Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 5, 1 Mei 1986 — Kaahumanu's Leadership Qualities Noted [ARTICLE]

Kaahumanu's Leadership Qualities Noted

' "Kaahumanu — Hawaii's own woman for her time — stands out as a person of great courage, steadfastness, boldness and love for her people. May her memory inspire us all in Hawaii today." These were the words spoken by Mrs. Jean Ariyoshi, . Hawaii's First Lady and wife of Gov. George R. Ariyoshi, during Mauna Aia memoria! services commemorating the birthday of Queen Elisabeth Kaahumanu who was born Mar. 17, 1768 in Kauiki, Maui. The 2 18th anniversary of the queen's birth was sponsored by Ahahui Kaahumanu whieh conducted the program and featured musical selections, choral singing, pnayer and special messages. Various other Hawaiian organizations, including the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Chapter 1 , were also in attendance. "Kaahumanu seemed to be a leader for her times, given the social chaos of the period. She wielded authority, when authority was desperately needed; she changed her own thinking and attitudes radically, when she was convinced of her own errors; she was not afraid to stand up and be counted when painful decisions had to be made," the guest speaker reminded the crowd. Mrs. Ariyoshi declared that "the Hawaiian people desperately needed a woman of Kaahumanu's courage and firmness, as the ancient order yielded plaee to the new, so-called progress with its sour-sweet contributions of all sorts." She pointed out these contributions as including new phil- , osophies, a new theology, new mercantile methods, new languages, new fashions and "new social courtesies to embel-

lish the genuine spirit of aloha." Mrs. Ariyoshi noted that "it was a difficult itme in Hawaii's history, and Kaahumanu — whatever her faults — was a woman, a leader, ideal for her times." The governor's wife said that while reflecting on Kaahumanu's life, she began to wonder "just what counsels she might have for us today, especially for women of this fading 20th century , as we approach the third millenium just 14 years from now." "I am sure she would use Liliu'okalani's word, onipa'a (be steadfast), in a world of nuclear threats, of continuing terrorism, of eeonomie and social dangers of all sorts. She would certainly counsel us to 'fear not' and to trust in God. She would undoubtedly use strong language at times, when injustice to her Hawaiian people was the issue. She would perhaps smile at some of the oddities of our day — or rampant governmental red tape, for examp!e," she continued. Mrs. Ariyoshi recalled that at one point in Kaahumanu's life in 1824 at Lahaina, she simply had the town crier issue a pub!ic morality code to the effect that there shall be no murder, theft of any description, boxing or fighting among the people, work or play on the Sabbath and to leam the palapala when schools are established. "Today, legions of lawyers and jumbles of judges have difficulties with volumes of laws. Perhaps if more women were attorneys and judges, legislators and governors, there might be a bit more simplicity and orderliness in our society," she concluded.