The Merrie Monarch Festival

The Merrie Monarch Festival is dedicated to the memory of King David Kalakaua, known as the Merrie Monarch. King Kalakaua came to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1874 and reigned until his death in 1891. He was a patron of the arts, especially music and dance.

Kalakaua almost single-handedly restored many of the nearly extinct cultural traditions of the Hawaiian people. These included myths and legends, and the hula, which had been forbidden by the missionaries for over 70 years.

Ancient Hawaiians had no written language. Instead, all communication beyond the spoken word took place in the form of chants and the dance called hula. Hula and its accompanying chants recorded Hawaiian genealogy, mythology, and prayers of the heart and mind. The hula was the means by which the culture, history, stories and almost every aspect of Hawaiian life was expressed and passed down through generations.

This festival began forty years ago by the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce and continued by the private Merrie Monarch Festival community organization. The major purpose of the festival is the perpetuation, preservation, and promotion of the art of hula and the Hawaiian culture through education. The festival is considered the world's premier forum for people of all ages to display their skills and knowledge of the art of ancient and modern hula.

The Merrie Monarch Festival is committed to:

1) Perpetuating the traditional culture of the Hawaiian people;
2) Developing and augmenting a living knowledge of Hawaiian arts and crafts through workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and performances of the highest quality and authenticity;
3) Reaching those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate; and,
4) Enriching the future lives of all of Hawaii's children.

The week-long festivities begin with a Ho'olaulea (music festival) on Moku Ola (Coconut Island) on Easter Sunday and continues all week with free noon-day entertainment at the Hawaii Naniloa Resort and the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Banyan Drive. On Wednesday, there is a free exhibition night at the Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium that begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday is the solo Miss Aloha Hula Competition, Friday and Saturday are the group Kahiko (Ancient) and 'Auana (Modern) hula competitions. There are arts and crafts fairs on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at several locations. The big Merrie Monarch Royal Parade winds through downtown Hilo at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Except for the hula competition, the events are free.

The 41st annual Merrie Monarch Festival always begins on Easter Sunday and this year will run from April 11 to 17, 2004.
http://www.merriemonarchfestival.org

Wai Momi - Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor got its name from the pearl oysters that once grew in its waters. The Hawaiian name for the area is Wai Momi. In 1887, the United States was given the sole use of Pearl Harbor as a coaling and repair station for ships.

Pearl Harbor was established as a U।S. naval base in 1908, and remains a vital part of the U.S. defense establishment today. Pearl Harbor is a national historic landmark because of its essential contribution to the rise of the U.S. as a major power in the Pacific and the crucial role it played in World War II, beginning with the December 7th attack. All of Pearl Harbor became a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

The USS Arizona Memorial floats above the sunken ship and the 1,177 sailors and marines entombed within her hull। On the morning of Dec. 7th, 1941, “a date which will live in infamy,” 183 Japanese planes attacked the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor. It was an event that forever changed American history. The attack resulted in the sinking of the USS Arizona and crippling the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Today, the Naval complex at Pearl Harbor still serves as a major homeport and “pit stop of the Pacific” for the U.S. and Allied Pacific fleets. Even 60 years later, oil from the crippled vessel can be seen slowly seeping to the surface. The American flag is raised and lowered over the Memorial daily. Each year, one and a half million visitors experience this powerful remembrance.

USS Bowfin is one of only 15 US submarines from WWII still in existence.The USS Bowfin launched on Dec. 7, 1942, and was nicknamed the “Pearl Harbor Avenger.” During her commission, she completed nine successful war patrols and sank 44 enemy ships. For her wartime efforts, she earned both the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation.

USS Missouri or the “Mighty Mo” was where General Douglas MacArthur accepted Emperor Hirohito’s surrender, ending the war in the Pacific। The “Mighty Mo” fought again in Korea and in Operation Desert Storm.

Military has a strong presence in Hawaii and on May 15th, Armed Forces Day, we pay tribute to our men and women in the armed forces. On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate days of recognition of the Army, Navy and Air Force. This single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department – the Department of Defense. May 31st, Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.

