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.
What was black and green and read all over?
The answer to the riddle above is the Kuokoa of May 23, 1863.
Rules for Writing to the Newspaper
The newspaper business was difficult enough without having to worry about people following the basic rules for submissions to be published.
Wilikoki’s Account of his Travels in Rome, the Wondrous City.
Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox (Wilikoki) was enrolled in the Royal Military Academy in Turin, Italy, as one of the youths sent abroad by Kalākaua to be educated in faraway lands, so that they may return and bring what they learned back home to serve their nation. This is the first part of Wilikoki’s account of his travels in Rome, a place he calls Ke Kūlanakauhale Kamahaʻo (The Wondrous City).
Abbreviations
How do you save space, time, and money? One way the Hawaiian language newspapers accomplished this was by using abbreviations.
Rev. E. Bailey’s Mission to Micronesia, 149 Years Ago.
The Hoku Ao leaves Honolulu for Micronesia on July 5, 1876 carrying aboard: Rev. Edward Bailey, representative of the Hawaiian Board; J. W. Kanoa & wife for Butaritari; Pilipo for the Gilbertese Islands; and John Smith who was returning to Wellington Island.
Aesop’s Fables by David Kaluhi Baker
Davida Kaluhi Beka [David Kaluhi Baker] (1863–1927) translates Aesop Romance, a fictional account of the life of Aesop. “He Wahi Moolelo Pokole no Esopa,” runs in Ko Hawaii Pae Aina from August 27 to October 29, 1881. Baker also translates and submits fables as well.
Be Prepared
We have been having a lot of bad weather lately. We, however unlike Hawaiʻi in 1918, have the Central Pacific Hurricane Center to keep us forewarned. Be prepared, and watch out for your family, friends, and neighbors.
Kingdom Era Photographer: Henry Lyman Chase, part 2.
It has been a year since we first talked about photographer H. L. Chase. Looking through the English newspapers also yield information not found in Hawaiian, and likewise the Hawaiian newspapers often speak of things that the English do not. Meanwhile, if possible, we should not forget the other language papers.
Mai Nānā i Kā Haʻi Nūpepa!
In 1866, Ka Nupepa Kuokoa was on the search for nūpepa thieves!
Kamehameha School students learning the Hawaiian language, 1944
The serial column in which this article appears in Ka Hoku o Hawaii and starts off as “Kou Maua La” and runs from May 12 to November 10, 1943. It is corrected to read “Ko Maua La” from December 4, 1943 to April 25, 1945. The articles are penned by Evelyn Desha under the name Kaimalino. This continued her previous column, “Ko’u La.” Her writing speaks of everyday life with her husband, Stephen L. Desha Jr.
Charles Polikapu [Palikapu] Kaleikoa (1/1/1870–12/15/1928)
There are two shots of Royal Hawaiian Band member Charles P. Kaleikoa found in the Sullivan Collection in the Library & Archives at Bishop Museum.
Konohī
The Hawaiian word for the lunar new year, Konohi, comes from the beginning of a Cantonese greeting heard often during this season, “Kung Hei Fat Choi” (恭喜發財).
Princess Liliʻuokalani proclaimed regent, 1881
On this day in 1881, King Kalākaua, before leaving on his famous tour around the world, proclaims his sister to be regent during his absence.
A missing page, a clipped column, an illegible line…
When doing nūpepa research online, there are times when we are left wondering what originally appeared in their pages.
A New Year Message of Appreciation
Mrs. Kaapuwai Kanealii writes to the newspaper Ka Nupepa Kuokoa to publicly show her appreciation for the hospitality she received during the new year from the people of Kamalō, Molokaʻi.
Birthday of Queen Kapiʻolani, 1888.
In 1887 Queen Kapiʻolani traveled to England to attend Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, where she appears in her famous gown trimmed with peacock feathers. For her birthday the following year she invites ladies to a state reception at ‘Iolani Palace. Kapiʻolani chose the peacock gown for this occasion as well.
