John Papa ‘I’i was an influential figure in Hawaiian history. Not only was he an active participant on several boards, committees and benches in the Hawaiian government; He also worked in schools as a kahu (teacher). Though he was best known for his recollection of life during the Kamehameha reign in Hawaii. His journals were published in the Hawaiian Language newspaper Kanepaepa Ku’oko’a. John Papa ‘I’i was born in Waipio, Oahu on August 3, 1800, with the birth name Keoni Kalekane. A series of events altered his name to become the famous alias, he is he is now referred to by: John Papa ‘I’i. He adopted the name “Papa” after his uncle, who had been his guardian in early adolescence. He presumably acquired the name “‘I’i”, due to the …show more content…
In 1910 he accompanied his uncle to become a companion of Liholiho (King Kamehameha II) and servant in the Royal Hawaiian Court. In 1820 he joined Liholiho to attend schooling in reading and writing taught by Hiram Bingham. Liholiho was eager for John to attend missionary schooling, because he wanted to observe the impact Christian teaching would have on John. After becoming literate, John Papa ‘I’i assisted the missionaries in the translation of several texts from english to hawaiian. When Liholiho died, John Papa ‘I’i became a kahu for Victoria Kamamalu. He also served as a member in the King Kamehameha III …show more content…
He was one of four men appointed by the king to the Treasury Board in 1842. The Treasury Board was a grouping of people who set in place a system of organized account keeping, a feat that had never been previously attempted. He was also a member of the Privy Council from 1845 to 1859. The Privy Council’s purpose was to provide the King with the necessary information to make decisions. John Papa ‘I’i was then appointed to the Board of Land Commissioners to Quiet Land Titles underneath the second organic act in 1846. He was the only Hawaiian to complete his term on the board. During this time John Papa ‘I’i was also serving in the House of Nobles. He was their representative and speaker while the constitution was being created. He held his position in the House of Nobles until his death in 1870. In 1855 he spent one session in the House of Representatives. ‘I’i also spent time as a court judge. In 1848 he served as a Superior Court Judge, he was an Associate Justice in affiliation with the kingdom from 1852-1864 as
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.
As one of the few white men supportive of Hawaii’s monarchy, Claus Spreckels set a great example for others. His life started in Germany and took him to all over the United States. He formed many businesses and helped try to keep Hawaii a monarchy. He was close friends with King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani and fought for them to remain Hawaii’s leaders. His legacy and influence live on to this day, yet most people don’t even know his name.
A small company of thirty-four New England missionaries came to Hawaii between 1820 and 1930, were the first modern immigrants. (Lind p.59) Missionaries were powerful agents of cultural destruction, coming to Hawaii to settle and teach their ways and beliefs. Bloodthirsty priests and despotic chiefs had ruled one reason for missionaries arriving and settling in Hawaii, due to the fact that they believed ancient Hawaiians. (Trask p.14) Bringing along cultural havoc by establishing a western style educational system, which included the first textbook as the Bible. The most critical change was in the use of language as a tool of colonization. Language had once been inseparable from the Hawaiians and their history by communicating their heritage between and among many generations, now came to be used as the very vehicle of alienation from their habits of life.
The story of Princess Ka’iulani is remembered as a tragic one, she passed away young and frail, and never was able to fulfill her duties as Hawaii’s next ruling queen. What many people have never known, is the warrior that hid behind her beautiful physique. She was a fighter; for her country, people, and the truth. Within her short 23 years, Princess Kaiulani became Hawaii's last hope to save the monarchy that had existed for so long. Sadly, she did not accomplish this feat, and her heroism and efforts have either been overlooked or forgotten. To be knowledgeable of her childhood, teenage life, and final years is the least that can be done out of respect for this great Hawaiian Princess.
National Parks Service. "A Cultural History of Three Traditional Hawaiian Sites on the West Coast of Hawai'i Island." National Parks Service. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/kona/history7a.htm.
Queen Ka’ahumanu was also his most powerful wife. When the King died on May 5, 1819, he left Ka'ahumanu a share of the governance over the islands. On the morning of Kamehameha I’s death, a few chiefs advised Ka’ahumanu to do away with the kapu system, but she thought it was too soon to act. The kapu system was the ancient Hawaiian set of laws and regulations that forbid many acts. Kapus were strictly enforced, and breaking one often led to immediate death. One of the main causes of the Hawaiians beginning to question the kapu system was seeing the foreigners break the kapus with no consequences. Ka’ahumanu had also secretly broken the kapu multiple times with no consequences. Two weeks following Kameha...
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.
Sonia P. Juvik, James O. Juvik. Atlas of Hawaii. 3rd Edition. Hilo: University of Hawai'i Press, 1998.
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)
The first theme in Papa fits into is the plight of civilizations during wartime. Papa was taken by the FBI because he was blamed for transporting oil to Japanese submarines. The only reason he could come up with, is how he had a commercial fishing license. When he was questioned, he said he would scoff if he saw any submarines so far away from Japan. Papa had no control over the bombing of Pearl Harbor, it was impossible to prevent 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.
Hawaii’s economy started with trade. The first European trading ships that stopped at Hawaii to trade was in 1786. They were believed to be bringing furs from Oregon to China. However, the economy could not flourish so well without the help of pineapples and sugarcane fields. When the number of sugarcane fields started to increase, many immigrants were attracted because of the high amount of labour required for growing sugarcane. Plantations hired large numbers of Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, Koreans, and Portuguese. However, the immigrants demanded their own food to be grown as well. This allowed the Chinese to replace poi, a thick gray paste from pounding...
Wakatsuki describes Papa as “a poster, a braggart, and a tyrant”. But he held on to his self-respect” (58). He was “absurdly proud” (54) that he went to the law school, even though he never finished. Prior to the evacuation and internment, his self-esteem was not destroyed. When “Papa was taken to the prison, he did not let the deputies push him out the door, instead he led them” (8).
"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.