Daughters of Hawaii and Calabash Cousins present Afternoon at Hulihee at 4 p.m. Sunday at Hulihee Palace to remember the late Queen Liliuokalani. The Hulihee Palace Band, the Merrie Monarchs and Kumu Hula Etua Lopes and his Halau Na Pua Ui O Hawaii will perform during the event.
Daughters of Hawaii and Calabash Cousins present Afternoon at Hulihee at 4 p.m. Sunday at Hulihee Palace to remember the late Queen Liliuokalani. The Hulihee Palace Band, the Merrie Monarchs and Kumu Hula Etua Lopes and his Halau Na Pua Ui O Hawaii will perform during the event.
The sister of the “Merrie Monarch” King Kalakaua, Liliuokalani was born Liliu Kamakaeha and given the Christian name Lydia at her baptism. She took the name Liliuokalani in 1891 when it was agreed she would be heir to the throne.
Liliuokalani could read music at an early age and it is thought she had perfect pitch. She played piano, ukulele and organ — but the zither, which was in vogue in the U.S. and Europe — was her favorite. She also wrote music.
It was during a visit in 1878 to a Windward Oahu ranch that Liliuokalani received the imagery and inspiration to pen the song that became the first Hawaiian “hit” outside of the kingdom, “Aloha Oe.” Although she wrote the words as a love song, the chorus and first verse were normally sung and the song became a popular island farewell song.
When the queen took the throne in 1891, it was a time of political unrest as three different parties made up the legislature. Her proposals for rewriting the Bayonet Constitution and ending property qualifications for voting were knocked down. The monarchy was overthrown in 1893 and the queen peacefully gave up her throne under protest. After an unsuccessful counterrevolution, the queen was imprisoned in Iolani Palace for eight months.
After her imprisonment, she returned to Washington Place and wrote “Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen.” In 1909, she set up a fund to help Hawaiian children and today the Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center helps more than 2,000 children annually.
Donations are appreciated. Attendees may bring a beach mat or chair as seating won’t be provided.
Hulihee Palace is open for docent-guided and self-guided tours. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with the exception of the palace open from 1 to 4 p.m. the Monday following the monthly Kokua Kailua Village stroll. Admission for a self-guided tour is $8 for adults, $6 for kamaaina, military and seniors, and $1 for keiki 18 years old and younger. Docent-guided tours are available upon request. For details, contact the palace at 329-1877, the palace office at 329-9555 or visit daughtersofhawaii.org. The gift shop, open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, can be reached by phoning 329-6558.