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History of Hawaii’s
Big Island
The Big Island is the youngest among the islands
of Hawaii. It is only half a million years old. The
Big Island is said to have been first discovered
by travelers from the Marquesas Islands of the
Polynesian region. This was only about one
thousand five hundred (1,500) years ago.
Westerners began coming into the island when
Captain Cook landed in 1778. After a year, the
captain was killed at Kealakekua Bay by tribal
warriors. Regardless, he opened the door for
other travelers to set foot and settle in the island.
At around this time, the Big Island had several
political divisions (or chiefdoms). These chiefdoms
were constantly at war, until they were united in
1791. The unification of the Big Island tribes was
due to the efforts of Kamehameha, who hailed
from Kohala. He ruled the Big Island as king until
1804. After that year, he moved to Oahu, only to
return to the island in 1812, seven years before
he died. Kamehameha is credited as the greatest
king to rule Hawaii.
Western religions first came into the Big Island
in 1820. This was through the efforts of the first
missionaries in the island. They landed in Kailua-Kona, where they
first began their missionary work.
This was followed by other Western travelers. Some of the early
voyagers introduced cattle and sugar into the local agriculture.
This was the roots of Parker Ranch, perhaps one of the oldest and
definitely one of the largest cattle ranches in the Big Island. Sugar
plantations also found a home, later on blooming into one of the
prime industries of Hilo.
To date, the Big Island is at the forefront of Hawaiian industry and
culture. The island’s rich culture and history is now the backdrop
of a very active tourism industry. At the same time, much of the
island’s ancient practices are kept alive because of the modern
traveler’s interest in them.
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