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Norwegians in Hawaii Conflict in Plantation Society Jon Satrum

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Norwegians in Hawaii Conflict in Plantation Society Jon Satrum 1881 – NORWEGIANS IN HAWAII CONFLICT IN PLANTATION SOCIETY JON SATRUM A PAPER FOR THE NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION IN NORWAY Norwegian-American seminar XI JUNE 14-17, 2011 PRESENTED - JUNE 16, 2011 DECORAH, IOWA 1881 – NORWEGIANS IN HAWAII CONFLICT IN PLANTATION SOCIETY JON SATRUM Abstract The study of Norwegian emigration often focuses on the three main waves of Norwegians leaving their country for America, the journey that brought them there, and their experience in their newly adopted land. 1 One little discussed part of Norwegian emigration history involves ships sailing to Hawaii in 1881 with Norwegians hired to work on the sugar plantations of Hawaii. This was not purely “emigration”, as they were hired under contract to work for a specified period and then were free to leave. Some stayed, and many traveled to other new homes outside of Norway. Immediately on arriving in Hawaii, the Norwegians found conditions other than what they believed they were promised. The mismatch in expectations only increased across time as was cited in an 1882 article titled “The Norwegian, what to do with him?” 2 Table of Contents 1) Introduction 2) Conditions in Hawaii 3) Conditions in Norway 4) Impact of Norwegians already in Hawaii 4.1) Captain Henrik Christian L’Orange 4.2) Valdemar Emil Knudsen 5) The sea voyage 5.1) The bark “Beta” 5.2) The bark “Musca” 6) The plantation experience 7) Conflict, awareness, and resolution 2 | P a g e Introduction A limited number of books or papers have been written about this topic or at least referenced it. This paper is intended as an overview of what transpired at that point in Norwegian emigration history and perhaps as an impetus for the reader to search further. While researching available documents, I noted discrepancies in previously reported “facts” including dates of events, numbers of people, and even conclusions regarding the events. Especially with dates and numbers, if there was a difference I attempted to use the one most commonly used by others. Also many of the references relate to the experience on Maui although the other islands are mentioned as well. Ingen nevnt, ingen glemt - No one mentioned, no one forgotten. As soon as you single out a source for additional focus you are open to criticism for not mentioning others. The footnotes in this paper reference multiple sources but it is still worthwhile to mention two sources that may be of interest to the reader. Torbjørn Gripsland’s book “Aloha from forgotten Norwegians in Hawaii - From life in slavery to life in a vacation paradise”. Written in Norwegian, with an additional 62 pages in English, Gripsland’s book takes a much broader view of Hawaii. Eleanor and Carl Davis’ paper “Norwegian Labor in Hawaii – The Norse Immigrants”. While written for the Industrial Relations Center of the University of Hawaii under the umbrella of understanding labor-management problems it is one of the most concise “recaps” of this part of Norwegian history. Referencing only this source, the reader would have the essential facts regarding Norwegian emigration to Hawaii in 1880-1881. This paper was created as a submission for the Norwegian-American Historical Association in Norway’s Norwegian-American Seminar XI, June 14-17, 2011. A plaque on a cliff on the island of Maui sets the stage for this paper. Its inscription gives us the initial framework. “This monument commemorates the arrival of the Norwegian barque Beta which dropped anchor near this spot on February 18, 1881, and of her sister ship Musca, which arrived in Honolulu May 13, 1881. They brought more than six hundred Norwegians, Swedes and Danes to work in the sugar cane fields and mills of the Hawaiian Kingdom - the first and only mass migration of Scandinavians to these islands. For their contribution to the life of this land, as well as those of their countrymen who proceeded or followed, our mahalo and aloha. The Scandinavian Centennial Commission, February 14, 1981, the centennial date. This monument was restored in the year 2006, in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Scandinavians arrival in Hawaii”. 