Princess Victoria Kaiulani

October 16 marks the 128th anniversary of Princess Victoria Kaiulani's birthday. She was the last hope of the Hawaiian monarchy, died never marrying and fulfilling her destiny to be Queen of Hawaii.

She was half-Hawaiian, only daughter of Princess Miriam Likelike who was a descendant of Kamehameha I। Her father was Archibald Cleghorn, a Honolulu businessman and horticulturist originally from Edinburgh, Scotland. Her mother's siblings were King Kalakaua who ruled Hawaii between 1874 to 1891 and Queen Liliuokalani who ruled between 1891 to 1893. King Kalakaua and his wife Queen Kapiolani were childless as was his sister Queen Liliuokalani and husband John Dominis. This placed the princess to be next in line to the monarchy.

Princess Kaiulani grew up at Ainahau, a beautiful private estate in Waikiki. The residence faced the ocean and the area was filled with lush tropical trees, shrubs, and flowers that Mr. Cleghorn cultivated. Jasmine was a favorite flower of Kaiulani as well as the peacocks that roamed throughout the gardens of Ainahau. One of her names was Princess of the Peacocks because she loved the pet birds and fed them from her hands. The word for peacock is pikake, which came to be the name for the flowers that the she loved.

In February 1887, her mother Likelike died leaving Princess Kaiulani saddened by the loss. She turned to her half-sister, Annie Cleghorn and her governess for comfort and companionship. In 1889, she met Robert Louis Stevenson, a Scottish poet whom she met through her father. He spent countless hours with the princess and her family talking and laughing under the banyan tree at Ainahau. Unfortunately, their friendship was brief as Kaiulani was preparing to leave for school in England. As a going away gift, Stevenson wrote her a poem to comfort and prepare her for the dreaded trip. It reads:

Forth from her land to mine she goes,
The island maid, the island rose,
Light of heart and bright of face,
The daughter of a double race.
Her islands here in southern sun
Shall mourn their Kaiulani gone,
And I, in her dear banyan's shade,
Look vainly for my little maid.
But our Scots islands far away
Shall glitter with unwonted day,
And cast for once their tempest by
To smile in Kaiulani's eye.

The poet and princess never met again and Stevenson died a few years later।

In 1891, Kaiulani's aunt, Queen Liliuokalani was proclaimed Queen and named Kaiulani next in line as heir. At this time, the Hawaiian islands were threatened by annexation to the United States. The annexation would allow Hawaiian sugar access to the huge American market which would be extremely lucrative for the Americans. Queen Liliuokalani on the other hand wanted to give native Hawaiians more power in their own land. However, this proved not to be the case as the monarchy was overthrown in 1893. Following the overthrow of the monarchy, Princess Kaiulani made a diplomatic visit to Washington to plead for the return of the government to her aunt. She was well received but left without making a difference in the political decisions of the U.S. government. In August 1898, Hawaii was officially annexed to the United States.

On March 6th, 1899 the following year, Princess Kaiulani died at the age of 23. She died from rheumatic fever, probably resulting from a riding trip in the rain.

King Kamehameha The Great

Kamehameha the Great was the first king who unified the islands of Hawaii. He was born somewhere between 1739 and 1758 in North Kohala on the island of Hawaii. Before his birth, Kahunas (Hawaiian priests) prophesied the child would grow up to be a mighty ruler.

Upon hearing this, Chief Alapanui ordered the child to be killed। In order to protect him from the jealous chief, his mother kept him in seclusion by allowing him to be raised by foster parents during his early childhood.

At age five, he was taken out of seclusion as Chief Alapanui was no longer fearful or jealous of the young boy. He was taught to be a great warrior and became skilled in sports and warfare. His first battle was on Maui in 1775, where he proved to be a great warrior by saving the life of his teacher, Kekuhaupio. In the presence of high-ranking chiefs, Kamehameha also proved that he was very strong by overturning the Naha stone. According to prophecy, whoever overturned the stone would conquer all of the islands of Hawaii.

