---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Early Hawaiians built fires on the top as…"
description: "\"“Early Hawaiians built fires on the top as a navigational aid for canoes traveling along O’ahu’s south shore, a function now provided by the Diamond He..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-schultz-32109_quote_early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-a_1675237.jpg"
---

#  Early Hawaiians built fires on the top as a navigational…

![“Early Hawaiians built fires on the top as a navigational aid for canoes traveling along O’ahu’s south shore, a function now provided by the Diamond Head Light, built in 1917. The name “Diamond Head” dates to the 1800s, when British sailors digging around in the crater found what they thought were…” quote by Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-schultz-32109_quote_early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-a_1675237.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-schultz-32109_quote_early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-a_1675237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-schultz-32109_quote_early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-a_1675237.jpg)

> ““Early Hawaiians built fires on the top as a navigational aid for canoes traveling along O’ahu’s south shore, a function now provided by the Diamond Head Light, built in 1917. The name “Diamond Head” dates to the 1800s, when British sailors digging around in the crater found what they thought were diamonds. They rushed into Honolulu with their newfound treasure, only to discover that the “diamonds” were really worthless calcite crystals—but the name stuck.””

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage explains that early Hawaiian navigational fires were replaced by modern lighthouses, and that the name “Diamond Head” originated from a mistaken belief that found were diamonds.

**In simple terms:** Historical navigation evolved, and a misnamed landmark persists.

Key Takeaway

Learn how technology and myths shape place names.

Themes

history navigation myths geography

Mood

informative curious

Type

educational historical

When to use this quote

- tourism
- educational programs
- heritage preservation

Key Concepts

Cultural heritage misidentification technological progress

Questions to Reflect On

- What other places retain names from historical errors?
- How do modern technologies reinterpret traditional practices?

A Different Perspective

Names can persist even after their original meaning is disproved.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diamond/) [Diamond Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diamond-head-902581/) [Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diamonds/) [Early Hawaiians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-hawaiians-902583/) [Hawaiians Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hawaiians-built-902582/)

## Related quotes

> [“All implements of war or industry known to the early Hawaiians were made either of wood, stone, or bone, as the islands are destitute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-david-kalakaua/all-implements-of-war-or-industry-known-to-the-early-hawaiians-were/)

[King David Kalakaua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-david-kalakaua/)

> [Diamonds are forever, and so is Ric Flair!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-flair/diamonds-are-forever-and-so-is-ric-flair/)

[Ric Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-flair/)

> [“We all come into the world rocks, but the enlightened leave it diamonds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/we-all-come-into-the-world-rocks-but-the-enlightened-leave-it-diamonds/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [How about "diamonds are a girl's best friends"? Nope. It should be switched around and pointed out, instead, that your best friends are diamonds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-barreca/how-about-diamonds-are-a-girl-s-best-friends-nope-it-should-be/)

[Gina Barreca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-barreca/)

> [Guard your own spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/guard-your-own-spare-moments-they-are-like-uncut-diamonds/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [Lots of women are gifting themselves with diamonds for their right hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/lots-of-women-are-gifting-themselves-with-diamonds-for-their-right/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [“Pressure does two things – bursts pipes and creates diamonds. Which one are you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cook/pressure-does-two-things-bursts-pipes-and-creates-diamonds-which-one/)

[Brian Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cook/)

> [People always ask me if I believe diamonds are a girl's best friend. Frankly, I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/people-always-ask-me-if-i-believe-diamonds-are-a-girl-s-best-friend/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [I wear black diamonds instead of regular ones because I’m not flashy, just flossssy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/i-wear-black-diamonds-instead-of-regular-ones-because-i-m-not-flashy/)

[Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/)

> [“Shattered edges of the diamonds rough sets to cut the unsuspecting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/shattered-edges-of-the-diamonds-rough-sets-to-cut-the-unsuspecting/)

[Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/)

