Papa Nukama (R. Newcomb)
—AND—
Toma Kea (Thomas Cross)
BOOK BINDERS.
Merchant Street Makai of the Sailors’ Home [Hale Luina]
(Kuokoa, 8/31/1867, p. 1)
The Hawaiian National Anthem—We just saw the first printings, drawn on and printed on stone [lithograph] by some haole of this town, they being Robert Newcomb [Papa Nukama] and Thomas Cross [Toma Kea]. The notes and lyrics were printed first on the stone by Robert W. Andrews [Robata W. Anaru], a haole boy born in Hawaii nei. The notes and lyrics were carved finely into the stone.
[I just saw a post by Nanea Armstrong-Wassel on the Hawaiian Historical Society’s Facebook page mentioning that among its many treasures is a copy of this sheet music! This is but just one of their countless links to the past! Priceless!!
For more of Nanea’s posts, see: here on Instagram, or on Facebook.]
(Kuokoa, 4/13/1867, p. 2)