![]() Masthead from 1872 of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa | |
Founder(s) | Henry Martyn Whitney |
---|---|
Founded | 1861 |
Language | Hawaiian |
Ceased publication | 1927 |
OCLC number | 8820867 |
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa (The Independent Newspaper) was a Hawaiian language newspaper which ran in circulation for 66 years (1861–1927) [1] as the most popular Hawaiian national journal. [2] In the Hawaiian Language kuokoa means "independent". [1] The paper was begun in 1861, shortly after David Kalākaua began the first Hawaiian language, national paper entitled; Ka Hoku o Ka Pakipika (Star of the Pacific) edited by Hawaiians for Hawaiian interests. Henry Martyn Whitney, the son of missionaries [2] began Kuokoa to run alongside his other publication, the Pacific Commercial Advertiser soon afterwards. [3]
Whitney's two papers followed a similar political ideology from the missionary establishment of the time, however it was popular among the Hawaiian people due to the rich history, genealogies and mele (Hawaiian song) it printed regularly. Whitney himself was heavily influenced by American values, supported annexation, and held the Hawaiian people with little regard. [3]
Prior to 1820, kānaka ʻōiwi or Native Hawaiians (also called kānaka maoli) had been communicating orally with a memory based history passed down through oral genealogy chants. Missionaries began developing a written Hawaiian language. By 1836 there were two Hawaiian Language newspapers, Lorrin Andrews' seminary publication; Ka Lama Hawaii, and a newspaper called Ke Kumu Hawaii. [2] [3] From 1836 to 1861, newspapers were printed by either Protestant or Catholic publishers or by the Kingdom government. [4] [5] Beginning in 1861, Hawaiian national newspapers would begin to be printed in the Hawaiian language by Native Hawaiians for indigenous Hawaiian interests. Kamehameha III had resisted the Calvinist Church for decades but in later years the missionaries went almost uncontested after the Mahele was forced into place. Kamehameha IV and his brother Lot, Kamehameha V resisted much of the church's politics and felt that church's ideals alone should not rule Hawaii. [3]
Kānaka ʻōiwi by this time had begun to feel alienated from the westernization of the kingdom sought by the aliʻi (Nobles of Hawaii) of the time, heavily influenced by political processes such as the Great Mahele and western style, constitutional government. The rise of colonial capitalism and the Calvinist Church was opposed, yet still facilitated by the ruling class. Foreign influence began as advisors and over time became foreign judges, passing judgments on Hawaiians. Schools began to be separated for commoners, teaching in only Hawaiian and preparing students for life as little more than laborers. Class separation became racial separation with foreign land and plantation owners taking much of the land and native kānaka ʻōiwi and the Asian immigrants in the fields. [6]
Henry Martyn Whitney, the son of missionaries, had begun the first independent newspaper in Hawaii called, Pacific Commercial Advertiser in Honolulu on July 2, 1856. [7] The paper had a regular section devoted to content in Native Hawaiian called Ka Hoku Loa O Hawaii (The Morning Star). [8] The section was added to the paper in 1856 as a single page added to the four page Advertiser. The subscription price was six dollars a year and complaints of only having three-fourths of the paper available in English eventually led to the section being removed after the Pacific Commercial Advertiser stopped publishing for a short period. When the paper resumed publication, the Hawaiian section had been removed. [6]
In 1859 Henry Parker began a missionary paper called Ka Huko Loa (The Distant Star). Native Hawaiian newspapermen and readers petitioned Parker to publish the paper in Hawaiian but Parker left the Island before anything was accomplished. Both the Ka Hoku Loa and the government paper encouraged colonial support and condemning native culture and practices. [6]
On September 26, 1861, Ka Hoku o Ka Pakipika began printing as the first real resistance to the foreign missionary establishment. [6] [9] The paper was started by David Kalakaua, before he ruled. Kalakau would produce several periodicals throughout his life earning him the nickname of the “Editor King”. [10] Immediately the paper was criticized by the missionary establishment, and it was a struggle to survive, even with support. [11] Today these papers have rare content found only in non-English sources. With the resurgence of the Hawaiian renaissance, these sources are in high demand. [12]
