The Unfortunate End of Captain Cook

Travel Blog  •  Pam Mandel  •  02.16.09 | 9:57 AM ET

Photo by avlxyz via Flickr (Creative Commons).

The story of Captain Cook’s death—the anniversary of this unfortunate event just passed—is an object lesson in cultural misunderstandings.

Cook and his crew first blew into Kaleakakua Bay while the Pleadies were rising, during the festival of Makahiki. Hawaiian custom deemed that during this time, there was to be no fighting, no conflict of any kind.

It was a time when all wars and battles were ceased, tributes and taxes paid by each district to the ruling chief, sporting competitions and contests between villages were organized, and festive events were commenced. Several of the rigid kapu (regulating religious and social laws) were eased or temporarily set aside to allow more freedom of activity and easy celebration. It was a time of rest and renewal in preparation for the next growing season.—Uncle Charlie, Hawaiian Storyteller

Some stories say Cook was mistaken for the god Lono, the god of peace associated with Makahiki. Mistaken identity or no, Cook’s people were greeted with kindness, generosity and a willingness to overlook their transgressions. After a brief stay, the ship departed, returning some time later to make repairs in the bay which had received them so hospitably the first time.

Someone should have checked the festival calendar. The season of peace was over. The formerly placid Hawaiians stole a canoe. Cook’s crew attempted to take the King of Hawaii hostage as incentive for the Hawaiians to give it back. No longer passive, the Hawaiians put up a fight, and Cook was killed in a skirmish on the beach on Feb. 14, 1779.

It’s simplistic, but I can’t help but wonder if someone—anyone—had bothered to ask, “Hey, anything going on now that we should know about?” Maybe, with a few well-placed questions, the inelegant end of the great explorer could have been avoided.

Tags: Captain Cook, Festivals, Australia & Pacific, North America, United States, Hawaii, The Big Island, Shrinking Planet

Pam Mandel is a freelance writer and photographer from Seattle, Washington. Her work has appeared in a variety of print, radio, and web publications and she's contributed to two guidebooks, one on British Columbia and one on Hawaii. She plays the ukulele, has an internal beacon that is surprisingly capable of locating the best baked goods in town, almost any town, and speaks German with a Styrian accent. Learn more on her personal blog at Nerd's Eye View.


3 Comments for The Unfortunate End of Captain Cook

Travel to Chile 02.16.09 | 11:56 AM ET

That is sad. I have read about Captain Cook in many books. He was a great sailor

Sophia Dembling 02.16.09 | 12:21 PM ET

Wow—who knew this sort of behavior was seasonal?

Lorri 02.16.09 | 8:45 PM ET

He could have given the Hawaiians the canoe, and sailed away. The Hawaiians were quite savage at that time with their superstitions and rituals. They sacrificed virgins into the volcano for the Goddess “PELE”. Sacrificed Virgins to shark gods so as to have a great fishing catch! They killed infant children who had birthmarks as this was a sign of unfavor with the gods. Caption Cook, the great and brave explorer should have been more careful to return. His burial monument is erected on the beach where he died. A beautiful tall white gravestone with the events carved on the surface.

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