When Cook sailed into Kealakekua Bay on January 17th 1779 his ships sails resembled a tapa cross, similar to that which the natives ceremoniously carried around the island during the Makahiki Festival which traditionally marked the ceremonial return of the god of good times - Lono. The ruling Ku chiefs would retire to their huts for this period but would again resume their positions of power at the end of the Makahiki period. The natives believed when Cook sailed in that the god Lono had returned and he was welcomed with the kind of idolatory one might expect of a god when he arrived. Over the coming month as the Makahiki Festival time neared its conclusion Cook's aura as a god began to worry the Ku Chiefs who became concerned that Lono (Cook) would not leave Hawaii as he had ceremoniously always done in the past.br/br/A number of incidents made Cook realise that it was time to leave but after 11 days at sea he was forced to return to make repairs to his ships mast.br/This was not well received by the Ku chiefs in particular who saw it as a threat to their power.br/When a boat was stolen Cook attempted to take the king hostage but this was prevented by the Hawaiians. When news reached the Ku Chiefs of the death of a native at the hands of one of Cooks men Cook attempted to leave the beach in a boat on February 14th 1780 but was killed on the beach in a skirmish as he tried to make his escape.br/Essentially Cook was killed because the natives believed he was a god. Cultural misunderstandings led to his death.