Liliʻuokalani

Japanese laborers outnumber the native Hawaiians six to one, and there are more Chinese, more Portuguese, more Filipinos, more Americans and Europeans than pure Hawaiians.

Queen Liliuokalani, a pathetic exile after her dethronement, lived to see her country become commercially prosperous with a fine school system, an elected legislature and a university, but in that country her own people were but a small minority.

In addition to the Philippines and Hawaii, the United States acquired other islands in the Pacific.

Guam, a small island with an excellent harbor, was acquired from Spain in 1898 along with the Philippines.

No South American republic has women's suffrage.

With the deposition of Liliuokalani, women's direct political power in the Hawaiian Islands died.

In France, only the anarchists admit women to public council, and that party in Germany has here and there inscribed women's suffrage upon its banners.

Not only England, Scotland, and Wales, but Canada definitely accepts the vote for members of parliament in giving suffrage to women, and only widows and spinsters are admitted to the minor forms of franchise.

A lot happening over there, uh, in Ko Olina.

Also taking place over the weekend, Iolani Palace celebrated Hawaiian History Month and Queen Liliʻuokalani's birthday.

Now, during the month's Kamaʻaina Sunday event, which just took place, attendees enjoyed hula performances, floral kupe'e making, and lauhala weaving, all along with the celebrations, as it served as a remembrance of what happened at Iolani Palace 133 years ago.

The first 500 kama'aina at the event even got a chance to join a free audio tour of Iolani Palace.

But then, in 1893, members of a secret society invaded the palace, backed by over 160 US troops.

Lili'uokalani, fearing war if she didn't comply with their demands, gave up her authority.

While all that was happening, white elites had been working to Americanize Hawaii, turning the palace into their government's central headquarters, requiring English in schools, and generally trying to cover up any evidence that the Kanaka Maoli were ever sovereign at all.

In 1898, the US officially annexed Hawaii, claiming it as a US territory.

This classic short story stands as a reminder to Jack London's ability to accurately capture glimpses of all types of human situations, from survival in the wild to a young girl's encounter with life's harsh realities.

Aloha Oi, known as Farewell to Thee, is Lili'uokalani's most famous song and a common cultural symbol for Hawaii.

The story of the origin of the song has several variations.

They all have in common that the song was inspired by a notable farewell embrace given by Colonel James Harbottle Boyd during a horseback trip taken by Princess Lili'uokalani in 1877 or 1878 to the Boyd Ranch in Monowili on the windward side of Oahu, and that the members of the party hummed the tune on the way back to Honolulu.

Different versions tell of alternate recipients of the embrace, either Lili'uokalani's sister, Princess Likelike Cleghorn, or a young lady at the ranch, according to the most familiar version of the story.

I would like to add a personal note to this episode from the perspective of a father whose daughter was once 15, and through whose eyes I was able to see a whole new world beyond my limited male perspective, a world of beauty and dreams, and yes, romance.

This episode is dedicated to her with gratitude for her always making me part of her life.

O Hawaii.

Today happens to be International Literacy Day, and for your Backyard Quiz we're looking at literature and literacy throughout Hawaii's history, from memoirs like Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's queen, written by Queen Liliʻuokalani, to modern favorites like The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings.

Hawaii has served as the setting for many books.

Some of those works have also been adapted into films like James A. Michener's Hawaii, which starred Julie Andrews and Richard Harris, or Bethany Hamilton's memoir, Soul Surfer.

It was only by a revolt of the people that they regained their rights forcing him to grant them a new constitution and their former liberties and privileges.

The next and last monarch of Hawaii was a woman Liliuokalani the sister of Kalakaua.

She was the wife of an Englishman Mr. J. O. Dominus and on a visit to London had been entertained by Queen Victoria.

Her rearing and education had been under the influence of American missionaries and the whites of the islands who had been in constant fear of the late king hailed her accession to the throne with joy with the expectation that they would have in her a good friend.

As yet however no thought of revolution had arisen.

It was imagined that the worst stage had been reached but when the announcement was made the next day that the queen was about to declare a new constitution the most vivid dread and alarm were aroused.

Feeling now secure of a revenue from the proceeds of the lottery and the opium trade Queen Liliuokalani no longer hesitated to show her hand.

The proposed new constitution was a scheme for a return to absolute monarchy one under which every white man on the islands unless married to a Hawaiian woman would be deprived of the right to vote.

It was only by a revolt of the people that they regained their rights, forcing him to grant them a new constitution and their former liberties and privileges.

The next and last monarch of Hawaii was a woman, Liliuokalani, the sister of Kalakaua.

She was the wife of an Englishman, Mr. J. O. Dominus, and on a visit to London had been entertained by Queen Victoria.

Her rearing and education had been under the influence of American missionaries and the whites of the islands, who had been in constant fear of the late king, hailed her accession to the throne with joy, with the expectation that they would have in her a good friend.

It was imagined that the worst stage had been reached.

But when the announcement was made the next day that the queen was about to declare a new constitution, the most vivid dread and alarm were aroused.

Feeling now secure of a revenue from the proceeds of the lottery and the opium trade, Queen Liliuokalani no longer hesitated to show her hand.

The proposed new constitution was a scheme for a return to absolute monarchy, one under which every white man on the islands, unless married to a Hawaiian woman, would be deprived of the right to vote.

One of those buckets of land was the government lands of the kingdom.

The other bucket of land was the Crown Lands of Queen Liliuokalani.

On the day of the overthrow, those lands were confiscated illegally, and in 1895 they were combined into one land base.

That, those lands eventually were ceded to the United States at annexation, were held by the United States until 1959, and then returned to the new State of Hawaii through the Admissions Act, conditioned with five public trust purposes, one of them being the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians.