Posted on: Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Celebrating the life of Queen Lili'uokalani
By Zenaida Serrano
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Lili'uokalani is remembered today as the queen who was deposed — and as a famous composer.
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'ONIPA'A
A Birthday Celebration for Queen Lili'uokalani 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday 'Iolani Palace grounds Free 224-8068, www.huiohawaiiponoi.org A multidenominational church service at noon will be conducted by a Native Hawaiian kahu. Parking: Limited on-site and street parking available; free parking for the event from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Kawaiaha'o Plaza parking garage at South and Kawaiaha'o streets.
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How much do you know of the life of Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawai'i's last reigning monarch?
She was born on Sept. 2, 1838, and died on Nov. 11, 1917. In connection with her birthday and the event commemorating it (see inset), the Hawai'i Pono'i Coalition compiled these tidbits — with some information pulled from "Lili'uokalani" by Ruby Hasegawa Lowe (Kamehameha Schools Press) — that you may not have known about Hawai'i's last queen:
When she was born, she was named Lili'u ("smarting") Kamaka'eha ("sore eye"). High Chiefess Kina'u, who gave her the name, had a sore eye at the time. Her Christian name, Lydia, was added at her baptism.
Her brother, King David Kalakaua, gave her the name Lili'uokalani in April 1877 when he declared her heir apparent.
She was proficient in her studies as a girl and developed a love for Greek myths and legends. She found that she could easily relate them to her own Hawaiian legends.
She was the first ali'i to visit the leper colony on Moloka'i in 1877. She brought food, clothes, pictures and other gifts.
While traveling on the Mainland, she purchased an interesting clock that had the 12 letters of her name, instead of the 12 numbers. It also contained the days of the week, months of the year and phases of the moon. The clock now hangs in the Lili'uokalani Protestant Church in Waialua.
She had two homes in Waikiki — Ke'alohilani, near what is now the Pacific Beach Hotel, and Paoakalani, where the Waikiki Beach Marriott is. She wrote many of her famous songs at these homes and was one of the only monarchs with homes in Waikiki to keep them open to the public. She liked to have families — especially children — playing, singing, dancing and having fun there. She sometimes played her guitar and sang under the trees while her hanai daughters danced, much to the delight of the families.
She loved gardening. One of her favorite flowers was the crown flower. A quilt with a crown flower pattern that is displayed on the queen's bed in Washington Place was made after she died.
When forbidden to get news from anyone during her imprisonment, friends delivered flowers to her wrapped in current newspapers.
Queen Lili'uokalani had one hanai daughter. She loved children and had large pockets sewn onto her clothes so she could fill them with candy to give to keiki.
Queen Lili'uokalani was a wonderful organist, composer and songwriter. One of her most well-known compositions is "Aloha 'Oe."
Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: Queen Lili'uokalani had one hanai daughter. Also, a quilt with a crown flower pattern that is displayed on the queen's bed in Washington Place was made after she died. A previous version of this story contained incorrect information.
