Samuel Kamakau
Encyclopedia
Samuel Manaiākalani Kamakau (October 29, 1815 – September 5, 1876) was a Hawaiian
historian
and scholar. His work appeared in local newspapers and was later compiled into books, becoming an invaluable resource on the Hawaiian people, Hawaiian culture, and Hawaiian language
during a time when they were disappearing.
Along with David Malo
and John Papa Īī, Kamakau is considered one of Hawaii's greatest historians, and his contributions to the preservation of Hawaiian history have been honored throughout the state of Hawaii
.
and enrolled at Lahainaluna Seminary
in 1833, where he became a student of Reverend Sheldon Dibble
. Dibble instructed Kamakau and other students to collect and preserve information on the Hawaiian culture, language
, and people. To further this goal, Kamakau helped form the first Hawaiian historical society
in 1841. According to Kamakau:
Known as the Royal Hawaiian Historical Society, members included King Kamehameha III
, John Young
, Timothy Haalilio, David Malo
, Dwight Baldwin
, William Richards
, Sheldon Dibble, Kamakau and others. Elected officials included president Kamehameha III, vice-president William Richards, secretary Sheldon Dibble, and treasurer Samuel Kamakau. The society disbanded after the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii
moved from Lahaina on the island of Maui to Honolulu, Oahu in 1845.
Kamakau married S. Hainakolo and moved to his wife's hometown of Kīpahulu. Their daughter, Kukelani Kaaapookalani, was born in December 1862, after which the couple moved to Oahu
.
From 1866 to 1871, Kamakau wrote a series of newspaper articles about Hawaiian culture and history: "Ka Moolelo o Kamehameha I", a history of Kamehameha I
; "Ka Moolelo o Nā Kamehameha", a history of the House of Kamehameha
; and "Ka Moolelo Hawaii", a history of Hawaii. The articles were published in the Hawaiian language newspapers, Ke Au Okoa and Ka Nūpepa Kūokoa.
During his life, Kamakau served as a district judge in Wailuku, Maui
and was a legislator for the Hawaiian Kingdom. From 1851 to 1860 he represented Maui in the House of Representatives, and from 1870 to 1876 represented Oahu.
He died at his home in Honolulu on September 5, 1876, and was buried in the Maemae Chapel Cemetery in Nuuanu Valley.
was named the "Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau Room" in honor of Kamakau's legacy as a "great Hawaiian historian who also served his community as an outstanding writer, scholar, jurist, and legislator." In 2000, a Hawaiian immersion school
in Kaneohe, Oahu
recognized Kamakau's contributions by naming their school Ke Kula o Samuel M. Kamakau. The Hawaii Book Publishers Association's annual Ka Palapala Pookela ("excellent manuscript") competition presents the Samuel M. Kamakau Award for the best Hawaii Book of the Year.
In 2005, the Hawaii State Legislature passed H.R. No. 55, declaring October 29, 2005 "Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau Day":
A revised edition was published in 1991.
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...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and scholar. His work appeared in local newspapers and was later compiled into books, becoming an invaluable resource on the Hawaiian people, Hawaiian culture, and 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...
during a time when they were disappearing.
Along with David Malo
David Malo
David Malo or Davida Malo was a leading Native Hawaiian historian of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He became a Christian minister and founded a church.-Life:...
and John Papa Īī, Kamakau is considered one of Hawaii's greatest historians, and his contributions to the preservation of Hawaiian history have been honored throughout the state of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Life
Kamakau was born in Mokulēia, Waialua on the North Shore of the island of Oahu. He traveled to the island of 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,...
and enrolled at Lahainaluna Seminary
Lahainaluna High School
Lahainaluna High School is a grade 9-12 school located in Lahaina , Hawaii. It is the oldest post-secondary school west of the Mississippi River. It was founded in 1831 as a Protestant missionary school, originally named Lahainaluna Seminary...
in 1833, where he became a student of Reverend Sheldon Dibble
Sheldon Dibble
Sheldon Dibble was a missionary to Hawaii who organized one of the first books on Hawaiian history, and inspired students to write more.-Early life:...
. Dibble instructed Kamakau and other students to collect and preserve information on the Hawaiian culture, 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...
, and people. To further this goal, Kamakau helped form the first Hawaiian historical society
Historical society
A historical society is an organization that collects, researches, interprets and preserves information or items of historical interest. Generally, a historical society focuses on a specific geographical area, such as a county or town or subject, such as aviation or rail. Many historical...
in 1841. According to Kamakau:
A society was started at Lahainaluna according to the desire of the teachers. As the people of Alebione (AlbionAlbionAlbion is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Today, it is still sometimes used poetically to refer to the island or England in particular. It is also the basis of the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
) had their British history and read about the Saxons and William, so the Hawaiians should read their history...The King said he thought the history of all the islands should be preserved from first to last.
Known as the Royal Hawaiian Historical Society, members included King 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...
, John Young
Keoni Ana
John Kaleipaihala Young II sometimes called Keoni Ana Opio was a politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii, serving as Kuhina Nui of the Hawaiian Islands and Minister of Interior.-Early life:...
