Ali’i / Chiefs / Governance | Page 103

September 12, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Ali‘i Letters – Kaʻahumanu to Evarts (1831)

Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives (Mission Houses) collaborated with Awaiaulu Foundation to digitize, transcribe, translate and annotate over 200-letters written by 33-Chiefs.

The letters, written between 1823 and 1887, are assembled from three different collections: the ABCFM Collection held by Harvard’s Houghton Library, the HEA Collection of the Hawaii Conference-United Church of Christ and the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society.

These letters provide insight into what the Ali‘i (Chiefs) were doing and thinking at the time, as well as demonstrate the close working relationship and collaboration between the aliʻi and the missionaries.

In this letter, Elisabeth Kaʻahumanu writes to Mr. Jeremiah Evarts regarding the success of the mission in Hawaiʻi. She includes her religious sentiments to the brethren of the ABCFM.

Jeremiah F. Evarts was an early leader of the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions (ABCFM). He was a reformer who advocated for the rights of Native Americans and wrote under the pseudonym William Penn.

Kaʻahumanu, favorite wife of Kamehameha I, served as the Kuhina Nui, or regent at the time of this letter. She became a staunch advocate for literacy and Christianity for all her people.

“Oahu September 11, 1831”

“Regards to you, Mr. Evarts, missionary superintendent and my first brother in Christ Jesus,”

“Here is my message to you along with my joy.”

“Here I live by the voice of salvation of Jesus Christ who resurrected me from death. I was dwelling in the core of death. I was adorned and bedecked by the glory of death and its symbols.”

“When I heard the voice of Jesus sounding in my ears, it was a chill in my heart, speaking as follows, [“]Come unto to me all of you who are weary and heavy-laden and I shall give you rest.[”]”

“And his voice then said again, [“]He who thirsts, let him come and drink the waters of salvation.[”] So, I rose to come and lie under the shelter of his feet, with great trepidation.”

“Here I am bearing his yoke, thinking to myself that I am unable to move his yoke, he being the one who enables me with his assistance night and day; there I forever dwell in his glory and his love for me.”

“There is my desire and my affection, with the intention of my heart and my spirit to submit to Jesus. There my mouth and my tongue shall forever give thanks for the life I live until I join in his everlasting glory. That is my humble message to you.”

“Here is this other message of mine to you. I am grateful for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for his assistance in sending new teachers for us.”

“They have arrived and we have beheld their eyes and faces. We met in the presence of our Lord and in our own presence with gratitude to our Lord for protecting them on the ocean until they arrived here in Hawaii.”

“We abide here, teaching the native language of Hawaii so they will understand. Then, we sow the gardens with fruitful seeds for eternal salvation.”

“At that point, my elder brethren, them [the teachers] and my native brothers and sisters together will take up the will of our Lord in this archipelago, praying to him to assist so that the bumpy places be smoothed by him through his intentions for these islands from Hawaii to Kauai.”

“But my adopted child and I carried the word of our Lord from Hawaii to Kauai with love in our hearts for God, traveling to speak of his love, his word, and his laws and to tell people that they should abide by them.”

“That is what we, my adopted child and I, speak of. It is not according to our will, but according to the will of the Lord that we take this up.”

“That is my humble message to you.”

“Here is another remaining message that I say to you. Do express my regard to the brethren in Christ and my beloved sisters in Christ Jesus. Here are my regards to you all.”

“Do pray often to God for all the lands of the unenlightened, for all those remaining in enlightened lands, and for us as well and we shall do the same with the brethren here.”

“Pray often to God for the unenlightened lands, and for the remainder of those in enlightened lands, and for you all as well.”

“Thus we beseech our Lord so all peoples cooperate through him that his kingdom be unified to the bounds of the earth, and so all people unite behind him to praise his everlasting name.”

“That is my message of affection to you all. Deep regards to you.”

“Though we may not meet in person in this world, it is our hope that if we do meet in this world, our souls will also meet in the glory of the kingdom of our Lord of salvation, Jesus Christ.”

