Ka'iulani
Encyclopedia
Victoria Kaiulani Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kawēkiu i Lunalilo Cleghorn (1875–1899) was heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii
and held the title of crown princess. Kaiulani became known throughout the world for her intelligence, beauty and determination. Her royal status, talent and double-ancestry (Hawaiian-Scottish) kept her frequently in the press of the day, and newspaper accounts of her comings and goings throughout her life are extensive, often parallel or interconnected with those of Queen Liliuokalani. After the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy
in 1893, Ka'iulani overcame her personal reluctance to become visibly involved with politics (or be seen as usurping her Aunt's (Queen Liliuokalani's) primary role as leader of the Kanaka Oiwi
people) by traveling from England to America to lend support to her Aunt's efforts to call America to account for its
overthrow of the Hawaiian nation. She never wanted her people to be able to say that she, as next in line to the throne, made no effort on their behalf. The most notable (and well-known) instance of this took the form of an unofficial visit with the then U.S. President Grover Cleveland
and his wife. While there was no direct political discussion (and no meal shared, as depicted in a recent film) during this short White House meeting, without doubt the Princess' grace and dignity impressed the Clevelands greatly, increasing the President's already existing sympathy for the Kingdom of Hawaii's independence. Her role as representative of her people's rights and wishes was understood. Despite this and the Crown Princess' strong personal statement to the press (published widely in American newspapers) about the wrong done her country, and the subtle influence of her presence at various public and private gatherings (as a guest generally, not a speaker: the Princess never was given an opportunity to speak before Congress, as some commentators have claimed), ultimately Ka'iulani, her Aunt, and the Hawaiian political societies could not undo the injustice of the overthrow. The Princess returned to Hawaii in 1897 to share her people's sorrows firsthand, and continue her role as a beloved Alii
until her death in 1899.
. Through her mother Kaiulani was descended from High Chief Kepookalani
, the first cousin of Kamehameha the Great
on the side of Kamehameha's mother, Kekuiapoiwa II
. Her mother was also sister of King Kalākaua and Queen Liliuokalani. Kaiulani's father was Archibald Cleghorn
, a Scottish
financier from Edinburgh
and the last Royal Governor of Oahu.
She was baptized Christmas Day, 1875 at St. Andrew's Pro Cathedral
. Princess Ruth Keelikōlani
stood as her godmother.
Kaiulani was named after her aunt Anna Kaiulani
who died young, and Queen Victoria
of the United Kingdom
, whose help restored the sovereignty and independence of the Kingdom of Hawaii during the reign of Kamehameha III
. The name comes from ka iu lani which means "the highest point of heaven" or "the royal sacred one" in the Hawaiian language
. Upon her birth, Kaiulani was gifted the estate of Ainahau
in Waikiki
by her godmother. Kaiulani inherited Ainahau at the age of 11 upon the death of her mother.
In 1881, King Kalākaua
tried to arrange a marriage between Kaiulani and Japan's Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito
in hopes of creating an alliance between Japan
and the Kingdom of Hawaii. However, the prince declined, as he was already pre-arranged to marry a Japanese noble lady, Arima Yoriko. In 1894, Queen Liliuokalani wrote to her niece to marry one of the three: Prince David Kawānanakoa
, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, or Prince Komatsu Akihito
(then studying in London), the half-brother of Higashifushimi Yorihito. She replied to her aunt that she would prefer to marry for love unless it was necessary to protect the independence of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
On February 3, 1898, she declared her engagement to Prince David Kawānanakoa, but her early death ended the hope of marriage.
The Princess grew up knowing painters Joseph Dwight Strong
, a landscape painter in the court of her uncle, and Isobel Strong, a lady in waiting under her mother and stepdaughter of Robert Louis Stevenson
. Stevensen called her "the island rose" in a poem he wrote in her autograph book.
Art and music were also in the curriculum at Great Harrowden
Hall and she took several trips to Scotland and France to study art. Her few surviving paintings demonstrate considerable talent.
