Kuhina Nui
Encyclopedia
Kuhina Nui was a powerful office in the Kingdom of Hawaii
from 1819 to 1864. It was usually held by a relative of the king and was the rough equivalent of the 19th century European office of Prime Minister
or sometimes Regent
.
assumed the throne in 1819, his father's favorite wife, Queen Kaahumanu, told him Kamehameha I
had wished for her to rule the kingdom alongside him. Whether this was really the will of Kamehameha I is a matter of debate. In either case, Kamehameha II did not object and the office of Kuhina Nui was created for Kaahumanu. According to other sources, Kamehameha I had wanted Kaahumanu to succeed her father Keeaumoku Papaiahiahi
as chief counselor.
Kaahumanu became the driving force behind the kingdom’s policy during the reign of Kamehameha II. She and another one of Kamehameha I's wives, Keopuolani
, pressured Kamehameha II into abolishing the old kapu
system of laws and religion.
was still only a child. Because of this, Kaahumanu ruled in his place as regent
. After her death in 1832, a queen named Kīnau
, a daughter of Kamehameha I and the Dowager Queen of Kamehameha II, assumed the office of Kuhina Nui as Kaahumanu II and the regency until her half-brother Kauikeaouli declared himself to be of age in 1833. Kauikeaouli was crowned King Kamehameha III thereafter and the office of Kuhina Nui became the second-most powerful office in the kingdom.
During Kīnau's time in office, the offices of the king and Kuhina Nui often battled for power. This was mainly due to conflict between the views of the two people holding the office. While Kamehameha III desired a revival of the old Hawaiian culture, his elder sister Kīnau wanted Hawaii to be a Protestant state which tolerated no other religion. For the first few years of Kamehameha III’s reign, the kingdom suffered from the frequent quarrels between Kīnau and the king.
codified the office of Kuhina Nui into law. The constitution specified the following duties and powers:
The 1840 Constitution created a degree of power sharing between the King and Kuhina Nui. Both were given seats in the House of Nobles in the legislature and both also held seats in the Kingdom's judiciary.
The position was written into a constitution devised by patriarchal American attorneys and missionaries. In the United States, women held no political offices, were denied suffrage, and in some states could not even control their inherited property. Yet the Americans William Richards
, John Ricord
, and William Little Lee
all believed it was appropriate to reinforce the power and authority of the Kuhina Nui as an equivalent to the King despite the fact it had become a "traditional" female office. Perhap they had a much higher opinion of female leadership than most of their countrymen. Or perhaps they created the law to subtly humiliate the office of King.
dedicated a full section (Section 2) to the office of Kuhina Nui. Articles 43 through 48 described the office:
. Kamehameha IV and his brother despised the position but Kamehameha IV did place the role upon his less than responsible sister, Victoria Kamamalu
. Mostly she just signed and approved papers to the wishes of her brothers. When Kamehameha V
assumed the throne in 1863, however, the new king made it clear that he favored a more autocratic monarchy over the constitutional
one set in place in 1852. In 1864, the King issued a new constitution that was much less liberal than the Constitution of 1852. The 1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
abolished the office of Kuhina Nui and effectively merged the powers into his own office as King. The office was never revived after that, with the Hawaiian monarchy lasting only about three more decades before being overthrown. The termination of the office did not destroy opportunity for feminine leadership in the kingdom. By strengthening the office of the Monarch, it made it possible for a queen to wield real political power.
An office of Prime Minister was created during the reign of King Kalākaua
:
took the title "Kamehameha".
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
from 1819 to 1864. It was usually held by a relative of the king and was the rough equivalent of the 19th century European office of Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
or sometimes Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
.
Origin of the office
When King Kamehameha IIKamehameha II
Kamehameha II was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu Iolani...
assumed the throne in 1819, his father's favorite wife, Queen Kaahumanu, told him Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...
had wished for her to rule the kingdom alongside him. Whether this was really the will of Kamehameha I is a matter of debate. In either case, Kamehameha II did not object and the office of Kuhina Nui was created for Kaahumanu. According to other sources, Kamehameha I had wanted Kaahumanu to succeed her father Keeaumoku Papaiahiahi
Keeaumoku Papaiahiahi
Keeaumoku Pāpaiahiahi was a Hawaiian high chief and the father of Kaahumanu. He was the principal agent in elevating Kamehameha I to the throne of Hawaii and served in a capacity similar to commander in chief or Prime Minister...
as chief counselor.
Kaahumanu became the driving force behind the kingdom’s policy during the reign of Kamehameha II. She and another one of Kamehameha I's wives, Keopuolani
Keopuolani
Kalanikauikaalaneo Kai Keōpūolani-Ahu-i-Kekai-Makuahine-a-Kama-Kalani-Kau-i-Kealaneo was a queen consort of Hawaii and the highest ranking wife of King Kamehameha I.-Early life:...
