Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 9, 1 November 1984 — Princess' Sorrow Best Exemplifies Hawaiians Today [ARTICLE]

Princess' Sorrow Best Exemplifies Hawaiians Today

"She wrote in the summer of 1 897, '1 must have been born under an unlucky star as I seem to have my life planned out for me in such a way that I cannot alter it.'" "This mana'o truly reflects the thinking of a young leader caught in a dilemma of sacrifice, a process that ean be best understood as a culmination of cultural stress and significance. This was the period of history in our islands where our culture was subjected to tremendous pressures caused by a forced ideology."

This was taken from an address given by State Sen. Malama Solomon during a program Oct. 16 honoring the birthday of Princess Victoria Kawakiu Lunalilo Kalanihuiahilapalapa Ka'iulani Cleghorn at Mauna Ala. lt was sponsored by the Princess Ka'iulani Hawaiian Civic Club headed by Walter V. (Rusty) Rodenburst III, president.

Speaking on a "Hawaiian NationinTransition,"the senator noted that "as our history has related to us, we know that this cultural transition did not happen by ehanee, but was carefully calculated and articulated from beginning to end." "The dynamic and intense interaction between American and Ha\ aiian religion, politics, economics and education creau,.l the radical alteration of the Hawaiian land t^».^re system, the rapid growth of the plantation, the creation of the existing multi-cultural ethnic communities coercing the Hawaiian leadership to make decisions that changed the native Hawaiian's material and spiritual culture forever," Solomon went on.

This would have prompted such a heart-provoking lament by the young princess as quoted in the opening paragraph. "But," Solomon asked, "is this really a true predicament of the Hawaiian nation today?" Solomon says it is not. "Throughout our ancient and contemporary history, Hawaiian communities have continuously resisted pressures to be absorbed into the dynamics of these cultural changes. Hawaiian leadership has and is continuing today to develop ways and means to deal with the public system on terms more suitable to our ideas and experiences to articulate the Hawaiian community's identity," she observed. The senator went on to explain that "this articulation is the single most satisfactory commemorative to the memorv of our Princess Ka'iulani."

"Our persistence to revitali7.e our cultural integrity to include both Amenean native Hawaiian and loeal perspectives in the daily routine of our state is another obligation we owe her memory," Solomon declared. She went on: "The development of our own self-identity is not peculiar just to our own situation, but is the preoccupation of any nation. This development is contingent on two basic elements. First, we must admit that our culture is constantly evolving, so we must evolve mentally and spiritually with the process so we ean enable Hawaiian individuals of our communities to eope and participate in meaningful societal roles; and secondly, we must provide a historical identity that is meaningful for our young people.

"Assuming this is a correct analysis, to characterize culture as self-perpetuating, then it is necessary to acknowledge explicitly that the successful enculturation of future members of a society is one of the most important institutional activities of any group. This, I think, is the most important lesson we ean learn from our young Princess Ka'iulani's life and death at the young age of 23." Solomon concluded:

"This is the inspirational goal young Hawaiians must strive to achieve self-determination, cultural perpetuation and identify a challenge not easily accomplished in a constant transitional society. "This dilemma existed 100 years ago during the life of Princess Ka'iulani; it still exists today. However, today the resolution of this dilemma is an achievable goal and its merits justify its pursuit." The Princess' sorrow, she noted, is an issue that best exemplifies the Hawaiian nation today and, ironically, her silent sorrow will fuel the process for Hawaiian self-determination tomorrow. Also participating in the program were the Royal Hawaiian Band under Bandmaster Aaron Mahi; Nalani 01ds Napoleon; Lt. Gov. John David Waihee III; City and County of Honolulu Engineer Miehael Chun, Mayor Eileen Anderson's representative; and the hula academy of St. Andrew's Cathedral directed by Kevin Kapilialoha Mahoe.