In 1778, Kamehameha was present when his uncle Chief Kalaniopuu boarded explorer Captain James Cook's ship, the Resolution, when he arrived in Maui. Kamehameha made a lasting impression with these foreigners. Kamehameha's meeting with the foreigners taught him many things about war that were unknown to the warriors in Hawaii at that time. Kamehameha later added two Englishmen, John Young and Isaac Davis as his staff advisers and warriors who helped him with getting foreign weapons. Eventually, he used these foreign methods and skills to his advantage when fighting with rival chiefs.

In a series of battles and skirmishes, Kamehameha conquered the islands of Maui, Lanai, and Molokai, Hawaii, and Oahu. King Kaumualii ceded the islands of Kauai and Niihau to Kamehameha. In 1810, the Hawaiian Islands were unified and the Hawaiian Kingdom was established. Kamehameha introduced the Hawaiian flag. The eight horizontal red, white, and blue stripes represented the eight islands. The Union Jack testified to the early British influence.

With unification came peace and prosperity. Kamehameha reorganized his government by placing faithful, capable leaders in charge of large districts of land and their people. Besides being a great warrior, he was also a great statesman. Among his accomplishments were the establishment of trade with foreign countries and the development of the sandalwood industry. Being a just ruler, he introduced the Law of the Splintered Paddle. This law protected the weak or defenseless person from the strong. Attacks on these people would be punishable by death.

Kamehameha died on May 8, 1819 at Kamakahonu, his home in Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii। Before he died, he instructed Hoapili to secretly bury his bones to protect the mana, or power, an ancient tradition. To this day, no one knows where he is buried.

June 11th is King Kamehameha Day in Hawaii। This official state holiday was established in 1871 by King Kamehameha V to honor his grandfather. Every year, the state celebrates with a floral parade in downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. His statue stands in front of the Judiciary Building, Aliiolani Hale, and is draped with colorful leis on this special day. There are three other statues of Kamehameha I, two are on the Big Island, and one at the National Statuary Hall in Washington D.C.

King Kamehameha Statue
Across from Iolani Palace on King St.

Hawaii Maritime Center

The Hawaiian Islands are the most geographically remote lands in the world and sit in the largest body of water, the Pacific Ocean. Naturally, the ocean plays a huge impact in shaping the history of Hawaii and the lives of its people.

The Hawaii Maritime Center, located conveniently next to Aloha Tower, is a museum that traces Hawaii's colorful ocean legacy from the days of Polynesian voyagers discovery of the islands to the era of luxury liners in the 30's and 40's।

The museum is situated harbor side in a two-story building that is a replica of King Kalakaua's boathouse. The Falls of Clyde, an 1878 schooner is moored next to the building. It is listed on the national historical landmark as one of the last remaining four-masted full-rigged ships in the world. Also moored next to the museum is the Hokulea, or "Star of Gladness," a canoe in the 70's and 80's that retraced the voyage of Polynesians using the ancient navigational method of wayfinding.

The admission to the museum includes a 50-minute audio-cassette tour of the complex that begins on the second floor। This floor is dedicated to the discovery of Hawaii, both by Polynesians and Captain James Cook. Other exhibits recount the sandalwood and whaling trades of the 1800's. The Matson exhibit features the golden age of luxury liners that transported passengers between Hawaii and the United States.

Suspended from a ceiling is a rare (one of two in the world) humpback skeleton found washed up on the shores of Kahoolawe in 1986. The bottom floor of the museum displays ancient fishing methods used by Hawaiians. The Hokulea exhibit explains the art of wayfinding in which it shows how the Polynesians used the stars, ocean currents, and clouds to help them navigate throughout the Pacific Ocean. Call ahead to make arrangements for a tour (no sailing) and a hop aboard the Hokulea.

The newest addition in the museum is the Navigating Change exhibit. This educational exhibit is aimed at helping young children to understand and appreciate the values of conserving the earth's natural ecosystem. The exhibit uses the northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a model of our precious ecological region in need of protection.

Hawaii Maritime Center
Pier 7, Honolulu Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Tel: (808) 536-6373 • Daily 8:30-5 p.m. • Adults $7.50, children 6-17 $4.50 • http://holoholo.org/maritime/

The Luau - A Hawaiian Feast

In ancient times, the Hawaiian people would gather together to celebrate special occasions with a feast. Whether it was to honor a great victory in war, a successful harvest, or the birth of a child.

