Ali’i / Chiefs / Governance | Page 138

July 25, 2015 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Keawemauhili

At the time of Captain Cook’s arrival (1778-1779), the Hawaiian Islands were divided into four kingdoms: (1) the island of Hawaiʻi under the rule of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, who also had possession of the Hāna district of east Maui; (2) Maui (except the Hāna district,) Molokai, Lānaʻi and Kahoʻolawe, ruled by Kahekili; (3) Oʻahu, under the rule of Kahahana; and (4) Kauai and Niʻihau, Kamakahelei was ruler.

At that time, Kalaniʻōpuʻu was on the island of Maui. Kalaniʻōpuʻu returned to Hawaiʻi and met with Cook on January 26, 1779, exchanging gifts, including an ʻahuʻula (feathered cloak) and mahiole (ceremonial feather helmet.) Cook also received pieces of kapa, feathers, hogs and vegetables.

In about 1781, through a well-planned campaign, Kahekili was able to regain possession of the Hāna district and this marked the beginning of the disintegration of Kalaniʻōpuʻu’s kingdom. (Kuykendall)

Kalaniʻōpuʻu died shortly thereafter (1782.) Before his death, Kalaniʻōpuʻu gave an injunction to Kiwalaʻo and Kamehameha, and to all the chiefs, thus: “Boys, listen, both of you. The heir to the kingdom of Hawaii nei, comprising the three divisions of land, Kaʻū, Kona and Kohala, shall be the chief Kiwalaʻo. He is the heir to the lands.” (Fornander)

“As regarding you, Kamehameha, there is no land or property for you; but your land and your endowment shall be the god Kaili (Kūkaʻilimoku.) If, during life, your lord should molest you, take possession of the kingdom; but if the molestation be on your part, you will be deprived of the god.” These words of Kalaniʻōpuʻu were fulfilled in the days of their youth, and his injunction was realized. (Fornander)

Following Kalaniʻōpuʻu’s death, and following his wishes, the kingship was inherited by his son Kīwalaʻō; Kamehameha (Kīwalaʻō’s cousin) was given guardianship of the Hawaiian god of war, Kūkaʻilimoku.

Dissatisfied with subsequent redistricting of the lands by district chiefs, civil war ensued between Kīwalaʻō’s forces and the various chiefs under the leadership of Kamehameha.

In the first major skirmish, in the battle of Mokuʻōhai (a fight between Kamehameha and Kiwalaʻo in July, 1782 at Keʻei, south of Kealakekua Bay on the Island of Hawaiʻi,) Kiwalaʻo was killed.

With the death of Kiwalaʻo, the victory made Kamehameha chief of the districts of Kona, Kohala and Hāmākua, while Keōua, the brother of Kiwalaʻo, controlled Kaʻū and Puna, and Keawemauhili declared himself independent of both in Hilo. (Kalākaua)

Supporters of Kiwalaʻo, including his half-brother Keōua and his uncle Keawemauhili (grandson of Keawe,) escaped the battle of Mokuʻōhai with their lives and laid claim to the Hilo, Puna and Kaʻū Districts.

Later, a dispute had grown between Kahekili and Kahahana, the aliʻi of O‘ahu, and Kahekili wished to make war on Kahahana. However, he did not have enough war canoes and through Keʻeaumoku, who had married his sister, he asked for Kamehameha’s support for canoes. He refused.

Because of this refusal, Kahekili asked Keawemauhili; he consented, Kahekili should send some canoe-making experts and some warriors to guard them at their work. He sent Kahahawai and about 1,200-men.

In the meantime, Kamehameha’s counselors were encouraging him to attack Keawemauhili and expand his domain into Hilo. He sent a declaration of war message – two stones, one white and one black. If Keawemauhili chose war, he would send the black stone back – if he chose peace, the white would be returned. (Keawemauhili returned the white and also satisfied Kamehameha’s request for fresh fish from Hilo’s ponds.)

However, following the advice of his counselors, Kamehameha decided to make war against Keawemauhili. He planned the attack from land and sea. (They understood Keōua may come to the aid of Keawemauhili, so they timed their attack before Keōua could do so.)