Because Princess Kaiulani was second in line to the throne after her elderly and childless aunt, it was predicted that the young girl would eventually become Queen. King Kalākaua, Queen Kapiolani
, Cleghorn, and the Princess talked about the issue and it was determined that it would be in the young Princess's best interests that she be given a British
education. In 1889, at the age of 13, Kaiulani was sent to Northamptonshire
, England
to be given a private education at Great Harrowden
Hall. She excelled in her studies of Latin, Literature, Mathematics, and History there. She also took classes in French, German, and sports (mostly tennis and cricket). In 1892, Kaiulani made a new start by moving to Brighton where she was chaperoned and tutored by Mrs. Rooke who set up a curriculum including German, French and English. This village by the sea was very pleasing to the young princess and her enthusiasm was renewed.She continued to study in England for the next four years, despite the fact that she had originally been told that she would only be studying in Britain for one year. Her overseers from Hawaii had planned for her to take a trip around Europe and had even arranged for her to have an audience with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, but following the overthrow of her Aunt, Queen Liliuokalani, on January 17, 1893 by local businessmen, all plans were cancelled and she went to New York.
. The news arrived to Kaiulani on January 30, 1893 in a short telegram that said: "'Queen Deposed', 'Monarchy Abrogated', 'Break News to Princess'".
Kaiulani then made a statement to the press in England:
She referred to Lorrin A. Thurston
, who was touring the United States
promoting its annexation of Hawaii.
Kaiulani decided to take action and traveled to the United States herself the following month. Upon arrival on American shores, although shy by nature, she addressed the press in public with these words:
The pro-annexation press of the time often treated Kaiulani with contempt,referring to her in print as a half-breed, or calling her "dusky", although she did not receive the blatantly racist treatment repeatedly given her Aunt. (Typical of the time, "positive" accounts of the Princess appearance often tried to emphasize what was thought to be "white" about her, although her "British" half was invoked negatively on occasion by American writers fearing Great Britain was a rival for possession of Hawaii.) As she traveled across the United States following her education, the real Princess surprised open-minded members of the press. Instead of an unmannered caricature "heathen" described by enemies of the Kingdom of Hawaii, journalists and the public were confronted by a modern Royal Princess wearing elegant gowns and speaking English (or Hawaiian, French or German). She traveled through New York City
and Boston
where she attended various social events, many in her honor. She then went to Washington DC where she met with President Grover Cleveland and his wife at the White House
. She made a good impression and Cleveland expressed concern for Hawaii's plight. Kaiulani felt encouraged something would be done and returned to England. However, when Cleveland brought Kaiulani's case to Congress, while the United States Senate
did not proceed with annexation, it refused to restore the monarchy. The situation in Hawaii did not improve, and Kaiulani was deeply disappointed. Over the next few years, Kaiulani remained in Europe
. There, she received news in 1894 that her childhood friend, author Robert Louis Stevenson
, had died and that a new Republic of Hawaii
had been established. Her health slowly deteriorated. Kaiulani's health worsened when she learned that her half-sister, Annie Cleghorn, had died in 1897 and her guardian from England, Theophilus Harris Davies
, had also died. The Princess suffered eye problems, and developed migraines following the overthrow of the Monarchy (although one such headache kept her from participating in a charity event in Paris, where a devastating fire killed scores of society women). Numerous documented symptoms may indicate she suffered from thyroid disease, which would help explain her early death.
With the approval of Queen Liliuokalani and Queen Dowager Kapiolani
and in compliance with the last Hawaiian constitution, Princess Kaiulani and Prince Kawānanakoa
announced their engagement on February 3, 1898.
She was now a private citizen of the Republic of Hawaii, and on August 12, 1898 became citizen of the Territory of Hawaii
as the annexation finally took place. During the Annexation ceremony, the Princess and her aunt, Liliuokalani, along with other members of the royal family and with the heads of every Hawaiian political party, wore funeral attire and shuttered themselves within Washington Place
, protesting what they considered an illegal transaction. "When the news of Annexation came it was bitterer than death to me," Princess Kaiulani, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "It was bad enough to lose the throne, but infinitely worse to have the flag go down..."
Kaiulani loved peacocks
. She grew up enjoying the company of a flock originally belonging to her mother, and is sometimes called the "Peacock Princess".
