Hawai`i was changed forever after Queen Ka`ahumanu lived from 1768-1832. As a woman in a place where gentlemen took precedence, Ka`ahumanu strived for justice all her life. Her indignant beliefs of the Hawaiian religion that limited her gave her fuel to make change. Jane Silverman, a present-day historian, noted, "There was a hunger in her much deeper; the hunger to control." When she saw the opportunity to be at the top of the kingdom, she seized it without delay. She used her power to influence the Hawaiian people into believing her judgments of the Hawaiian religion. Her first move was to break the system that placed those limits on her. When people from the outside world arrived, she sought their faith to replace those ancient rules. Toward the end of her life, she established formal laws to engrave her ideas into the Hawaiian people and prevent them from reverting back to the Hawaiian ways. Queen Ka`ahumanu contributed to the downfall of Hawaiian society because she dismantled the kapu system, supported the American Christian missionaries, and made a new set of laws that banned many Hawaiian customs.
Throughout her life, Ka`ahumanu was always around power. She was born in 1768 in Hana, Maui to Ke`eaumoku, who was a chief of Kona, and Namahana, whose family reigned on Maui. Her father was a close supporter of King Kamehameha, and gave his daughter to him for marriage at the age of 13. As his favorite wife, Ka`ahumanu helped Kamehameha conquer and govern the islands. Kamehameha described her by saying, "Strong in times of crisis, she can also ride the waves like a bird." When he died in 1819, she was designated kahina nui and given the same authority as the new king, Liholiho. Using her newly assumed power, she advocated for ...
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...might not have been taken over and made one of the fifty states of America. Hawaiian culture might have been conserved better and more present in everyone's lives today. Although it will never be known what would have happened if Queen Ka`ahumanu had not walked on this earth, it is now known that she helped Hawai`i to fulfill its destiny for change.
Works Cited
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Seiden, Allan. Hawaii: The Royal Legacy. Honolulu, Hawaii: Mutual, 1992. Print.
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Often times, the history that is being told is one of Hawaiian weakness, and defeat. The Bayonet Constitution of 1887, the Overthrow of 1893, and the Annexation of 1898, are all often used as examples of moments of powerlessness in the Hawaiian Kingdom. What about all history prior to, in between, and after, these major dates? Surely, it did not just disappear. In the last few decades, Hawaiian history has changed dramatically due to the works of many Hawaiian historians. The history that was lost has been found, and new discoveries are still being made. Hawaiʻi’s history is a story of resistance, pride, and unity. Included within this history is a man named Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox. Wilcox was a revolutionist, and a leader, but he enjoyed being a politician the most. Wilcox was the beacon of hope that helped guide the people of Hawaiʻi through darkness. Wilcox was and still is today a symbolic figure in Hawaiʻi’s political history.
Kuykendall, Ralph S. The Hawaiian Kingdom, 1854-1874: Twenty Critical Years. Honolulu: University of Hawaii, 1953. Print.
According to the PBS show “Hawaii's Last Queen” the Republic Hawaii's president Sanford Dole annexed the kingdom of Hawaii to the U.S on August 12, 1898. An organization supporting annexation called the Hawaiian League led by Lorrin Thurston which took many other forms forced King Kalakaua to sign the bayonet constitution. This constitution striped the power of the monarchy and when his death came his sister Lili'uokalani ascended to the throne and her hopes were to restore power to the Hawaiians which the constitution took away. The missionary boys did not like the queens ideals so they planned to overthrow the monarchy for good which they did later on in history. The annexation was an unjust act done by a group of bisness men wanting power and Hawaii as a territory of the U.S. Although some might argue that annexation was good because it allowed trade to the U.S tariff free others oppose that it was biased because it stripped Hawaiian of their rights to vote and destroyed the Hawaiian monarchy.
Claus Spreckels may not be a household name, but he did his best to fight for what he believed in and support the monarchy of Hawaii. He came from very humble beginnings, but he had the American dream. He made a name for himself in the sugar business as well as countless other investments. He knew what was right and he was one of the few white men to believe in the monarchical future of the islands. He was a good influence on other European men to support Queen Liliuokalani and King Kalakaua. Although he felt he had failed, the Hawaiians appreciated him so much they named a town on Maui after him, Spreckelsville. So when you think about Hawaiian history, remember, not all white men were bad.
As every other culture, Hawaii has its own myths and stories. Holo Mai Pele tells the creation myth of Hawaii and this myth holds the same stature for Hawaiians as Genesis for Western (Christian) cultures and Ramayana for Hinduism. Holo Mai Pele is an epic saga of the Hawaiian god of volcano Pele, and her sister Hi'iaka. The major themes present in the story are sibling rivalry, love, conflict and creation. Simultaneously, it tells a story of an individual's journey to her self-awareness and reclaiming her status as a deity. The purpose of Holo Mai Pele is to keep the Hawaiian myth alive in order to pass it down to future generations. The poetic aspects of the play make it easier to remember and interesting to perform.