(When Keōua learned that Kamehameha had moved to fight Keawemauhili, he quickly organized his army to fight Kamehameha; Keōua did not go with his warriors.)

On land, under the leadership of Kamehameha himself, were twelve thousand warriors. The size of Kamehameha’s canoe fleet amounted to eight hundred canoes with eight thousand warriors, making a total army or twenty thousand men.

The Hilo warriors outnumbered Kamehameha’s forces by more than twice. Because Kahekili’s army entered the battle on Keawemauhili’s side, Kamehameha’s warriors fell back as those Maui warriors had not been wearied by recent combat.

Kamehameha sought guidance from Keawemauhili’s kahu, Kauanoano, who told him, “This is not the war which will gain you the island. There will be a future battle which will show your bravery.” (Desha)

The blows to Keawemauhili’s forces began to show, and victory began to lean toward Kamehameha’s forces. Keawemauhili’s warriors began to leap over the sea cliffs; some ran on the mountain paths seeking to escape (fulfilling that ancient saying: “Teach the warrior and also teach him to run.”) Rain shielded the retreating Keōua forces.

Kamehameha boarded a canoe and the fleet sailed to Laupāhoehoe. While Kamehameha was staying at Laupāhoehoe, Kahekili sent some warriors from Maui to get Kahahawai – he wanted Kahahawai to return and assist him in making war with Kahahana on Oʻahu.

When Kahahawai was ready to return, Keawemauhili presented some war canoes to Kahekili. Keōua also gave some large war canoes, as some of his people had sailed in the great canoes from Kaʻū.

As Kahahawai was leaving, he stopped at Laupāhoehoe to meet with Kamehameha. Kamehameha said to Kahahawai: “I have no death for this aliʻi. Return to Maui, and perhaps there we shall meet again and see each other, and sharpen each other’s spears with our strength.” (Desha)

Kamehameha stayed in Laupāhoehoe, farming, preparing his warriors to be ready for battle. They were joined by some new warriors from the people of that place, who trusted in Kamehameha. Kamehameha later left Laupāhoehoe and headed north up the coast.

Later, suspicion grew in Keōua because he felt that the time was coming when Keawemauhili would turn and oppose him and give his assistance to Kamehameha. Because of this suspicion, he raised a large army to make war on Keawemauhili. Keōua understood that Keawemauhili lacked support for his side for his strong warriors had left with Kamehameha.

The two sides met in battle between Paukaʻa and Wainaku. A terrible battle was begun between Keawemauhili’s and Keōua’s people. Two versions of the remainder of that battle suggest one of Keawemauhili’s warriors, Moʻo, killed Keawemauhili; others suggest Keōua killed Keawemauhili (1790.)

Keawemauhili had a daughter, Kapiʻolani. In 1822, she was among the first chiefs to welcome instruction and accept Christianity. In 1823, Kapiʻolani stood up to Pele, stating “Jehovah is my God … I fear not Pele.”

“She told the missionaries she had come to strengthen their hearts and help them in their work. They rejoiced in the salutary influence which she exerted in favor of education and reform, an influence felt at once and happily continued when she had returned home.” (Bingham)

The image shows Keōua over the defeated Keawemauhili by Brook Kapukuniahi Parker. (Lots of information here from Fornander and Desha.)

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Keoua over Keawemauhili-Brook Parker

July 23, 2015 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Mission Stations

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM,) based in Boston, was founded in 1810, the first organized missionary society in the US.

One hundred years later, the Board was responsible for 102-mission stations and a missionary staff of 600 in India, Ceylon, West Central Africa (Angola,) South Africa and Rhodesia, Turkey, China, Japan, Micronesia, Hawaiʻi, the Philippines, North American native American tribes, and the “Papal lands” of Mexico, Spain and Austria.

On October 23, 1819, the Pioneer Company of ABCFM missionaries set sail on the Thaddeus to establish the Sandwich Islands Mission (now known as Hawai‘i.)

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 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.

