LILIUOKALANI
Liliuokalani, Queen Lydia
September 2, 1838 - November 11, 1917
Last Monarch and Christian Queen of Hawaii
As she cried her way into the world, the little baby girl was wrapped in "the
finest soft tapa cloth"1. She was taken at once to another home, where she would
be raised. Her life would be greatly used by God to impact her people, and her
struggles would be difficult. She was to be the last monarch of her nation, and
a great Christian queen, who would one day proclaim the words of truth, "Ua Mau
Ke Ea O Ka 'Aina I Ka Pono." 2
The day was September 2, 1838, the place, Honolulu, Hawaii. Lydia Liliuokalani
had just been born into the prestigious family of Kapaakea and Keohokalole. Her
father was a noblemen and her mother held the position of member of the king's
very own advisory board. However, little Lydia was raised by another chief and
his wife "immediately after [her] birth"3, as was a typical Hawaiian custom. At
the age of four, Liliuokalani began her schooling at the Royal School, in which
the students all held some right to the throne. In her autobiography, she
describes herself as "[being] a studious girl"4 and notes her desire for "the
acquisition of knowledge [which] has been a passion with me during my whole life,
one which has not lost it charm to the present day."5 So, for most of her young
life, Liluokalani remained at this boarding school under the training and care
of the instructors there. The founders of the boarding school were faithful in
taking the children to church every Sunday, thus this was probably the beginning
of Liliuokalani's training in the things of the Lord.6
On September 16, 1862, at the age of twenty-four, Liliuokalani married John Owen
Dominis. Liliuokalani did not have children, and some sources suggest that she
was unhappy with the marriage.7 After his death, a short time after her
ascension to throne, she remained unmarried.
Liliuokalani's goal was to please her people, and protect their interests, and
throughout her life she tried to make that goal a reality. In 1887, under
pressure from Americans with economic interests in Hawaii, King Kalakaua
submitted to a new constitution which took away much of his power. Four years
later, Liliuokalani boldly ascended to the throne and began to rule, not
according this new constitution, but by a new constitution which would reinforce
the supremacy of the monarchy. By doing so, she would continue to serve her
nation well for 12 years, until the U.S. government seized her authority over
the country.
She was faced with decisions. Her actions cost favor. Eventually, she lost. In
1892, the Hawaiian islands were in an economically dire state. It was at this
time that a secret association called the Annexation Club formed and began to
try to take the islands from the rule of Liliuokalani. To try and solve the
recession problem without annexation to the United States, Liliuokalani allowed
a lottery to pay for public expenses, and tried to pass a bill to allow the
importation of opium. This upset many, including missionaries and opium
smugglers. Some accused Liliuokalani of "supporting gambling and intoxication"8,
and her opponents were quick to point out that this devout Christian was
disregarding teachings of the Bible. Through the circumstances, the public image
of Queen Lydia Lililuokalani was lessened by her opponents.
On January 17, 1893, the Hawaiian government was overthrown by "by a relatively
small group of men, most of them American by birth or heritage, who seized
control of the Islands with the backing of American troops."9 Their purpose was
to escape the tariffs placed on the valuable economic sugar trade. Lilioukalani
protested, but eventually gave up in an attempt to allow both countries to
refrain from bloodshed. She believed that in the end the U.S. would "right the
wrong that had been done to her and the Hawaiian people."10
In 1895, Liliuokalani was arrested on charges of hiding a "cache of weapons"11
in the "gardens of her home in Washington Palace."12 After her denial of the
aforementioned charges she eventually was allowed to return to her home.
Even after the U.S. seized Liliuokalani's power, she continued to demonstrate
great persistence by spending much of the remainder of her life in the U.S.,
petitioning the government, in some attempt to change what they had done.
Through the following words, penned by the Queen herself, we see her strong
faith in the Lord's justice prevailing, and her sorrow for the people of her
country.