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa was established by Henry Whitney in order to instruct Kanaka's on how to be more colonialized like the foreign missionaries in a slightly different manner than the Ka Hoku Loa but in direct odds with the aims of Ka Hoku o Ka Pakipika, the independent national paper from Kalakaua. It published Hawaiian moʻolelo (legends, tales and myth) beginning with Hawaiian language versions of European fairytales from The Brothers Grimm and eventually printing the story of Umi-a-Liloa. It also reported that the old Hawaiian religion was still being practiced in a critical write-up. [6] Regardless of the political ideology of the paper, eventually these moʻolelo would demonstrate how these papers were used by the indigenous population to speak of and to their own people, as distinct and of the land, as well as rights and justice. [13]
Kalākaua, sometimes called The Merrie Monarch, was the last king and penultimate monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, reigning from February 12, 1874, until his death in 1891. Succeeding Lunalilo, he was elected to the vacant throne of Hawaiʻi against Queen Emma. Kalākaua had a convivial personality and enjoyed entertaining guests with his singing and ukulele playing. At his coronation and his birthday jubilee, the hula, which had hitherto been banned in public in the kingdom, became a celebration of Hawaiian culture.
The Great Māhele or just the Māhele was the Hawaiian land redistribution proposed by King Kamehameha III. The Māhele was one of the most important episodes of Hawaiian history, second only to the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. While intended to provide secure title to indigenous Hawaiians, it separated many of them from their land.
Joseph Kahoʻoluhi Nāwahī, also known by his full Hawaiian name Iosepa Kahoʻoluhi Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu, was a Native Hawaiian nationalist leader, legislator, lawyer, newspaper publisher, and painter. Through his long political service during the monarchy and the important roles he played in the resistance and opposition to its overthrow, Nāwahī is regarded as an influential Hawaiian patriot.
Abigail Maheha was a Hawaiian chiefess (aliʻi) of the Kingdom of Hawaii. At a young age, she was chosen to attend the Chiefs' Children's School taught by the American missionary Amos Starr Cooke and his wife, Juliette Montague Cooke, alongside her half-sister Jane Loeau and fourteen of her royal cousins.
Kaʻiminaʻauao was a Hawaiian high chiefess who was given in adoption to Queen Kalama and King Kamehameha III. She died of the measles at the age of three, during an epidemic of measles, whooping cough and influenza that killed more than 10,000 Native Hawaiians. Her elder brother and sister became King Kalākaua, and Queen Liliʻuokalani.
Henry Martyn Whitney was an early journalist in the Kingdom of Hawaii. Born of early missionaries, he became the first postmaster and founded several long-lasting newspapers.
Albert Kūkaʻilimoku Kūnuiākea was the illegitimate son of King Kamehameha III and his mistress Jane Lahilahi. He served as a politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii. He later was baptized into the Anglican Church of Hawaii with the name Albert Fredrick Kunuiakea Oiwiaulani Koenaokalani.
Jonah Kapena, also spelled Iona Kapena, was a royal advisor and statesman in the Kingdom of Hawaii who helped draft the 1840 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii. In addition to his legislative career as a member of the House of Nobles, he also served as a judge and became an assistant judge of Hawaii's first Supreme Court.
Levi Haʻalelea was a high chief and member of the Hawaiian nobility during the Hawaiian Kingdom. He initially served as a kahu and konohiki for High Chief Leleiohoku, one of the grandsons of Kamehameha I. He later became abHulumanu in the royal court of Kamehameha III and eventually served as Chamberlain for the court. He married Kekauʻōnohi, the granddaughter of Kamehameha I. These connections to the ruling dynasty gave him access to vast landholding during the land division of the Great Mahele in 1848. Active in politics, he was a member of the Privy Council of State and served in the House of Nobles. In later life, he helped the early Mormon missionaries to the islands by leasing them land and eventually converted to that faith.