As an example, in June 1823, William Ellis joined American Missionaries Asa Thurston, Artemas Bishop and Joseph Goodrich on a tour of the island of Hawaiʻi to investigate suitable sites for mission stations.

On O‘ahu, locations at Honolulu (Kawaiahaʻo,) Kāne’ohe, Waialua, Waiʻanae and ‘Ewa served as the bases for outreach work on the island.

By 1850, eighteen mission stations had been established; six on Hawaiʻi, four on Maui, four on Oʻahu, three on Kauai and one on Molokai.

Meeting houses were constructed at the stations, as well as throughout the district. Initially constructed as the traditional Hawaiian thatched structures; they were later made of wood or stone.

One of the first things the first missionaries did was begin to learn the Hawaiian language and create an alphabet for a written format of the language.

Their emphasis was on preaching and teaching.

Interestingly, as the early missionaries learned the Hawaiian language, they then taught their lessons in the mission schools in Hawaiian, rather than English. In part, the mission did not want to create a separate caste and portion of the community as English‐speaking Hawaiians.

The missionaries established schools associated with their mission stations across the Islands. This marked the beginning of Hawaiʻi’s phenomenal rise to literacy. The chiefs became proponents for education and edicts were enacted by the King and the council of Chiefs to stimulate the people to reading and writing.

The instruction of students in schools (initially, most of whom were adults,) in reading, writing and other skills initially fell to the missionaries.

The schools generally served as both native churches and meeting houses, and were established in most populated ahupua‘a around the islands; native teachers and lay-ministers were appointed to oversee their daily activities.

The most difficult problem was that of obtaining enough competent teachers. As far back as 1825 the missionaries had taken steps to establish teacher training classes at the various stations, but the plan of station schools was not very fully carried out until after 1830.

There were never enough missionaries to make the plan uniformly effective. Station schools were intended not only to train teachers but to serve as model schools, and much attention was given to children. In some places there were two station schools, one for teachers and one for children. (Kuykendall)

In eight years from the date of the landing of the Pioneer Company there were 32-missionaries, 4,455-native teachers, 12,000-Sabbath hearers, and 26,000-pupils in schools in the islands.

Many influences were at work, the Bible was circulated, high chiefs were converted and began to work vigorously, the people gathered from great distances in crowds to hear the Word, and in 1828, simultaneously and without communication, a revival unexpectedly commenced in Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu, and Maui.

For weeks and months the missionaries could scarcely get time for rest and refreshment. (Bliss)

By 1831, in just eleven years from the first arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiians had built over 1,100‐schoolhouses. This covered every district throughout the eight major islands and serviced an estimated 53,000‐students. (Laimana)

By 1840, the decline of the Hawaiian population, financial restraints, and a move to separate church and school operations led to the consolidation of the church-school meeting houses.

On October 15, 1840, Kamehameha III enacted a law that required the maintenance and local support of the native schools (the Constitution of 1840).

The Constitution provided a “Statute for the Regulation of Schools,” which required that in a village with 15 or more students, the parents were to organize and secure a teacher. (Maly)

By 1853, nearly three-fourths of the native Hawaiian population over the age of sixteen years was literate in their own language. The short time span within which native Hawaiians achieved literacy is remarkable in light of the overall low literacy rates of the United States at that time. (Lucas)

The image shows Meeting House at Lāhainā, the first stone Church in Hawaiʻi (corner stone laid in 1828.)

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Meeting-House at Lahaina, On Maui. The First Stone Church in Hawaii. Corner Stone laid in 1828-(1845)

July 18, 2015 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Kahuna

The prayers offered in the hula were, as a rule, uttered by kahuna, specially consecrated or appointed for that office. The consecration of a house or of a waʻa (canoe) was done with the aid of a kahuna; and the common people did resort to kahuna of different classes. (Malo)

According to Lorrin Andrews, author of the first Hawaiian dictionary published in 1865, ‘kahuna’ is a contraction of ‘kahu’ (to cook, especially in an earth oven) and ‘ana’ (a particle that adds ‘ing’ to a word). So the base meaning by this idea is ‘a cooking.’