, pressured Kamehameha II into abolishing the old kapu
Kapu
Kapu refers to the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations. The kapu system was universal in lifestyle, gender roles, politics, religion, etc. An offense that was kapu was often a corporal offense, but also often denoted a threat to spiritual power, or theft of mana. Kapus were...
system of laws and religion.
Conflict between the Kuhina Nui and the King
At the death of Kamehameha II in 1824, his younger brother and heir KauikeaouliKamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
was still only a child. Because of this, Kaahumanu ruled in his place as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. After her death in 1832, a queen named Kīnau
Kaahumanu II
Princess Kalani Ahumanu i Kaliko o Iwi Kauhipua o Kīnau, also known as Elizabeth Kīnau was Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom of Hawaii as Kaahumanu II, Queen regent and Dowager Queen.-Life:...
, a daughter of Kamehameha I and the Dowager Queen of Kamehameha II, assumed the office of Kuhina Nui as Kaahumanu II and the regency until her half-brother Kauikeaouli declared himself to be of age in 1833. Kauikeaouli was crowned King Kamehameha III thereafter and the office of Kuhina Nui became the second-most powerful office in the kingdom.
During Kīnau's time in office, the offices of the king and Kuhina Nui often battled for power. This was mainly due to conflict between the views of the two people holding the office. While Kamehameha III desired a revival of the old Hawaiian culture, his elder sister Kīnau wanted Hawaii to be a Protestant state which tolerated no other religion. For the first few years of Kamehameha III’s reign, the kingdom suffered from the frequent quarrels between Kīnau and the king.
The Constitution of 1840
The 1840 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii1840 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1840 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii titled Ke Kumukānāwai a me nā Kānāwai o ko Hawai’i Pae ‘Āina, Honolulu, 1840 was the first fully written constitution for the Kingdom of Hawaii...
codified the office of Kuhina Nui into law. The constitution specified the following duties and powers:
- The Kuhina Nui was to be appointed by the King.
- All business connected with the special interests of the kingdom which the King wished to transact was to be done by Kuhina Nui under the authority of the king.
- All documents and business of the kingdom executed by the Kuhina Nui were to be considered as executed by the King's authority.
- All government property was to be reported to the Kuhina Nui.
- The King was not allowed to act without the knowledge of the Kuhina Nui, nor was the Kuhina Nui allowed to act without the knowledge of the King.
- All important business of the kingdom which the King chose to transact in person, he could do only with the approbation of the Kuhina Nui.
The 1840 Constitution created a degree of power sharing between the King and Kuhina Nui. Both were given seats in the House of Nobles in the legislature and both also held seats in the Kingdom's judiciary.
The position was written into a constitution devised by patriarchal American attorneys and missionaries. In the United States, women held no political offices, were denied suffrage, and in some states could not even control their inherited property. Yet the Americans William Richards
William Richards (Hawaii)
William Richards was a missionary and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Family life:William Richards was born in Plainfield, Massachusetts on August 22, 1793. His father was James Richards and mother was Lydia Shaw. He was schooled under Moses Hallock in Plainfield, attended Williams College...
, John Ricord
John Ricord
John Ricord whose birth name was probably Jean Baptiste Ricord-Madianna II, was a lawyer and world traveler. He was involved in cases in Texas, Oregon, Hawaii, and California.-Life:...
, and William Little Lee
William Little Lee
William Little Lee was an American lawyer who became the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:...
all believed it was appropriate to reinforce the power and authority of the Kuhina Nui as an equivalent to the King despite the fact it had become a "traditional" female office. Perhap they had a much higher opinion of female leadership than most of their countrymen. Or perhaps they created the law to subtly humiliate the office of King.
The Constitution of 1852
The 1852 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii1852 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Constitution of 1852 served as the Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1852 through 1864. It was passed during the reign of King Kamehameha III...
dedicated a full section (Section 2) to the office of Kuhina Nui. Articles 43 through 48 described the office:
- The Kuhina Nui was given the titleTitleA title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
, "Kuhina Nui of the Hawaiian Islands", and the styleStyle (manner of address)A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
of "HighnessHH- Medicine :* hh antigen system, a rare blood group* Hh, a signalling molecule in Drosophila named for the Hedgehog signaling pathway* Hodgkin–Huxley model- Science and Technology :* Hahnium, a disputed abbreviation for the chemical element name...
." - All business connected with the special interests of the kingdom, which the King wished to transact, was to be done by Kuhina Nui under the authority if the King
- All documents and business of the kingdom executed by the Kuhina Nui, were to be considered as executed by the King's authority.
