Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands - Kamehameha lll --- (Part1) The US GenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. All submissions become part of the permanent collection. Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands " Keepers of the Culture " A study in time of the Hawaiian Islands As told by the ancients-- Kamehameha lll --- Part 1 and Kinau -- Regent Queen. by Darlene E. Kelley November 30, 2000 donkeyskid@webtv.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As told by the ancients-- Kamehameha lll --- Part 1 and Kinau -- Regent Queen. Kamahema lll ---; Kalani Kauikeaouli Born; August 11,1813. Father; Kamehameha the Great Mother; Keopuolani, the highest ranking wife of Kamehameha. Ruled; June 6,1825 until his death on December 15, 1854. [ Kaahumanu served a regent during King's minority.] Married; Kalama [ a,k,a, Hakaleleponi Kapakuhaili ] Wife born; 1817 Wife's Father; Naihekukui, a minor Kona chief. Wife's Mother; l'ahu'ula. Wife died; September 20. 1870. ***************************************************** Hawaii had become the principal replenishment port for whaling ships. By 1830, an average of more than 140 whaling ships visited the islands each year. Concentrating their visits in the spring and fall, these ships crowded the habors at Honolulu and Lahaina. The streets filled with sailors who were intent on their intent on satisfying their long suppressed desires for rum, gambling, and self fulfillment. Fights were frequent and law enforcement was lax. The Hawaiian chiefs often found themselves in the middle whenever strife arose, since the foreign population usually sided wih the pleasure-bent sailors while the missionaries took the opposite, puritan stand. The reign of Kamehameha lll, following the death of Kaahumanu, began in a turmoil. The King and chiefs felt that the very keystone of the kindom had crumbled. Kaahumanu's later years had been peaceful years, Education towards civilization had been steadly moving forward, There had been little apprehension or disturbance from outside powers. But there was deeply seated trouble within the kingdom because of the unsettled question of owership of land, and that of religious privilege. In 1827, the first Catholic Missionaries arrived. They were in or a difficult time. Kaahumanu, over-zealous in her new found faith and possibly ill-advised by the Protestant missionaries, ordered the priests to stop spreading their faith. Orders were published prohibiting the natives from attending Catholic worship. Many of the priests were forced to leave the Islands. The lay brothers who remained behind, along with their followers, suffered religious persecution for some years to come. Then , to, the chiefs were worried about the King. From the time of the breaking of the taoo, when Kaahumanu and the Queen Mother, Keopuolani, had insisted that the young Prince, Kauikeaouli, should, with them, defy the law of the centuries and eat together, he had been under the constant restrictions of the two women. As long as Kaahumanu lived he had followed her leadership and accepted her dictates with few excepions. In 1829, three years before the Regent's death, the young King seemed to be maturing in the proper direction. Kaahumanu and the chiefs, as well as the missionaries were pleased when, at the dedication of the great meetinghouse in which Kalanimoku had been so greatly interested, with four thousand people in the congregation, both native and foreign, the King unexpectedly rose to his feet and addressed the assembly. Wearing his rich Windsor uniform, and with a gracious manner, the young ruler made a good impression. He spoke with clearness and decision. He said that he had built the church and now wished to publically to dedicate it to God. He said he wished his subjects to serve God's law and to learn his word. The King was but sixteen years old, and his attitude seemed to be a firm forward and a promise for his coming reign when he should reach his majority. Not long after the dedication of the meethouse, the King appeared to be taking real interest in governmental matters. He proclaimed in his own name, and that of Kaahumanu, that the laws of the Kingdom forbade, murder, theft, licentiousness, sabbath breaking and gambling, and declared that these laws should be equally enforced on subjects and foreigners. The Christian marriage was established. All persons who continued to live with one partner after a certain date would be considered legally married. In the foreign population many intelligent men, including the British consul, Mr. Charlton, were at sword's points, among other things, with the government restrictions on land-buying and transfer by foreigners. Mr. Charlton had many supporters. He claimed that all laws must first be submitted to the English King for his sanction before they could be acceted. He lso asserted that he, as the English Consul, had the power to remove the Regent, take the fort, and imprison the King and the members of the royal family. So the community was in a constant upheaval over conflicting measures. This took place before Boki and Liliha, of both of whom he was very fond, the King began to lose interest in the serious concerns of the government. But, after the death of Kaahumanu, he again expressed his desire to assume some responsibility and