“That is the end of the message to you.”

“By Elisabeth Kaahumanu”

Click HERE to link to the original letter, its transcription, translation and annotation.

On October 23, 1819, the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries from the northeast US, led by Hiram Bingham, set sail on the Thaddeus for the Sandwich Islands (now known as Hawai‘i.) They arrived in the Islands and anchored at Kailua-Kona on April 4, 1820.

Over the course of a little over 40-years (1820-1863 – the “Missionary Period”,) about 180-men and women in twelve Companies served in Hawaiʻi to carry out the mission of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) in the Hawaiian Islands.

One of the earliest efforts of the missionaries, who arrived in 1820, was the identification and selection of important communities (generally near ports and aliʻi residences) as “stations” for the regional church and school centers across the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Mission Houses’ Strategic Plan themes note that the collaboration between Native Hawaiians and American Protestant missionaries resulted in the
• The introduction of Christianity;
• The development of a written Hawaiian language and establishment of schools that resulted in widespread literacy;
• The promulgation of the concept of constitutional government;
• The combination of Hawaiian with Western medicine, and
• The evolution of a new and distinctive musical tradition (with harmony and choral singing).

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Kaahumanu to Evarts – September 11, 1831-1

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Kaahumanu to Evarts – September 11, 1831-3

September 11, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Chiefs Meeting King George IV

Liholiho (Kamehameha II) sailed from Honolulu, November 27, 1823, accompanied by his favorite wife Kamāmalu, Boki and his wife Liliha, Kekūanāo’a, Kapihe, Manuia, James Young Kanehoa, a few servants, and his interpreter John Rives.

The ship L’Aigle arrived at Portsmouth, England, about May 18, 1824. The Hawaiian party was conducted to London by the master of the vessel, Captain Valentine Starbuck. As soon as the government learned of their arrival. it immediately assumed the charge and direction of their entertainment. (Kuykendall)

In London, Liholiho and Kamāmalu became ill. It is believed they probably contracted the measles on their visit to the Royal Military Asylum (now the Duke of York’s Royal Military School.) Virtually the entire royal party developed measles within weeks of arrival, 7 to 10 days after visiting the Royal Military Asylum housing hundreds of soldiers’ children.

Kamāmalu (aged 22) died on July 8, 1824. The grief-stricken Kamehameha II (age 27) died six days later, on July 14, 1824. Prior to his death he asked to return and be buried in Hawai‘i.

George Canning, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs informed King George IV, noting “Mr. Canning hardly knows whether he does right in venturing to intrude upon your Majesty with the intelligence of the death of the King of the Sandwich Islands …”

“… but as it will probably be repeated in the Newspapers of this Evening, he thinks that your Majesty may perhaps forgive the intrusion. The Event took place early this morning. “

“Mr. Canning humbly presumes that Your Majesty will not disapprove of a Ship of War being allowed to carry back the Suite of the deceased Chief, with the remains of himself and his wife, to the Sandwich Islands …”

“… an Attention perhaps the more advisable as the Governments both of Russia and of the United States of America are known to have their Eyes upon those Islands: which may ere long become a very important Station in the trade between the NW Coast of America and the China Seas.” (Report of the Historical Commission, Territory of Hawaii, 1925)

By the death of the king, Boki became the leader of the party. After they had all regained their health and arrangements had been completed for their return to Hawaii, an interview was held (September 11, 1824) with King George IV who was accompanied by Secretary Canning and some other officials. (Kuykendall)

“We first entered the palace of the king, and afterwards the king entered and his friends; and then came also two chiefs, one of whom was called Kalaimoku, (Mr. Canning,) and another besides him. We then were introduced. King George IV stood before Boki and said to him, and we heard it.”

“‘I exceedingly regret the recent death of your king and his wife. The chiefs and people will think, perhaps, that I have been inattentive to your king …’”

“‘ … but it is not so, for the same medicine and the same physicians have been employed as are employed by the chiefs of this nation. On account of the severity of the disease, he died.’”

