Kuini Liliha
Encyclopedia
Kuini Liliha was a High Chiefess in the ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...

an tradition and served the Kingdom of Hawaii
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...

 as royal governor of Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...

 island. She administered the island from 1829 to 1831 following the death of her first husband.

Early life

She was born in 1802 or 1803. Her father was Ulumāheihei Hoapili
Hoapili
Ulumāheihei Hoapili was a member of the nobility during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a trusted military and political advisor to King Kamehameha I, known as "Kamehameha the Great"...

, a son of Kameeiamoku, one of the nīʻaupiʻo (highest noble rank) royal twin brothers. Her mother was High Chiefess Kalilikauoha of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...

, who was the daughter of King Kahekili II
Kahekili II
Kahekili II, full name Kahekilinuiahumanu, was the twenty fifth King of Maui. His name was short for Kāne-Hekili after the Hawaiian god of thunder. Because Kāne-Hekili was believed to be black on one side, Kahekili tattooed one side of his body from head to foot.-Family:He was born about...

 of Maui and his half-sister bride Luahiwa.
Some genealogists say Liliha was only adopted by Hoapili, but the practice known as hānai was considered a bond as strong as a blood relation. According to them, she was the biological daughter of Kaokanu, a son or grandson of Kaolohaka-a-Keawe, one of the many issues of Keaweikekahialiiokamoku; and his wife High Chiefess Loeau. Her name means "heartsick queen" in the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...

.
She had no siblings. She first married Boki, an advisor and friend to King Kamehameha II
Kamehameha 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...

.

United Kingdom

Boki
Boki
Boki may refer to:*Boki Royal Governor of Oahu*Boki, Nigeria Local Government Area in Africa*Boki people in Nigeria*Boki Milošević Serbian clarinetist*Boki Nachbar Slovenian basketball player...

, Liliha, and 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....

 were principal members of the entourage that accompanied Queen Kamehameha II and Queen Kamāmalu
Kamamalu
Kamāmalu Kalani-Kuaana-o-Kamehamalu-Kekuaiwa-o-kalani-Kealii-Hoopili-a-Walu was Queen consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii as the wife of King Kamehameha II. She is not to be confused with Princess Victoria Kamāmalu who was her niece...

 on an 1824 diplomatic tour of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, visiting King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...

. The entire delegation contracted the measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...

, since native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...

 had no immunity to the disease. As a result, Queen Kamāmalu and several chiefs died, including Kamehameha II who was so distraught after his Queen's death that he died in Liliha's arms.

Boki and Liliha survived the measles and Boki took charge of what was left of the delegation. They managed to secure agreements of friendship from the British government. The Kingdom of Hawaii also became a protectorate of the British military under those agreements. Boki and Liliha returned to Oahu with the bodies of Kamehameha II and Kamehamalu in 1825 on the British warship .

Catholicism

Liliha became embroiled in the dispute over freedom of religion in the kingdom. Kaahumanu had become influenced by the Protestant missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...

 in Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...

 and was baptized into the Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....

. Heeding the advice of her Congregationalist ministers, Kaahumanu convinced King Kamehameha III
Kamehameha 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...

 to ban the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 from the islands.

The priests and lay brothers of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is a Roman Catholic religious order of brothers, priests, and nuns...

 were forcibly deported from the kingdom. Native Hawaiians who had converted were persecuted. Some were beaten and imprisoned. When Kaahumanu discovered that Boki
Boki
Boki may refer to:*Boki Royal Governor of Oahu*Boki, Nigeria Local Government Area in Africa*Boki people in Nigeria*Boki Milošević Serbian clarinetist*Boki Nachbar Slovenian basketball player...

 and Liliha were among the first chiefs to convert to the suppressed Hawaii Church
Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu
The Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, officially in Latin Dioecesis Honoluluensis, is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Catholic Church in the United States...

 it angered the queen regent, who wanted all the chiefs to accept Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...