to have more say in the council of chiefs. During the month's following Kaahumanu's death, many changes took place. There was consternation among some people when the announcement was made that Kinau, the King's half-sister, was to be the Queen Regent. Although she was the daughter of Kamehameha l, she was of lower rank than the King, her mother having been lesser rank than Keopuolani, the King's mother. It was feared that she could not fill the high office which Kaahumanu had held in the Kingdom. Because of this feeling it was decided that the King and Kinau should make a joint proclamation so that the people might fully understand the situation and the matter of laws which had been declared. The King proclaimed: " I am superior, and my mother [ figuratively , meaning Kinau ] subordinate. She is my chief agent. We two, who have been too young and unacquainted with the acual translation of business, now, for the first time, undertake to regulate our Kingdom. Ye men of foreign lans, let not the laws by you be put under your feet. When you are in you countries, there you will observe your own laws." Kinau, in her new role as Regent, declared: " The office which my mother [ meaning Kaahumanu, even though Kaahummanu had not been her actual mother ] held until her departure, is now mine. All her active duties and her authority are committed to me. The taboos of the King, and the laws of God, are with me, and also the laws of the King. My appointment as chief agent is of long standing, even from our Father [ Kamehameha ]. This is another point I make known to you; according to the law [ or violation of law ] shall be the loss or dispossession of land. We are trying to make our minds mature." Months passed. The King gradually lost interest in government affairs, leaving all decisions to Kinau and the chiefs while he spent his time spending money and enjoying himself as he never had done before. Through the influence of Liliha, he had taken into the intimacy of his court group of young men who called themselves " Hulumanu " [ bird feathers ]. These new friends surrounded the King with every possible temptation. The young King and his friends declared guerrilla war on Christian morality. Beginning their war by drinking thirty-two barrels of spirits in a week, they sought out church members and forced them to drink gin. They urged their friends to discard the Christian tabus and return to the hula, surfing, racing, and gambling of the old days. The King's example spread like a plague, emptying schools and churches. Uable to outshine the ruling chiefs, the King tried to rally his people around the symbols of their own culture. For several years thereafter, the government was in an ambiguous state of affairs as the King vacillated between complete independence and consenting to the wishes of the older chiefs. Kinau being a staunch christain, he broke ties with her for several years. An American trader who had lived in the Islands for many years said that the King and his party had thrown off the ecclesiatical restraint which they had been under for so long a time. All their ancient games and customs had been revived again. We have seen the natives everywhere about the village playing the games of Stone, Spears, etc.& etc. Every evening large companies assemble to sing and dance all in their ancient way. Nothing bad had resulted from it yet, except a few of the lower classes of natives spent their time carousing and drinking to excess. But these and such like excesses may be expected for a time after such a "Revolution." They are no longer a priest-ridden people. The revolt continued month after month for two long years. More and more foreign influence was brought to bear upon the mind of the King. The group of men following the lead of the English Consul were in constant attendance at the palace and wherever the King might be. They urged him to take entire control of the government, telling him they were ready to back him up in anything he wished to do. Kinau and the chiefs were distracted. The Kng had forbidden Kinau even to enter his presence. Her friends feared harm would come to her. Desperate, she finally appealed to Dr. and Mrs. Judd. She told them she could no longer bear the strain. She begged them to go with her, taking their families, to some distant country, where they could live in peace. Her friends pointed out to her that she must be strong and accept the responsibility of Regent of the nation for the sake of the people, urging her to take a firm stand for the right, assuring her that the time would come when the situation would be under control and the troubles forgotten. The mission workers continued their teaching. While in Honolulu, especially, the meetings may not have been as well attended as formally, there were many native Christians and new converts to the Christian faith who carried on the schools and the work of the church on all the islands. But conditions were rapidly changing and the mission program had to be adapted to the change. It was evident that the King hoped to regain for the crown as much as possible of the power which had gradually passed ito the hands of the chiefs. The King may have reasoned that his Father, Kamehameha l, had controlled the chiefs. not they him. He made the laws and the people accepted them. He, Kamehameha lll, would do the same.