From the "Narrative of a Voyage Round the World", we are able to grasp a further understanding of the toll the missionaries were taking on the surf-riding tradition the native's had. Not only was the tradition being suppressed, but also were the spirits of the Hawaiians. Ruschenberger points out how it is in the nature of the Natives to spend more of their time in the ocean than at work, "Now, simply desisting from labour is not rest, particularly in young subjects; people, to enjoy life, require more; they want amusement, without which they flag, the spirits drop, disease follows, and they drag on a miserable, misanthropic existence, till death closes the scene," (95). To further the Calvanistic influences, the Native Cheifs were taught by missionaries that if they were to continue to ride the waves like they do, they would be displeasing heaven directly themselves, and upsetting God, and which point the Natives had no choice but to consider "customs so hazardous to their vassals." I also find it interesting that the word "vassals" was specifically used here to describe the both the founders of the land whom brought surf riding with them, and to describe the new "founders" of the land; the missionaries.
Ruschenberger goes on to compare the Hawaiian culture to that of Western Civilization; the working-for-worth society. Hawaii is nothing like the continent in its culture, ideologies, ethics, religion, and practices, "the practice in the middle and northern sections of the country, must not be taken as a rule, for there is perhaps no civilized people on earth, with the same opportunities, who spend so little time in sports and amusements...when the vivacity and elasticity of mind and body have already disappeared, and the organism is no longer sensible to pleasure" (95). It has been made very clear that the two cultures do not mesh, and cannot survive together, one would have to submit; the less aggressive greed driven culture of the Natives.
-Kaeliann Hulett
Kaeli -
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I think there is a bit of confusion about "vassals," which in this context is referring to the commoners, or the people that the alii class of chiefs would be responsible for. So although the missionaries ultimately had a primary influence, it was the nature of the alii, caring about the souls of their people, that was being exploited to suppress indigenous surf-riding. Secondly, and more importantly, I have to firmly disagree with your take on culture, being that it is fairly black-and-white. If you take culture to mean the predominant form of day-to-day life, than yes, seemingly, the indigenous culture has been swallowed by the American hegemony (but who knows how different a contemporary Hawaii, even if never appropriated by the US, would be from ancient Hawaii as well). But many aspects of ancient Hawaiian culture continue to be practiced and thrive today, some, like the language, are even stronger today than they were 100 years ago - not to mention hula, surfing, taro aqua-culture, tatua, et al. That said, don't let my disagreeing with you discourage you at all, I appreciate your willingness to make opinionated claims, just be willing to back them. It'd be great to hear back if I have misinterpreted your intended message.
- Trey