Zepherin "Kepelino" Kahōʻāliʻi Keauokalani was a Native Hawaiian cultural historian who wrote Kepelino's Traditions of Hawaii. Born into a family descended from both the Hawaiian priestly class and nobility, Kepelino converted to Roman Catholicism with his family at an early age. He was educated by Catholic missionaries and briefly joined the mission to Tahiti before returning to finish his education in Honolulu. He became an editor of a Hawaiian language newspaper for Hawaiian Catholics and contributed many written works to the history and culture of Hawaii. Serving as a private secretary to Queen Emma of Hawaii, he espoused her candidacy for the throne in the 1874 monarchical election against Kalākaua. After the queen's loss in the election and Kalākaua's accession to the throne, Kepelino became involved in an attempt to overthrow the new king in favor of Queen Emma, which led to his trial and imprisonment for treason.
Mary Ann Kiliwehi Kaʻauwai was a Hawaiian high chiefess and lady-in-waiting of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Alongside her husband William Hoapili Kaʻauwai, she traveled with Queen Emma of Hawaii to Europe between 1865 and 1866, and circumnavigated the globe upon their return eastward via New Zealand.
Major John William Elliott Maikai was a lawyer, politician and military officer of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He served as aide to King Kamehameha III and was the Akukana Kenela or Adjutant General of the Hawaiian Army during the reigns of King Kamehameha III and Kamehameha IV.
Pius F. Koakanu was a Hawaiian high chief (aliʻi) from the island of Kauai who served as a politician during the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Kahu or Keeper of the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii at Mauna ʻAla.
Moses Kuaea was a Native Hawaiian clergyman and politician of the Hawaiian Kingdom. He was pastor of the Kaumakapili Church from 1874 to 1882 and was known as an eloquent preacher. During his time at the pulpit, he helped fundraise for the second building of the church which was completed in 1888 and later burned down in 1900. In 1874, he gave a speech lauding the new elected King Kalākaua prior to his state visit to the United States. After Kalākaua's return to Hawaii, he appointed Kuaea a member of the Privy Council of State and as his Minister of Finance from August 14 to September 27, 1880. After his brief stint in politic, Kuaea returned to preaching at Kaumakapili until his resignation in 1882 due to illness. He died in 1884.
Edward Kamakau Lilikalani was a political protégé of King Kalākaua of Hawaiʻi. He served more than a decade in the lower house of the Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and after nearly two decades out of office, was elected to the same legislative body under the Territory of Hawaii. Lilikalani was a member of both Kalākaua's Privy Council of State and Liliʻuokalani's Privy Council of State. Kalākaua decorated him with the Royal Order of Oceania, Order of Oceania, Order of Kalakaua, and Order of Kapiolani.
The Hale Nauā was a secret society that had existed among Hawaii's ruling class before the 1778 arrival of Captain James Cook. Believed to have originally been an organization to unite the Hawaiian aristocracy, it gradually disappeared as the influx of outside cultures changed the dynamics of the island kingdom. Kalākaua revived the Hale Nauā, purposed with educating and developing knowledge of modern sciences, art, and literature among native Hawaiians. His incarnation of the society ended with his 1891 death. In the 1970s, Rocky Jensen and other artists formed Hale Nauā III to promote Hawaii's culture through the creative arts.
ʻIoane ʻŪkēkē, born ʻIoane Hohopa, was a kumu hula and musical performer who organized hula performance during the Hawaiian Kingdom. He organized hula troupes for the court of King Kalākaua and accompanied his group's dances with the ʻūkēkē, a traditional Hawaiian string instrument, which gave him his nickname John or ʻIoane ʻŪkēkē. He was known for his flamboyant way of dress and dubbed the Hawaiian Dandy or Hawaiian Beau Brummel by the local English-language press.
Esther Takakura Mookini was an American linguist responsible for several widely used Hawaiian-language dictionaries.
Ko Hoku o Ka Pakipika was a weekly Hawaiian-language newspaper that was active between 1861 and 1863. It was the first newspaper in history published in Hawaiian and by Native Hawaiians. King Kalākaua sponsored the newspaper along with other publications.