Hence my recommendation to dip into the primary documents.  They were written at the time, rather than long after the fact.  There is a lot to interpret, of course, but primary documents don't have the overlay of revisionism.  The Cook journals are really interesting once you get past all the nautical observations.  Hawaiians welcomed the British with open arms.

I spent a couple of years in the Kingdom of Tonga when I was young and there was no question about whether or not to abide by their code of conduct.  It was a matter of simple respect.    That experience changed the way I see Hawai`i.

I'm like you--I don't enjoy reliving high school, but I respect my old high school buddies and others who do like it.  I certainly don't believe their present is hideous.