> [If I collected all the diamonds in the world, I'd have no 'income' but I'd have a lot of 'assets'. Would my company be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/if-i-collected-all-the-diamonds-in-the-world-i-d-have-no-income-but-i/)

[Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/)

> [Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rough-diamonds-may-sometimes-be-mistaken-for-worthless-pebbles/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I am a black diamond, unfaceted. Black diamonds are rare, hard to cut, and therefore uncommercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/i-am-a-black-diamond-unfaceted-black-diamonds-are-rare-hard-to-cut/)

[Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/)

> [What do nations care about the cost of war, if by spending a few hundred millions in steel and gunpowder they can gain a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-nations-care-about-the-cost-of-war-if-by-spending-a-few/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The sky was a sparkling succession of black diamonds on black velvet made crystal clear by the blackout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/the-sky-was-a-sparkling-succession-of-black-diamonds-on-black-velvet/)

[Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/)

## More by Patricia Schultz

> [“Over 300,000 veterans from the U.S. armed forces, from the Revolutionary War to the war in Iraq, have been laid to rest in these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/over-300-000-veterans-from-the-u-s-armed-forces-from-the/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“If you dine at SkyCity, revolving just beneath the 520-foot-high observation deck, the elevator ride is free (otherwise it’s $18), but be forewarned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/if-you-dine-at-skycity-revolving-just-beneath-the-520-foot-high/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“(Montana may never be considered the epicenter of modern life, but about 65 to 70 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous period, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/montana-may-never-be-considered-the-epicenter-of-modern-life-but/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“The most visited resident of Balboa Park is the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Dating back to 1916, and more parklike than a traditional zoo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/the-most-visited-resident-of-balboa-park-is-the-world-famous-san/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“In business since 1948 and claiming to serve 10,000 meals a day, the Rendezvous lies in a busy cellar down an alley near the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/in-business-since-1948-and-claiming-to-serve-10-000-meals-a-day-the/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“Denver’s first permanent structure was said to be a saloon, and more beer is brewed here today than in any other American city, earning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/denver-s-first-permanent-structure-was-said-to-be-a-saloon-and-more/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“Beanfest also holds the Great Arkansas Championship Outhouse Race in which teams from Arkansas and states as far as Louisiana and Missouri push outhouses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/beanfest-also-holds-the-great-arkansas-championship-outhouse-race-in/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“Texas barbecue is so good, you don’t need barbecue sauce, and some places don’t bother to serve it, believing that it distracts from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/texas-barbecue-is-so-good-you-don-t-need-barbecue-sauce-and-some/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“don’t forget to look for that famous “Hollywood” sign. The 50-foot-high sign was placed atop Mt. Lee in the Hollywood Hills in 1923 as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/don-t-forget-to-look-for-that-famous-hollywood-sign-the-50-foot-high/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“With upwards of a million people attending, give yourself over to the crowd and join a massive 100,000-strong conga line like the one that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/with-upwards-of-a-million-people-attending-give-yourself-over-to-the/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“The original Starbucks began in Pike Place Market (see p. 897) as a plain-Jane hole-in-the-wall coffee shop but, having awakened a coffee revolution, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/the-original-starbucks-began-in-pike-place-market-see-p-897-as-a/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“Any adult with an ID can get a free “reader identification” and use the library.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/any-adult-with-an-id-can-get-a-free-reader-identification-and-use-the/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“The island, a miracle of diversity, contains 11 of Earth’s 13 climate zones—from lush tropical rain forests to desolate, black lava deserts to arctic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/the-island-a-miracle-of-diversity-contains-11-of-earth-s-13-climate/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“The 50-minute flights go from Hanapepe Valley to Mana Waiapuna, also known as “Jurassic Park Falls,” then on to some of Kauai’s most beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/the-50-minute-flights-go-from-hanapepe-valley-to-mana-waiapuna-also/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

> [“There really is no downside to travel, save a little jet lag and a dented bank account. A small price to pay for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/there-really-is-no-downside-to-travel-save-a-little-jet-lag-and-a/)