"Oh, honest Americans, as Christians hear me for my downtrodden people! Their
form of government is as dear to them as yours is as precious to you. Quite
warmly as you love your country, so they love theirs. With all your goodly
possessions, covering a territory so immense that there yet remain parts
unexplored, possessing islands that, although new at hand, had to be neutral
ground in time of war, do not covet the little vineyard of Naboth's, so far from
your shores, lest the punishment of Ahab fall upon you, if not in your day, in
that of your children, for "be not deceived, God is not mocked." The people to
whom your fathers told of the living God, and taught to call "Father," and now
whom the sons now seek to despoil and destroy, are crying aloud to Him in their
time of trouble; and He will keep His promise, and will listen to the voices of
His Hawaiian children lamenting for their homes."13
The Queen is also known for her musical talents and some of her compositions are
often associated with Hawaii today, such as "Aloha Oe."14
On November 11, 1917, Liluokalani died from problems from a stroke. Had this
life, which had begun that autumn day seventy-nine years ago, been wasted? Had
this queen been a worthless monarch who had succeeded in allowing the U.S. to
posses the land of her people? Surely not. For as this woman ruled, she set an
example for many to follow, simple, Christ-like character. Her impact survives
even to this day, as Hawaii's motto still bears those words which Liliuokalani
herself spoke, "Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka 'Aina I Ka Pono" meaning "The Life of the Land
is Perpetuated in Righteousness."15
Liliuokalani, Queen Lydia
September 2, 1838 - November 11, 1917
Last Monarch and Christian Queen of Hawaii
As she cried her way into the world, the little baby girl was wrapped in "the
finest soft tapa cloth"1. She was taken at once to another home, where she would
be raised. Her life would be greatly used by God to impact her people, and her
struggles would be difficult. She was to be the last monarch of her nation, and
a great Christian queen, who would one day proclaim the words of truth, "Ua Mau
Ke Ea O Ka 'Aina I Ka Pono." 2
The day was September 2, 1838, the place, Honolulu, Hawaii. Lydia Liliuokalani
had just been born into the prestigious family of Kapaakea and Keohokalole. Her
father was a noblemen and her mother held the position of member of the king's
very own advisory board. However, little Lydia was raised by another chief and
his wife "immediately after [her] birth"3, as was a typical Hawaiian custom. At
the age of four, Liliuokalani began her schooling at the Royal School, in which
the students all held some right to the throne. In her autobiography, she
describes herself as "[being] a studious girl"4 and notes her desire for "the
acquisition of knowledge [which] has been a passion with me during my whole life,
one which has not lost it charm to the present day."5 So, for most of her young
life, Liluokalani remained at this boarding school under the training and care
of the instructors there. The founders of the boarding school were faithful in
taking the children to church every Sunday, thus this was probably the beginning
of Liliuokalani's training in the things of the Lord.6
On September 16, 1862, at the age of twenty-four, Liliuokalani married John Owen
Dominis. Liliuokalani did not have children, and some sources suggest that she
was unhappy with the marriage.7 After his death, a short time after her
ascension to throne, she remained unmarried.
Liliuokalani's goal was to please her people, and protect their interests, and
throughout her life she tried to make that goal a reality. In 1887, under
pressure from Americans with economic interests in Hawaii, King Kalakaua
submitted to a new constitution which took away much of his power. Four years
later, Liliuokalani boldly ascended to the throne and began to rule, not
according this new constitution, but by a new constitution which would reinforce
the supremacy of the monarchy. By doing so, she would continue to serve her
nation well for 12 years, until the U.S. government seized her authority over
the country.
She was faced with decisions. Her actions cost favor. Eventually, she lost. In
1892, the Hawaiian islands were in an economically dire state. It was at this
time that a secret association called the Annexation Club formed and began to
try to take the islands from the rule of Liliuokalani. To try and solve the
recession problem without annexation to the United States, Liliuokalani allowed
a lottery to pay for public expenses, and tried to pass a bill to allow the
importation of opium. This upset many, including missionaries and opium
smugglers. Some accused Liliuokalani of "supporting gambling and intoxication"8,
and her opponents were quick to point out that this devout Christian was
disregarding teachings of the Bible. Through the circumstances, the public image
of Queen Lydia Lililuokalani was lessened by her opponents.
On January 17, 1893, the Hawaiian government was overthrown by "by a relatively
small group of men, most of them American by birth or heritage, who seized
control of the Islands with the backing of American troops."9 Their purpose was
to escape the tariffs placed on the valuable economic sugar trade. Lilioukalani
protested, but eventually gave up in an attempt to allow both countries to
refrain from bloodshed. She believed that in the end the U.S. would "right the
wrong that had been done to her and the Hawaiian people."10
In 1895, Liliuokalani was arrested on charges of hiding a "cache of weapons"11
in the "gardens of her home in Washington Palace."12 After her denial of the
aforementioned charges she eventually was allowed to return to her home.
Even after the U.S. seized Liliuokalani's power, she continued to demonstrate
great persistence by spending much of the remainder of her life in the U.S.,
petitioning the government, in some attempt to change what they had done.
Through the following words, penned by the Queen herself, we see her strong
faith in the Lord's justice prevailing, and her sorrow for the people of her
country.
"Oh, honest Americans, as Christians hear me for my downtrodden people! Their
form of government is as dear to them as yours is as precious to you. Quite
warmly as you love your country, so they love theirs. With all your goodly
possessions, covering a territory so immense that there yet remain parts
unexplored, possessing islands that, although new at hand, had to be neutral
ground in time of war, do not covet the little vineyard of Naboth's, so far from
your shores, lest the punishment of Ahab fall upon you, if not in your day, in
that of your children, for "be not deceived, God is not mocked." The people to
whom your fathers told of the living God, and taught to call "Father," and now
whom the sons now seek to despoil and destroy, are crying aloud to Him in their
time of trouble; and He will keep His promise, and will listen to the voices of
His Hawaiian children lamenting for their homes."13
The Queen is also known for her musical talents and some of her compositions are
often associated with Hawaii today, such as "Aloha Oe."14
On November 11, 1917, Liluokalani died from problems from a stroke. Had this
life, which had begun that autumn day seventy-nine years ago, been wasted? Had
this queen been a worthless monarch who had succeeded in allowing the U.S. to
posses the land of her people? Surely not. For as this woman ruled, she set an
example for many to follow, simple, Christ-like character. Her impact survives
even to this day, as Hawaii's motto still bears those words which Liliuokalani
herself spoke, "Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka 'Aina I Ka Pono" meaning "The Life of the Land
is Perpetuated in Righteousness."15