“Then King George asked Boki the chief …, ‘As you have come to this country, and the king has died here, who will be king of the land?’ Boki answered … ‘His Majesty’s younger brother will be king, but it is for Kaahumanu and Kalaimoku to take care of the country.’”

“The king then asked Boki ‘What was the business on which you and your king came to this country?’ … Then Boki declared to him the reason of our sailing to Great Britain.”

“‘We have come to confirm the words which Kamehameha I gave in charge to Vancouver, thus, ‘go back and tell King George to watch over me and my whole kingdom.’”

“‘I acknowledge him as my landlord and myself as tenant, (or him as superior and I as inferior.) Should the foreigners of any other nation come to take possession of my lands, then let him help me.’”

“And when King George had heard, he thus said to Boki, ‘I have heard these words. I will attend to the evil from without. The evils within your kingdom it is not for me to regard – they are with yourselves.’”

“‘Return and say to the King, to Ka‘ahumanu and to Kalaimoku, I will watch over your country. I will not take possession of it for mine, but I will watch over it, lest evils should come from others to the kingdom. I therefore, will watch over him agreeably to those ancient words.’”

“Then James Young told Boki the words of the king, – then we heard all these words, Boki, Liliha, Kapihe, Naukana and James Young, heard these words.”

“I also, Kekūanāo’a – we all heard the words of the king to Boki; but the most of the whole company is (are) dead, two of us only remain, viz, James Young and myself.” (Kekūanāo‘a in Report of the Foreign Minister, 1855)

Kanehoa reiterated these statements in a later communication to Wyllie, “At the interview between George IVth and the chiefs, I acted as Interpreter, Rives not being permitted to appear at the interview.”

“Boki informed George IVth that the king had intended to place his Islands under his protection, to which George IVth replied, you must look after the inside affairs, and I will look after the outside …”

“… this affair of the protectorate formed the chief topic of the interview.” (Kanehoa to RC Wyllie (Minister of Foreign Affairs,) January 31, 1851 in Polynesian, October 11, 1851)

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September 1, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Aliʻi Letters Kalama to Cookes (September 1, 1847)

Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives (Mission Houses) collaborated with Awaiaulu Foundation to digitize, transcribe, translate and annotate over 200-letters written by 33-Chiefs.

In this letter, Kalama writes to Mr. and Mrs. Cooke apologizing about a wrong that she has done in the past. Hakaleleponi Kapākūhaili Kalama was Kamehameha III’s wife.

Amos Starr Cooke and wife were members of the eighth company of missionaries, and were selected as the teachers of the Chiefs’ Children’s School in Honolulu.

In part, the letter notes:

“September 1, 1847”

“Greetings to you both, Mr. and Mrs. Cooke,”

“I am expressing my thoughts to the two of you about my seeing your invitation in the letter to the king on the 30th of this past August, to go to Loeau’s wedding tomorrow evening, and I was also invited by the letter to go as well.”

“It seems wrong to me that I go, for I have wronged you both and everyone there. Therefore, I am apologizing before the Lord for my wrongdoing towards him.”

“As for your inviting me to attend as well, I, the wrongdoer, shall oblige, and may you both forgive me for my wrong, as my apologies are sincere.”

“Yours truly, with gratitude Hazeleleponi”

Here’s a link to the original letter, its transcription, translation and annotation (scroll down):

https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/1968337977302c848934f630507fde21.pdf

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Kalama Hazeleleponi – Cookes Sep 1, 1847-1

Kalama Hazeleleponi – Cookes Sep 1, 1847-2

August 24, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

ʻIolani Palace ‘Fountain’

Water supply was relatively primitive in the early days of Honolulu. The residents commonly relied on the water from springs and streams, sometimes carrying calabashes of water great distances over rugged terrain.

Wm R Warren reportedly made the earliest attempt to dig a well in Honolulu, around 1820, but failed to find water. The first successful well was dug two years later by Joseph Navarro in his yard near the Bethel.