, Kaʻiulani was caught in a storm and came down with a fever and pneumonia. Earlier she had caught cold from swimming while on the Big Island
, and this worsened matters. Kaiulani was brought back to Oahu
where her health continued to decline. She died on March 6, 1899 at the age of 23 of inflammatory rheumatism
. She was interred in Honolulu's Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii
. Her father also said that he thought that since Hawaiʻi was gone, it was fitting for Kaʻiulani to go as well.
she was born. She continues to inspire generations of Na Kanaka Maoli to traditional forms of honoring her as a beloved Alii.
Kaiulani is the subject of several books, articles, Internet videos and musical tributes.
In 1999, a bronze statue cast by Jan Gordon Fisher was dedicated in the triangle park at Kanekapolei and Kuhio Avenues in Waikiki
, Honolulu.
Author Kathleen Ann Goonan
used the rumored story that Kaiulani died of complications from childbirth as a basis for her 1996 science fiction
novel The Bones of Time.
In 2001 Ellen Emerson White
published a book of the Royal Diaries Series on her early life titled Kaiulani, the People's Princess, Hawai'i, 1889.
In the fall of 2007, English filmmaker Marc Forby began production on a $9 million film titled Barbarian Princess based on the princess' attempts to restore her nation's independence. Princess Kaiulani was played by 12-year-old Kaimana Paaluhi of Oahu and by Q'Orianka Kilcher
. Barry Pepper
, Will Patton
, and Shaun Evans
co-star. In March 2008 scenes were filmed on location at the Iolani Palace. The film's world premiere was held at the Hawaii Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday, October 16, 2009, as part of the Hawaii International Film Festival. The film's title provoked controversy, and the film opened with mixed reviews. However, demand to see the film was high and the film festival scheduled several additional screenings. The movie's title has since been changed to Princess Kaiulani. Roadside Attractions
acquired the movie's United States
rights and scheduled it for theatrical release May 14, 2010.
Forby's film is not the first project to bring the Princess to the screen: well-known Kaiulani biographer Kristin Zambucka
produced a docudrama called "A Cry of Peacocks" for Hawaiian television, released on videocassette in 1994 by Green Glass Productions. Zambucka
is rereleasing the film on iTunes.
.
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
and held the title of crown princess. Kaiulani became known throughout the world for her intelligence, beauty and determination. Her royal status, talent and double-ancestry (Hawaiian-Scottish) kept her frequently in the press of the day, and newspaper accounts of her comings and goings throughout her life are extensive, often parallel or interconnected with those of Queen Liliuokalani. After the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy
Overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy
Until the 1890s the Kingdom of Hawaii was an independent sovereign state, recognized by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Germany. Though there were threats to Hawaii's sovereignty throughout the Kingdom's history, it was not until the signing, under duress, of the Bayonet...
in 1893, Ka'iulani overcame her personal reluctance to become visibly involved with politics (or be seen as usurping her Aunt's (Queen Liliuokalani's) primary role as leader of the Kanaka Oiwi
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
people) by traveling from England to America to lend support to her Aunt's efforts to call America to account for its
overthrow of the Hawaiian nation. She never wanted her people to be able to say that she, as next in line to the throne, made no effort on their behalf. The most notable (and well-known) instance of this took the form of an unofficial visit with the then U.S. President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
and his wife. While there was no direct political discussion (and no meal shared, as depicted in a recent film) during this short White House meeting, without doubt the Princess' grace and dignity impressed the Clevelands greatly, increasing the President's already existing sympathy for the Kingdom of Hawaii's independence. Her role as representative of her people's rights and wishes was understood. Despite this and the Crown Princess' strong personal statement to the press (published widely in American newspapers) about the wrong done her country, and the subtle influence of her presence at various public and private gatherings (as a guest generally, not a speaker: the Princess never was given an opportunity to speak before Congress, as some commentators have claimed), ultimately Ka'iulani, her Aunt, and the Hawaiian political societies could not undo the injustice of the overthrow. The Princess returned to Hawaii in 1897 to share her people's sorrows firsthand, and continue her role as a beloved Alii
Ali'i
Alii is a word in the Polynesian language denoting chiefly status in ancient Hawaii and the Samoa Islands. A similar word with the same concept is found in other Polynesian societies. In the Cook Islands, an ariki is a high chief and the House of Ariki is a parliamentary house...
until her death in 1899.
