A pair of patriotic mele by John G. M. Sheldon, 1893.

KE KUOKOA PUKA LA.

He malihini hoi keia,
E auwana hele ae nei,
Aihemu manienie,
Ai uhini o ka nahele.

O ke ano iho la no ia,
Malimali i kinohou,
A ku ae i ka moku,
Ko-we-iu-Kanaka.

O ko lakou ano iho la ia,
O hoolilo aina ma,
Mai punihei aku,
I ka mali hoohui aina.

[The Daily Kuokoa Newspaper¹

This is a newcomer
Wandering about
Devouring until barren
Eater of grasshoppers in the wilderness.

That’s its nature
Sweet words at first
Then taking rule of the land
“Go away you Kanaka.”

That is how they are
Those who will turn over the land
Don’t get tricked
By the sweet-talking annexationists.

¹Nupepa Puka La Kuokoa me Ko Hawaii Pae Aina i Huiia was a daily pro-annexation Hawaiian-Language newspaper that ran from 1/26/1893 through 1896.

KA’U MELE.

Pehea la e hiki ai,
Ia’u ke uumi iho,
I ko’u aloha e ka aina hanau,
Nau wau i hoohua mai.

O kou kuakoko no’u ia,
Eha oe, no’u ia eha,
Mailani oe ia’u, he milimili,
I ole ai kakou, ma o ka Haku.

E ka Haku—e—Puuhonua,
Kalahea o ko ke ao nei,
Ina ua hewa au, ke noi nei au,
Ma Ou ‘la, e ola au.

Kahikina Kelekona.

[My Song

How would it be possible
For me to hold back
My aloha, O Land of my birth,
You gave birth to me.

Your birth pangs are for me
When you are pained, those pains are for me
You treasure me, as something dear
We live through the Lord.

O Lord, O Refuge
Redeemer of this world
If I am wrong, I beseech
Through You, let me live.

Kahikina Kelekona.]

(Hawaii Holomua, 1/25/1893, p. 2)

KE KUOKOA PUKA LA.

Hawaii Holomua, Buke III, Helu 446 [146], Aoao 2. Ianuari 25, 1893.

Curious mele, 1892.

KA’U MELE.

Lohe mai au ulalaeho
Me Kahikina oe ulalaeho
Kahi niniau ai alalaeho
A niniau iho ulalaeho
O kou mau ia ulalaeho
A e ike ia nei ulalaeho
O ka holo mamua ulalaeho
Haule hope ai ulalaeho
Hawaii hope ai ulalaeho
Heaha keia ulalaehe
Kahikina Kelekona ulalaeho
Ua eha ke poo ulalaeho
Ke kulou nei ulalaeho
I ke koa wiwo ole ulalaeho
Ka Leo o ka Lahui ulalaeho
Heaha kou mai ulalaeho
E wilinau nei ulalaeho
E inu paakai ulalaeho
I pau ko lena ulalaeho

[I am not sure what this complaint against John G. M. Sheldon is about.]

(Leo o ka Lahui, 11/21/1892, p. 4)

KA'U MELE.

Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 586, Aoao 4. Novemaba 21, 1892.

 

And more on the passing of John G. M. Sheldon, 1914.

JOHN KAHIKINA KELEKONA HAS PASSED.

At nine o’clock in the morning of this past Friday, the life breath of John Kahikina Kelekona left forever at his home; he was a very famous historian, and an old newspaperman in this town in years past, and his famous works will become an unforgettable monument to him.

He left behind many children, six daughters and two sons. The girls are: Mrs. I. Cockett; Mrs. J. R. Francis; Mrs. Ernest Kaai; Mrs. Joseph Namea; Mrs. M. Dutro, of Wailuku, Maui; Miss Emma Sheldon; and the boys are: D. K. Sheldon and Henry Sheldon, who work as clerks on inter-island steamships.

He left also two brothers [hoahanau]: William J. Sheldon, one of the esteemed members of the legislature some sessions ago, and Lawrence K. Sheldon who is with the law enforcement office in Honolulu. Continue reading

More on John G. M. Sheldon’s passing, 1914.

[Found under: “NUHOU KULOKO”]

On the morning of this Friday, John Kahikina Sheldon, one of the old typesetters, a famous newspaper writer, and translator and interpreter for the court, left this life. He was a fellow laborer in this work. He has gone, but his work will not be forgotten. Aloha indeed.

(Holomua, 3/28/1914, p. 8)

Ua haalele mai i keia ola ana...