 in order that all Hawaiians would follow. Kuini Liliha's steadfastness in her Catholicism influenced Native Hawaiian Catholics to persevere even in suppression.
Only after the intervention of the French government
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and Captain Cyrille-Pierre-Théodore Laplace
Cyrille-Pierre-Théodore Laplace
Cyrille Pierre Théodore Laplace was a French navigator famous for his circumnavigation of the globe on board La Favorite. He was pivotal in the opening of French trade in the Pacific and was instrumental in the establishment of the Hawaiian Catholic Church. He achieved the rank of captain.-Early...

 and Kamehameha III's proclamation of the Edict of Toleration
Edict of Toleration (Hawaii)
An Edict of Toleration was issued by King Kamehameha III of Hawaii on June 17, 1839, which allowed for the establishment of the Hawaii Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church was suppressed in the Kingdom of Hawaii during the reigns of Kamehameha and Kamehameha II.During their administrations,...

 did Hawaiians like Kuini Liliha have the legal right of membership in the Hawaii Catholic Church.

Royal governor

As royal governor, Boki incurred large debts from the foreigners and attempted to cover them by traveling to the New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...

 to harvest sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...

. Before departing in 1829, Boki entrusted administration of Oahu to his wife. One of her new responsibilities was to become legal guardian and sole trustee of the properties of Kamehameha III, who had become king as a child. This was opposed by Kaahumanu who was ruling Hawaii as queen regent and had developed a rivalry with Liliha. About this time, Kaahumanu forced Liliha to give up some of her land in an area known as Punahou to missionary Hiram Bingham I
Hiram Bingham I
Hiram Bingham, formally Hiram Bingham I , was leader of the first group of Protestant missionaries to introduce Christianity to the Hawaiian islands.-Life:...

. This eventually became the site of Punahou School
Punahou School
Punahou School, once known as Oahu College, is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school located in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu in the U.S. State of Hawaii...

, also known as Oahu College, for the children of the missionaries.

Boki
Boki
Boki may refer to:*Boki Royal Governor of Oahu*Boki, Nigeria Local Government Area in Africa*Boki people in Nigeria*Boki Milošević Serbian clarinetist*Boki Nachbar Slovenian basketball player...

 and his entourage were lost at sea and pronounced dead, leaving Liliha in administration as royal governor. On April 1, 1831 Kaahumanu heard rumors of a planned rebellion, so sent Hoapili to remove Liliha of her power, replacing her with Kaahumanu's own brother, John Adams Kuakini
John Adams Kuakini
John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for much building and other changes in the Kona District during this era.-Family life:...

 as governor of Oahu.
In November 1833 (after Kaahumanu's death and Kamehameha III came to age) some chiefs planned to back her as Kuhina Nui
Kuhina Nui
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.- Origin of the office :...

, a position similar to 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 as powerful as co-regent. Instead, Hoapili put his support behind Elizabeth Kīnaʻu
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:...

, who also acted as governor of Oahu with Kuakini returning to the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...

.

Legacy

She next married Namaile and had two daughters, Abigail Maheha
Abigail Maheha
Abigail Maheha was a member of the royal family during the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:Maheha was the daughter of High Chief Namaile and High Chiefess Kuini Liliha. Her mother was the royal governor of O'ahu during the regency of Queen Kaahumanu. She was descended from Kahekili II, Moi of Maui, and...

, and Jane Loeau
Jane Loeau
Jane Loeau Jasper was a Hawaiian chiefess who attended Chiefs' Children's School also known as Royal School. She is not to be confused with Jane Lahilahi, another Hawaiian chiefess who was the mother Peter Kaeo.-Early life:...

.
King Kamehameha III declared both eligible for the Hawaiian throne, and they were sent to the Chiefs' Children's School later known as the Royal School in Honolulu.
Her third husband was Kamaile, and she had a son, John F. Koakanu and two daughters, Maheha Keaupuni and Kailinoa. With a final husband Haalou she had another daughter.

She died on August 24, 1839 in Honolulu and was buried on the sacred island called Moku ula on Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...

.
Later she was reburied in the Wainee cemetery
Waiola Church
Waiola Church is the site of a historic mission established in 1823 on the island of Maui in Hawaii. Originally called Wainee Church till 1953, the cemetery is the final resting place for early members of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii....

. Although treated as a rebel by Kaahumanu, she was generally loved by the people. For example, a traditional hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....

chant honors her memory.
A street is named for her in Honolulu.
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