Heiress to the throne
Victoria Kaiulani was born October 16, 1875 in HonoluluHonolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. Through her mother Kaiulani was descended from High Chief Kepookalani
Kepookalani
Kepookalani was a High Chief during the founding of the Kingdom of Hawaii.Two of his grandchildren would marry, and two of his great-grandchildren would be the last two ruling monarchs of the Kingdom.-Life:Kepookalani was born around 1760...
, the first cousin of Kamehameha the Great
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...
on the side of Kamehameha's mother, Kekuiapoiwa II
Kekuiapoiwa II
Kekuiapoiwa II was a Hawaiian chiefess and the mother of the king Kamehameha I.- Biography :She was named after her aunt Kekuiapoiwa Nui , the wife of King Kekaulike of Maui....
. Her mother was also sister of King Kalākaua and Queen Liliuokalani. Kaiulani's father was Archibald Cleghorn
Archibald Cleghorn
Archibald Scott Cleghorn was a Scottish businessman who married into the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii....
, a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
financier from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and the last Royal Governor of Oahu.
She was baptized Christmas Day, 1875 at St. Andrew's Pro Cathedral
Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, Honolulu
The Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, also commonly known as St. Andrew's Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church in the United States located in the State of Hawaii...
. Princess Ruth Keelikōlani
Keelikolani
Princess Ruth Luka Keanolani Kauanahoahoa Keelikōlani , was a member of the Kamehameha family, the founding dynasty of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She served as Royal Governor of the Island of Hawaii. As primary heir to the Kamehameha family, Ruth became a landholder of what would become the Bernice...
stood as her godmother.
Kaiulani was named after her aunt Anna Kaiulani
Anna Kaiulani
Anna Kaiulani was a noble member of the House of Kalākaua during the Kingdom of Hawaii. Two of her siblings became ruling monarchs.-Life:She was born in 1842 to the High Chiefess Analea Keohokālole and the High Chief Caesar Kapaakea...
who died young, and Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, whose help restored the sovereignty and independence of the Kingdom of Hawaii during the reign of Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
. The name comes from ka iu lani which means "the highest point of heaven" or "the royal sacred one" in the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
. Upon her birth, Kaiulani was gifted the estate of Ainahau
Ainahau
Āinahau was the royal estate of Princess Victoria Kaiulani, heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii.- History :Located in Waikīkī, the 10 acre estate was deeded to the toddler Kaiulani by her godmother, Princess Ruth Keelikolani. Archibald Cleghorn, Kaiulani's Scottish father and former royal...
in Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
by her godmother. Kaiulani inherited Ainahau at the age of 11 upon the death of her mother.
In 1881, King Kalākaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
tried to arrange a marriage between Kaiulani and Japan's Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito
Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito
was the second head of the Higashifushimi-no-miya, an ōke cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family.-Early life:Born on September 19, 1867, as seventeenth son of Prince Fushimi Kuniye, head of the Fushimi-no-miya, one of the shinnōke branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were...
in hopes of creating an alliance between Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the Kingdom of Hawaii. However, the prince declined, as he was already pre-arranged to marry a Japanese noble lady, Arima Yoriko. In 1894, Queen Liliuokalani wrote to her niece to marry one of the three: Prince David Kawānanakoa
David Kawananakoa
Prince David Laamea Kahalepouli Kinoiki Kawānanakoa Piikoi , was the patriarch of the House of Kawānanakoa. He was in the line of succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii around the time of the kingdom's overthrow.-Life:...
, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, or Prince Komatsu Akihito
Prince Komatsu Akihito
-External links:**...
(then studying in London), the half-brother of Higashifushimi Yorihito. She replied to her aunt that she would prefer to marry for love unless it was necessary to protect the independence of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
On February 3, 1898, she declared her engagement to Prince David Kawānanakoa, but her early death ended the hope of marriage.
Education
Joseph Dwight Strong
Joseph Dwight Strong, Jr. was an artist from the United States.-Life:Joseph Dwight Strong was born September 15, 1853 in Connecticut....
, a landscape painter in the court of her uncle, and Isobel Strong, a lady in waiting under her mother and stepdaughter of Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
. Stevensen called her "the island rose" in a poem he wrote in her autograph book.
Art and music were also in the curriculum at Great Harrowden
Great Harrowden
Great Harrowden is a village in Northamptonshire, near the town of Wellingborough - the population is approximately 70. The village sits astride the busy A509 running between Kettering and Wellingborough - although a bypass is due to be built shortly...
