Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 10, 1 October 2006 — Living the queen's values [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Living the queen's values

'Onipa 'a "Steadfast," Queen Lili'uokalani's motto In early September, the 168th anniversary of Queen Lili'uokalani's birth was eommemorated by hundreds of descendents of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. The queen was born on Sept. 2, 1838, in Honolulu, to Chiefess Keohokālole and Chief Kapa'akea. They named her Lili'u Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamaka'eha. In a traditional hānai arranged between the ali'i, Lili'u was given to Chief Abner Pākī and Ali'i Nui Konia to raise and educate as their own child. She was baptized Lydia Pākī. Teachers at the Chiefs' Children's

School found that young Lydia could read music and teach the other children to sing new songs. As a young adult, she shared a love and passion for composing music and poetry with her brothers, Leleiōhoku and Kalākaua. Friends formed musical groups to sing the compositions of the three royal siblings in "a sweet rivalry" between them. Lili'u patiently committed about 150 of her songs to writing. The Queen Lili'uokalani's Children's Center's Auxillary, Hui Hānai, published The Queen 's Song Book, whieh preserves the queen's mele for future generations. On April 10, 1877, Princess Lydia Kamaka'eha succeeded her brother Leleiōhoku as heir to the Kalākaua throne, when Leleiōhoku died from rheumatic fever at age 22. King Kalākaua had named her Lili'uokalani. As a princess, Lili'uokalani had endured the pain of hearing and reading frequent falsehoods

about herself and the king in the newspapers owned or supported by Hawai'i's businessmen and sugar planters. Many friends and acquaintances turned against the king and Lili'uokalani. Throughout, the princess turned the other eheek, kept the hurt to herself, and continued to do what was pono. After two tumultuous years as Hawai'i's queen, Lih'uokalani was forced to surrender the Hawaiian Kingdom to the United States. The Provisional Government lead by Sanford B. Dole imprisoned the queen for eight months at 'Iolani Palaee. Soon after being imprisoned, Lili'uokalani composed the Queen's Prayer, whieh asks God's forgiveness for her captors. Then, fearing that she would never leave the palaee alive, she translated Kalākaua's Hawaiian text of the Kumulipo into English for future generations of Hawaiians to understand about their beginning. Despite her troubles, Queen Lili'uokalani advised her people not to fight and to wait for America's

aehon. Appeals to President Grover Cleveland for intervention seemed hopeful, and thousands of unsolicited letters from the American people gave encouragement. Hawaiians waited, confident that the United States would restore their queen. Then they wept quietly

as the Hawaiian flag was lowered and the Ameiiean flag was raised over 'Iolani Palaee on August 12, 1898. Queen Lili'uokalani's book, Hawai'i's Story, relates how, See PUEN on page 17

MO'OLELO • H I STD RY

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D.

PUEEN

Cūntinued fram page 12 despite her absolute bewildennent by the unscrupulous actions of the Provisional Government, she remained true to her Hawaiian and Christian values of forgiveness and nonviolence. Hawai'i's ah'i always understood their traditional kuleana (responsibihty) to their people. Ah'i of the 19th century were no different. Many gifts were bequeathed by our ah'i to Native Hawaiians in perpetuity. In 1894, Queen Lih'uokalani gifted land on the slopes of Pu'uowainato develop Uluhaimalama, the Royal Garden. While she was imprisoned in 'Iolani Palaee, flowers were brought to her daily from Uluhaimalama. Years later, on her 73rd birthday, the queen gave her people another garden, Lih'uokalani's Garden, near Waikahalulu Stream in Nu'uanu. Lili'uokalani's generosity and

foresight is demonstrated by her Deed of Trust that provides for orphaned and other destitute ehildren of Hawaiian blood. This legacy is perpetuated through the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center and the Queen Lih'uokalani Trust. Annually, the Children's Center staff touches the hves of hundreds Hawaiian children with a myriad of services, encouragement and hope. Queen Lih'uokalani was an exceptional, selfless, magnificent human being. Hawaiians ean remember and appreciate her gifts given in perpetuity to her people. Queen Lih'uokalani's legacy begins with her example of dignity, perseverance, honor, steadfastness, dedication, sacrifice, nonviolence and spiritual devotion. It is our responsibility to hve the values exemphfied by her hfe and to share these values with our children and 'ohana. With Lili'uokalani as our example, may our hves honor our ancestors. S