Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kalanianaʻole Settlement

In 1920, Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, Hawai‘i’s Republican delegate to Congress, drafted the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. In 1921, the federal government of the United States set aside as Hawaiian Homelands approximately 200,000‐acres in the Territory of Hawai‘i as a land trust for homesteading by native Hawaiians.

Prince Kūhiō died at the age of 50, on January 7, 1922. Six months after his passing, the first Hawaiian homesteaders would move to what was referred to as the Kalanianaʻole Colony (sometimes Kalanianaʻole Settlement) on Molokai. Twenty-three lots of approximately 25-acres each, adjoin by 2,000-acres of community pasture were carved out. Later residential lots were added.

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Four Horsemen

“The last great work of Prince Kalanianaʻole was for his people. He labored ceaselessly for more than a year on a scheme of rehabilitation through which it is hoped the Hawaiian may be returned to the land of his ancestors, to live as fisherman and farmer.”

Dubbed the Four Horsemen, Kuhio, Rev Stephen Langhern Desha, Sr, John Carey Lane and Henry Lincoln Holstein worked with others to get “Rehabilitation of the Hawaiians” adopted. On January 7, 1922, 6-months after he had succeeded in having the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act passed, Prince Kuhio passed away.

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Hawaiian Homes

Hawaiians had consistently advocated for homesteading by Hawaiians since the Land Act of 1895 set up five methods of homesteading upon the former government and Crown lands by the general public. Then, a homestead resolution was drafted and debated in Congress.

The US House of Representatives passed this measure on May 22, 1920. With disagreement in the Senate, Hawaiʻi’s delegate, Prince Kūhiō provided amendments and on July 9, 1921 SR 1881 passed both houses and was signed into law. Approximately 200,000‐acres of land was set aside to the Hawaiian Homes Commission as a land trust for homesteading by native Hawaiians.

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ʻĀina Mauna

ʻĀina Mauna, or mountain lands, reflects a term used affectionately by elder Hawaiians to describe the upper regions of all mountain lands. In pre-Contact times, these upper forested lands were left relatively untouched, as they were integral to the functioning of the ahupua‘a due to the water they provided to the lowlands. These upland forests […]

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John Henry Wise

On a cold Saturday afternoon November 19, 1892, Oberlin’s Yeomen football team took the field in Ann Arbor against the heavily favored Michigan Wolverines (which had trounced them handily the year before.)  Oberlin’s new coach, Johann Wilhelm Heisman, brought an undefeated team with him to Ann Arbor. (After several successful years of coaching, Heisman became […]