The Story of the
First and Last Queen Regent of Hawaii
Queen
Liliuokalani’s Manao (motto) was:
"E
ʻonipa'a i ka 'imi na'auao" (Be steadfast in the seeking of knowledge).
As was common among Hawaiian royalty, Liliuokalani was
adopted at birth by Abner Paki and his wife, Laura Konia. She received an
education at the Chief’s Children’s School where she learned to speak English
fluently, and traveled Europe and America. This exposure to western art and
culture influenced much of the more than 160 songs that she composed in her
lifetime, many of which are still frequently played throughout the islands
today.
Queen Liliʻuokalani is remembered for her many musical
compositions, including the famous song Aloha ‘Oe (Farewell to Thee). Many of
these were written during her imprisonment after she abdicated her throne, and
they express a deep love of her land and people. Her compositions were compiled
into The Queen’s Songbook in 1999.
"To compose was as natural to me as to breathe; and this gift of nature, never having been suffered to fall into disuse, remains a source of the greatest consolation to this day."
`O kou aloha no
Aia i ka lani
A `o Kou `oia `i`o
He he molelo ho`i
Ko`u noho mihi `ana
A pa`ahao `ia
`O `oe ku`u lama
Kou nani ko`u ko`o
Mai nana `ino`ino
Na hewa o kanaka
Aka e huikala
A ma`ema`e nô
No laila e ka Haku
Ma lalo o kou `eheu
Ko makou maluhia
A mau loa aku no
`Amene
Is as high as Heaven
And your truth
So perfect
I live in sorrow
Imprisoned
You are my light
Your glory, my support
Behold not with malevolence
The sins of man
But forgive
And cleanse
And so, o Lord
Protect us beneath your wings
And let peace be our portion
Now and forever more, Amen
Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani Washington, D.C. Feb. 9, 1898 tells the story of her life, the overthrow of the monarchy, her attempts to reclaim it, and Hawaii during that time. It remains a key work in Hawaiian history. "I was a studious girl; and the acquisition of knowledge has been a passion with me during my whole life."In 1862 Liliuokalani married John Owen Dominis, who in time
became the governor of Oahu and Maui.
As the elder sister to King David Kalakaua, Liliuokalani
became the queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii upon the King’s death in 1891.
A Fight for Hawaii’s Freedom
One of Queen Liliuokalani’s main goals was to reestablish
the power and sovereignty of the monarchy that her brother had to give up.
When Liliuokalani inherited the throne, she took repealed
the Bayonet Constitution, which deprived the authority of the Hawaiian monarchy
and gave power to foreigners. She drafted a new constitution which would
restore the power to Hawaii.
"Never cease to act because
you fear you may fail."
In January 1895 Liliuokalani was arrested following the
failed Counter-Revolution in Hawaii. At her trial Liliuokalani denied any
knowledge of the revolution but was found guilty and sentenced to five years of
hard labor in prison and a fine. That sentence was later commuted to
imprisonment to an upstairs bedroom of Iolani Palace. Iolani Palace stands to
this day as the only royal residence on American soil.
In 1896, Liliuokalani was granted a full pardon by the now
annexed Republic of Hawaii. She resumed her attempts at appealing annexation
and traveled to the United States many times in the process. Despite her
efforts, Hawaii became a Territory of the United States in 1898 and in one last
push in 1910 Liliuokalani unsuccessfully sued the United States government for
the loss of the Hawaiian crown land.
On January 16, 1893, United States troops invaded the
Hawaiian Kingdom without just cause, which led to a conditional surrender by
the Hawaiian Kingdom’s executive monarch, Her Majesty Queen Lili‘uokalani, the
following day. Liliʻuokalani believed in peaceful resistance. She did not want
the blood of Hawaiian people to be shed.
"It was the intention of the officers of the government
to humiliate me by imprisoning me, but my spirit rose above that. I was a
martyr to the cause of my people, and was proud of it."
Her conditional surrender read:
“I, Liliuokalani, by the grace of God and under the
constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen, do hereby solemnly protest against
any and all acts done against myself and the constitutional Government of the
Hawaiian Kingdom by certain persons claiming to have established a provisional
government of and for this Kingdom….”
"Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every
Hawaiian, whatever his station. The cause of Hawaiian independence is larger
and dearer than the life of any man connected with it."
"I have pursued the path of peace and diplomatic
discussion, and not that of internal strife."
The last queen of Hawaii lived in Washington Palace until
her death in 1917 as a private citizen.
Liliuokalani still remains an icon and much beloved by the
Hawaiian people. She was the first activist for Hawaiian culture and
sovereignty, a movement that still exists to this day. Her legacy also lives on
in the Queen Liliuokalani Trust Fund, which works to serve the children of
Hawaii.
“Aloha 'Oe, Farewell to Thee . . .
One fond embrace before I now depart. Until we meet
again."
"All things in this world are two: in heaven there is but One.
Hawaiian Art doll Liliuokalani was created in honor of Queen Liliuokalani, the Fire from Heaven.
