Tag Archives: Edwin Welles Dwight

Another “Memoirs of Obookiah” translation, 1867.

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Book of the Moolelo of Heneri Opukahaia.

We are printing below the first pages of and the Table of Contents of the Chapters of the story of this Hawaiian that was educated in America. In this book is seven chapters, and it is almost a hundred pages. It is being printed in America and it will be here in a few more months.

THE STORY OF HENERI OPUKAHAIA—Born in Hawaii, A. D. 1787, and Died in America, February 17, 1818—The First Fruit of Hawaii nei. Printed by the American Tract Society [Amerika Ahahui Teraka], New York, 1867.

INTRODUCTION.

The majority of this Moolelo was translated from a book published in English in the United States of America. However, information was researched, and some of the errors of the book was corrected. Some things were added from the moolelo that Rev. S. W. Papalua investigated at Kealakeakua, Hawaii.

This story of Heneri Opukahaia is something important to us Hawaiians; for this is the first of the miracles that God performed benevolently upon our People; and through this start, the enlightenment, the knowledge, and the righteousness of Hawaii has increased until this day.

Should this moolelo become something which increases our love for God and our glorification of Jehovah, that will be enough…

[A couple of years later in 1867, the original translation was appended to and corrected with the information collected by that same S. W. Papaula of Napoopoo, and published in book form under the title: “KA MOOLELO O HENERI OPUKAHAIA, UA HANAUIA MA HAWAII, M. H. 1787, A UA MAKE MA AMERIKA, FEBERUARI 17, 1818. OIA KA HUA MUA O HAWAII NEI.”]

(Kuokoa, 5/18/1867, p. 3)

Buke Moolelo o Heneri Opukahaia.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke VI, Helu 20, Aoao 3. Mei 18, 1867.

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Translation of “Memoirs of Henry Obookiah: A Native of Owhyhee, and a Member of the Foreign Mission School…” 1865.

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Ka Moolelo o Heneri Opukahaia.

HELU 1.
Kona wahi moolelo mamua o kona hiki ana i Amerika.

He kanaka o Heneri Opukahaia no Hawaii ka mokupuni kaulana a laukanaka hoi o ka Pae Aina Hawaii. Ua hanau ia i ka makahiki 1792. He mau makaainana kona mau makua; aka ua pili nae kona makuahine i ka ohana o na’lii. O kona inoa o Kumuola; a o ka inoa o kona makuakane aole i maopopo. I ka wa i hiki aku ai o ko Opukahaia mau makahiki i ka umi a umikumamalua paha, pepehiia kona mau makua mamua pono o kona mau maka. Elua wale no laua o kona ohana i ola, oia a me kona wahi muli loa nona na malama ekolu. Ua manao lana ia e hoola i kona wahi pokii mai ka popilikia mai i ili iho ai maluna o kona mau makua, nolaila, ua hopu akuu ia i kona wahi pokii a kau ae la ma kona kua, a holo aku la mai ka enemi aku; aka, ua loaa aku no ia i ka poe i alualu aku, a pepehi mainoino ia ua wahi pokii la ona. O ka moolelo o ia wahi ua kakau ia ma kekahi buke e aku mamuli o ka mea i hai waha ia aku e Opukahaia…

[This translation of Edwin Welles Dwight’s “Memoirs of Henry Obookiah, a Native of Owhyhee, and a Member of the Foreign Mission School; Who Died at Cornwall, Conn. Feb. 17, 1818, Aged 26 Years.” begins on 9/9/1865 and is completed on 3/24/1866.]

(Nupepa Kuokoa, 9/9/1865, p. 2)

Ka Moolelo o Heneri Opukahaia.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke IV, Helu 36, Aoao 2. Sepatemaba 9, 1865.

Biography of Henry Opukahaia, 1865–1866.

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Here is one of a number of times where the Hawaiian-Language Newspapers run the biography of Heneri Opukahaia. This is a translation of the book, “MEMOIR OF HENRY OBOOKIAH, A NATIVE OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS, WHO DIED AT CORNWALL, CONNECTICUT, FEBRUARY 17, 1818, AGED 26.” by Rev. E. W. Dwight. The story runs in the Kuokoa from 9/9/1865 until 3/24/1866.

This is not the same text as the book published later in Hawaiian in 1867 in New York: “KA MOOLELO O HENERI OPUKAHAIA, UA HANAUIA MA HAWAII, M. H. 1787, A UA MAKE MA AMERIKA, FEBERUARI 17, 1818. OIA KA HUA MUA O HAWAII NEI.” The published book is based on the same English story, but is edited for errors, and includes further information gathered by Rev. S. W. Papaula in Kealakekua. That being said, most books in Hawaiian were first printed as a serial in the newspapers first, and then published as a book.

It opens this way:

The Story of Henry
Opukahaia

NUMBER 1.

HIS STORY PRIOR TO HIS
ARRIVAL IN AMERICA.

Heneri Opukahaia is from Hawaii, the famous and densely populated island of the Hawaiian Archipelago. He was born in the year 1792. His parents were makaainana, however, his mother was connected to chiefly circles. Her name was Kumuola, and the name of his father is not known. When Opukahaia reached the age of perhaps ten or twelve, his parents were killed before his eyes. There were but two in his family that survived, he and his youngest sibling who was three months old. He hoped to save his young sibling from the tragedy which befell upon his parents, so he grabbed his little sibling and placed it upon his back and ran from the enemy; however, he was found by those chasing after them, and the younger sibling was cruelly killed. That telling of that account is written in another book according to what was told by Opukahaia…

[If you are in or around Hilo this Monday, consider checking out the talk by Deborah Liʻikapeka Lee on Opukahaia at the Lyman Museum. For more information see the Lyman Museum page.]

(Kuokoa, 9/9/1865, p. 2)

Ka Moolelo o Heneri Opukahaia.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke IV, Helu 36, Aoao 2. Sepatemaba 9, 1865.