This doesn’t make much sense until you recognize that ‘kahu’ also means ‘to tend an oven, or to take care of the cooking.’ Ancient Hawaiian thought was very symbolic or figurative and a word for one type of activity or experience could be applied to other symbolically related activities or experiences.

So ‘kahu,’ originally referring to taking care of an oven, became a general word for taking care of anything. Another possible origin for the word ‘kahuna,’ however, is that it is simply a combination of ‘kahu’ (to take care of) and ‘na’ (a particle that makes words into nouns). In that case, a basic translation of “kahuna” would be ‘a caretaker.’ (King)

Kahuna is a general name applied to such persons as have a trade, an art or who practice some profession; some qualifying term is generally added. (Lorrin Andrews, Dictionary of the Hawaiian Language, 1865)

‘Kahuna’ was a title, like MD or PhD, and additional descriptive words were used to designate the field of expertise. Just as the modern use of the word ‘doctor’ by itself is generally taken to mean a medical doctor, so the use of ‘kahuna’ by itself generally designated a priest or healer. (King)

Pukui lists various kahuna: kahuna aʻo – teaching preacher, minister, sorcerer; kahuna haʻi ōlelo – preacher; kahuna hoʻoula ʻai – agricultural expert; kahuna hui – priest for deification of kings; kahuna kālai – carving expert, sculptor; kahuna kālai waʻa – canoe builder; kahuna kiʻi – caretaker of images; kahuna lapaʻau – medical doctor; kahuna nui – high priest, councilor to a high chief; kahuna poʻo – high priest; kahuna pule – preacher, minister, as well as others.

Different kinds of kahuna in traditional Hawaiʻi are put into three broad categories, namely: (1) kahuna pule, the kahuna who officiated in the temples of the aliʻi; (2) ‘professional’ kahuna, a large category that includes ‘specialists in different ritualized activities … and medical priests;’ and (3) the kāula, or prophets. (Nimmo)

At the height of ancient Hawaiian civilization there were dozens of classes of kahuna. Each was trained in a specific aspect of ancient culture and they were considered to be among the wisest in society. They also had inherent spiritual gifts and special abilities to communicate with the ancestors. (Winter)

With respect to ritual worship, kahuna is used in Hawaiian to signify one who is an expert; this knowledge may range from approaching the highest gods on the most important ceremonial occasions to knowing the proper chant to ensure the success of fishing. The religious specialists who contacted the gods reflected the hierarchy of the gods as well as that of Hawaiian society. (Nimmo)

Many myths have grown up around kahuna. One is that kahuna were outlawed after the white man came to Hawaiʻi. Craft kahuna were never prohibited; however, during the decline of native Hawaiian culture many died out and did not pass on their wisdom to new students. Liholiho, in abolishing the kapu, effectively eliminated the need for ritual Kahuna.

Under the Monarchy the term ‘kahuna’ began to be used for foreigners who were recognized experts in their fields, especially for ministers and health professionals. In the 1845 laws doctors, surgeons and dentists were called kahuna. (Pukui)

The native Hawaiian concepts of disease were largely magical although quite perceptive in linking melancholy to physical ailments. Illness required the intercession of a kahuna and some of the herbal remedies used were of value.

King Kamehameha IV sought to restrict the practice of native Hawaiian medicine by kahunas. (nih-gov) His Queen (Queen Emma) in her early years held the kahuna and associated beliefs in contempt (not until her later years did she acknowledge some positive values in the native pharmacopoeia.) (Kanahele)

However, the King’s older brother (in about 1861 – he later became Kamehameha V,) “caused to be issued more than 300 printed licenses to as many native medicine-men, with schedules of prices for their services to the sick.” (The Friend, July 1888)

Secret societies formed, such as the Ahahui Lā‘au Lapa‘au of Wailuku (an association of Native healers known as kahuna) who challenged the efforts of King Kamehameha IV to restrict the practice of Native Hawaiian medicine by kahunas. It asserted the benefits of the traditional plants and medicinal practices in treating diseases such as smallpox. (nih-gov)