The Hawaiians believed it was important to honor their gods and to share their prosperity with family and friends. These celebrations were first called aha-aina (gathering for a meal). The term luau came into favor later and refers to the young edible leaves of the taro plant.

When King Kamehameha II abolished the kapu system in 1819, women and men were able to not only eat together, but to share the same food। Until that time, coconuts, bananas, and other foods were forbidden to women. Certain fishes and other foods were forbidden to men. A feast where the king ate with women was the symbolic act that ended this religious taboo, and the luau was born.

The traditional luau feast was eaten on the floor on lauhala mats. The centerpiece was adorned with ti leaves, ferns, and native flowers. Large calabash bowls were piled high with food. Utensils were never used at the luau, instead everything was eaten with fingers.

The centerpiece of the luau is the “imu”, or underground oven. This is where the traditional “kalua pork” or roasted pig is cooked. The hole is lined with red hot stones. The whole pig is then lowered into the pit and steamed for several hours. Banana leaves, ti leaves, wet burlap and earth are piled on top of the pig. When fully cooked, the meat of the kalua pig is stringy and mouth melting tender.

The poi is a staple of the Hawaiian diet and is a paste made from pounding the root of a taro. Although the glutinous consistency and bland taste don't immediately appeal to visitors, it is nutritious and an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. Other traditional foods include lomilomi salmon (salmon with tomatoes and onion), chicken luau (chicken cooked in coconut milk and taro leaves), chicken long rice, pipikaula (seasoned beef jerky), poké (seasoned raw fish), and sweet potato. Dessert usually includes “haupia”, which is a gelatin-like coconut pudding.

Today, the luau is a tradition among local islanders. Hawaiian and local families often gather together for special occasions such as a baby's first birthday, a wedding, or a graduation party. Sometimes these luaus can last for days.

The luau is a major attraction and visitors to Hawaii can experience a luau offered by the many hotels, resorts, and private companies. These luaus usually include entertainment such as Hawaiian music and hula. Other entertainment may include the Tahitian hula and Samoan fire dancing.

Feasting is a universally accepted form of celebrating happy and important events. It is a time to share traditional foods, enjoy songs and dances, and give thanks to our family, friends, and guests. The Hawaiians have evolved this great pleasure into a truly unique cultural experience.

Delshaad - Singer, Songwriter.

Delshaad "Yadboode Pedar"

Introducing: Delshaad - Singer, Songwriter.

Delshaad bursts on to the internet music scene with his latest release: "Yadboode Pedar".On this collection you will find his greatest ballads, wedding songs and romantic melodies. These melodies where personally selected by Delshaad for this Internet debut CD.

With over 35 years of entertainment excellence. This singer, songwriter and lyricist combined his talents with Mr. Bryan Robertshaw, who produced and orchestrated this CD. Robershaw, an icon in his own right, is well known for his long standing run at the world famous Hano Hano Room at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel in Hawaii along with his renown orchestra Stardust.

The exotic Persian, Greek, and Arabic tones of their music have a distinct western flare you're sure to enjoy. The CD also includes an English translation of the lyrics. Delshaad is currently working on a beautiful DVD, which was shot in Hawaii to accompany his songs.

When interviewed about the release, the artist was quoted as saying:"I dedicate some of my most treasured songs to my wonderful father, who inspired and motivated me to create this masterpiece. He dreamed of my success as a singer and songwriter, so in his memory I wrote these songs. I hope my listeners will enjoy each and every one of these personal treasures.

