He Aupuni Palapala
Cover Image: Detail of front page of the January 1, 1862 issue of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa. Photo by David Franzen, ©2009 Bishop Museum Archives. QM 204791.
He Aupuni Palapala: Preserving and Digitizing the Hawaiian Language Newspapers is an ambitious, multi-year collaboration between Bishop Museum and Awaiaulu, supported by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and with contributions from Kamehameha Schools. Its goals are to catalog the existing nūpepa (Hawaiian language newspapers) in public repositories in Hawaiʻi, recording the condition of each page. It will also redigitize and partner with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Papakilo Database to make word searchable the clearest pages available and to upload them online for free public access.
The Hawaiian language newspapers total more than 100,000 pages of text, encompassing practically all aspects of Hawaiian life, culture, literature, environment, and history—told in the words of Hawaiians of the day.
Aole o’u makemake e paio aku, he makemake ko’u e pololei ka moolelo o ko’u one hanau, aole na ka malihini e ao mai ia’u i ka mooolelo o ko’u lahui, na’u e ao aku i ka moolelo i ka malihini.
[I have no desire to argue, I want the history of my homeland to be accurate; it is not for the foreigner to teach me the history of my people, it is for me to teach it to the foreigner.]
—S. M. Kamakau, “Hooheihei ka Nukahalale…” Ke Au Okoa, 10/16/1865, p. 1
Aole o’u makemake e paio aku, he makemake ko’u e pololei ka moolelo o ko’u one hanau, aole na ka malihini e ao mai ia’u i ka mooolelo o ko’u lahui, na’u e ao aku i ka moolelo i ka malihini.
[I have no desire to argue, I want the history of my homeland to be accurate; it is not for the foreigner to teach me the history of my people, it is for me to teach it to the foreigner.]
—S. M. Kamakau, “Hooheihei ka Nukahalale…” Ke Au Okoa, 10/16/1865, p. 1


Detail of front page of the January 1, 1862 issue of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa. Photo by David Franzen, ©2009 Bishop Museum Archives. QM 204791.

John R. Rowe, First Hawaiian to Sacrifice his Life on WWI Battlefield
On the front page of the Kuokoa newspaper for August 23, 1918, there is a death announcement for John Rupert Rowe, the first Hawaiian to lose his life in World War I.

We found the final issue of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa!
While continuing to catalog the Hawaiian language newspapers in the Bishop Museum Library & Archives, we discovered a copy of the very last issue of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa! It is not online.

Hawaiʻi’s Own Royal Funeral, 100 Years Ago
Watching the coverage of all the ceremony accompanying the memorial of Queen Elizabeth’s passing reminded me of the passing of Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole a century ago.

Songs of Loyalty
Hawaiian language newspapers are filled with poetic compositions. But whether they be songs of grief, of praise, or of loyalty, if you cannot make out the words, the intent of the composer is lost.

Mamo, Chief of the Small Mountain Birds
From 1858 to 1860, Zepherin Keauokalani’s groundbreaking descriptions of Hawaiian birds were published in Hoiliili Havaii.

Henry Grube Marchant and His Woodcut Prints
Henry Grube Marchant was the last to be sent under Kalākaua’s education of Hawaiian youths in foreign countries program.

Machinist, Electrician, Carpenter, Ironworker—Which would your boy rather be?
We hope this new school year is going well for you all.

Lucy Kaheiheimalie Kaopaulu K. Peabody
Lucy Peabody, confidant and lady-in-waiting to Queen Emma, was the founder of today’s Kaʻahumanu Society.

John R. Rowe, First Hawaiian to Sacrifice his Life on WWI Battlefield
On the front page of the Kuokoa newspaper for August 23, 1918, there is a death announcement for John Rupert Rowe, the first Hawaiian to lose his life in World War I.

We found the final issue of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa!
While continuing to catalog the Hawaiian language newspapers in the Bishop Museum Library & Archives, we discovered a copy of the very last issue of Ka Nupepa Kuokoa! It is not online.

Hawaiʻi’s Own Royal Funeral, 100 Years Ago
Watching the coverage of all the ceremony accompanying the memorial of Queen Elizabeth’s passing reminded me of the passing of Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole a century ago.

Songs of Loyalty
Hawaiian language newspapers are filled with poetic compositions. But whether they be songs of grief, of praise, or of loyalty, if you cannot make out the words, the intent of the composer is lost.

Mamo, Chief of the Small Mountain Birds
From 1858 to 1860, Zepherin Keauokalani’s groundbreaking descriptions of Hawaiian birds were published in Hoiliili Havaii.

Henry Grube Marchant and His Woodcut Prints
Henry Grube Marchant was the last to be sent under Kalākaua’s education of Hawaiian youths in foreign countries program.

Machinist, Electrician, Carpenter, Ironworker—Which would your boy rather be?
We hope this new school year is going well for you all.

Lucy Kaheiheimalie Kaopaulu K. Peabody
Lucy Peabody, confidant and lady-in-waiting to Queen Emma, was the founder of today’s Kaʻahumanu Society.