Hawaii Before and After Civilization - Paper Example

Hawaii Before Civilization

Hawaii civilization began in 1778, but before this time, Hawaiians used to live in isolation in the furthest island of Hawaii. They were led by chiefs who kept fighting over territorial boundaries. Following their extreme geographic isolation, Hawaiians were spared from the experience of major infectious diseases that afflicted the rest of the world's population (Bushnell, 35).

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Hawaii After the Coming of the Foreigners

After the coming of the foreigners into the island, the people began to suffer from diseases like measles, smallpox, and chicken pox among others. Their expectations of goodies that come with civilization were not met when they ended up becoming worse than it was in the beginning. In as much as this civilization came with modern doctors, the Hawaiian population was not spared of the viral diseases that never existed back then. The presence of these foreigners also made the natives to turn their backs on their traditional values as they imitate foreigners' way of life leading to erosion of Hawaiians traditional values.

Effects of Civilization to Hawaiians

Disease Outbreak

The outbreak of various unique infections in Hawaii after the invasion of the foreigners into the island really affected the productivity and well-being of Hawaii people. The native physicians, tried their best to develop medications for the diseases but they were defeated (Bushnell, 37). The entire population of Hawaii, therefore, had to eye the foreign doctors since these infections existed in their countries. They came to realize that none of their herbalists could heal the diseases. The native doctors had limited experiences and few resources a sign of their automatic fail to produce a cure for their people. The foreign physicians, therefore, got a chance to bring treatment to Hawaii and rescue the population from being wiped out. In as much as the intrusion of the foreigners saved a significant number of people on the island from dying, their coming was the root cause of all these ailments. These island people used to live a peaceful, healthy life, and their herbalist could manage native infections that attacked the people.

Degradation of Traditional Values/Customs in Hawaii

All foreigners whether good or bad contributed to the disaffection that crept in among the native Hawaiians. Their existence also disrupted the values of these people making the straightest population to lose their way and adopt the western culture. The natives began to question the traditional values they have practised all their lives as they tried to replace them with the new cultures they acquired from the foreign people (Bushnell,199). Even though this transition was bound to occur when the natives meet foreigners at the beaches or ports, those residing at the highland accelerated the transition process. The resident foreigners imposed a rapid pace of change in Hawaii that made the native society to experience stress and harm while adjusting (Bushnell, 199). The island lost its values to those of the foreigners, and the community started to experience weird and uncultured behaviours form its people. Their unwelcomed behaviours made them contract various viral disease following their associations with the visitors some of which they had to seek help from foreigners for treatments.

Conclusion

Hawaiians benefitted little and incurred a lot of suffering for the hospitality they offered the foreigners from the land beyond their horizons (Bushnell,198). The fact that they welcomed foreigners into their territory brought them more harm than good, meaning the people from Hawaii would still be healthy without the coming of these people. The island was full of an innocent race of men and women with dignity and respect (Bushnell, 198). Even though they knew nothing like human rights, the people lived in harmony enjoying the mutual respect that existed among them. They lived according to their traditions, and they knew nothing beyond their horizon.

Work Cited

Bushnell, O. A. The Gifts of Civilization: Germs and Genocide in Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press, 1993.