Foreign exploitation began, when Cook replaced the traditional island subsistence-sharing economy by the for-profit barter and afterward the money economy. Firearms, and sandalwood lumbering where just a few items that brought foreign economic and political control of the ruling ali’i, who were tricked by many greedy Western merchants. The Great Mahele of 1848 and the Kuleana Act of 1850 contained a major land redistribution act, which was forced onto the monarchy by Westerners(Blaisdell, p.44). Bringing fee simple ownership to Hawaiians, these land divisions actually alienated the land from them. The Mahele divided the lands between the chiefs, king and government. The Kuleana act supposedly guaranteed to the makaainana fee simple title to small plots of land, which would eventually separate the individual from the group. (Trask, p.10) Hawaiians depended on the land, they were not use to “private property”, which led to many problems, and the chiefs and the government were heavily indebt to the Western merchants.
Ka’ahumanu was a strong-willed woman that made a significant impact on the islands by transforming the structure of Hawaii’s society, as well as their beliefs. At one point, she was the most powerful figure in the Hawaiian islands, paving the way for a new era for the kingdom.
By analyzing the Kawaiisu, a Great Basin Native tribe, I want to explore cultural wonders and observe their society as I compare an aspect of interest with that of another culture in the world, the Chuuk. Comparing different societies of the world will allow me to successfully learn about the Kawaiisu people in a more detailed and open minded manner. Populations all around the world throughout time have had different views and traditions of beliefs. Through this project, I hope to unravel and gain an understanding of different perspectives and ways of life.
"Onipaʻa!" meaning firm, steadfast, and determined is the motto in which King Kamehameha V, Lot Kapuaiwa, tried to live his life by and rule Hawaiʻi by. He started the beginning of change in Hawaii in 1863 when he became ruler. Kamehameha V's main contributions to the Hawaiian society during his reign was the new constitution of 1864, reviving Hawaiian traditions, and saving the health of the Hawaiian people.
Ancient Hawaiian system have very stick laws, they call it Kapu. They think their Gods
Stevens held firm beliefs about the future of Hawaii in the hands of the United States. From the start of his stay in Hawaii, Stevens made it clear whose side he was on in the political war. He would openly criticize Hawaii’s monarchy, and at times would refer to Queen Liliuokalani and her advisors as “incompetent”(2). Stevens may have not held anything against the Queen herself or any of her cabinet members, but rather degraded them simply to achieve his goals of the annexation of Hawaii, something that he considered “the only effective remedy for Hawaii’s troubles.” (2) Queen Liliuokalani naturally spoke out against the degradation of herself and her cabinet, and on behalf of her position of defending the Hawaiian Monarchy. “The U.S. Minister John Stevens was influenced by the annexationists. As a diplomat, his role was to foster a friendly, trusting relationship with the Hawaiian government. Instead, he often criticized the monarchy in public. I complained to the U.S. government about Stevens’ attitude and conduct but no action was taken.” (1)
Hawaiians should have rights to their own land and not let foreigners disrupt their daily habits and life. If a foreigner takes allegiance to Hawai’i they not only have the accessibility of a citizen but also the perks that go with citizenship. Foreigners would be able to marry the women of Hawai’i while they have wives back home in their previous motherland. Foreigners that are aiding to Hawai’i can stay as aliens and be just as effective. There is no need for them to gain citizenship and take an oath of allegiance for their help. If a foreigner wants a piece a land all he needs to do is take an oath of allegiance and he is able to have a piece of land. If too many foreigners enter Hawai’i, their culture will take over. The majority will consist of the foreigners and their government will take over. Too many foreigners will cause much more damage to the native Hawaiian population. The number of full Hawaiians will decrease if foreigners continue to enter the island of Hawai’i.
Kualapai, Lydia. "The Queen Writes Back: Lili'uokalani's Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen." Studies in American Indian Literatures. 17.2 (2005): 32-62.
...ature consisted of a council of chiefs and an elected house of representatives. In 1842, the Hawaiian islands were seen as an independent government. Sugar production was Hawaii’s largest buissiness. Tons of sugar was grown in Hawaii. Many of the Hawaiians worked on the sugar farms. Sugar was sold to the United States and large amounts of money flowed into Hawaii. Hawaii’s economy grew and banks were built. Annexation America’s main goal was to overthrow monarchy and Annex Hawaii as the 50th state. In 1887, the Americans forced king Kalakaua to sign a new constitutions that lessened the king’s powers and limited the rights of native Hawaiians to hold office. After Kalakaua’s death, Queen Liliuokalani ruled Hawaii. She was stubborn and wanted Hawaiian independence. But the Americans took over the government and ended monarchy and set up their own government. They put up the American flag where the Hawaiian flag originally flew. So, in other words, Hawaii was stolen from its original owners. Defenseless, Hawaii couldn’t do anything about United States’ control. Hawaii was then Annexed to the United states in 1898.
When people think of Hawaii, some of the things that comes to mind are the hula dancers, coconuts, surfing, pineapples, and the beautiful weather. This beautiful place holds a lot of history and heritage. It was discovered by Captain James Cook who was the first European to discover Hawaii. This discovery made by James Cook sparked interest in the British government as well as the United States. What led to the annexation of Hawaii had a huge impact on those who inhabited it, and the United States. The annexation of Hawaii is significant because it increased the United States military power, allowed economic gains in Hawaii, and ultimately changed the culture and history of Hawaii.