* Khatrat Pedar (Father's Memories)
* Halgheyeh Ezdevodge (Wedding Ring)
* Donyayeh Bee Vafa (The Fickle Life)

*Song List*

1. Khatrat Pedar (Father's Memories) 3:26
2. Ghomar Buzz (The Gambler) 2:56
3. Pandra (Pandra's Box) 2:53
4. Halgheyeh Ezdevodge (Wedding Ring) 3:09
5. Donyayeh Bee Vafa (The Fickle Life) 4:24
6. Ghafaseh Khali (The empty nest) 4:44
7. Doorugh Goo (The Liar) 3:13
8. Gheseyeh Talkh (Bitter Story) 4:32
9. Be Yade Pedar (Remember the Father) 4:57

$11.95 + Shipping

Buy this CD। Please e-mail us

Iolani Palace

I'olani Palace was the center of the Hawaiian Kingdom and served as the official residence of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliu'okalani during the years of 1882 to 1893. It is the only royal palace in the United States and is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Iolani Palace, meaning "heavenly hawk," was occupied by two monarchs. King Kalakaua, also known as the Merrie Monarch reigned between 1874 to 1891. His sister Queen Liluokalani's reign lasted just two years between 1891 to 1893.
Kalakaua was a flamboyant and an affable socialite who loved grandeur, luxury, music, and dance. He was fluent in English as well as Hawaiian, and he was also a talented musician. Inspired by his travels and influenced by his royal counterparts, he went ahead to build a new palace to replace the original termite-ridden palace.
The construction of the building began in late 1879 under the orders of King Kalakaua. He took an active interest in the construction of the new palace by implementing his idea that modern elements be installed. At a cost of $350,000, the palace was completed in 1882. It was the first electrified building in Honolulu, even before the White House in Washington D.C. The palace also featured a direct phone line to King Kalakaua's boathouse where he kept his royal yacht. Four months after the completion, King Kalakaua and his Queen Kapiolani moved into their new palace. Besides holding many lavish galas, the palace was the focal point of the political and social life of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
When Kalakaua died in 1891, his sister and successor, Liliuokalani took over as queen until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893. During her reign, she set out to work on establishing a new constitution that would strengthen native Hawaiian claims and weaken foreign commercial interests. American interests were considering annexation to Hawaii to establish an economic competitive position for sugar. A group led by Sanford B. Dole sought to overthrow the monarchy. Despite her resistance, the Queen was deposed in 1894 and the Republic of Hawaii was proclaimed. In 1895, Queen Liliuokalani was put under trial and found guilty of concealing knowledge of a rebel support in her favor. She was placed under house arrest and imprisoned for eight months in Iolani Palace. In 1898, Hawaii was officially annexed to the United States as a territory.
After the overthrow of the monarchy, Iolani Palace was the seat of the government for the Republic, the Territory, and the State of Hawaii. In 1969, Iolani Palace was vacated when the new state capitol was completed. It was in a dreadful state of deterioration after years of abuse and neglect. A full-scale restoration of the Palace began that same year by the Friends of Iolani Palace. Its mission was to restore the Palace to the closest original appearance of the late monarchy.
Today, visitors can enjoy the fully restored palace by taking a 45 minute guided tour. The Iolani Palace Gallery in the basement is a self-guided tour where visitors can see the Hawaiian crown jewels and other royal heirlooms.

Iolani Palace
364 S. King Street, Honolulu

Reservations and information: (808) 522-0832
Admission: Adults $12, Children 5-17, $5, children under 5 not allowed in guided tour of palace.
Guided tours of palace every 30 min: Tues.-Sat. 9 am.-2 pm.
Self guided tours in gallery.

Hokulea - The Polynesian Voyaging Canoe

The Polynesian’s primary voyaging craft was the double canoe made of two hulls connected by lashed crossbeams. Sails made of matting drove and long steering paddles enabled Polynesian mariners to keep it sailing on course.

Voyaging was an important part of the culture in ancient Polynesia। Voyagers would sail thousands of miles over the vast ocean, using the stars in the sky to navigate their canoes.

In the 19th century, Hawaiian scholars Kamakau and Kepelino attributed the discovery of Hawai‘i to a fisherman named Hawai'iloa. He is said to have discovered the islands during a long fishing trip from a homeland in the west called Ka ‘Aina kai melemelea Kane (“Land of the yellow sea of Kane”).

Hawai‘iloa’s navigator, Makali‘i, steered in the direction of Iao, the Eastern Star, and Hoku‘ula, the red star. After replenishing his supplies, Hawai‘iloa returned home and brought his wife and his children back to Hawai‘i.

