Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 12, 1 December 2016 — Facing the Spears of Change: The Life and Legacy of John Papa 'l'ī [ARTICLE]

Facing the Spears of Change: The Life and Legacy of John Papa 'l'ī

Review by Makana Risser Chai II A s the sun reached its apex on July * * / \ 31, 1847, hundreds of spectators ^^\ watched as an imposing man with /^^^ dark piercing eyes eame forth to / \meet his adversaries. Tall and powerfully built, he was dressed in a hlaek suit with a yellow feather eape draped over his broad shoulders. He walked toward twenty men armed with long spears ... Suddenly, the spears began to fly. He seized the first one out of the air, then another, and used them to parry the remaining missiles. When the spearmen finally depleted their arsenal, the man stood there unharmed, a spear in eaeh hand. But the battle was far from over. He flung his two spears at his weaponless adversaries, then rapidly picked up the fallen spears around him, throwing them one after another until he had forced his rivals to flee. The spectators cheered throughout." So begins a new book by Marie Alohalani Brown, PhD, about John Kaneiakama Papa 'Ī'I, the man who so adeptly caught, parried, and threw spears in a display of the ancient art of lonomakaihe. At the time, 'Ī'I was a member of

the House of Nobles, and of the Privy Council, to whieh Kamehameha III turned for consultation and advice. Later, 'Ī'ī would be a Judge of the Supreme Court. Today he is best known as one of the four great 'ōiwi (Native Hawaiian) historians of the 19th century, along with David Malo, Samuel Kamakau, and Kepelino. The book, Fragments ofHcmaiian History, is a collection of some of the columns he wrote for Hawaiian language newspapers. Facing the Spears of Change: The Life and Legacy of Jolm Papa 77 is the first life story written about 'Ī'ī. The book relies on Hawaiian language primary sources, including letters, government documents and newspaper articles, to paint a vivid picture of an ali'i who thrived within both 'ōiwi and Western cultural environments. His demonstration of lonomakaihe ean be seen as a metaphor for his life. John Papa 'Ī'ī was born in 1800 in Waipi'o on O'ahu to a chiefly family that served the 'ohana of Kamehameha. He was related by blood or marriage to Kālaimoku, Boki and Kekau'ōnohi. He himself entered service at the age of 10 as kahu (attendant or guardian) to Liholiho when the future king was about 13-years-old, and Kamehameha

the Great still ruled. As kahu, 'Ī'ī was responsible for caring for the spittoon and malo of Liholiho, and for fanning him with a kahili. As he grew older, he heeame a kahu for Kamehameha's female war deity, Kihawahine, a great responsibility. 'Ī'ī and the monarchy eame to maturity together. After Liholiho's death in 1825, Kauikeouli heeame Kamehameha III, and during his reign 'Ī'ī's responsibilities increased dramatically. In addition to the positions noted previously, he also was kahu for the royal children at the Chief's Children's School from 1840-1852, where he served and guided the future Kamehameha IV, Kamehameha V, Kalākaua, and Lili'uokalani, as well as Bernice Pauahi Bishop. During the Māhele, he served on the Commission to Quiet Land Titles. He was tapped for a variety of speeial duties as a negotiator, resolving disputes between and among 'ōiwi and foreigners, and even traveling to San Francisco to obtain the freedom of a Hawaiian who had been jailed for a crime he did not commit. Brown's book shows the tireless devotion of 'Ī'ī to his kings and country throughout his life, and serves as an inspiration for those today who strive to serve the lāhui (nation) as he did. ■

/ NĀPUKE V ^ B00KS *

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