Later, Kalākaua, as King, formed the Hale Nauā (also known as Ualo Malie (Malo,)) a secret royal society who according to its constitution was “the revival of Ancient Sciences of Hawaii in combination with the promotion and advancement of Modern Sciences, Art, Literature, and Philanthropy.” (Daws)

In Territorial times, when Hawaiʻi became a tourist destination, visitors discovered that the best surfer on the beach was called ‘kahuna nui heʻe nalu,’ the ‘principal master surfer. He was called ‘kahuna nui’ for short, and this soon became the phrase ‘big kahuna.’ (King) (Artwork by Herb Kane.)

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July 10, 2015 by Peter T Young 3 Comments

13 Signatories

The Committee of Safety, formally the Citizen’s Committee of Public Safety, was a 13-member group also known as the Annexation Club; they started in 1887 as the Hawaiian League.

The Hawaiian League came into control of the Honolulu Rifles (made of about 200 armed men.) In June 1887, the Hawaiian League used the Rifles to force King Kalākaua to enact a new constitution. (Kukendall)

The opposition used the threat of violence to force Kalākaua to accept a new constitution (1887) that stripped the monarchy of executive powers and replaced the cabinet with members of the businessmen’s party. (archives-gov)

The new constitution, which effectively disenfranchised most native Hawaiian voters, came to be known as the “Bayonet Constitution” because Kalākaua signed it under duress. (archives-gov)

When King Kalākaua died in 1891, his sister Liliʻuokalani succeeded him; she drafted a new constitution in an attempt to restore native rights and powers. The move was countered by the Annexation Club, a small group of white businessmen and politicians who felt that annexation by the United States, the major importer of Hawaiian agricultural products, would be beneficial for the economy of Hawaiʻi. (archives-gov)

“Queen Liliuokalani attempted on Saturday, Jan. 14, to promulgate a new Constitution, depriving foreigners of the right of franchise and abrogating the existing House of Nobles, at the same time giving her the power of appointing a new House.”

“This was resisted by the foreign element of the community, which at once appointed a committee of safety of thirteen members … That meeting unanimously adopted resolutions condemning the action of the Queen and authorizing the committee to take into consideration whatever was necessary for the public safety.” (New York Times, January 28, 1893)

On January 16, 1893, the Committee of Safety wrote a letter to John L Stevens, American Minister, that stated:

“We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Honolulu, respectfully represent that, in view of recent public events in this Kingdom, culminating in the revolutionary acts of Queen Liliʻuokalani on Saturday last, the public safety is menaced and lives and property are in peril, and we appeal to you and the United States forces at your command for assistance.”

“The Queen, with the aid of armed force, and accompanied by threats of violence and bloodshed from those with whom she was acting, attempted to proclaim a new constitution; and, while prevented for the time from accomplishing her object, declared publicly that she would only defer her action.”

“This conduct and action was upon an occasion and under circumstances which have created general alarm and terror. “We are unable to protect ourselves without aid, and therefore pray for the protection of the United States forces.”

On the afternoon of January 16, 1893, 162-sailors and Marines aboard the USS Boston in Honolulu Harbor came ashore under orders of neutrality.

To avoid bloodshed, the Queen yielded her throne on January 17, 1893 and temporarily relinquished her throne to “the superior military forces of the United States”. A provisional government was established.

So, who were in the 13-signatories from the Committee of Safety who sought American intervention and what interests did they have in Hawaiʻi?

The Committee of Safety was made up of 6-Hawaiian citizens (naturalized or by birth (American parentage;)) 5-Americans, 1-Englishman and 1-German.

The Committee selected Henry Ernest Cooper as chair at a meeting on January 14, 1893. Cooper, a lawyer specializing in real estate abstract work, had moved to Honolulu from San Diego with his family on February 3, 1891.

Crister Bolte was a German national who became a naturalized Hawaiian subject. He was a merchant in the corporation of Grinbanm & Co. and was connected with the Planters’ Labor and Supply Association and a sugar shareholder; “There is hardly any person of property in this country who is not an owner of some sugar stocks.”

