Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 6, 1 June 1989 — Mauna Ala-- Burial Plaee of Sovereigns, High Chiefs [ARTICLE]

Mauna Ala-- Burial Plaee of Sovereigns, High Chiefs

Editor's note: This "Brief Historic Sketch of Mauna 'Ala: 'Mai kaula'i ka iwi i ka la'" was prepared by Maleolm Naea Chun, former OHA Cultural Affairs Officer and Earl Neller, OHA Cultural Specialist, in March, 1 987. The concept of a "royal mausoleum" in ancient Hawai'i was a special repository kept apart from other structures and under custodial care. The most notable were Hale o Liloa (House of Liloa) and Hale o Keawe (House of Keawe) on the island of Hawai'i. These were heiau (temples) whieh housed the bones of chiefs, some of whieh were enclosed in ka'ai (sennit caskets). Hale o Liloa was located in Waipio Valley near the pu'uhonua (sanctuary) called Pakaalana. The structure was built to house the bones of the chief, Liloa. The bones of famous chiefs were said to have been placed into sennit caskets in a hidden cave at the base of the waterfall, Hi'ilawe. A chant recorded by the historian, S. M. Kamakau enumerates 27 names of chiefs (including Liloa) who were placed into sennit caskets. They are: Haholani, PalenanuiaHaho, HanaaPalena, LanakawaiaHana, Laau, Pili (older brother of Laau), Koa, Loe, Kukohoulani, Kanipahu, Kalapana, Kahai (Kakaimoeleaikaaikapupou), Kalau (Kalaunuiohua), Kuaiwa, Kahoukapu, Kauhola, Kihanuilulumoku, Liloa, UminuiaLiloa, Kanaloa or Kukailani, Makakaualii, Iwikauikaua, Lono, Keaweikekahiaaliimomoku, Kalaniaeaumoku (Keeaumoku), Kalanikupuapaikalaninui, (Keoua) and Kalaniaihienaena. These chiefs may be those whose bones were interred at Hale o Liloa. Hale o Keawe was said to have been built by the chief Kanuha to house the bones of his father, Keawe (kuike kaai). It is located near the pu'uhonua called Honaunau in the Kona district. These bones were interred in sennit caskets, wrapped in kapa (traditional cloth) or placed without any wrapping. In the period of 1828-1830, it was "said" that Kaahumanu conducted a search for the bones of the snow goddess Lilinoe, but located "only those of Liloa, Lonoikamakahiki, Kauhola and Lole at Waipio, and these she removed toKa'awaloa. She also removed to Ka'awaloa the bones of all the chiefs up to the time of Kalaniopuu and Kiwala'o whieh had been netted into baskets and whieh completely filled the Hale o Keawe, and she destroyed the remaining bones with fire." *The Reverend Chamberlain was present during the removal and recorded the names of 23 chiefs who had been interred at Hale o Keawe: Keawe, Kumukoa, Lonoikahaupu, Hukihe, Kakoamano, Keaweakanuha, Niula, Kowainiulani, Lonoamoana, Lonohonuakini, Ahaula, Kanaloaikaiwilewa, Keohokuma, O Kua/Kua, Umioopa, Keaweluaole, Keaweakapeleaumoku, Kuaialii, Kaaloa, Lonoakolii, Kaleioku, Kalaimamahu, and Kaoleioku. The bones were placed into "two large coffins or boxes." These two receptacles were placed into a cave located in the cliffs at Ka'awaloa, called Pali Kapu o Keoua (Sacred Cliff of Keoua). When the British man-of-war Vixen visited Ka'awaloa in 1858, the two receptacles were removed from Pali Kapu o Keoua and brought to Honolulu, under the guidance and direction of Mataiao Kekuanao'a, Governor of O'ahu; also on board the Vixen were King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma. A royal cemetery or tomb was built by August 1825 at a site known as Pohukaina in Honolulu. The site was chosen by the chiefs also for residence due to the presence of the Christian mission (Kawaiahao). The tomb was a "single chamber, 14 ft. by 18 ft., built of coral block walls 10 ft. high; the single opening was on the makai (seaward) side and closed by a heavy wooden door." This tomb housed the coffins of King Kamehameha III and Queen Kamamalu. By 1861, a European visitor, guided by King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma reported that the tomb was "overcrowded." Besides the addition of King Kamehameha III's coffin, there were the coffins of Kekauluohi, William Pitt Kinau, and the Bishops and Dr. Rooke. The tombstone and

