Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 2, 1 February 2022 — Evening Tour of 'lolani Palaee: A Walk Through the Past [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Evening Tour of 'lolani Palaee: A Walk Through the Past

1 LEO 'ELELE V 1 trustee messages *

On Dec. 26, 2021, my wife, Liz, and I participated in the first evening tour of the 'Iolani Palaee held in over a year, eelebrating the 187th birthday of Queen Kapi'olani. OHA sponsored the Queen Kapi'olani Evening Tours held on December 26 and 27, allowing guests a unique

opportunity to immerse themselves in Hawai'i's rich history. I commend OHA for sponsoring the event and helping to preserve and promote an important part of Hawai'i's history. The evening tours were offered free of charge, and visitors were able to see the palaee in its full grandeur, with lights, music, decorations, and stories of Queen Kapi'olani's life and legacy, helping to transport them back to a different time. Seeing the palaee lit up at night serves as a great reminder of how advanced, progressive and for-ward-thinking Hawaiian leaders have always been. 'Iolani Palaee served as the royal residence for the Hawaiian monarchy beginning in 1845, and was the site of many historical events, diplomatic gatherings and celebrations. Queen Lili'uokalani was the last monarch to rule Hawai'i and live at the palaee. It was the aspiration of Hawai'i's monarchy that the Hawaiian people should hold their own amongst the

great civilizations of the world, equal in education and culture. For example, several monarchs were educated in global languages and western knowledge in addition to Hawaiian language and culture. It was also eommon for children of Hawaiian nobility, such as Queen Lili'uokalani, to travel extensively to broaden their understanding of the world. And so the palaee eame

to represent the coming together of the best of east and west in Hawai'i. Today, 'Iolani Palace's enduring legacy is a symbol of Hawaiian achievement and a reminder of Hawai'i's diplomatic status and peer relationship with other nations of the world. Hawaiian monarchs were open to modern ideas, as evidenced by the indoor plumbing and electricity at 'Iolani Palaee. King Kamehameha IV had Hawai'i's first flushing toilets installed on the palaee grounds in 1856. In 1881, King David Kalākaua went on a tour of the world, making a stop in Paris to attend the International Exposition of Electricity. He also made a stop at a laboratory in New Jersey to meet Thomas Edison, who had just invented the light bulb two years before. This meeting set off a series of events that resulted in 'Iolani Palaee enjoying electricity years before even the White House had electricity. 'Iolani Palaee is a testament to the fact that the Hawaiian monarchy preserved the past

while adopting new ideas and embracing the future. The Palaee also shows that our monarchs cherished the Hawaiian culture while welcoming other cultures of the world to Hawai'i Nei. There are profound lessons to be learned at Hale Ali'i 'Iolani. ■ Trustee Akina welcomes your feedback at TrusteeAkina@oha.org.

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. Trustee, At-large

Trustee Akina in the State Dining Room at 'lolani Palaee. - Photo: Courtesy