60 - Hawai'i, Queen Lili'oukalani
Hawaii is my tropical land that I have been lucky to frequent regularly. It is a beautiful state full of culture and life. As the last monarch of Hawai'i, her life worked to maintain the culture of Hawai'i as American came to the land more and more.
Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959 as the last of the 50 American states. It is hopeful that we may have a #51 and #52 in my lifetime.
Lydia Kamakaeha was born to a high-ranking family. Her mother, Keohokalole was an advisor to King Kamehameha III. Marrying an American ship captain, John Owen Dominus, in 1862, he became governor of Oahu and Maui. She was named heir to the throne when her older and younger brothers passed away in 1874 and 1877.
As queen, she worked to organize schools for Hawaiian youth. As a musician, she wrote many songs and chants including the national anthem of Hawai’i, Aloha Oe.
She was received by Queen Victoria at the Crown Jubilee in London with President Grover Cleveland and Kalakaua’s wife Kapiolani. During this time, Kalakaua’s power became more and more limited as a monarchy to Hawai’i, granting more privileges to the United States.
She was the first woman to rule Hawai’i in 1891, and worked to implement constitutions to restore powers. US businessmen and military deposed the queen in 1893, causing her to surrender. She advocated for reinstatement with President Cleveland, but in July 1894, the government proclaimed the Republic of Hawai’i. She was forced to abdicate her throne due to groups fighting for her to have power. By the time McKinley became president of USA, there were no longer sympathy to keep the Hawai’ian monarchy.
Why this woman?
Western America travels to Hawai’i as their closest tropical environment. I have been to Hawai’i so many times through my life for both pleasure, and now in my work, for business. (Don’t be fooled ... Hawaii for business is not fun. It is mostly business and constant reminders that you want to do something else.)
Though an American state of the union, it always has the essence of its (fading) culture. Though it is swarmed with tourism both from Western USA and Asia, it is still filled with a culture that I have been able to feel more as I work in Hawai’i more and more. They struggle to maintain a voice for their culture.
At a conference I was helping to put on in Honolulu, our session had local representatives from the Public Safety Department contribute. They taught me the truth about “aloha”. It is not a quippy statement to be taken over by white people like “Namaste.” It is a truly connecting statement between two people, the coordination of mind and heart within each person. “It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. ... It is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation.”
I am surrounded by Native American cultures in western Washington, but feeling the root of the Hawai’ian people in my conference opened my eyes to reaching beyond the words of Native cultures into the meaning. Stop, take the time, to think about what you are doing. Where Americans are pushing to be fast and big, many cultures prioritize taking time and presence to feel who you are with and why. Hawaiian time is not slow ... it s intentional. And intentions take time.
Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959 as the last of the 50 American states. It is hopeful that we may have a #51 and #52 in my lifetime.
Lydia Kamakaeha was born to a high-ranking family. Her mother, Keohokalole was an advisor to King Kamehameha III. Marrying an American ship captain, John Owen Dominus, in 1862, he became governor of Oahu and Maui. She was named heir to the throne when her older and younger brothers passed away in 1874 and 1877.
As queen, she worked to organize schools for Hawaiian youth. As a musician, she wrote many songs and chants including the national anthem of Hawai’i, Aloha Oe.
She was received by Queen Victoria at the Crown Jubilee in London with President Grover Cleveland and Kalakaua’s wife Kapiolani. During this time, Kalakaua’s power became more and more limited as a monarchy to Hawai’i, granting more privileges to the United States.
She was the first woman to rule Hawai’i in 1891, and worked to implement constitutions to restore powers. US businessmen and military deposed the queen in 1893, causing her to surrender. She advocated for reinstatement with President Cleveland, but in July 1894, the government proclaimed the Republic of Hawai’i. She was forced to abdicate her throne due to groups fighting for her to have power. By the time McKinley became president of USA, there were no longer sympathy to keep the Hawai’ian monarchy.
Why this woman?
Western America travels to Hawai’i as their closest tropical environment. I have been to Hawai’i so many times through my life for both pleasure, and now in my work, for business. (Don’t be fooled ... Hawaii for business is not fun. It is mostly business and constant reminders that you want to do something else.)
Though an American state of the union, it always has the essence of its (fading) culture. Though it is swarmed with tourism both from Western USA and Asia, it is still filled with a culture that I have been able to feel more as I work in Hawai’i more and more. They struggle to maintain a voice for their culture.
At a conference I was helping to put on in Honolulu, our session had local representatives from the Public Safety Department contribute. They taught me the truth about “aloha”. It is not a quippy statement to be taken over by white people like “Namaste.” It is a truly connecting statement between two people, the coordination of mind and heart within each person. “It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. ... It is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation.”
I am surrounded by Native American cultures in western Washington, but feeling the root of the Hawai’ian people in my conference opened my eyes to reaching beyond the words of Native cultures into the meaning. Stop, take the time, to think about what you are doing. Where Americans are pushing to be fast and big, many cultures prioritize taking time and presence to feel who you are with and why. Hawaiian time is not slow ... it s intentional. And intentions take time.
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