Although Kalākaua had been elected and serving as King since 1874, upon returning from a trip around the world, in 1883, it was determined that Hawaiʻi’s King should also be properly crowned.
“ʻIolani Palace, the new building of that name, had been completed the previous year, and a large pavilion had been erected immediately in front of it for the celebration of the coronation. This was exclusively for the accommodation of the royal family …”
“… but there was adjacent thereto a sort of amphitheatre, capable of holding ten thousand persons, intended for the occupation of the people.” (Liliʻuokalani)
The design of the pavilion and amphitheater was entrusted to Messrs. Buchman and Rupprecht, two artists who had recently arrived in the Islands. The whole thing was considered the “finest specimen of this kind of work that has ever been produced in Honolulu.” (HABS)
“On Monday, 12th February, the imposing ceremony of the Coronation of their Majesties the King and Queen of the Hawaiian Islands took place at ʻIolani Palace.”
“Like a mechanical transformation scene to take place at an appointed minute, so did the sun burst forth as the clock struck twelve, and immediately after their Majesties had been crowned.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 17, 1883)
“Prince Kawānanakoa presented the Crowns; the President of the Legislative Assembly then took the King’s Crown and raised It up before the people and placed it in the hands of the Chancellor, saying: ‘I present this Crown to the rightful King of these Islands, approved by Acts of the Legislative Assembly in the Legislature of the Kingdom assembled of the years 1880 and 1882.’”
“The Chancellor then placed it in the King’s hands, saying this Crown of pure gold to adorn the high station wherein thou hast been placed. The King then raised up the Crown and placed it upon his head.”
“The Chancellor then took the second Crown and placed it in the King’s hands, who rose and placed it upon the Queen’s head who reverently bowed her head on receiving it, the King saying” ‘I place this Crown upon your head, to share the honors of my throne.’”
“His Majesty wore the white uniform of the Guards, with a white helmet, and plume of white, red, and blue. He wore the Grand Cordon, Star and Collar of the Order of Kamehameha I; the Star of the Imperial Order of the Chrysanthemum of Japan; the Star of the Order Michael and St. George of England; the Star of the Order of Conception of Portugal and the Star of the Order of Hawaiʻi.”
“The sword of State placed in the King’s hands as the ensign of Justice and Mercy, is an exact counterpart of that of England. It has a straight blade, of fine Damascus steel inlaid in gold with the Hawaiian coat of arms surmounted by the crown and bearing the motto of the realm.“
“A Coronation Pavilion (Keliʻiponi) for King Kalākaua had been constructed for the ceremonies; the pavilion was surrounded by a spacious Amphitheatre for the accommodation of the spectators of the ceremony. The outer walls were adorned with the armorial bearings of Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Great Britain, France, Peru, Hawaiʻi, Chile, Japan, China, Norway and Sweden.”
“In addition to the 4,000 people that were comfortably seated within the Amphitheatre and on the platform, there were crowds of spectators extending to the Palace gates on either side, principally Hawaiians.”
On the outside of the octagonal Pavilion, each of the eight uprights supporting the roof are ornamented with shields emblazoned on them, representing Russia, Netherlands, United States, Hawaii, Germany, Austria, Italy and Holland. (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 17, 1883)
“The dome of the building … was ornamented on each of the eight sides with colored shields displaying the coats-of-arms of one of each of the eight great nations of the world, America occupying the central position, Great Britain to right of centre, Germany to left of centre, the others on the panelled fronts prepared on the remaining five sides.”
“Flags of the different nations surmounted the shields the whole being surrounded with wreaths and circles of the native leaves.” (Hawaiian Gazette, February 14, 1883)
The Pavilion (approximately 25-feet in diameter) was about 50-feet from the stairway to the Palace and was connected to it by a platform; on the interior, each of the eight sides bore the name of one of the respective Kings of Hawaiʻi, from Kamehameha I to Kalākaua, painted in gold letters. (HABS)
“(O)n the veranda of the palace on the one side were seated the officers of the vessels of war in the port, and on the other persons of rank or position who had not been otherwise assigned to stations.” (Liliʻuokalani)
Following the coronation festivities, “The Pavilion in which His Majesty was crowned has been moved to the west side of the Palace, and now stands as a permanent ornament to the grounds.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, April 21, 1883)
Three years later, in November 1886, Kalākaua threw another large celebration in honor of his fiftieth birthday, and the Jubilee activities included the usual lūʻau, hula and a grand ball. The Royal Hawaiian Band played from the pavilion. (HABS)
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