In the artwork that accompanies this story, there’s a reproduction of artist Herb Kawainui Kane’s (1928-2011) painting, “Moment of Contact,” his artistic interpretation of the first contact between Hawaiians and English Capt. James Cook and his men off Kipu Kai, Kauai, on Jan. 19, 1778.
The prelude to that historic moment occurred the day before at dawn on Jan. 18, 1778, when Cook sailed into the midst of an uncharted group of islands and observed the island of Oahu first, and then Kauai.
On the following morning, while sailing toward Kauai, he also saw Niihau on the northwest horizon.
In the afternoon of the 19th, Cook reached the southeast coast of Kauai off Kipu Kai, where Hawaiians launched canoes and paddled out to meet him.
What then occurred was the first contact between Hawaiians and Cook and his men.
These Hawaiians wouldn’t come aboard, but they soon began conversing with the Englishmen and trading began.
Brass medals and pieces of iron were lowered to them by rope.
They sent up sweet potatoes and fish.
Cook observed no anchorage nearby, so he sailed along the southern coast of Kauai in search of one.
Later, on the 20th, Cook’s ships, “Resolution” and “Discovery,” anchored off the mouth of the Waimea River.
Cook then went ashore with a guard of 12 armed marines in three boats to meet hundreds of Hawaiians awaiting him with offerings of bananas, pigs and kapa.
Herbert Kawainui Kane (1928-2011) was a historian and artist whose paintings portrayed both ancient and modern-day Hawaii.
Kane was also a founder of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and he designed and helped build the voyaging canoe Hokulea and served as its first captain.
Raised on the Big Island and in Wisconsin, Kane studied at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Several of his paintings appeared on U.S. postage stamps.
Kane’s other paintings include: “The Discovery of Hawaii,” “Battle at Nuuanu Pali,” “Death of Cook,” “Pele: Goddess of Volcanoes,” “Kapiolani Defying Pele,” “Battles for Hawaii Island,” “Royalty,” and “Impact on Hawaii.”
He and his wife, Deon, had three children: Dou, Jennifer and Susan.
