An international controversy is brewing about the proposed renaming of the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park on Kauai to Paulaula/Fort Elizabeth.
An international controversy is brewing about the proposed renaming of the Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park on Kauai to “Pa‘ula‘ula/Fort Elizabeth.”
The fort was built by Hawaiians as part of King Kaumuali‘i’s residential compound in 1816-17, when the king was allied with George Anton Schaffer of the Russian-American Co. For less than a year, the RAC had a sandalwood monopoly on Kauai while Kaumuali‘i swore allegiance to Russian Emperor Alexander I.
Schaffer provided designs for the fort and named it Fort Elizabeth after Alexander’s wife — but it was occupied by Kaumuali‘i, never by Russians, and then used for 50 years by the Hawaiian monarchy, whose Hawaiian soldiers called it Pa‘ula‘ula.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Peter Mills, who wrote a book about this subject, explains the ongoing controversy that prompted the Russian ambassador to the U.S., and thousands of Russians and Russian-Americans, to protest the proposed renaming of this historic site.
Mills will present “Pride and Prejudice on Kaua‘i: The Controversy Behind the Renaming of ‘Russian Fort Elizabeth State Historical Park,’ Waimea” on two occasions at the Lyman Museum next week.
The first is from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday (March 4), and the second is slated for 3-4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Admission is $3, or free to museum members.
Seating is limited.
This presentation is part of the museum’s Patricia E. Saigo Public Program Series.
The Lyman Museum is located at 276 Haili St. in downtown Hilo. For more information, visit www.lymanmuseum.org or call 935-5021.
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