This is an independent blog. Please note that I am nowhere near fluent, and that these are not translations, but merely works in progress. Please do comment if you come across misreads or anything else you think is important.
Died.–This past Monday, at Kamakela, here in Honolulu, Kaholua wahine, one of the women who took the word of God to the ignorant lands, but for other reasons she was returned here. The cause of her quick death was that she was pregnant, and perhaps it was while she was giving birth, the baby died within her belly, and the dead baby could not come out. Because the doctors’ skillful attempts, the child was expelled disfigured, but as for the mother, after she gasped for life for some hours, the one who belongs the soul took hit away, and left the body behind for the earth.
A Sorrowful Death.–At 1 o’clock in the afternoon, this past Monday, the hand of death reached out and snatched Mrs. Doreka Kaholua while she was bearing down giving birth; and on Tuesday afternoon she was carried away for all times. She left behind a number of younger siblings and a child, and her birth mother who grieve for her. God’s hand stretches out above our friends, from the young to the old. She was a welcoming host, should she see a stranger or friends, until she passed. With her family goes our sympathy.
(Au Okoa, 9/16/1869, p. 2)
Ke Au Okoa, Buke V, Helu 22, Aoao 2. Sepatemaba 16, 1869.
Did you see Bishop Museum’s He Aupuni Palapala blog the other week about Hawaiians in the Marshall Islands? See more about the Daniela and Doreka Opunui. Click here.
This Tuesday’s Star published a report from a correspondent living in San Francisco. When William Charles Achi, the son of our friend Kale Aki, was returning to school after spending some months at home, his name was on the list of Chinese passengers on the steamer Sierra, so he was not allowed to debark. After he stated he was not full Chinese and that he was three-fourths Hawaiian, and that he traveled in and out of the United States many times, and this was the first time he was released to go ashore. He was returning to Stanford University when he met with this obstacle on his trip.
This wasn’t the first time that a Hawaiian with mixed Chinese blood was detained, but there were many of those people, Therefore the wise thing for them to do would be to get in advance proof that they are American citizens by being born in Hawaii nei. Achi Jr. is not a stranger, but he has frequently visited the port of San Francisco, and it is as if this was an error carried out by the port security officers.
Also, did you see the quilt the Achis gifted to the family W. C. Achi Jr. was staying with in Chicago posted by Bishop Museum the other day? Click here to check it out.]
[Found under: “HE LETA MAI KO NA AINA E, KAKAUIA E REV. Z. S. K. PAALUHI.”]
…And at 12 noon we sailed to Banaba. This is a land that is somewhat circular, and it is higher than all of the other lands of Kiribati. This land appears to be a heap of volcanic rock. There are a lot of sharp, long, and tall rocks all over on this land, and there are very few coconut trees, because of the many rocks and the heat of the sun. The fruit of the kamani and the seed within is the staple food of these people; this is eaten together with raw fish, and it is also cooked. Water that is drunk by the people is below in deep caves; the women fetch it with torches. You walk standing upright and some places you crawl. Each family are the owners of their own cave; and if someone just takes [without permission], they will die in war. There are many who die when the torch goes out in the cave.
But we are extremely joyful this year (1898) on that land, that is because we are trying once more to eat the fruits of our land of birth. Like sugarcane, banana, orange, lemon, mango, watermelon, pumpkin, and some other fruits. The reason for this is that there was a lot of rain this past year, and these things were grown; but the heat from the sun is returning and all of those things will disappear. Life is sustained with the fruit of the kamani and the fish of the sea. It was here that Itaaka Kinta used to live some years ago; and these days Rev. Taremon is the pastor of this parish. There are two fine churches, some school teachers, and the people greatly desire righteousness, and they wear clothes correctly. On Thursday, Feb. 17, we left this land, the edge of the Kiribati Archipelago, and went west for Kusaie (Ualana) in the Caroline Archipelago.
The Morning Star stopped at this land on midday Thursday, and today it sails for the islands Banaba and Nawaro and all the way to Ualana, Ponape, Ruk in the West.
The Morning Star [Ka Hoku Ao] stopped at Abaiang on Dec. 25, 1889, and now is on its way to Honolulu.
We received the letters and the bundle of Ko Hawaii Paeaina newspapers; much aloha. We saw the ideas in the letters and the newspapers as well.
I and my Beni are fine now but sick sometimes.
We are with Rev. M. Lutera [Martina Lutera] and Mrs. S. H. Lutera and Rev. Z. S. K. Paaluhi [Zadaio Solomon Kalua Paaluhi] and Mrs. Emma Paaluhi; the are returning because of health issues. Smallpox has spread on the Morning Star.
With much aloha, J. H. Mahoe.[Joel Hulu Mahoe] January 4, 1890.
