The Daughters of Hawaii and Calabash Cousins will present an Afternoon at Hulihe‘e at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 20, at Hulihe‘e Palace to remember the late John Adams Kuakini.
The Daughters of Hawaii and Calabash Cousins will present an Afternoon at Hulihe‘e at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 20, at Hulihe‘e Palace to remember the late John Adams Kuakini.
Enjoy the voices of the Merrie Monarchs and Hawaiian performing arts by kumu hula Etua Lopes and his Halau Na Pua Ui O Hawai‘i.
Afternoon at Hulihe‘e is part of the palace’s series of free monthly events that honor monarchs and other historical figures; donations are appreciated.
Bring a beach mat or chair, as seating won’t be provided. Kuakini was a cousin to Kamehameha I and governor of Hawaii Island.
A Russian explorer, Captain Otto von Kotzebue, described Kuakini in 1816 as a “Herculean figure.”
“Kuakini first built Moku‘aikaua Church, finishing in 1837,” said Casey Ballao, Hulihe‘e docent coordinator. “That same year, he started construction on Hulihe‘e, with the excavation of the cellar. Kuakini employed craftsman and laborers that had jumped sailing ships to build his grand home and it was completed in 1838. It was a great source of pride.”
Kuakini didn’t enjoy his mansion for long; he died in 1844 at the age of 54. His obituary stated he was “the sole survivor of the iron-hearted chiefs that constituted the household of Kamehameha I.”
The palace’s display of artifacts from prehistoric times to the monarchy is housed in a downstairs room named after Kuakini.
“Find stone tools, kapa, wooden storage bowls and personal memorabilia belonging to members of the royal family, including King Kamehameha’s heavy stone exercise ball,” added Ballao.
Visit www.daughtersofhawaii.org for additional information.