Ka Holomua, Buke I, Helu 26, Aoao 8. Maraki 28, 1914.

John G. M. Sheldon passes away, 1914.

SUDDEN DEATH OF J. G. M. SHELDON

John G. M. Sheldon, brother of Henry Sheldon, of Lihue, and Wm. J. Sheldon, formerly of Waimea, died in Honolulu of hemorrhage last Friday morning. He had been in rather poor health for several years. Henry Sheldon left by the Kinau Saturday for Honolulu to attend the funeral, which took place Sunday afternoon.

Mr. Sheldon was one of the oldest printers in the Islands, having begun work as such when quite young. Being proficient in both the English and Hawaiian languages, he was frequently employed as interpreter in the courts and elsewhere. He had many friends by whom he was well liked.

(Garden Island, 3/31/1914, p. 1)

SUDDEN DEATH OF J. G. M. SHELDON

The Garden Island, Volume 10, Number 12, Page 1. March 31, 1914.

Kahikina Kelekona, John G. M. Sheldon, editor of the Hawaii Holomua, arrested for speaking, 1893.

LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT.

Has Anybody Any Rights Under the Provisional Government?

Argument of the Question in the Circuit Court.

John G. M. Sheldon, editor of the Holomua, who is deprived of his liberty under a warrant issued by the President of the Provisional Government, was produced in the First Circuit Court before Judge Frear, at 11 o’clock this forenoon, under a writ of habeas corpus. Attorney-General Smith and F. M. Hatch appeared for the Government, and C. W. Ashford, C. Creighton, A. Rosa and J. L. Kaulukou for the prisoner.

Mr. C. W. Ashford argued for the discharge of the prisoner, speaking to the following effect: There was no authority vested in the Executive and Advisory Councils to issue warrants of arrest. President Dole had no right in the Proclamation of the Provisional Government to issue a warrant of arrest. The Government could not go behind that proclamation, he presumed. “We the People of the Hawaiian Islands” gave him no such power. If “We the People of the Hawaiian Islands” had intended to exercise that power they would have given it to him. The Proclamation stated that the President’s duties were to preside over the meetings of the Executive Council. Mr. Dole now holds no judicial position in these islands. He did hold such position before, but resigned it to become President of the Provisional Government. If that warrant, of President Dole was valid, then there was no security of liberty for any man, woman or child under these tropic skies. There was then nothing to prevent any resident of this country being consigned to a dungeon or bound in irons. It should be known whether the Provisional Government had such tremendous powers. He was not making a covert attack on the late revolution. He believed in the sacred right of revolution, and he considered the late revolution was a good thing. But it might not be good if the Provisional Government introduced anarchy and despotism. Some persons were led by their philosophy to believe that a beneficent despotism was the best form of government, and he believed that members of this school of philosophy had seats in the Advisory Council. Continue reading

On Aloha Aina, 1893.

“Breathes there a man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own my native land.”
(Scott.)

Many of those who support honestly the present state of affairs, have done so in the full hope and belief, that thereby the flag of their country—the Stars and Stripes—will float over the land in perpetuity. Not a single Hawaiian, however, even those few whose signatures to annexation petitions (not 200 in number and mostly convicts.) have been bought or forced by necessity from them, desires to see any foreign flag replace his own. Continue reading

Patriotic mele in English, 1893.

As Israel in ancient times sat weeping by the waters of Babylon listening to the plaintive songs which arose from their singers, so sits Hawaii in grief and mourning to-day and to Her our bard sings:

I had a dream, I saw a vision pass before me,
Long ages past arose in swift array,
Adown the stream of time my fleeting fancy bore me
From age to age unto the present day,
Far o’er the southern sea I saw brave ships a-sailing
From isle to isle, till at Hawaii’s shore
They touched, and soon with joy the natives came, them hailing
With pious awe, incarnate Gods of yore,
From all the land they flocked with speed to see the stranger,
Adoring gave their gifts both rich and rare,
But time brought fuller knowledge, knowledge brought its dangers
And Captain Cook’s life paid the forfeit there.
And down the stream still visions came a-floating;
Vancouver came unto this race so brave;
Restored the friendship Cook had lost; while noting
That Britain ne’er would hold them as her slave.
Still swept the vision on with flight so speedy;
One ship alone this time comes into view—
America’s gift unto these islands needy,
Peace, love, goodwill—and Christianity too.
Right lovingly was welcomed each new teacher,
The people flocked to hear good news so true,
That more and more it seemed to every preacher,
The harvest plenteous, but the laborers few.
And time flew by on wings. The isles grew fair, and fairer;
One Briton thought to seize them for his land,
But Britain’s Admiral, our independence bearer,
Restored the flag midst praise from every hand,
The years passed by. Through all the land there rose the steeple—
The preacher controlled all with kindly hand;
Give land and constitution to your people!
(O King! Give heed!) and God will bless your land.
Year followed year. Changed Kings and constitution.
The stranger increased: took mortgages on land:
Kept Hawaii’s daughters, sisters, wives in prostitution:
Spread poverty and vice around on ev’ry hand.
Still years rolled on. With sugar now grown wealthy,
The foreign Christians lifts his eye around,
And says: “For me no doubt the climate is most healthy,
“Tho’ poor and dying Hawaii’s native sons are found.
“Some seventy years ago we gave this land the Bible
“And tried to teach them then its use,
“(To say we’ve showed them poor examples is no libel)
“And fair exchange ‘t will be to cook their goose.
“Their cries for right and justice soon we’ll stifle:
“Take for ourselves this Paradise on earth.
“If they object, we’ll each one tap our rifle,
“And call for help upon our land of birth.
“Unfit to rule with all these years of training—
“(We’ll spread the lie around on every hand,)
“You’ll see they’ll let us do it, uncomplaining,
“For they have got our Bible, and so we’ll take their land.”
At this a noise awoke me, and in wonder
I saw the very instance of my dream.
Hawaii’s Queen and Natives were put under
To bolster up their money-getting scheme
And now forth from them goes across the waters
One last appeal for Justice and for Right.
Preserving peace, Hawaii’s gen’rous sons and daughters,
Before God’s throne on high, in prayer unite:
“Great God! the Judge of All! The records thou art keeping!
“Look down in mercy on our sad estate!
“Be kind unto us! Hear our voice of weeping!
“Till thou restore, grant us in peace to wait.
“And thou, great nation! home of truth and bravery!
“Freedom’s defender! we pray thee us O, hear!
“Restore our Queen and us; now, as in slavery,
“Held by usurper’s armed fear.
“Restore our rights and help us to maintain them!
“O let our prayer be crowned with success!
“Our conduct and your friendship will retain them,
“The God of nations will for ever bless.”

[This mele was probably composed by Kahikina Kelekona, J. G. M. Sheldon.

The image taken from the microfilm is hard to make out at the bottom. Hopefully there will be funding found to have the Hawaiian-Language Newspapers be unbound and rescanned clearly. How can you get to all the pearls stored in the newspapers if you can’t make out the words?]

(Hawaii Holomua, puka pule, 1/28/1893, p. 4)

As Israel in ancient times...

Hawaii Holomua (Puka Pule), Buke III, Helu 5, Aoao 4. Ianuari 28, 1893.

Two interesting testimonials appearing in the same issue, 1892.

VERIFICATION OF THE TRUTH.

Honolulu, April 4, 1892.

I hereby attest, I am the one whose name appears below; in order to verify the miraculous works of Mr. Marcus W. Lowell, and so that the public knows, he treated my wife in 1886 after she contracted the disease known as the sickness that separates families [ma’i hookaawale ohana]; he treated her and she got much better than with the doctors who treated her. She suffered for ten years from this sickness, and within a month, Mr. Lowell saved her because of his aloha he had for my wife during that time.

To attest to this, I place my name here.

John Kahikina Kelekona.

(Leo o ka Lahui, 4/8/1892, p. 2)

HE HOIKE AKU I KA OIAIO.

Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 428, Aoao 2. Aperila 8, 1892.

CURE FOR CANCER.

Honolulu, March 24, 1892.

I, George Campton, carpenter, have been a resident of these Islands for the last 14 years. In the last year 1891 I suffered from cancer in the leg, and through the advice of a friend I had Mr. Lowell to see it. I suffered the most excruciating pain and has confined to my bed for weeks, when Mr. Lowel saw me and told me he thought he could cure it, and to my utter astonishment, in one month from the time Mr. Lowell first saw it it was cured. It is now nearly three months since and has all the appearance of a complete cure. In three weeks from the time Mr. Lowell first saw me I was able to go about my dusiness. Any one desiring further information can call on me at 36 King St.

(Leo o ka Lahui, 4/8/1892, p. 4)

CURE FOR CANCER.

Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Buke II, Helu 428, Aoao 4. Aperila 8, 1892.