3 | P a g e Conditions in Hawaii William Dorrance’s book Sugar Islands highlights conditions that led to foreigners purchasing land in Hawaii, expanding the production of sugar, and creating an increased need for labor. “The years before 1850 were especially difficult because all land was owned by the Hawaiian Kingdom. The best a sugar manufacturer could do was win a rare lease, or rely on cane grown by natives. Finally, in 1846, King Kamehameha III (1813-1854) formed a land commission leading to the Great Mahele. Titles to the Kingdom’s lands were apportioned among the royal family, the government, and the chiefs. An 1850 act broadened the Mahele to include land titles for commoners. The way was opened for foreigners to purchase land to cultivate sugarcane”.3 In the period from 1852 to 1868 the Kingdom unsuccessfully tried laborers from China and Japan and by 1873, 50% of able bodied Hawaiian males were working in the plantations. There was still a labor shortage and the demand for labor was about to increase dramatically. As a result of the 1875-1876 reciprocity treaty between The Kingdom of Hawaii and the United States, the kingdom gained tariff-free access to U.S. markets for sugar, creating further demand for labor. This need for more workers occurred at the same time the Hawaiian population was in serious decline and had dropped to approximately 300,000 people. Without enough workers, sugar cane was left rotting in the fields. Having already acquired workers from the Marshal Islands, the Marquesas, China and Japan, as well as South Sea Islanders, in 1880 the Kingdom decided to bring workers from Europe. These workers would come mainly from Portugal, Germany, and Norway. This use of Norwegian workers had been proposed earlier by Norwegian Captain Henrik Christian L’Orange and is discussed further in the section on L’Orange. Captain L’Orange was ultimately selected as the representative who would go to Norway to recruit these laborers. Of great importance to the Kingdom of Hawaii, the search for more workers would continue with King Kalākaua’s 1881 trip around the world, which had as one of its main objectives the study of possible sources of immigrants. 4 4 | P a g e Conditions in Norway Much has been written about the reasons why people left Norway at various points in history. This paper mentions only a few that relate to who was prone to leave at this particular time and why they chose Hawaii as their destination. In 1881 Norway was suffering from an industrial depression with high unemployment and much poverty. Thousands were leaving for other lands. This occurred at a time when there was actually a local demand for more farm laborers. These circumstances partially determined who would be in the mix of people signing contracts as Hawaiian plantation workers. The following advertisement was placed in the newspapers of Drammen. “To the Emigrants for the Sandwich Islands” “Contracts with those who will go to the Sandwich Islands are drawn up and signed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and the following days at the office of Hans P. Faye at Drammen from 11 to 3 o’clock. The parties must be provided with good recommendations, and attestations for good and faultless behaviours. Parties under obligation of military service must bring release from service. Signature of minors must, to be valid, be confirmed by guardian. “The conditions are now regulated, and thus fixed: Laborers over 30 years, 9 dollars; under 20 years, somewhat less, per month, with free board, or board-money and free lodgings, families may bring two children with them. Free passage and board, which is not to be worked out afterwards. “Chr. L’Orange, Agent For the Hawaiian Bureau of Immigration, Sandwich Islands” Free passage and board was a key factor for some who signed contracts to go to Hawaii. They may not have had the money to allow them to leave Norway, and others may not have wanted to risk the money they did have on the possibility of a better life elsewhere. The fact that L’Orange, Knudsen, Anton Faye and other Norwegians from Drammen were already in Hawaii also made it an easier decision for some of the emigrants. The contracts the emigrants signed were specific as to the number of hours to be worked and what would be provided. They also provided for penalties if the contracts were not fulfilled. These penalties included paying the employer for loss of time worked, serving double the time lost and the possibility of being sent to prison and having to pay court costs. 5 | P a g e When all was agreed to, the emigrants signed two contracts - one in Norwegian for the Bureau of Immigration and one in English by the planter and the worker. A worker was allowed to break the contract by repaying the costs of the sea voyage. Differences in contract wording between these two versions would later become part of the conflict arising between the plantations and the workers. Mentioned earlier, Norway actually had a local need for farm workers at this time and yet those were the very people the planters needed. With not enough of these individuals, L’Orange started recruiting from other groups to fill his ship. Later in the discussion of conflict between the workers and the plantation owners, this mismatch between the type of worker needed and the type of worker recruited will come into play. The planters were anxious for the new workers to arrive.
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