Welcome back to Musings of a Bookish Historian! This week focuses on the history of Hawai’i, primarily on the last years of the Hawaiian monarchy before its overthrow in 1893. I traveled to Maui and O’ahu earlier in 2022 and became fascinated with Hawai’i’s rich and complex history.
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Ye Olde History
A Very Brief History of King David Kalākaua
If you’re not familiar with Hawaiian history, you might not know that before it was a U.S. state, Hawai’i was a monarchy for a short time between 1795 and 1893, uniting under Kamehameha I in 1810. Prior to this, the islands making up Hawai’i’s archipelago were largely independent entities ruled by chiefs.
Two families served as royal dynasties for the Hawaiian monarchy: the Kamehameha dynasty and the Kalākaua dynasty. The failure of the last Kamehameha monarch Lunalilo to name a successor before his death in 1874 prompted the government to elect a new one. This led to the ascension of King David Kalākaua over Queen Emma, the widow of King Kamehameha IV.
King David Laʻamea Kamananakapu Mahinulani Naloiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua, herein referred to as Kalākaua, was born on November 16, 1836. The last king and penultimate monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, the Hawaiian legislature elected Kalākaua to the throne in 1874 after Lunalilo’s death, and he reigned until his death in 1891.
Kalākaua was known for encouraging the return of traditional native Hawaiian practices such as hula and surfing that had been previously banned in public.
His reign proved tumultuous at times, and the end of his reign saw increasing influence and push from pro-American and anti-monarchist factions that sought to dissolve the monarchy.
Indeed, in 1887, he was forced to sign a new constitution that came to be known as the Bayonet Constitution. Kalākaua feared assassination if he did not sign, according to his sister and successor Lili'uokalani, writing in her memoir Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen.
The Bayonet Constitution limited the executive powers of the king as well as tightened voting requirements, resulting in the disenfranchisement of more people.
After his death in 1891, Lili'uokalani succeeded him, and it was during her reign that pro-American factions overthrew the Kingdom of Hawai'i in 1893.
Bookish
Currently Reading: Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen
I’ve been reading Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen for the last couple of weeks, and it’s been very eye-opening. Queen Lili’uokalani wrote her memoir in 1898, five years after the dissolution of her queenship and her forced abdication. The memoir covers a wide swath of time, from her childhood and her marriage to her ascension to the throne and her short reign.
As I’ve read Hawai’i’s Story, I’ve been getting a sense of how the queen was as a person, as one does when they read primary sources: intelligent, passionate and certain in her role as queen, and proud. It’s clear whom she considered worthy of her respect…and those who did not deserve it. I’ve yet to get to the point where Lili’uokalani ascends the throne, but I’m looking forward to experiencing this important piece of history from her perspective.
For additional resources and images about Kalākaua and Lili’uokalani, check out these photograph collections from the Hawaii State Archives:
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thank you for reading, and I hope you look forward to my next issue later this week!
Cheers,
-Amy