Visiting Honolulu about the same time, in 1822, Tyerman and Bennet recorded that “good fresh water is obtained from wells sunk eight or ten feet through the coral reef.”

The first unit of a public water system was completed by March 31, 1848, using lead pipe acquired from Ladd & Co. the previous September.

According to the Minister of the Interior, “a water tank, for the convenience of shipping, was placed in the basement of the new Harbor Master and Pilots’ Office, near the wharf (foot of Nu‘uanu street), and it was supplied through a leaden pipe from a reservoir at Pelekane….” (Schmitt)

After the completion of the Bates Street reservoir in 1851, nearby businesses and homes were connected with the main. The system was further expanded in 1860-1861, eventually covering most of the city.

The first artesian well in the Islands was drilled in the summer of 1879 near James Campbell’s ranch house in Ewa and on September 22, a good flow of water was obtained. On April 28, 1880, an artesian well was successfully completed on the land of A. Marques near Punahou. (Schmitt)

To supply water for ʻIolani Palace, Kalākaua authorized a well on Palace grounds. “On Saturday morning (January 27, 1883) at 5 o’clock the water was reached in the well sunk in the Palace yard.”

“No means were available to stop or check the flow, and the whole grounds were soon covered with water. Alakea and Richard streets, from King street to the sea, were flooded all day.” (Daily Bulletin, January 29, 1883)

“Water was struck at the artesian well which is being sunk at the Palace grounds by Messrs McCandless and Braden … an increased flow was struck at a total depth of 760-feet the water rising fully six inches above the top of the 8 3/8 iron pipe.”

“Very little obstruction has been encountered during the sinking of the well, the soil being mostly of a clayey description. The stream whistles which announced the strike of water, both on the morning and evening, sent many people wandering to the wharves to look for the Suez.” (Hawaiian Gazette, January 31, 1883)

However, concern was raised on the impact of the Palace well on the city’s water supply. “During the last three weeks the water in the well in the Palace yard has fallen two inches. That is, it now rises to one foot below the height to which it rose when it was first bored.”

“At this rate it would take less than 10 years to lower the water to such an extent that no Artesian well on the would flow.”

“And that calculation is based on the supposition that no more wells will be bored and that no greater consumption of water will be found during that time than at present.” (Hawaiian Gazette, July 13, 1883)

“On Monday the well in the Palace yard was connected with the mains along Hotel street to Nu‘uanu, and up Fort, Richard, and Alakea streets to Beretania, so that we have that additional supply.” (Hawaiian Gazette, July 13, 1883)

Later, “During those periods when there was a shortage in the water supply of Honolulu, especially in the hot summer months and at which time the Water Department of the City and County of Honolulu limited the hours in which irrigation was permitted …”

“… the grass and trees in the Capitol (ʻIolani Palace) Grounds suffered and decidedly showed it from lack of sufficient water. For this reason it was deemed advisable to utilize this re-cased artesian well to supply water for irrigating said grounds.”

“As the ordinary pump house seemed rather out of place and would be somewhat of an eyesore to the Capitol Grounds, it was decided to construct the pump house under-ground and make that portion projecting out of the ground a large ornamental flower pot, enclosed in which is located the pressure tank.”

“The pump house will be circular in section measuring 8 ft. inside diameter and 6 ft. high, on top of which is located the pressure tank 6 ft. inside diameter and 3 ft. high, lined with galvanized iron and ornamented and so constructed that ferns or flowers may be planted in same.”

“There will be a small fountain in the top and an iron manhole for access to the pressure chamber. Access to the pump chamber will be by a winding staircase. The entire structure except as noted will be constructed of reinforced concrete.”

“The pressure tank will be connected to a piping system laid around the Capitol Grounds, which has been so laid out that different sections of the grounds may be irrigated independently by operating the proper valves.”

