Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 2, 1 February 1991 — Nurturing the resting plaee of aliʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Nurturing the resting plaee of aliʻi

by Deborah Ward Last month, Lydia Namahana Taylor Maioho marked 25 years as caretaker of Mauna 'Ala, the Royal Mausoleum in Nu'uanu Valley. In her quarter of a century spent looking after the memory and the remains of Hawaii's ali'i, Maioho has seen a growing recognition among Hawaiians and the public of the importance of this hallowed spot. Before 1948 the gold-tipped gates on Nu'uanu Avenue were always kept closed and the only visitors were the occasional tourist or Kamehameha Schools students on Founder's Day. Since that time the gates have been opened to the public and Maioho has seen visits increase year-round.

Now there are students from elementary and high schools from all over O'ahu and even the neighbor islands. Hawaiian civic organizations hold regular services to honor the memory of Hawaiian royalty. Kamehameha Schools brings its Explorations students in summer and its Hawaiians studies institute staff to visit this historic site. With eaeh group, Maioho is a gracious guide, sharing her knowledge of the history of Hawaii's ali'i, their families and of the mausoleum. Her wealth of knowledge comes not only from her years as caretaker but from her own family history as well.

Both her father and then her mother were appointed caretakers of Mauna 'Ala. And in fact, Maioho ean trace her family line back to the two chiefs Hoapili and Hoolulu, who were entrusted with the task of secreting the bones of Kamehameha I. In 1947 Lydia's father William Kaiheekai Taylor, was asked to become caretaker at age 70 though

he was already retired. He served to 1956, and was succeeded by his wife, Emily Kekahaloa Namauu Taylor, who served until 1961. Taylor was born during the monarchy and often recounted stories of that time. When Maioho was young, her family lived near Kamehameha Schools on Houghtailing street. She recalls stories

Lahilahi Webb of Bishop Museum told her that her father was related to chief Ho'olulu. The story is told that before Kamehameha I died, he instructed Hoapili and Ho'olulu what to do with his bones. One brother went by eanoe, one by land to throw off the more than merely continued page 23

Lydia Namahana Maioho: "Love is the greatest gift."

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Nurturing ali'i —

/rom page 19 curious. Ho'olulu later returned to his wife who had just born their son. It was traditional to name a child after an event, and perhaps his name, Kaiheekai (receding waters), holds a elue to the whereabouts of the king's bones Maioho says. Did they go in an undersea cave?

Kaiheekai became the first caretaker at Pohukaina, the area of the original burial site of the Hawaiian royalty, today on the gounds of 'Iolani Palaee. His family cared for Pohukaina until Kalakaua appointed his sister-in-law Princess Poomaikelani, chief of Mauna 'Ala in 1888. When King Kalakaua died, Queen Lili'uokalani brought back in the family line from Kaiheekai and appointed Maria Beckley Kahea in 1893. Maria's mother had been a lady-in-waiting to the Queen. Maria Beckley Kahea was succeeded by Fred Beckley Kahea, who died in the early 1940s.

hrom then on care ot ot Mauna Ala has stayed in the family line even with the exception of Lydia Maioho's mother and her successor, Iolani Luahine, though both women are from a priestly line. (Maioho's mother is of the Hewahewa line.) After Iolani Luahine retired in 1965 Maioho applied for and was selected for the job in 1966, based on her knowledge of history and the duties her parents had fulfilled.

Since 1966 Maioho has lived in a modest home tucked among trees and shrubs in back of the ehapel. When it was built in 1947, old boulders were moved for a wall. The previous house, home to other caretakers looked out to Kapena falls. Maioho feels it is important to tell children the history of Hawai'i and Mauna 'Ala. "I like to listen to 'opio and makua and gain knowledge from them too ... I believe what we know we should share." In addition to her duties as caretaker of the Royal Mausoleum, Maioho is chair of OHA's

Historic Preservation Task Force, and has belonged to her beloved Nanaikapono Hawaiian Civic Club for 31 years. She is a member too of the Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors, since 1968.

A strong supporter of OHA since its beginning, Maioho is concerned about the many Hawaiian organizations today who have not eome together. She feels, "There is so mueh to be done for our people . . . We can't be wasting time gunning eaeh other down." "I believe one day we will eome together. Hawaiians think Jesus as the Prince of Peaee, Kuhio as the Prince of Love. If we had more love for eaeh other we would get along better . . . This is the greatest gift — love." This is a message she shares with all, Lydia Namahana Maioho, caretaker of the ali'i.