In 1973, Ben Finney, Herb Kane and Tommy Holmes a group of Polynesian specialists and canoe enthusiasts formed the Polynesian Voyaging Society to build a canoe and sail it 2,500 miles without instruments. They were going to navigate by using the stars. In the old days a name would come to a canoe designer in a dream. Herb Kane was charting starts and locating and memorizing their relative positions one night and after he went to bed he was said to have dreamed of stars. His attention was attracted to Arcturus, our Hokule'a. It appeared to grow larger and brighter, so brilliant that he awoke. As so the name was given-Hokule‘a meaning “bright star”.

Some scholars have argued that the Polynesians drifted to these islands by accident; the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) set out to show that a voyaging canoe of Polynesian design could be navigated without instruments over the vast ocean। This voyage would help to show that the Polynesians came here to Hawai‘i by sailing and navigating their canoes, not just drifting by accident here on ocean currents or driven off course by storms.

Hokule`a was completed in 1975. It has two 62-foot hulls; eight `iako, or crossbeams, joining the two hulls; pola, or decking, lashing to the crossbeams between the two hulls; rails along the decking; and two masts.

Hokule‘a was launched on March 8, 1975 at Kualoa on the windward side of O‘ahu. This was the first voyaging canoe to be built in Hawai'i in more than 600 years. On May 1st, 1976 Hokule‘a left Hawai‘i on her maiden voyage to Tahiti, attempting to retrace this traditional migratory route. The Hokule‘a was navigated without instruments by Micronesian navigator, Mau Piailug, a traditional navigator from the Caroline Islands of Micronesia. His method of navigating by the stars and swells was closely similar to extinct Polynesian methods. The canoe arrived 33 days later in Papeete, Tahiti, to a crowd of more than 17,000. Over half of the island had turned out to greet the canoe. What had begun as a scientific experiment to prove a theory had touched a deep root of cultural pride in Polynesian people.

This voyage demonstrated that it was possible to navigate these routes without instruments, and that contrary to popular theories, it was possible for traditional voyaging canoes to sail against the prevailing winds, by taking advantage of seasonal wind shifts.

Hokule‘a’s voyages to date had demonstrated that the ancient Polynesians could have intentionally settled the Polynesian Triangle, an area of 10 million square miles, making it one of the greatest feats of exploration in human history.

For more information: Please visit the Polynesian Voyaging Society at http://www.pvs-hawaii.com

Duke Kahanamoku

He is remembered as Hawaii's greatest waterman and the “father of international modern surfing.” Duke Kahanamoku was an Olympic champion, Hollywood actor, and ambassador of aloha.

The “Duke” as he would be called, is not a title, but a given name. His father was named "Duke" in honor of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was visiting Hawaii in 1869. When the younger “Duke” was born in August 24, 1890, he inherited his father's name.
In his teens, Duke dropped out of high school and became a “beach boy” in Waikiki where he and his peers surfed, swam, and shaped surfboards। These years of surfing and swimming molded the young Duke into a superb athlete and a very fast swimmer. In 1911, in an amateur swim meet, Kahanamoku was clocked at 55.4 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle, beating the existing record by 4.6 seconds, in the Honolulu Harbor. He easily qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming team the following year.

In 1912, he was almost 22 years old when he won his first Olympic gold medal in Stockholm. He set the world record in the 100 meter free-style and won a silver in the 200 meter relay. For the next 20 years, Duke represented the United States in the Olympics and won the hearts of many people all over the world. Although the Olympics was not held in 1916 because of World War I, Kahanamoku broke his own record at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics in the 100-meter freestyle and setting a world record on the free-style relay team. At the 1924 Paris Olympics, he brought home a silver for the 100 meter free-style. His last Olympics was in 1932 in Los Angeles where he won a bronze medal as a member of the U.S. water polo team.

Between his Olympic competitions, and after retiring from the Olympics, Kahanamoku traveled to different parts of the world particularly throughout the United States and Australia to participate in swimming exhibitions and aquatic events. It was during these tours that he demonstrated not only his swimming ability, but his surfing ability as well. Eventually, he popularized the sport of surfing to the world.