Andrew Brown, Scottish national, was formerly a coppersmith at the Honolulu Iron Works and later superintendent of the water-works system of Honolulu.

William Richards Castle, son of Samuel Northrup Castle, was born in Honolulu 1849, attorney general for Kalākaua 1876, Hawaiian legislator 1878-1886, the House of Nobles 1887-1888. (His brothers were executives at Castle & Cooke – a Big 5 company formed by his father.)

John Emmeluth was an American citizen who emigrated to Hawaiʻi in 1879; he was owner of John Emmeluth and Company, Honolulu’s principal plumbing and household furnishings business. He was also a pineapple grower and experimented with pineapple canning and later was shareholder and officer in the Hawaiian Fruit & Packing Company. He later joined forces with Robert Wilcox in the Home Rule Party.

Theodore F Lansing was an American citizen (from New York;) he was an insurance agent and commission agent. He later became Treasurer of the Territory.

John Andrew McCandless was an American (Pennsylvania) and later naturalized Hawaiian subject. He was a well-driller and cattleman. He was the first superintendent of public works under the territorial government, and while holding this office built the first road around Diamond Head on the sea side of the crater, and the lighthouse there.

Frederick W McChesney is grandson of Matthew Watson McChesney (who came to the Islands from New York in 1879.) His father was a tanner by trade and established a small tannery in connection with a grocery store and later formed MW McChesney & Sons. They later added Honolulu Soap Works; Frederick also worked in the fruit trade, with Woodlawn Fruit.

William Owen Smith was born on Kauaʻi August 4, 1848 of American missionaries; he was an attorney. He served as Sheriff on Kauaʻi and Maui. On April 24, 1873, while serving as Sheriff on Maui, he planted the banyan tree on Front Street in Lāhainā (to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the American Protestant Mission there.) He was later law partner with Lorrin Thurston and served as Attorney General in the Provisional Government.

Lorrin A Thurston, was born on July 31, 1858 in Honolulu, grandson of Asa and Lucy Goodale Thurston, who were in the Pioneer Company of American Protestant Missionaries (1820.) He was a lawyer and publisher (Pacific Commercial Advertiser – later, Honolulu Advertiser.) He was member House of Representatives, Hawaiian Legislature, 1886; Minister Interior, 1887-1890 and House of Nobles, 1892. He worked with George Lycurgus and others for ten years, starting in 1906, to have the volcano area made into Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Edward Suhr, a German citizen, worked for H Hackfeld & Company. Hackfeld developed a business of importing machinery and supplies for the spreading sugar plantations and exported raw sugar. H Hackfeld & Co became a prominent factor – business agent and shipper – for the plantations.

Henry Waterhouse was born in Tasmanian in 1845; at age 5, his family moved to Hawaiʻi. He was a businessman, operating Henry Waterhouse Trust Company, real estate and investment firm; he was also managing partner of John T Waterhouse, a general mercantile business. He served in the House of Representatives (1876) and House of Nobles (1887-1888.) In addition, he occasionally filled in as pastor for the Sabbath services at Kaumakapili Church.

William Chauncey Wilder, born in Canada in 1835, spent his early years in the US and Europe. In 1861, Wilder was the first man to enlist in the first company that was organized in Kane Co., in the State of Illinois; he eventually was made Captain. His brother (Samuel G Wilder of the Wilder Steamship Company) sent for him to come work with him in the Islands. He was active in the transportation business and was elected to public office on several occasions (serving as presiding officer of the Hawaiian Senate.)

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July 9, 2015 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. Hawaiians had applied for and received homestead lands, individually and through homestead associations.

Then, a homestead resolution was drafted and debated in Congress; The U.S. 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. (McGregor)

“The Congress of the United States and the State of Hawaii declare that the policy of this Act is to enable native Hawaiians to return to their lands in order to fully support self-sufficiency for native Hawaiians and the self-determination of native Hawaiians in the administration of this Act, and the preservation of the values, traditions, and culture of native Hawaiians.”

“Native Hawaiian” means any descendant of not less than one-half part of the blood of the races inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands previous to 1778.

