Advice from Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau to His King, 1845.
Cover Image: Masthead of Ka Elele published on September 23, 1845.
The famous historian S. M. Kamakau throughout his career gives advice to many, including Kamehameha III. Here he speaks to the importance of giving/having access to the latest news. The only Hawaiian language newspaper available during this time was Ka Elele, the paper in which this article was published. It measured about 6 x 10 inches, compared to the English newspaper of the time, the Polynesian, which measured 11.5 x 18 inches.
Image: “NO KA WAIWAI A ME NUPEPA.” Ka Elele, September 23, 1845, p. 99.
PERTAINING TO WEALTH AND THE NEWSPAPERS
The wealth of the Nation. Consider what makes up that wealth. The king is the overseer of that wealth. It is he who provides to the aliʻi and the luna who come under him as per the laws which he set forth.
It is the king who provides what will bring prosperity to his nation. It is he who pays all debts related to all things that bring prosperity to the nation, the aliʻi, and the makaʻāinana.
Government positions. There are two important factors of those occupations: the welfare and prosperity of the aliʻi; the welfare and prosperity of the makaʻāinana.
Therefore, it is clear that the position of printer of the nation has gone to James J. Jarves.
Will not half of that document [The Polynesian] be printed in Hawaiian so that all the makaʻāinana can know the benefits of that News?
Whereas many fine ideas of the haole along with news from foreign lands are published in the government publication [The Polynesian]. And yet the government publication is not circulated among this lāhui.
The argument between G. P. Judd and George Barona [George Brown], Esq. Com. of the United States, the makaʻāinana do not hear a bit of these troubles between the nations of Hawaiʻi and the United States.1
Therefore all people will be terribly unprepared, should they not be supplied with the News of the Nation.
Here is another good thing about the News of the Nation; knowledgable people of the nation write very fine editorials and they are disseminated throughout the nation, also the ideas of the aliʻi.
The Elele Hawaii is what disseminates people’s ideas all over. And it describes new things that are to come.
But as for the rectifying of the British Consul’s parcel of land in Honolulu, the makaʻāinana knew nothing about it.
Therefore, O Honored King Kamehameha III, the great-great-grandson of Kalanikuʻihonoikamoku, the aliʻi of Mauiloa; the grandson of Kalanikupuapāikalani, and Kalaninuiahiʻenaʻena’s, the freed kapu causing one to hold one’s breath like a rainy day in the kapu of Keaka.
Therefore, disseminate the news, and give to your makaʻāinana mental preparedness.
By S. M. Kamakau.
(Elele, 9/23/1845, p. 99)
Image: Black-and-white photographic reproduction of a crayon portrait of Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau, Hawaiian historian (1815–1876). Original owned (at one time) by Mrs. B. L. Kamakau of Nāpoʻopoʻo, Kona, Hawaiʻi. SP 21360
Image: Seated portrait of King Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli), from a daguerreotype; Hawaiʻi. SP 111684
This post is part of He Aupuni Palapala: Preserving and Digitizing the Hawaiian Language Newspapers, a partnership between Bishop Museum and Awaiaulu with assistance from Kamehameha Schools. Mahalo nui loa to Hawaii Tourism Authority for their support. Learn more about this project here.
The provided images of Kauikeaouli and Kamakau are in the wrong order. The subtext for the portraits describe Kamakau as Kauikeaouli captured via daguerreotype and Kauikeaouli as Kamakau via B&W photo reprod. of a crayon portrait.
The first image is of King Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli) the second is of Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau. Not sure why they are oriented incorrectly…