Duke's good looks and charm brought him to the attention of Hollywood producers. His movie career spanned almost ten years and he appeared in about 30 movies. Duke's roles included everything from a Sioux Indian to a Hindu thief. His career bridged the old silent movies and the new “talkies.” By nature, he was more suited to the silent movie.

Between 1932 to 1961, Duke was elected as Sheriff of Honolulu for 26 years. At age 50, he married Nadine Alexander in 1940. Together they shared his new world of meeting and greeting people who came to visit Hawaii. He was “Mr. Hawaii, Hawaii's Ambassador to the world.”

In 1965, Duke received many honors and awards for his lifelong achievements. Duke Kahanamoku was the first person to be inducted into both the swimming and surfing Halls of Fame. The August/September issue of International Surfing was dedicated to the Duke who was referred to as, “a surfer who by all standards is king.” He was also honored with the first Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championships, held at Sunset Beach, on Oahu.

The world bid Duke aloha on January 22, 1968. He would be remembered as a great swimmer, surfer, and a symbol of Hawaii.

America's Last Queen

"Farewell to you, farewell to you, (Aloha Oe, aloha oe). O fragrance of one how dwells in the blue depth. One fond embrace, until I return. Until we meet again." Queen Liliuokalani.

Like her statue, the real Lilioukalani was some what larger than life. She born Lydia Paki Kamekeeha Liliuokalani on September 2, 1838, the third of then children of high alii Kapaakea and his wife, Keohokalole: Her older brother was David Kalakaua, who later became king.

She was immediately hanaied (adopted) at birth by alii Abner Paki and his wife Konia, in a gesture of goodwill. One of the things that make Hawaii unique among American states is the fact that it was a genuine kingdom before it ever became part of the United States. Downtown Honolulu retains several reminders of the monarchy, among these was the stately Iolani Palace, the only royal palace on American soil today. Across the way stands the massive statue of King Kamehameha the Great, Hawaii's first King, and the residence of the last monarchs, Washington Place, broods nearby. In addition, a statue of Hawaii’s last Queen, Liliuokalani, graces the mall between the statehouse and the Palace grounds.

By age 4, she was enrolled in the Royal School, where she became fluent in English and was exposed to Congregationalist doctrine. She later joined the court of Kamehameha IV and his Queen, Emma. At age 24 she married haole John Owen Dominis, who later served as governor of Oahu and Maui.

After the death of Prince William Leleiohoku in 1877, King Kalakaua named Liliuokalani his heir. She ruled ably as regent during his globetrotting trip of 1881, when he traveled to other royal courts around the world, seeking to study how other rulers ruled. Unfortunately, the monarchy she was to rule soon suffered a fatal blow: in 1887, an armed group supporting annexation of Hawaii to the United States forced the King to enact a constitution that severely limited the power of the monarchy. The King remained in place as a figurehead, but soon his health began to fail. He died in 1891, leaving the throne to Liliuokalani. Her husband died soon afterward.

One of Liliuokalani's first acts after assuming the throne was to enact a new constitution that restored the royal powers usurped by the so-called Bayonet Constitution—the first salvo in her battle to reinstate the sovereignty of the Hawaiian monarchy. She solidified her power by repeatedly replacing the entire government and disenfranchising many of those previously allowed to vote, which greatly angered her opponents. On January 14, 1893, American sailors and marines came ashore at Honolulu, in an action that ultimately resulted in the overthrow of the monarchy on January 17. Liliuokalani retired under protest to Washington Place.

On July 4, 1894, the Republic of Hawaii was declared, with pineapple magnate Sanford Dole as its president. American recognition followed immediately thereafter. After an aborted royalist attempt to restore the monarchy in January 1895, firearms were found in the royal gardens and Queen Liliuokalani was arrested, though she denied any knowledge of the weapons. Nonetheless, she was imprisoned in a small room in Iolani Palace until 1896, whereupon she was allowed to return to Washington Place, her home for the rest of her life, where she died in 1917 due to complications of a stroke.

Queen Liliuokalani published a book, Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen, in 1898, the same year that Hawaii was annexed to the United States. She also gained fame as the songwriter of the haunting anthem “Aloha ‘Oe,” which is familiar to all Hawaiians and tourists.