(Ko Hawaii Paeaina, 3/22/1890, p. 4)
Ko Hawaii Paeaina, Buke XIII, Helu 12, Aoao 4. Maraki 22, 1890.
The one whose name appears at the title of this essay, is that fine woman and old time familiar one amongst us who was always known by Honolulu’s people by the name of Panio. She was the widow of that old haole trader of Hawaii nei, that is Mika Palani. Panio was born in Waikele, Ewa, on the 15th of July 1817. She was married to her husband, Mr. William French (Mika Palani) in the year 1836 at Kailua, Hawaii. Governor Kuakini was the one who married the two; and she lived together with her husband until death separated them. They had three children–and a daughter survives today; she is a mother who is respected along with her husband and their four children–there are twin boys, one who has died, and the other lives in China.
On this past 24th of February, Panio left this bodily life, at the residence of her daughter at Kaakopua, after being confined with a painful sickness for several weeks. While sick, her patient nature was apparent, along with her unwavering faith in the righteousness of the Lord, her Savior and her Salvation; and there she remained until her hour in which she was victorious over her body. There perhaps was a prayer before her death; met with her were some friends, and after words of aloha, she responded: “We are blessed; praised be the name of the Lord.” Those were her very last words. She did not say anymore until the day she left, when she said clearly: “Aloha,” three times and her bodyÊ»s function was over.
Panio was a familiar and a brethren of Kawaiahao Church. Her constant friends were the fine women who were also kamaaina to the people of Honolulu, and most of them have passed on–Kekai, Hana Pauma, Halaki Adams, Nakapalau, Kaikaina, Malaea Kanamu, Kawao, Kamaile, Nakookoo, Pakohana. They are fine Hawaiian women of the stature referred to as a true Hawaiian. Panio was also a kamaaina in the presence of the alii as well as the haole.
I wrote this down because of my aloha for her and her children and grandchildren. Aloha for that mother and grandmother of devout heart. Her name is more perfumed than the costly perfumes of India. And I write this for all of the brethren of Hawaii. Let us emulate the righteous and not the sinful. Let us follow the footsteps of the good until we overcome.
Standing from left to right, Mrs. Andrade; Mrs. Clemens, leader; Mrs. Pahu; Mr. Andrade. Squatting: Mr. O. Pahu; Steven P. Lukua; Mr. Schenck Clemens, manager.
A LETTER FROM A HAWAIIAN BOY FROM AMERICA.
Below you will see the thoughts of a Hawaiian boy by the name of Kiwini Lukua [Steven Lukua], writing to his mother Mrs. Rebecca Lukua of Honolulu nei, describing what his singing group is doing, where they are living in America, and so forth. He has sent many letters, and this below is one of his letters.
“Dear mother, much aloha to you:–Here we are on break, and we are doing better, but our cold are not completely cured; we are still coughing, but not like the previous months. I think within two weeks our colds will probably be over, and maybe we will go sightseeing.
“I have some things I want you to buy for all of us, that is this, six pairs of Japanese sandals [kamaa pale wawae], and send in under my name and I will send you the money for the expenses. Our old Japanese sandals are all shredded up. That is all I want, and do not forget to send send a book related to Hawaii; do not forget to send a book of that type every month, that being a book in Hawaiian like those written by Jack London, etc.; a book written only in Hawaiian.
“I have good friends here who I want to read those books, and I will send you money to cover the cost of those books, because my friends will pay for those books.
“The days here are getting warmer. This place is much like our Manoa. The birds are singing and all the plants and the landscapes are beautiful to see.
The frigid days have gone by and we are happy that we have warm days, and the blooming flowers. Everywhere people are no longer lighting their fireplaces. These days we are staying at home quietly, and each evening, we went exploring for an hour and returned, because our colds are not completely over.
“Here, if someone gets a cold, several months will go by before that cold and sickness is over. This place is strange and not like Honolulu. Here if someone catches a cold, that cold will live in the body until the warm period. And if you catch a cold once again during the warm period, it will be worse. That is the reason we are staying in the house. But the haole tell us that our troubles are over, and so too was what the doctor said. But we wanted to be very sure before going traveling about here and there.
“Everyday, that haole invite us to go to their homes to see them, but we do not accept because we are sick. Here there are haole who went to Honolulu, and each evening, they always come to our hotel to talk with us.
“I am truly tired of living here, because we have many days before we work again. I have the sheet music and am practicing singing, “Hawaiian Rose.” This is a beautiful song.
“Today we are going to see the place with clams, that being olepe, because it is high tide now. The owners of this hotel are taking us to dig for clams; we are paying this hotel an extra charge of $5 for the day. But the hotel owner is reducing it to $3.00 for the day.
“This hotel is nice; there is a bathroom in each room, and we are the only dark-skinned ones in this hotel, because Blacks are not allowed to stay here. The cost to stay here per day is $3.00, added to the cost for meals. And the meals here fine, just like the Moana Hotel.
