Aloha mai kakou to the good people in the learning community of Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School and we hope your ohana enjoyed a restful and relaxing Spring Break Week. As we head back to campus on Monday, March 25th we find an unusual week ahead with Good Friday on Friday, March 29th so campus is closed. We are also closed on Tuesday, March 26th to recognized the amazing accomplishments of the great leader Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole.
Prince Kuhio’s birthday is celebrated each year on March 26. Born in 1871 on our beautiful island of Kaua’i, just down the road from the school, he played an important role in Hawaiian history. Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole Pi‘ikoi got his name from his paternal grandfather Jonah Pi‘ikoi and maternal grandfather Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole but his aunt Queen Kapi‘olani (Kalaniana‘ole’s daughter) took guardianship of him after his parents died.
Prince Kuhio served a year in prison for rebelling against the Republic of Hawai‘i in 1895. Some of his compatriots, Robert Wilcox and Charles Gulick, were sentenced to death for treason, but they were pardoned after serving time in prison.
Prince Kūhiō was made prince under King Kalākaua, along with his brothers, David La‘amea Kahalepouli Kinoiki Kawānanakoa and Edward Abnel Keli‘iahonui. They passed away in 1908 and 1887, respectively. Kūhiō died in 1922 and is known as the last prince of Hawai‘i. Prince Kūhiō was the first prince in U.S. Congress, and he served as a Republican for 19 years until his death in 1922. During his time, he introduced the first bill for Hawai‘i statehood in 1919 and the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (1920). Prince Kuhio also restored the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, established the first Hawaiian civic club, and got funds to construct Pearl Harbor plus create Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
Prince Kūhiō was a proud Hawai’ian and attended Royal School, ‘Iolani, Punahou, Saint Matthew’s School in California, and Royal Agricultural College in England. He was skilled in many sports, including football, wrestling, boxing, track, baseball, rowing, and polo. These skills came to usage as in 1901, Prince Kūhiō threw an American tourist to the ground and punched him in the face after he spat a racial slur at the prince and cut in line at the barber of the hotel in which he was staying in Montreal. The man purportedly said, “I didn’t know, Your Highness. I got all I deserved.”
Although his passing is over a hundred years ago we still still the lasting legacy of Prince Kuhio on the lands that he loved in Hawai’i. Most notably the Hawai’ian Homes Commission Act of 1920 has had a significant impact on the past, present, and future for the people of Hawai’i.
Hopefully, you can take some time to reflect on the accomplishments of the last Prince of Hawai’i and celebrate the life of Prince Kuhio on Tuesday.
Mahalo for your support of our unique charter school and best wishes to you all for a wonderful week ahead. Malama pono.
DJ Adams
Po’okumu (Director)
Alaka’i O Kaua’i Charter School
Koloa, Hawai’i
