Waiola Church
Encyclopedia
Waiola Church is the site of a historic mission established in 1823 on the island of Maui
in Hawaii
. Originally called Wainee Church till 1953, the cemetery is the final resting place for early members of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
was founded by Reverend William Richards
(1793–1847) in 1823.
For a few years, temporary structures made from wooden poles with a thatched roof were used. In 1828, island Governor Hoapili
supported the building of a stone and wood structure.
The Christian church was built adjacent to a pond surrounding an island called Mokuula, which had been a sacred to the Hawaiian religion
during the ancient Hawaii
period. The first stone building was dedicated on March 4, 1832 and called Wainee Church.
Rev. Ephraim Spaulding (1802–1840) joined with his wife Juliet Brooks (1810–1898) from 1832 to 1836.
Rev. Dwight Baldwin
transferred here in 1836, and served as physician, even though trained in theology. The Baldwins rebuilt the house of the Spaldings, which was kept in the family until 1967 when it was made into a museum.
Wainee served as the church for Hawaiian royalty during the time when Lahaina was effectively the Kingdom's capital, from the 1820 through the mid-1840s. Several members of the royal family were buried in the cemetery. A notable aspect of the cemetery is that the missionaries and native Hawaiians were buried side by side.
Another building called Hale Halewai (meeting house) was built a few blocks to the northwest around the same time. In 1855 the congregation built a larger building, calling it Aloha Hale, completed in 1858. It was built to celebrate how Baldwin had spared the population of Maui from the smallpox
epidemic of 1853. In 1859 the Kingdom government added benches and desks and used it as a school. In 1862 the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii
used it temporarily.
In 1894 a fire destroyed the wooden church. A new one was built from donations by Henry Perrine Baldwin
, son of the original Baldwin pastor. In the 1950s a wind storm knocked down the bell tower of Hale Aloha and damaged the Wainee Church. A modern church structure was finished in 1953, when the name was changed to Waiola. The bell from the Hale Aloha tower was salvaged for the new church.
.
It is located at 535 Wainee street, Lahaina, Hawaii, coordinates 20°52′9"N 156°40′23"W.
Hale Aloha was remodeled in 1908, but fell into disrepair, and was missing its roof a floor in 1973 when a restoration was begun by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation. The structure was rebuilt by 1985, and stonework by 1992. A bell tower that was built in 1910 was also restored.
A new bell was installed in the Hale Aloha tower in 2009.
Hale Aloha is located on 600 Luakini Street, coordinates 20°52′21"N 156°40′32"W.
The church and Hale Aloha are two contributing properties of the Lahaina Historic District
, designated a National Historic Landmark District on December 29, 1962.
Maui
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,...
in 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...
. Originally called Wainee Church till 1953, the cemetery is the final resting place for early members of the royal family 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...
.
History
The first mission to 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,...
was founded by Reverend 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...
(1793–1847) in 1823.
For a few years, temporary structures made from wooden poles with a thatched roof were used. In 1828, island Governor Hoapili
Hoapili
Ulumāheihei Hoapili was a member of the nobility during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a trusted military and political advisor to King Kamehameha I, known as "Kamehameha the Great"...
supported the building of a stone and wood structure.
The Christian church was built adjacent to a pond surrounding an island called Mokuula, which had been a sacred to the Hawaiian religion
Hawaiian religion
Hawaiian religion is the term used to describe the folk religious beliefs and practises of the Hawaiian people. It is unrelated to, though commonly confused with, the philosophy of Huna....
during the ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
period. The first stone building was dedicated on March 4, 1832 and called Wainee Church.
Rev. Ephraim Spaulding (1802–1840) joined with his wife Juliet Brooks (1810–1898) from 1832 to 1836.
Rev. 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:...
transferred here in 1836, and served as physician, even though trained in theology. The Baldwins rebuilt the house of the Spaldings, which was kept in the family until 1967 when it was made into a museum.
Wainee served as the church for Hawaiian royalty during the time when Lahaina was effectively the Kingdom's capital, from the 1820 through the mid-1840s. Several members of the royal family were buried in the cemetery. A notable aspect of the cemetery is that the missionaries and native Hawaiians were buried side by side.
Another building called Hale Halewai (meeting house) was built a few blocks to the northwest around the same time. In 1855 the congregation built a larger building, calling it Aloha Hale, completed in 1858. It was built to celebrate how Baldwin had spared the population of Maui from the smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemic of 1853. In 1859 the Kingdom government added benches and desks and used it as a school. In 1862 the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii
Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii
The Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii is the ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Episcopal Church of the Anglican Communion in the United States encompassing the state of Hawaii...
used it temporarily.
In 1894 a fire destroyed the wooden church. A new one was built from donations by Henry Perrine Baldwin
Henry Perrine Baldwin
Henry Perrine Baldwin was a businessman and politician on Maui in the Hawaiian islands. He supervised the construction of the East Maui Irrigation System and co-founded Alexander & Baldwin, one of the "Big Five" corporations that dominated the economy of the Territory of Hawaii.-Life:Henry Perrine...
, son of the original Baldwin pastor. In the 1950s a wind storm knocked down the bell tower of Hale Aloha and damaged the Wainee Church. A modern church structure was finished in 1953, when the name was changed to Waiola. The bell from the Hale Aloha tower was salvaged for the new church.
Today
A congregation uses the church today, with pastor Kekapa Lee. The congregation is affiliated with the Hawaii Conference of the United Church of ChristUnited Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
.
It is located at 535 Wainee street, Lahaina, Hawaii, coordinates 20°52′9"N 156°40′23"W.
Hale Aloha was remodeled in 1908, but fell into disrepair, and was missing its roof a floor in 1973 when a restoration was begun by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation. The structure was rebuilt by 1985, and stonework by 1992. A bell tower that was built in 1910 was also restored.
A new bell was installed in the Hale Aloha tower in 2009.
Hale Aloha is located on 600 Luakini Street, coordinates 20°52′21"N 156°40′32"W.
The church and Hale Aloha are two contributing properties of the Lahaina Historic District
Lahaina Historic District
Lahaina Historic District is a historic district in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the west side of the island of Maui.It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1962. At that time it was described: -Buildings:It includes 9 contributing buildings....
, designated a National Historic Landmark District on December 29, 1962.
Burials in the cemetery
The tombstones in the cemetery, with death dates:- KeōpūolaniKeopuolaniKalanikauikaalaneo Kai Keōpūolani-Ahu-i-Kekai-Makuahine-a-Kama-Kalani-Kau-i-Kealaneo was a queen consort of Hawaii and the highest ranking wife of King Kamehameha I.-Early life:...
, September 16, 1823 - KaumualiiKaumualiiKaumualii was the last independent Alii Aimoku of Kauai and Niihau before becoming a vassal of Kamehameha I of the unified Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810...
, May 26, 1824 (1825 on monument) - NahienaenaNahienaenaHarriet or Harrieta Keōpūolani Nāhienaena was a high ranking princess during the founding of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the conversion of its royalty to Christianity.-Life:...
, December 30, 1836 - Liliha, August 25, 1839
- Ulumaheihei, also known as Hoapili, January 3, 1840
- Kalākua Kaheiheimālie, also known as Hoapili Wahine, January 16, 1842
- Kekauonohinui, granddaughter of Kamehameha IKamehameha IKamehameha 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...
, 2 June 1847 - William RichardsWilliam 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...
, November 7, 1847 - Kinoole o LilihaKinooleolilihaKinooleoliliha Pitman née Hoolulu , also written as Kinoole-o-Liliha, was a member of the royal family during the Kingdom of Hawaii. She was known as Mrs. Pitman after her marriage. In the Hawaiian language, kino 'ole means "thin" and liliha can mean "heartsick".-Life:Her father was High Chief...
, August 18, 1855