Why did the Heiau Hawaiians have human sacrifices? (dangerous, moving to)

[Ericthebean]

I don't understand how Aloha spirit went all the way from kindness of today the Aloha...

From a culture of ancient Hawaiians sacrificing human beings and killing them? How did this warrior Hawaii culture take shape? Why did they want to kill when the land is so beautiful?

Instead of eating pineapples and eating plantains and bananas singing songs and doing Luah singing....they killed people why?

[Ericthebean]

I apologize just seeing the sticky note. I guess this should be deleted. It's not about hawaiian sovereignty but I guess history was mentioned in the sticky note also as not something we should post here, and didn't catch that. Sorry

[hotzcatz]

Our moderator requested that such sovereignty discussions be put over on the history part of the City Data website since this is the moving to Hawaii portion. Although having an appreciation for Hawaiian history does sort of relate to moving to Hawaii. It would be similar to moving to Texas and not knowing about the Alamo.

The Hawaiians are and have mostly been a peaceful people, although most groups are in general or they'd not survive as a group. From what I've heard, prior to the "kapu" system (i.e. where places and things were forbidden to the general population) the Hawaiians were some of the most peaceful and happy folks around and that period of time went on for a very long time. That was prior to their written history and was only kept in the verbal histories which Western civilization doesn't seem to have much respect for. At some point, though, there was an imported Samoan priest who started up the kapu system along with the heiau and sacrifices. That was a pretty restrictive set up and very gender restrictive as well. They didn't seem to have any punishment other than death from what I've ever heard, but I've not studied this. Maybe Jonah K will know, he's much more akamai than me.

Once Kamehameha the first died, his favorite wife, Kaahumanu broke the old kapu system by publicly eating with her hanai son, Kamehameha II. Apparently, once one major taboo was broken the rest of the system was invalid as well. There was a period of unrest and upset while the old kapu system was taken down and it wasn't replaced with anything. This is how things were when the first Christian missionaries showed up which might be why they were so well received. Even though they were also a paternalistic and gender biased group, they were much less restrictive than the kapu system which may be why Kaahumanu encouraged them.

Kaahumanu was a very pivotal person in Hawaiian history, you can read more of here here: The Woman Who Changed A Kingdom - Hawaiian Queen Ka'ahumanu although they did add in some conjecture and may not have everything entirely correct, but it's an easy to read over all view.

[Ericthebean]

I know I saw the sticky note after I already made the post and it was too late so happy it works

[KaraBenNemsi]

As any island Hawaii had limited resources. In many cultures the death penalty was given out quick to balance a burgeoning population. Hawaiians were not more or less blood thirsty than other people. Taken out of context often specific punishments or habits looked scandalous or wrong. I.e. the Inuits offer of their wives to strangers.

[hotzcatz]

When you have a small genetic pool, getting more genetics into it is actually a good thing. Many Polynesian and Micronesian cultures had the same methods for gaining new genetics.

[OpenD]

There were also religious aspects to it. Many religions of the world call for sacrifices of various kinds, mostly animals, but human sacrifices have been part of religious ceremonies in widespread locations.

[hawaiian by heart]

Please try to understand that the human sacrifice that happened in Hawai'is history happened in what would be its stone age or mid-evil times. Not much different then europeans stone or mid-evil times except less bloody. But then again western/europeans are still doing the Crusades to this day.

[Unsettomati]

Originally Posted by Ericthebean

I don't understand how Aloha spirit went all the way from kindness of today the Aloha...

From a culture of ancient Hawaiians sacrificing human beings and killing them? How did this warrior Hawaii culture take shape? Why did they want to kill when the land is so beautiful?

Instead of eating pineapples and eating plantains and bananas singing songs and doing Luah singing....they killed people why?

What's not to understand? Cultures change, and often rather quickly.

Consider:
Seventy years ago, the official policy of the German government was to exterminate Jews.
One hundred-fifty years ago, the United States had not yet outlawed slavery.

Human sacrifice occurred in ancient Mesoamerica, ancient Europe - pretty much ancient everywhere. Hawaii was no exception.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Unsettomati

Human sacrifice occurred in ancient Mesoamerica, ancient Europe - pretty much ancient everywhere. Hawaii was no exception.

And the Celts, and the Druids, and the Vikings, and the Aztecs, and the Mayans. And all as a religious expression.

One might reasonably conclude that religion is extremely dangerous.