“The work of installing the piping, pump, etc., and placing this system in operation, will be paid for out of funds appropriated by the 1921 Legislature for that purpose. It is hoped that with this system in operation there will be an abundance of water for irrigation purposes even in the driest periods.” (Report of the Superintendent of Public Works, 1921)

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Iolani Palace Artesian_Well-Pump

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Iolani Palace Artesian Well-Pump

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ʻIolani Palace ‘Fountain’

August 23, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Aliʻi Letters – from 15 Chiefs to ‘Our Friends in America’ (1836)

Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives (Mission Houses) collaborated with Awaiaulu Foundation to digitize, transcribe, translate and annotate over 200-letters written by 33-Chiefs.

In this letter, fifteen Chiefs (including Kauikeaouli, Kamehameha III) write to the ‘our friends in America’ (American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission (ABCFM)) asking the mission to send more teachers. It was sent August 23, 1836 to the American missionaries.

“Regards to you, our friends in America,”

“Here is our hope for the improvement of the lands here in Hawaii. Give us more instructors like those you have in your land, America. These are the kinds of instructors we are considering:”
A carpenter
A tailor
A house builder
A cobbler
A wheelwright
A paper maker
A maker of lead printing type
Farmers who know the planting and care of cotton and silk, and sugar refining.
A maker of fabric, and carts suitable for heavy work.
A teacher for the chiefs in matters of land, comparable to what is done in enlightened lands.
And if there are other things appropriate for those endeavors, those as well.
If you agree and send these teachers, we will protect them when they arrive, provide the necessities to make their professions viable and give our support to these needed endeavors.”

(The letter is signed by 15-chiefs, including Kauikeaouli (King Kamehameha III.)
• Na Kauikeaouli
• Nahiʻenaʻena
• Na Hoapili Kane
• Na Malia Hoapili (Hoapili Wahine?)
• Gov Adams Kuakini
• Na Kaahumanu 2 (Kīnaʻu)
• Kekāuluohi
• Paki
• Liliha
• ʻAikanaka
• Leleiōhoku
• Kekūanāoʻa
• Kanaʻina
• Kekauōnohi
• Keliʻiahonui”

Shortly after, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) sent the largest company of missionaries to the Islands; including a large number of teachers. The Eighth Company left Boston December 14, 1836 and arrived at Honolulu, April 9, 1837 on the Mary Frasier from Boston. Among the missionaries were:
• Physician Seth Lathrop Andrews (1809–1892) and wife Parnelly Pierce (1807–1846)
• Teacher Edward Bailey (1814–1903) and wife Caroline Hubbard (1814–1894)
• Rev. Isaac Bliss (1804–1851) and wife Emily Curtis (1811–1865)
• Samuel Northrup Castle (1808–1894) and first wife Angeline Tenney (1810–1841)
• Rev. Daniel Toll Conde (1807–1897) and wife Andelucia Lee (1810–1855)
• Amos Starr Cooke (1810–1871) and wife Juliette Montague (1812–1896), (Later asked by Kamehameha III to teach the young royals at the Royal School)
• Rev. Mark Ives (1809–1885) and wife Mary Ann Brainerd (1810–1882)
• Teacher Edward Johnson (1813–1867) and wife Lois S. Hoyt (1809–1891)
• Teacher Horton Owen Knapp (1813–1845) and wife Charlotte Close (1813–1846)
• Rev. Thomas Lafon (1801–1876) and wife Sophia Louisa Parker (1812–1844)
• Teacher Edwin Locke (1813–1843) and wife Martha Laurens Rowell (1812–1842)
• Teacher Charles MacDonald (1812–1839) and wife Harriet Treadwell Halstead (1810–1881)
• Teacher Bethuel Munn (1803–1849) and wife Louisa Clark (1810–1841)
• Miss Marcia M. Smith (1806–1896), teacher
• Miss Lucia Garratt Smith (1808–1892), teacher, later married to as his second wife Lorenzo Lyons
• Teacher William Sanford Van Duzee (1811–1883) and Oral Hobart (1814–1891)
• Teacher Abner Wilcox (1808–1869) and wife Lucy Eliza Hart (1814–1869)