Hall and she took several trips to Scotland and France to study art. Her few surviving paintings demonstrate considerable talent.
Because Princess Kaiulani was second in line to the throne after her elderly and childless aunt, it was predicted that the young girl would eventually become Queen. King Kalākaua, Queen Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani formally Esther Kapiolani or Esther Kapiolani Napelakapuokakae, was married to King David Kalākaua and reigned as Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:...
, Cleghorn, and the Princess talked about the issue and it was determined that it would be in the young Princess's best interests that she be given a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
education. In 1889, at the age of 13, Kaiulani was sent to Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to be given a private education at Great Harrowden
Great Harrowden
Great Harrowden is a village in Northamptonshire, near the town of Wellingborough - the population is approximately 70. The village sits astride the busy A509 running between Kettering and Wellingborough - although a bypass is due to be built shortly...
Hall. She excelled in her studies of Latin, Literature, Mathematics, and History there. She also took classes in French, German, and sports (mostly tennis and cricket). In 1892, Kaiulani made a new start by moving to Brighton where she was chaperoned and tutored by Mrs. Rooke who set up a curriculum including German, French and English. This village by the sea was very pleasing to the young princess and her enthusiasm was renewed.She continued to study in England for the next four years, despite the fact that she had originally been told that she would only be studying in Britain for one year. Her overseers from Hawaii had planned for her to take a trip around Europe and had even arranged for her to have an audience with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, but following the overthrow of her Aunt, Queen Liliuokalani, on January 17, 1893 by local businessmen, all plans were cancelled and she went to New York.
The overthrow
During her absence, much turmoil occurred back in Hawaii. King Kalakaua died in 1891 and Princess Lydia Liliuokalani became Queen. Liliuokalani immediately appointed Kaiulani as her heir, and Kaiulani became the Crown Princess. In 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown and the new government attempted to become a part of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The news arrived to Kaiulani on January 30, 1893 in a short telegram that said: "'Queen Deposed', 'Monarchy Abrogated', 'Break News to Princess'".
Kaiulani then made a statement to the press in England:
"Four years ago, at the request of Mr. Thurston, then a Hawaiian Cabinet Minister, I was sent away to England to be educated privately and fitted to the position which by the constitution of Hawaii I was to inherit. For all these years, I have patiently and in exile striven to fit myself for my return this year to my native country. I am now told that Mr. Thurston will be in Washington asking you to take away my flag and my throne. No one tells me even this officially. Have I done anything wrong that this wrong should be done to me and my people? I am coming to Washington to plead for my throne, my nation and my flag. Will not the great American people hear me?"
She referred to Lorrin A. Thurston
Lorrin A. Thurston
Lorrin Andrews Thurston was a lawyer, politician, and businessman born and raised in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The grandson of two of the first Christian missionaries to Hawaii, Thurston played a prominent role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom that replaced Queen Liliuokalani with the...
, who was touring the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
promoting its annexation of Hawaii.
Kaiulani decided to take action and traveled to the United States herself the following month. Upon arrival on American shores, although shy by nature, she addressed the press in public with these words:
"Seventy years ago, Christian America sent over Christian men and women to give religion and civilization to Hawaii. Today, three of the sons of those missionaries are at your capitol asking you to undo their father’s work. Who sent them? Who gave them the authority to break the Constitution which they swore they would uphold? Today, I, a poor weak girl with not one of my people with me and all these ‘Hawaiian’ statesmen against me, have strength to stand up for the rights of my people. Even now I can hear their wail in my heart and it gives me strength and courage and I am strong - strong in the faith of God, strong in the knowledge that I am right, strong in the strength of seventy million people who in this free land will hear my cry and will refuse to let their flag cover dishonor to mine!"