[Patricia Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

[Explore all 16 Patricia Schultz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/)

## More Diamond quotes

> [People from all walks of life that you might find as a King Diamond fan - you don't look a certain way; you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-diamond/people-from-all-walks-of-life-that-you-might-find-as-a-king-diamond/)

[King Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-diamond/)

> [Asanas bring perfection in body, beauty in form, grace, strength, compactness, and the hardness and brilliance of a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/asanas-bring-perfection-in-body-beauty-in-form-grace-strength/)

[Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/)

> [The brightest and most valuable diamond started life as just a lump of carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dilger/the-brightest-and-most-valuable-diamond-started-life-as-just-a-lump/)

[Peter Dilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dilger/)

> [It was an incredible experience performing for the members and attendees at the Diamond Resorts Invitational; it was such an impressive event, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/it-was-an-incredible-experience-performing-for-the-members-and/)

[Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/)

> [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [The only difference between black coal and a precious diamond is the amount of pressure it endured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/the-only-difference-between-black-coal-and-a-precious-diamond-is-the/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I like everything with a heaping dose of feminitity, including my cell phone. I created this phone for the classic woman, who like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/i-like-everything-with-a-heaping-dose-of-feminitity-including-my-cell/)

[Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/)

> [The sky was a sparkling succession of black diamonds on black velvet made crystal clear by the blackout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/the-sky-was-a-sparkling-succession-of-black-diamonds-on-black-velvet/)

[Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/)

> [“You're the proverbial diamond in the rough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/you-re-the-proverbial-diamond-in-the-rough/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [My crown is in my heart, not on my head; not decked with diamonds and Indian stones, nor to be seen: my crown is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-crown-is-in-my-heart-not-on-my-head-not-decked-with-diamonds-and/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Instead of the 1997 film directed, written, by James Cameron with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane creating a love story and a large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-baker/instead-of-the-1997-film-directed-written-by-james-cameron-with/)

[Tom Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-baker/)

> [“I had a dream that my boyfriend went back to his ex…I woke up and giggled because you don’t pick up a rock after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starley-ard/i-had-a-dream-that-my-boyfriend-went-back-to-his-ex-i-woke-up-and/)

[Starley Ard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starley-ard/)

> [I'll just do a round around of the house and make sure the rest of the family are fast asleep. We don't want that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerstin-gier/i-ll-just-do-a-round-around-of-the-house-and-make-sure-the-rest-of/)

[Kerstin Gier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerstin-gier/)

> [“A diamond's happy ending is on a crown, but its beauty was formed in dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-diamond-s-happy-ending-is-on-a-crown-but-its-beauty-was-formed-in/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [What do nations care about the cost of war, if by spending a few hundred millions in steel and gunpowder they can gain a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-nations-care-about-the-cost-of-war-if-by-spending-a-few/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 1,004 Diamond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diamond/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Early Hawaiians built fires on the top as a navigational aid for canoes traveling along O’ahu’s south shore, a function now provided by the Diamond Head Light, built in 1917. The name “Diamond Head” dates to the 1800s, when British sailors digging around in the crater found what they thought were diamonds. They rushed into Honolulu with their newfound treasure, only to discover that the “diamonds” were really worthless calcite crystals—but the name stuck.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patricia Schultz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-as-a-navigational-aid-for/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Diamond"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-as-a-navigational-aid-for/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-schultz-32109_quote_early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-a_1675237.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-schultz-32109_quote_early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-a_1675237.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/patricia-schultz-32109_quote_early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-a_1675237.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Early Hawaiians built fires on the top as a navigational aid for canoes traveling along O’ahu’s south shore…” — Patricia Schultz",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Patricia Schultz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schultz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Early Hawaiians built fires on the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-as-a-navigational-aid-for/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schultz/early-hawaiians-built-fires-on-the-top-as-a-navigational-aid-for/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
