Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Liholiho and the Missionaries

The Pioneer Company of missionaries arrived “On the morning of the 4th of April, 163-day from Boston, we came to anchor, abreast of the village of Kailua … a great number of the natives-men, women and children, from the highest to the lowest rank, including the king and his mother, were amusing themselves in the water.” “(The Missionaries sought) permission to take such situations for a year, a very short probation for such an experiment. This the king granted, not only permitting us to reside and labor at different islands, but offering us such a shelter as the grassy huts of the country afforded”.

While the initial approval of allowing the missionaries to stay in the Islands was an extensive process, on March 18, 1823, Liholiho wrote to the American Mission stating, in part, “The ministers sailed here to do good things for us, we were overjoyed. And later on we may well be fully virtuous. We observe the sacred day of Almighty God in heaven, savior of us all.” “Greatly beloved are all of you for thinking of us, for sending them here. Thankfully you sent teachers or our lands would be completely ignorant. But no, you showed us compassion. Our lands have become enlightened.”

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Kalākua

Kalākua (also Kaheiheimālie) (c. 1778–1842) was daughter of Keʻeaumoku, a chief from Hawaiʻi Island and Namahana, from the royal family on Maui. She was described as physically being ‘tall and gigantic,’ like her siblings. Her siblings included Queen Kaʻahumanu, Hawaiʻi Island Governor John Adams Kuakini, Maui Governor George Cox Kahekili Keʻeaumoku II and Lydia Namahana Piʻia. She first married Kalaʻimamahu, the younger brother of Kamehameha I. Her first daughter, Kekāuluohi, became Kamehameha’s youngest wife.

Kekāuluohi later married Charles Kanaʻina. By Kanaʻina, had a son William Charles Lunalilo (future king of the Islands.) Kalākua married Kamehameha I and had four children: their two sons died as infants; the oldest daughter, Kamāmalu, became wife of Liholiho (Kamehameha II,) and the youngest daughter, Kīnaʻu, later became Kuhina Nui. Kīnaʻu later married Mataio Kekūanāoʻa; they had several children, including Lot Kapuāiwa (Kamehameha V,) Alexander Liholiho (Kamehameha IV) and Victoria. She later married Hoapili. Kalākua was mother of two Queen consorts and grandmother of three future Kings.

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Timeline Tuesday … 1820s

Today’s ‘Timeline Tuesday’ takes us through the 1820s – arrival of the missionaries (Protestant & Catholic,) death of Keōpūolani, Liholiho and Kamāmalu. We look at what was happening in Hawai‘i during this time period and what else was happening around the rest of the world.

A Comparative Timeline illustrates the events with images and short phrases. This helps us to get a better context on what was happening in Hawai‘i versus the rest of the world. I prepared these a few years ago for a planning project. (Ultimately, they never got used for the project, but I thought they might be on interest to others.)

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

He Aupuni Palapala Ko‘u

“E nā ali‘i a me nā maka‘āinana, he aupuni palapala ko‘u, a ‘o ke kanaka pono a na‘auao, ‘o ia ko‘u kanaka.” (To all ali‘i and commoners alike, mine is a literate country, and the just and intelligent man is my countryman. (Kauikeaouli – Kamehameha III; Nūpepa Kū‘oko‘a (May 23, 1868;) Puette) The planning for the formal written Hawaiian language in the early part of the nineteenth century was started by the American Protestant missionaries who arrived in Hawaii, starting in 1820.

“… we commenced printing the language in order to give them letters, libraries, and the living oracles in their own tongue, that the nation might read and understand the wonderful works of God.” Through the collaboration between the Hawaiian Chiefs and the American Protestant missionaries, by 1832, the literacy rate of Hawaiians (at the time was 78 percent) had surpassed that of Americans on the continent. (Laimana)

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“This does not look like me”

“There was no writing in Hawaiian in those days (when the missionaries arrived in Hawai‘i in 1820) – no books or newspapers. … Liholiho (Kamehameha II) asked that his name be written.”

“The missionary wrote it, ‘Li-ho-li-ho.’ Liholiho looked at it long and steady, and then said: ‘This does not look like me, nor any other man.’” The image shows the later signature of Liholiho (Kamehameha II – ‘Tamehameha.’)