Now they have donated the valuable work to the Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation, a charitable foundation that supports Kamehemeha Schools and endows scholarships for Native Hawaiian students.

Jackie Mahi Erickson graduated from Kamehameha in 1958.

"Painting of Hilo Bay" by Joseph Ho'oluhi Nawahiokaniopu'u (1842-1896), believed to have been painted in 1888, will be available for viewing in the Hawai'i/Pacific Collection at the Frank E. Midkiff Learning Center on the Kamehameha Schools Kapalama campus from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Jan. 17-26.

Nawahi was a self-taught painter, a teacher, newspaper publisher, lawyer, legislator and a cabinet member to Queen Lili'uokalani. Only five of his paintings are known to exist.

Foundation executive director Lynn Maunakea said the gift of the painting has value on many levels.

In addition to helping draw attention to the five-year-old non-profit organization, it invites new attention to an extraordinary man.

"This artist was a real Renaissance man and was an artist only as an amateur. . . Art was only something he was very passionate about on the side. Now (the painting is) this national treasure and also a real treasure for the people of Hawai'i," said Maunakea.

Hawaiian language scholar Puakea Nogelmeier, who translated a biography of Nawahi written by Kahikina Sheldon in 1906, said when he finished the work, his one thought was, "How can people not know about this man?"

Nawahi is believed to have been the first Native Hawaiian to learn painting in the Western style. Also, after graduating from Hilo Boarding School, without mentoring or going to law school, he passed the bar.

"He just would take on these things. He was so self-motivated," said Nogelmier.