“Each evening the people dance on top of the Roof Garden without charge. We dance as well because it is fun. The music for the dancing is played by a Jazz Band. I forgot to tell you this, if we live here for two months the manager of the hotel has agreed to give us a monthly rate, that being $15.00 for a month, and we agreed on that rate, because it is very cheap, and he put in a request that we play every Saturday on the Roof Garden during the breaks, and he will pay us $15.00 per night; we are lucky, because we will receive an extra payment of $15.00. We will begin playing in April.
“With these little thoughts, I will conclude. May God guide and watch over us until we meet again.
Your loving son, STEVEN P. LUKUA, Happy Hawaii Co., Swarthmore, Penn., Wyoming, Delaware, U. S. A.
(Kuokoa, 5/24/1923, p. 3)
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LXII, Helu 21, Aoao 3. Mei 24, 1923.
His land of birth was Koolau, Oahu; and his parents were important people. His father died when he was a child, and thereafter his mother (that is Eseka who is living) became Governor of Molokai. When he was 8 years old, he joined the family of the King, Kamehameha III, and lived permanently with them. They were in Hilo at that time. When he was 13 years old, Haalilio entered the school of Bingham folks in Honolulu, and he learned English and Hawaiian languages. He was skilled at composition and mathematics, and he became the keeper of the King’s wealth. The King had confidence that he would care for it well.
Thereafter, Haalilio was chosen as Governor of Oahu; as minister of finances for the government, and envoy to travel to foreign lands. He was respected in the enlightened lands for his competence.
O youth of Hawaii nei, this is encouragement for you. Seek out these two things, the righteousness of God, and knowledge and wisdom. It was just those things that made Haalilio an honored man in this world, and his soul will be blessed in the other world.
Haalilio and his Bible.
We heard of the death of Haalilio, and that it was a contented and victorious death. Why was it a victorious death? Here is one reason: he read much of the word of God. That according to his traveling companion, Mr. Richards. After they left Maui, Haalilio took his Bible and read of it frequently. He read twice from Genesis to Revelation in entirety; and he read randomly here and there or the Holy Words. Let us consider this. Who is the brethren in Hawaii nei that goes beyond this? Haalilio is not a brethren, but his aloha for the holy word is greater than the many of the brethren. This is a good sign for him: a man who has great desire for the Bible and who reads it frequently, he is near to the kingdom of God.
Haalilio and prayer.
The two of them had a difficult time aboard the double-masted ship; there was no secluded place to prayer. This continued until they reached Mexico, there was no secluded place. Then they entered the house of a British man to visit. There they were allowed a quiet room at night. They entered and Haalilio said, “We are so blessed to have this quiet room; it is the first time we have a proper place to pray to God.” They prayed together and Mr. Richards admired the prayer of Haalilio that night. It was a very humble prayer; it was a prayer of repentance, and he spoke of his sins, and asked God for his relatives in Hawaii, and his power to help the two of them in their duties and to watch over them.dhis prayer; Mr. Richards heard him once secretly praying at night, perhaps because he thought they were all asleep. That is perhaps why their work progressed, yes. That is probably one of the reasons the sovereignty of the land returned. Isn’t it so? For true prayer is powerful, like what Jacob said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” These are things to remember and to learn from. Jehovah is the God of Hawaii nei, and it is only to him we should pay attention.
Washington, D. C., Jan., 10, 1902.–Mrs. R. W. WIlcox, Honolulu, Hawaii: I am doing okay.. I am still in the hands of the physician who is doing his very best; I am still in bed.
Do not be alarmed as it will be all right. Kiss to Keoua and Kapu and also to yourself. Aloha to Mama and Iwa.
ROBERT W. WILCOX. 3:15 P. M
(Home Rula Repubalika, 1/22/1902, p. 2)
Home Rula Repubalika, Buke I, Helu 12, Aoao 6. Ianuari 22, 1902.
We read that Mr. Shoji Masayoshi, a distinguished painter in oil, is at work on a likeness of the King of Hawaii, as His Majesty appeared in Japanese dress, when he was present at an entertainment given in his honour in the Momiji-kwan. It is added that the artist intends to make a gift of his work to the Hawaiian Government.
(Japan Daily Mail, 5/14/1881, p. 554)
Japan Weekly Mail, Volume V, Number 19, Page 554. May 14, 1881.
There are eight Hawaiian singing youths at the Cyclorama of Kilauea the Crater of Pele at Chicago, and it would appear as if they are on their way home with Moeheau [Mooheau] aboard the steamship Monowai, or perhaps aboard the Australia. Mr. Whitney saw and met with them in Chicago a few weeks ago. All of them were in good health, and they sang like the call of lovebirds. And everyone who entered to see the exhibit of the cyclorama of Kilauea crater were very amazed.
nupepa 