, Timothy Haalilio, David Malo
David Malo
David Malo or Davida Malo was a leading Native Hawaiian historian of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He became a Christian minister and founded a church.-Life:...
, Dwight Baldwin
Dwight Baldwin (missionary)
Dwight Baldwin was an American Christian missionary and physician on Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands, during the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was patriarch of a family that founded some of the largest businesses in the islands.-Life:...
, William Richards
William Richards (Hawaii)
William Richards was a missionary and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Family life:William Richards was born in Plainfield, Massachusetts on August 22, 1793. His father was James Richards and mother was Lydia Shaw. He was schooled under Moses Hallock in Plainfield, attended Williams College...
, Sheldon Dibble, Kamakau and others. Elected officials included president Kamehameha III, vice-president William Richards, secretary Sheldon Dibble, and treasurer Samuel Kamakau. The society disbanded after the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii
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...
moved from Lahaina on the island of Maui to Honolulu, Oahu in 1845.
Kamakau married S. Hainakolo and moved to his wife's hometown of Kīpahulu. Their daughter, Kukelani Kaaapookalani, was born in December 1862, after which the couple moved 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...
.
From 1866 to 1871, Kamakau wrote a series of newspaper articles about Hawaiian culture and history: "Ka Moolelo o Kamehameha I", a history of Kamehameha I
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...
; "Ka Moolelo o Nā Kamehameha", a history of the House of Kamehameha
House of Kamehameha
The House of Kamehameha , or the Kamehameha Dynasty, was the reigning family of the Kingdom of Hawaii between the unification of the islands by Kamehameha I in 1810 and the death of Kamehameha V in 1872...
; and "Ka Moolelo Hawaii", a history of Hawaii. The articles were published in the Hawaiian language newspapers, Ke Au Okoa and Ka Nūpepa Kūokoa.
During his life, Kamakau served as a district judge in Wailuku, Maui
Wailuku, Hawaii
Wailuku is a census-designated place in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 12,296 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Maui County.Wailuku is located just west of Kahului, at the mouth of the Īao Valley...
and was a legislator for the Hawaiian Kingdom. From 1851 to 1860 he represented Maui in the House of Representatives, and from 1870 to 1876 represented Oahu.
He died at his home in Honolulu on September 5, 1876, and was buried in the Maemae Chapel Cemetery in Nuuanu Valley.
Legacy
On October 29, 1994, the Hawaii & Pacific Section in the Hawaii State LibraryHawaii State Library
The Hawaii State Library is a historic building in the City & County of Honolulu that serves as the seat of the Hawaii State Public Library System, the only statewide library system and one of the largest in the United States. The Hawaii State Library building is located in downtown Honolulu...
was named the "Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau Room" in honor of Kamakau's legacy as a "great Hawaiian historian who also served his community as an outstanding writer, scholar, jurist, and legislator." In 2000, a Hawaiian immersion school
Language immersion
Language immersion is a method of teaching a second language in which the target language is used as the means of instruction. Unlike more traditional language courses, where the target language is simply the subject material, language immersion uses the target language as a teaching tool,...
in Kaneohe, 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...
recognized Kamakau's contributions by naming their school Ke Kula o Samuel M. Kamakau. The Hawaii Book Publishers Association's annual Ka Palapala Pookela ("excellent manuscript") competition presents the Samuel M. Kamakau Award for the best Hawaii Book of the Year.
In 2005, the Hawaii State Legislature passed H.R. No. 55, declaring October 29, 2005 "Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau Day":
WHEREAS, SAMUEL MANAIAKALANI KAMAKAU, born October 29th, 1815, in Mokuleia, Waialua, Oahu, has been noted by many as one of Hawaii's greatest historians of Hawaiian culture and heritage; and
WHEREAS, as a noted writer, SAMUEL MANAIAKALANI KAMAKAU authored books in Hawaiian that would later be translated by esteemed organizations such as the Bishop Museum and Kamehameha Schools, for future generations to learn from; and
WHEREAS, by his actions and through his passion for accurately recording native Hawaiian history, SAMUEL MANAIAKALANI KAMAKAU teaches our keiki, both Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian, what life was like as a Hawaiian, and thereby preserves for posterity, the legacy of a storied people; and
WHEREAS, along with maintaining a record of Hawaiian history, SAMUEL MANAIAKALANI KAMAKAU through his birth and affiliation with Waialua, solidifies Waialua's position as a stronghold for Hawaiian culture; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that this body commemorates SAMUEL MANAIAKALANI KAMAKAU's contributions to memorializing Hawaiian history by proclaiming October 29, 2005, as SAMUEL MANAIAKALANI KAMAKAU Day.
Works
In 1961, the Kamehameha Schools Press published Kamakau's first two series as a book entitled Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii. Three years later, in 1964, the Bishop Museum Press published his last series as a trilogy, entitled Ka Poe Kahiko: The People of Old, The Works of the People of Old: Nā Hana A Ka Poe Kahiko, and Tales and Traditions of the People of Old: Nā Moolelo A Ka Poe Kahiko.A revised edition was published in 1991.