Stories of Queen Lili’uokalani

Photo by Jack Kiyonaga

In honor of Queen Lili’uokalani’s birthday, Molokai residents were treated to a historical discussion on Hawaii’s last monarch on Saturday, Sept 7. The talk was held by the Molokai History Project and led by Gaellen Quinn, author and researcher of “The Last Aloha,” which tells the story of the last days of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

For her research, Quinn leaned on her archival work studying the queen’s diaries as well as stories from Molokai families. She related one specific story about Queen Lili’uokalani’s visit to Puko’o, where she stayed at an inn run by the Duvauchelle family.

Throughout the talk, which featured songs authored by Queen Lili’uokalani, Quinn focused primarily on the resounding character of the queen.

“She’s such an amazing person in history…an example of how to be, how to transcend when a whole world is crumbling around you,” said Quinn. “How do you withstand that onslaught? I think the secret is her character.”

Photo by Jack Kiyonaga

Throughout the talk, Quinn gave context for the world around Lili’uokalanai. For example, Quinn described the progressive nature of the Hawaiian Kingdom in the 19th century. Along with delegations and treaties with various countries around the world, the Hawaiian Kingdom had universal health care, a literacy rate over 90 percent and had already forbidden slavery.

For Quinn, Lili’uokalani’s skillful legal and political maneuverings would have been successful in maintaining the throne if “illegal and underhanded means” had not been employed by a coalition of Missionary Party businessmen, along with support from the U.S. Marines, in the 1893 coup which ousted the queen.

One of the most impressive aspects of Lili’uokalani’s character for Quinn, is the consistent courage and grace shown – even to those who betrayed her.

“Even in her [diaries], she was never mean spirited. Her character was so pure,” said Quinn. “Unity was central in the views of Queen Lili’uokalani as well as reflected in many stories of her embrace of diversity, her kindness and generosity of spirit, and the words we see in her own songs.”

Along with her political position, Queen Lili’uokalani excelled in music and literary arts, composing famous mele like “Aloha Oe” and books like “Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani” along with translations like the “Kumulipo.”

For Quinn, the virtues extolled by Hawaii’s last monarch continue to affect and define Hawaii today.

“Through her actions and her life, the queen exemplified a beauty of heart and soul that still stirs our admiration,” said Quinn.