available for modest sums.

Once you start to look, you’ll find maps are almost everywhere. New and experienced collectors usually browse catalogs from auction houses and map dealers. They also use the search engines on the Internet to help locate interesting materials at sites like Ebay and Amazon.com.

Advances in computer imaging have also made it possible to own quality facsimiles of early, valuable maps at very affordable prices. Lahaina Printsellers Ltd., a longtime Maui map dealer and the largest gallery in the Pacific trading in original and reproduction antique maps and engravings, has reproduced many of the most important early maps with great fidelity in a long-lasting archival format. The owner, Alan D.C. Walker, has invested thousands of dollars in the French fine-art reproduction process called giclée, which recreates fine-art prints and maps with pigmented inks indistinguishable from the originals. Visit printsellers.com for a complete portfolio of maps.

Some simple care and handling rules will extend the life of your map collection. Use acid-free matting and framing to prevent discoloration. Keep your maps out of direct sunlight and away from humidity changes. Store the maps you aren’t displaying in a cool, stable environment. Keep in mind that whatever the specific focus may be, your Hawai‘i map collection brings enjoyment and knowledge, and often increases in value.                                                                                                    

SUSAN HALAS is a Maui-based writer who has collected Hawai‘i maps for many years. Reach her by e-mail at halas@maui.net

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS For their many essential contributions to the preparation of this special portfolio of Pacific and Hawai‘i antique maps, SPIRIT OF ALOHA would like to acknowledge the generosity of spirit of Alan Walker, owner, and Dave Shively, production director, of Lahaina Printsellers; Thomas Suarez, map historian and writer; Susan Halas, writer; and Rowan Muelling-Auer of Tuttle Publishing, North Clarendon, Vermont. Mahalo nui loa.

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