remains of John Young lay outside of the tomb aIong with unmarked graves of chiefs. The Privy Council records indicate that the resolution authorizing the construction of the mausoleum was due to the death of Prince Albert in 1862 and of King Kamehameha IV the following year. There is a request from G. M. Robertson, minister of the Interior, dated February 1, 1864, on behalf of King Kamehameha V to the Lord Bishop of Honolulu, the Rt. Rev. Thomas Nettleship, to dedicate a plot of ground known as Mauna 'Ala, as a burial plaee for the Sovereign and High Chiefs of the Kingdom. The mausoleum/chapel "forms a Roman cross, the wings of whieh are respectively 25 and 30 ft. wide, and covers an area of 2,250 square ft." It is built of coral stones with an "arched doorway ornamented by a vestibule covering another flight of steps, leading into the front part of the building, intended for a ehapel." The site was already a traditional name of an area known as "Mauna 'Ala," and was comprised of the land title of Z. Kaauwai deeded to King Kamehameha IV, dated September 18, 1855, and a portion of the ili of Kawananakoa, set aside as Crown Land by the Act of June 7, 1848. On February 3, 1864, King Kamehameha IV's remains were interred in the first of four wings of the mausoleum, and later that evening the remains of Ka Haku o Hawai'i, the son of the King and Queen Emma were placed there. The keys of the completed mausoleum were turned over to the Minister of Interior F. W. Hutchinson on October 12, 1865, having been planned and constructed by a self-made German architect, Theodore C. Heuek. On October 30, 1865, the funeral of Robert C. Wyllie was held and his casket was placed next to King Kamehameha IV's. At midnight, 19 caskets and two ka'ai (woven caskets in a single coffin) were removed from Pohukaina and taken to Mauna 'Ala. On May 16, 1866, the remains of John Young were moved from Pohukaina to Mauna 'Ala. It was also reported that the remains of his wife, Kaoanaeha and his son, James Young Kanekoa were also brought to Mauna 'Ala. On November 30, 1875, members of the Kalakaua dynasty were interred at the mausoleum from Kawaiahao Cemetery. The remains of Caesar Kapa'akea and Ane Keohokalole, the parents of King Kalakaua, and an infant of theirs were interred at the mausoleum. Also transferred to Mauna 'Ala were the remains of Keliimaikai, brother of King Kamehameha I and the chief Naihe. Upon the death of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, in 1884, her husband Charles Reed Bishop, had a separate underground vault built for members of the Kamehameha dynasty. The caskets and remains were transferred to the new vault on November 9, 1887. Coffin plate inscriptions do not include Kamehameha II or Keolaonalani. The "tomb" inscriptions are for: Kaahumanu, Kamehameha II, Queen Kamamalu, Kina'u, King Kamehameha III, Queen Kalama, King Kamehameha IV, Queen Emma, King Kamehameha V, David Kamehameha, Moses Kekuaiwa, Victoria Kamamalu, Mataio Kekuanao'a, Ruth Keelikolani, Keolaokalani Paki Bishop, Leleiohoku, John William Pitt Kinau, Keaweaweulaokalani, Ka Haku o Hawaii, Abner Paki and L. Konia. After the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the United States Congress passed a resolution in 1900 withdrawing the mausoleum site from any sale, lease or other disposition under the public land laws of the United States. This resolution was designed to perpetuate the designation of the site as a mausoleum for members of the Hawaiian monarchy and that the site would not be disposed of under the public land laws of the U.S. In the transfer of power and authority from Kingdom-Republic-Territory, the Organic Act set forth the powers and duties of the Superintendent of Public Works to include the powers and duties of the Minister of the Interior in regards to buildings and cemeteries whieh were formerly under that ministry.

There were negotiations held in 1902 to consider "turning over the grounds to the members of the royal family." An amount of $10,000 was appropriated for the imprbvement of the mausoleum and to allow "the relatives of the late King and Queen to remove all the caskets to a new vault to be erected in the plot of ground just ewa of the mausoleum." During that same year, a report to the Superintendent of Public Works stated that the mauso'leum structure was in deterioration. It was reported that the slate roof was in "bad condition," the supporting wood roof was "in extremely bad condition" due to insect damages, and the exterior walls needed to be replastered, among other items. In 1904, the mausoleum was refinished with an appropriation of $11,884.21. The renovation was carried out in consultation with the former Queen and other members of the royal family. In 1907, the Territorial legislature appropriated $20,000 for the construction of a Kalakaua tomb as was discussed in 1902. With the advisement of former Queen Liliuokalani and Hawaii's delegate to Congress, Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, a vault in the form of a Greek cross was built to house crypts. On June 25, 1940, ceremonies were held to transfer the Kalakaua dynasty caskets from the mausoleum to the underground vault. A marble shaft was erected above the vault to eommemorate the Kalakaua dynasty. The remains of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani were placed on the east wing, on the south wing there are nine crypts: Caesar Kapaakea, Ane Keohokalole, Kaiminaauao, Governor J. O. Dominis, Captain John Dominis, Queen Liliuokalani, His Royal Highness Leleiohoku, Her Royal Highness Kaiulani and Governor A. S. Cleghorn. On the north wing are: Her Royal Highness Kekaulike, Kahalepouli Piikoi, Her Royal Highness Poomaikalani, Keli'imaika'i, Naihe, David Kalakaua Kawananakoa, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, His Royal Highness David Kawananakoa, His Royal Highness Keliiahonui, KeaweaHeulu, and Her Royal Highness Abigail Kawananakoa. In 1915, Charles Reed Bishop, the husband of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, died in Berkeley, California. His ashes were brought back to Hawai'i and were placed in the Kamehameha Tomb next to his wife. The tomb was then sealed and a separate memorial headstone was constructed in honor of Bishop. In his will, Charles Bishop designated his Trustees to appropriate "such sum as may be necessary for the care, repair, maintenance and improvement of the tomb, monument and grounds in Nuuanu, in said City of Honolulu, where are deposited the remains of my late wife, and other Hawaiian chiefs." The remaining two ka'ai (sennit caskets) were removed from the mausoleum and taken to the Bishop Museum for conservation and study in 1918. The two ka'ai are still in the custody of the museum and "await a final and dignified resting plaee." On March 26, 1922, the birthday of Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, the mausoleum, then vacant, was converted into a memorial ehapel, using the rites of the Episcopal Church. During government of the Territory of Hawaii, Mauna 'Ala was under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of Public Works. Upon statehood, that authority was transferred to the Department of Accounting and General Services, and in the mid- 1960's the jurisdiction was transferred to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Today, the operations of Mauna 'Ala are under the Division of State Parks, Outdoor Recreation and Historic Sites of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. The present curator is Lydia Namahanaikaleleokalani Taylor Maioho, a descendant of the High Ho'olulu who took care of the bones of Kamehameha I. She is the eighth curator of Mauna 'Ala, following Hawaiian tradition of entrusting the curation of the chiefly remains to certain lineages and families.