The Hawaiian People and Humpbacks A review of the archival, historical, and cultural records of the pre-contact Hawaiians (before Captain Cook’s 1778 visit to the islands) failed to find evidence for any interaction of the Hawaiians with humpbacks, or apparently, even awareness that the whales were present in Hawaiian waters. After an extensive search of the historical record, Herman (1979) concluded that either the whales were not present in significant numbers prior to the early part of the 19th century, or for about 1000 years of habitation of the islands by the Hawaiians, the presence of the whales was ignored. The latter alternative seemed unlikely given the intense interest in and close association of the Hawaiians with the ocean and its inhabitants. This matter is still an open question, however. Herman, L. M. (1979). Humpback whales in Hawaiian waters: A study in historical ecology. Pacific Science 33, 1-15. Back to Top Dolphin Programs | Whale Programs | Education Programs | Our Research | Resource Guide Copyright © 2002, The Dolphin Institute |