- All important business of the kingdom which the King chose to transact in person, he could do only with the approbation of the Kuhina Nui.
- The Kuhina Nui was to act as regent in the absence of the King, or if the King was too young to rule on his own. In addition, should the crown become vacant, the Kuhina Nui would act as monarch until a new king was chosen.
End of the Office
The power sharing scheme set in place by Kamehameha III in 1852 seemed to work and it remained in place throughout the remainder of Kamehameha III's reign and throughout the reign of Kamehameha IVKamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV, born Alexander Iolani Liholiho Keawenui , reigned as the fourth king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 11, 1855 to November 30, 1863.-Early life:...
. Kamehameha IV and his brother despised the position but Kamehameha IV did place the role upon his less than responsible sister, Victoria Kamamalu
Kaahumanu IV
Victoria Kamāmalu Kaahumanu IV , was Kuhina Nui of Hawaii and its crown princess. Princess Kamāmalu is one of Hawaii's less notable historical figures...
. Mostly she just signed and approved papers to the wishes of her brothers. When Kamehameha V
Kamehameha V
aloghaKamehameha V , born as Lot Kapuāiwa, reigned as monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipa`a": immovable, firm, steadfast or determined; he worked diligently for his people and kingdom and was described as the last great traditional chief...
assumed the throne in 1863, however, the new king made it clear that he favored a more autocratic monarchy over the constitutional
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
one set in place in 1852. In 1864, the King issued a new constitution that was much less liberal than the Constitution of 1852. The 1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Constitution of 1864 of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a rewrite of the 1852 constitution issued by King Kamehameha III. It dramatically changed the way Hawaii's government worked by increasing the power of the king and changing the way the kingdom's legislature worked...
abolished the office of Kuhina Nui and effectively merged the powers into his own office as King. The office was never revived after that, with the Hawaiian monarchy lasting only about three more decades before being overthrown. The termination of the office did not destroy opportunity for feminine leadership in the kingdom. By strengthening the office of the Monarch, it made it possible for a queen to wield real political power.
An office of Prime Minister was created during the reign of King Kalākaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
:
- Walter M. GibsonWalter M. GibsonWalter Murray Gibson was an American adventurer and a government minister in the Kingdom of Hawaii prior to the kingdom's 1887 constitution.-Life:...
(1882–1887) - Celso Caesare Moreno (1880)
List of Kuhina Nui
The female Kuhina Nui took the title "Kaahumanu" followed by a number, in honor of the first holder of the office in much the same way that all members of the Kamehameha dynastyHouse of Kamehameha
The House of Kamehameha , or the Kamehameha Dynasty, was the reigning family of the Kingdom of Hawaii between the unification of the islands by Kamehameha I in 1810 and the death of Kamehameha V in 1872...
took the title "Kamehameha".
| Portrait | Name | Born - Died | Kuhina Nui From | Kuhina Nui Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Kaahumanu I | 1768–1832 | 1819 | June 5, 1832 |
| Kaahumanu II Kaahumanu II Princess Kalani Ahumanu i Kaliko o Iwi Kauhipua o Kīnau, also known as Elizabeth Kīnau was Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom of Hawaii as Kaahumanu II, Queen regent and Dowager Queen.-Life:... |
1805–1839 | June 5, 1832 | April 4, 1839 | |
| Kaahumanu III Kaahumanu III Queen consort Miriam Auhea Kalani Kui Kawakiu o Kekāuluohi Kealiiuhiwaihanau o Kalani Makahonua Ahilapalapa Kai Wikapu o Kaleilei a Kalakua also known as Kaahumanu III , was Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom of Hawaii, a queen consort of both King Kamehameha I and Kamehameha II, and mother of another... |
1794–1845 | April 5, 1839 | June 7, 1845 | |
| Keoni Ana Keoni Ana John Kaleipaihala Young II sometimes called Keoni Ana Opio was a politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii, serving as Kuhina Nui of the Hawaiian Islands and Minister of Interior.-Early life:... |
1810–1857 | June 10, 1845 | January 16, 1855 | |
| Kaahumanu IV Kaahumanu IV Victoria Kamāmalu Kaahumanu IV , was Kuhina Nui of Hawaii and its crown princess. Princess Kamāmalu is one of Hawaii's less notable historical figures... |
1838–1866 | January 16, 1855 | December 21, 1863 | |
| Mataio Kekūanāoa Mataio Kekuanaoa Mataio Kekūanāoa was descended from the high chiefs of the island of Oahu. His name Mataio was the Hawaiian form of Matthew, although the former remain the most common form used to referred to him.... |
1793–1868 | December 21, 1863 | August 24, 1864 | |