The pro-annexation press of the time often treated Kaiulani with contempt,referring to her in print as a half-breed, or calling her "dusky", although she did not receive the blatantly racist treatment repeatedly given her Aunt. (Typical of the time, "positive" accounts of the Princess appearance often tried to emphasize what was thought to be "white" about her, although her "British" half was invoked negatively on occasion by American writers fearing Great Britain was a rival for possession of Hawaii.) As she traveled across the United States following her education, the real Princess surprised open-minded members of the press. Instead of an unmannered caricature "heathen" described by enemies of the Kingdom of Hawaii, journalists and the public were confronted by a modern Royal Princess wearing elegant gowns and speaking English (or Hawaiian, French or German). She traveled through New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
where she attended various social events, many in her honor. She then went to Washington DC where she met with President Grover Cleveland and his wife at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. She made a good impression and Cleveland expressed concern for Hawaii's plight. Kaiulani felt encouraged something would be done and returned to England. However, when Cleveland brought Kaiulani's case to Congress, while the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
did not proceed with annexation, it refused to restore the monarchy. The situation in Hawaii did not improve, and Kaiulani was deeply disappointed. Over the next few years, Kaiulani remained in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. There, she received news in 1894 that her childhood friend, author Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
, had died and that a new Republic of Hawaii
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...
had been established. Her health slowly deteriorated. Kaiulani's health worsened when she learned that her half-sister, Annie Cleghorn, had died in 1897 and her guardian from England, Theophilus Harris Davies
Theophilus Harris Davies
-Life:Davies was born January 4, 1833, the son of a minister.He was recruited in England to join the firm of Janion, Green & Co. in Hawaii, a successor to Starkey, Janion & Co., formed in 1845.Partners were Robert Cheshire Janion and William Lowthian Green....
, had also died. The Princess suffered eye problems, and developed migraines following the overthrow of the Monarchy (although one such headache kept her from participating in a charity event in Paris, where a devastating fire killed scores of society women). Numerous documented symptoms may indicate she suffered from thyroid disease, which would help explain her early death.
Later years
Kaiulani returned to Hawaii in 1897. The return to a warmer climate did not help her health. She continued to deteriorate as she struggled to readjust to the tropical climate of the Hawaiian islands. However, she continued to make public appearances at the urging of her father.With the approval of Queen Liliuokalani and Queen Dowager Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani formally Esther Kapiolani or Esther Kapiolani Napelakapuokakae, was married to King David Kalākaua and reigned as Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:...
and in compliance with the last Hawaiian constitution, Princess Kaiulani and Prince Kawānanakoa
David Kawananakoa
Prince David Laamea Kahalepouli Kinoiki Kawānanakoa Piikoi , was the patriarch of the House of Kawānanakoa. He was in the line of succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii around the time of the kingdom's overthrow.-Life:...
announced their engagement on February 3, 1898.
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
as the annexation finally took place. During the Annexation ceremony, the Princess and her aunt, Liliuokalani, along with other members of the royal family and with the heads of every Hawaiian political party, wore funeral attire and shuttered themselves within Washington Place
Washington Place
Washington Place is a Greek Revival palace in the Hawaii Capital Historic District in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was where Queen Liliuokalani was arrested during the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Later it became the official residence of the Governor of Hawaii. It is a National Historic Landmark,...
, protesting what they considered an illegal transaction. "When the news of Annexation came it was bitterer than death to me," Princess Kaiulani, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "It was bad enough to lose the throne, but infinitely worse to have the flag go down..."
Kaiulani loved peacocks
Indian Peafowl
The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...
. She grew up enjoying the company of a flock originally belonging to her mother, and is sometimes called the "Peacock Princess".
Death
In 1898, while on a horse ride in the mountains of Hawaii IslandHawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, Kaʻiulani was caught in a storm and came down with a fever and pneumonia. Earlier she had caught cold from swimming while on the Big Island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, and this worsened matters. Kaiulani was brought back to Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
where her health continued to decline. She died on March 6, 1899 at the age of 23 of inflammatory rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
. She was interred in Honolulu's Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii
Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii
The Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii, known as Mauna Ala in the Hawaiian language, is the final resting place of Hawaii's two prominent royal families: the Kamehameha Dynasty and the Kalākaua Dynasty.-Description:...
. Her father also said that he thought that since Hawaiʻi was gone, it was fitting for Kaʻiulani to go as well.
Cultural impact
Kaiulani has been represented in the music and dance traditions of Hawaii through mele, oli and hula from the timeshe was born. She continues to inspire generations of Na Kanaka Maoli to traditional forms of honoring her as a beloved Alii.
Kaiulani is the subject of several books, articles, Internet videos and musical tributes.