The principal purposes are:

Establishing a permanent land base for the benefit and use of native Hawaiians (upon which they may live, farm, ranch, and commercial/industrial or other activities;
Placing native Hawaiians on the lands set aside in a prompt and efficient manner and assuring long-term tenancy to beneficiaries;
Preventing alienation of the fee title to the lands set aside so that these lands will always be held in trust for continued use by native Hawaiians in perpetuity;
Providing adequate amounts of water and supporting infrastructure, so that homestead lands will always be usable and accessible; and
Providing financial support and technical assistance to native Hawaiian beneficiaries to enhance economic self-sufficiency and promote community-based development, the traditions, culture and quality of life of native Hawaiians

Approximately 200,000‐acres of land was set aside to the Hawaiian Homes Commission as a land trust for homesteading by native Hawaiians. The property and its program are administered by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Pursuant to provisions of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (HHCA), the Department provides direct benefits to native Hawaiians in the form of ninety‐nine‐year homestead leases at an annual rental of $1.

In 1990, the Legislature authorized the Department to extend leases for an aggregate term not to exceed 199 years (Act 305, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 1990; section 208, HHCA).

Homestead leases are for residential, agricultural, or pastoral purposes. Aquacultural leases are also authorized, but none has been awarded to date. The intent of the homesteading program is to provide for economic self‐sufficiency of native Hawaiians through the provision of land.

Other benefits provided by the HHCA include financial assistance through direct loans or loan guarantees for home construction, replacement, or repair, and for the development of farms and ranches; technical assistance to farmers and ranchers; and the operation of water systems.

To be eligible to apply for a Hawaiian home lands homestead lease, you must meet two requirements:

You must be at least 18 years of age; and
You must be a native Hawaiian, defined as “any descendant of not less than one‐half part of the blood of the races inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands previous to 1778.” This means, you must have a blood quantum of at least 50 percent Hawaiian. This requirement remains unchanged since the HHCA’s passage in 1921.

There are three kinds of homestead leases: residential, agricultural, and pastoral. Eligible beneficiaries may apply for one of the following:

One residential lot;
One agricultural lot;
One pastoral lot;
One residential lot and one agricultural lot; or
One residential lot and one pastoral lot.

Eligible beneficiaries may not apply for all three types of homestead leases. Nor may they apply for both an agricultural lot and a pastoral lot.

The advantages of being a Hawaiian homestead lessee include, among the many benefits:

Annual lease rent of $1.00 per year;
99‐year lease;
Lease term which can be extended for an additional 100 years, allowing lessees to pass their homestead from generation to generation;
Seven‐year exemption from real property tax;
Complete exemption of tax on land;
Minimal real property tax after the first seven years (applies only to County of Kauaʻi and City and County of Honolulu, Oʻahu);
Taxing of assessed value of improvements on property (Hawaiʻi and Maui counties only);
Homeowner’s exemption (to be filed with respective county’s real property tax office);
Low interest government loans (contact DHHL for more information); and
Ability to use the equity in your property to obtain loans

We prepared the ʻĀina Mauna Legacy Program (long‐range planning document,) its Implementation Work Plan and Environmental Assessment for approximately 56,000‐acres (about ¼-of all the DHHL lands in the Islands) of Hawaiian Homes Commission property on the Island of Hawaiʻi.

To put the property’s size and shape in perspective, it is equivalent to an area on Oʻahu from Hawaiʻi Kai to Aloha Stadium (19-miles) and Aloha Tower to the Pali Lookout (6-miles).

The ‘Āina Mauna Legacy Program is DHHL’s long‐range planning document geared to restore and protect approximately 56,000‐acres of native Hawaiian forest on Mauna Kea that is ecologically, culturally and economically self‐sustaining for the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust, its beneficiaries and the community.

We were honored and proud when our planning document, the ‘Āina Mauna Legacy Program, received awards: the “Environment/Preservation Award” from the American Planning Association‐Hawai‘i Chapter and the “Koa: Standing the Test of Time Award” by the Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association.