‘Ka Lei Maile Alii’

WAIMEA — On Jan. 17 at 6 p.m., the Waimea community will get a glimpse into a critical period of Hawaiian history with the presentation at the Kahilu Town Hall of “Ka Lei Maile Alii (The Queen’s Women),” a play written by Helen Lincoln Lee Kwai and first performed on Oahu in 2001 in celebration of Queen Liliuokalani’s birthday.

The play was inspired by an event that took place on Sept. 16, 1897, when well over 300 Hawaiians gathered at the Salvation Army Hall in Hilo. Mrs. Abigail Kuaihelani Campbell and Mrs. Emma Aima Nawahi, who traveled throughout the islands collecting more than 38,000 Native Hawaiian signatures — 97 percent of the native population — had come to speak about the kue (to stand in opposition) against the annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

A San Francisco Call reporter, Miriam Michaelson, wrote an article about the event that became the basis for “Ka Lei Maile Alii,” an audience participation, re-enactment of the meeting. Through the efforts of Pua Case and others, the play has been performed on the Big Island since 2012.

“I had been in the play as one of the audience speakers on Oahu. I felt that many in our community had not perhaps been given the opportunity to learn about that part of our history,” Case said. “Most of us at the time were not aware of the effort by our people to address annexation, so this was our way of bringing this essential part of our history to our community.”

The petition, which was ignored, was housed in the Library of Congress National Archives until 1997 when Dr. Noenoe Silva journeyed to Washington, D.C. and returned the Kue Petitions to Hawaii. The Hamakua to Kohala portion of the petition will be on display and provides a historical window for the descendants of the signatories and the community, a way to get “a truthful peek into history,” according to Case.

Several of the petition’s signatures bear the name Rickard, a family whose contributions to the Honokaa community will be the subject of an introductory presentation by Dr. Momi Naughton, director of the NHERC Heritage Center in Honokaa. She has created a special exhibit on the Rickard family and will have a traveling version on display.

After coming across several references to the family, Naughton became curious about them and made some phone calls, eventually contacting great-grandson, Ryon Rickard.

“Right away, Ryon was very excited that somebody was interested. From a very young age he started keeping all these things,” said Naughton.

Through letters and photographs, Naughton was able to create an exhibit rich in the details of a life well lived. Originating in Cornwall, England, Rickard and his wife Nora arrived in the islands in 1866 and after a short stay in Honolulu traveled to Waimea to join his Uncle George, the first family member to come to Hawaii.

“He had a blacksmith shop at Hale Kea in Waimea that was a gathering place for expats,” said Naughton.

Uncle George was a great friend of King Kalakaua, “and so when W.H. Rickard got here he was right away in with the alii. In fact, Lot Kamehameha was the godfather to his daughter who was born on the ship coming over,” said Naughton.

Rickard was a man of many talents and initially worked as a contractor and engineer for the old Kukuihaele Landing, completed in 1868. He then spent three years as a bookkeeper for the Kohala Sugar Co.

In 1873, Rickard and his entire family moved to Honokaa where they became an integral part of the community.

“His mother was a midwife and she literally delivered hundreds of babies without the loss of a single mother or child,” said Naughton.

Rickard started a sugar plantation which, with the addition of partners Joe Marsden and Mr Siemsen, became the Honokaa Sugar Co.

“Rickard was a beloved plantation manager for the Honokaa Sugar Company and spoke fluent Hawaiian,” said Naughton.

He was also known for his hospitality to Hawaiian alii visiting the Honokaa area.

“Here’s a letter written by Curtis Iaukea (secretary) thanking the Rickards for hosting Queen Kapiolani here in Honokaa,” Naughton said, referencing the document.

Rickard showed his loyalty and strong support of the Hawaiian monarchy with his actions.

“As soon as the overthrow happened he started working in the community to block annexation,” said Naughton.

He ultimately gave his life for the Hawaiian Kingdom.

“In 1895, Rickard took part in the counterrevolution to try to put Queen Liliuokalani back on the throne. He was captured along with Robert Wilcox, Joseph Nawahi and others and imprisoned. During this time he contracted tuberculosis and after his release moved back to Honokaa where he died in 1899,” said Naughton.

Two buildings in Honokaa are memorial to the contributions of Rickard.

“The Salvation Army Hall was their last home here. When Rickard died, he left his wife Nora with 16 young children to raise and she turned it into a hotel,” Naughton commented.

The Honokaa School Auditorium, built in the 1920s, years after Rickard’s death, is dedicated to the Honorable William H. Rickard, and stands as a testament to his community service.

“Each year, we begin the play with a presentation that will introduce the play and another part of history. That’s why we are bringing Momi and that presentation to Waimea. Many of the students that go to Honokaa School have no idea who the armory is named for. I want our students to say, ‘I didn’t know that was named for a non-Hawaiian patriot of the queen. That’s extraordinary,’” said Case.

While the subject of the play, the 1997 Kue, is a protest, the play itself is not.

“Most of us are not aware of the effort by our people to address annexation and that time period, so this is our way of bringing this essential part of our history to our community to learn something together,” said Case. “We embrace the entire community and all are welcome.”

The NHERC Heritage Center, located in Honokaa, is a wonderful place to learn about and experience the richness of Hamakua history. The new exhibit gallery contains a series of collections highlighting various multi-cultural, historical aspects of Hamakua history. It’s open to the public Monday- Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Info on Jan. 17 “Ka Lei Maile Alii” presentation: Email Pua Case at puacase@hawaiiantel.net