In 1999, a bronze statue cast by Jan Gordon Fisher was dedicated in the triangle park at Kanekapolei and Kuhio Avenues in Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
, Honolulu.
Author Kathleen Ann Goonan
Kathleen Ann Goonan
Kathleen Ann Goonan is an American science fiction writer. Several of her books have been nominated for the Nebula Award. Her debut novel Queen City Jazz was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and her novel In War Times was chosen by the American Library Association as Best Science...
used the rumored story that Kaiulani died of complications from childbirth as a basis for her 1996 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel The Bones of Time.
In 2001 Ellen Emerson White
Ellen Emerson White
Ellen Emerson White is an American author who has written a number of young adult fiction novels.- Writing :Ms. White's first book, Friends For Life was published while she was a senior at Tufts University. Ms. White grew up in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Many of her fiction novels feature...
published a book of the Royal Diaries Series on her early life titled Kaiulani, the People's Princess, Hawai'i, 1889.
In the fall of 2007, English filmmaker Marc Forby began production on a $9 million film titled Barbarian Princess based on the princess' attempts to restore her nation's independence. Princess Kaiulani was played by 12-year-old Kaimana Paaluhi of Oahu and by Q'Orianka Kilcher
Q'Orianka Kilcher
Q'orianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher is a U.S. actress, singer and activist. She is best known for her role as Pocahontas in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.-Early life:Kilcher was born in Schweigmatt,...
. Barry Pepper
Barry Pepper
Barry Robert Pepper is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing roles like Sergeant Michael Strank in the Clint Eastwood film, Flags of Our Fathers, Private Daniel Jackson in Saving Private Ryan, Roger Maris in 61*, Ned Pepper in True Grit and for his recent role as Robert F...
, Will Patton
Will Patton
William Rankin "Will" Patton is an American actor.-Life and career:Patton was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the eldest of three children. His father is Bill Patton, a playwright and acting/directing instructor who was a Lutheran minister and served as a chaplain at Duke University...
, and Shaun Evans
Shaun Evans
Shaun Evans is an English actor.Evans completed a course with the National Youth Theatre before relocating to London at the age of eighteen to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His first major role was that of gay French teacher John Paul Keating in the Channel 4 comedy-drama...
co-star. In March 2008 scenes were filmed on location at the Iolani Palace. The film's world premiere was held at the Hawaii Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday, October 16, 2009, as part of the Hawaii International Film Festival. The film's title provoked controversy, and the film opened with mixed reviews. However, demand to see the film was high and the film festival scheduled several additional screenings. The movie's title has since been changed to Princess Kaiulani. Roadside Attractions
Roadside Attractions
Roadside Attractions is a US film distributor based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2003, specializing largely in independent films.Lionsgate bought a partial stake in Roadside in 2007.-List of films released by Roadside Attractions:...
acquired the movie's United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rights and scheduled it for theatrical release May 14, 2010.
Forby's film is not the first project to bring the Princess to the screen: well-known Kaiulani biographer Kristin Zambucka
produced a docudrama called "A Cry of Peacocks" for Hawaiian television, released on videocassette in 1994 by Green Glass Productions. Zambucka
is rereleasing the film on iTunes.
The Kaiulani Project
Jennifer Fahrni founded the Kaiulani Project to celebrate the life, spirit and legacy of Princess Kaiulani. Their goal is to reveal Kaiulani as a heroine who fought for her nation in its hour of need, and to serve as a meeting place and reference for other works about the Princess. The project includes Kaiulani: The Island Rose, a fact-based screenplay and stage play researched and written since 2003 by Fahrni and Carol Harvie-Yamaguchi, and a biography Princess Ka'iulani - Her Life and Times. The script was first performed as a public reading April 12, 2008 in Kahului, Hawaii on MauiMaui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
.
Ancestry
External links
- Princess Ka'iulani, Rose of Two Worlds by Mindi Reid
- Ka'iulani - The Island Rose
- Kaiulani:The Hope of the People
- Princess Ka‘iulani
- Princess Victoria Ka'iulani Cleghorn (1875-1899) (Analysis of her handwriting)
- Victoria Ka'iulani, An Icon of Two Selves, by Mindi Reid
- Hana Hou Kaiulani
- Kaiulani at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...