Kealakekua Bay - Captain Cook

Captain Cook

Although there are theories that Spanish or Dutch sailors might have stopped here much earlier, the first documented European to arrive was Captain James Cook. He and his crews on the Resolution and Discovery sighted Kealakekua Bay on the morning of January 17, 1779. He estimated several thousand people lived in the two villages. On January 28, he performed the first Christian service on the islands, for the funeral of a crew member who had died.

Unknown to him, Cook had entered the bay during Makahiki, which might have led some of the Hawaiians to think he was part of the Lono festivities. This was also a traditionally peaceful time of year, so he was welcomed and given food. Cook and his crew stayed for several weeks, returning to sea shortly after the end of the festival. After suffering damage during a storm, the ships returned two weeks later, on February 14. This time relations were not as smooth.

After some Hawaiians took one of Resolution's small boats, Cook attempted to lure Hawaiian chief Kalaniʻōpuʻu aboard to hold as hostage until the boat was returned. A skirmish ensued during which Cook was struck in the head and stabbed, near the spot where he had first set foot on the island. This death was depicted in a series of paintings Death of Cook.

Several local businesses use "Captain Cook" in their name. In fact, the traditional land division (ahupuaʻa) of Kealakekua, is now known as Captain Cook, Hawaii due to a post office located in the Captain Cook Coffee Company store, up the slopes of Mauna Loa. The town now called Kealakekua, Hawaii, was in the land division known as Halekiʻi.