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New Year Calendars

Cover Image: Masthead of Ka Na’i Aupuni published on January 2, 1906.

Aloha Nūhou Monday! The Hawaiian language newspapers often gave out incentives at the start of the new year to draw subscribers. One of the most popular items was a calendar. Some were simple, while others were more elaborate. Here are four examples, each with its own special features.

Image: This was a recent find. Other than the calendar, this gift to the readership of Ka Hoku o ke Kai lists the members of the Royal Court and their birth dates and other dates related to them. For Kalākaua they have his date of birth, the date he was elected King, and the date he took reign. It lists the Cabinet Ministers. It lists the members of the Legislature. It lists the members of the Privy Council. It lists the Judges. It lists the Moon Phases. It lists the Clerks of Circuit Courts. It lists Circuit Court Judges. It lists the Governors. It lists the Dominical Letter, Epact, and [I do not know what “Helu o ka makahiki refers to here]. It also lists the days of Celebration and Holidays for the year. It lists the Holy Days. And finally it lists the Solar and Lunar Eclipses. Ka Hoku o ke Kai, January 1884, p. 290.

Image: Calendar for the year 1898 featuring a portrait of Queen Liliʻuokalani. It gives the phases of the moon as well as information about the planets. Ka Loea Kalaiaina, January 1, 1898, p. 1.

Image: Calendar for the year 1906 featuring a photograph of the typesetters of Ke Aloha Aina (standing at the left) along with some of the paperboys. The photo was taken on December 30, 1905. Ke Aloha Aina, January 6, 1906, p. 9.

Image: Calendar for the first three months of 1912. It features the traditional names of the months for the different islands. Also, it gives the names of the nights for each day of the month. Ke Au Hou, January 24, 1912, p. 1.

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