Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen

Hawai’i was the 50^th state admitted to the United States of America, but most Americans aren’t aware of it’s rich culture and history prior to its admission.  A dynastic kingdom, Hawai’i was composed of multiple islands in the archipelago – some controlled after war and some voluntarily admitted to the kingdom.  The Hawai’i we know today is vastly different than when the monarchy was overthrown in 1893 by European and American residents.  This book is the story of the decades leading up to that point as told by Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last monarch who was both forced into and out of reign.  This contemporary of the British Queen Victoria and American President James Garfield, was well respected in her own right prior to ascending the throne – she was well known as an artist and writer, penning Aloha ‘Oe, the song most frequently associated with the islands.  Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen is a memoir about her upbringing, the Hawai’ian culture and customs, and the rapid changes that occurred after the arrival of the Christian missionaries looking to save their souls.

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I give Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen 4 out of 5 stars.  I was astonished at the new facts and information I learned while reading this book.  I should not have been shocked by the whitewashing of the island nation’s history in my education, and we must remember that all accounts like this are only one side of the story.  However, this memoir was written as many of the later events were occurring.  Published in 1898, the book is a cautionary tale of what white men are so eager to do – force those “different” from them to submit to the ways of the white man in culture and governance.  There are so many tales that surprised me including the way children from one royal family were fostered in others on a regular basis, and the Queen’s journey to both Washington D.C. and Britain to pay respects to the leaders of the countries.

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I would recommend this book for readers looking to learn more about Hawai’i’s past, especially if you are preparing for a trip there.  So many landmarks as we see them today were part of the royal family’s history before they were overthrown.  I would also recommend this book for readers interested in the impacts both European and American missionaries have had on the groups they have visited – both good and bad.

I chose Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen for the US States reading challenge prompt “Hawai’i”.  When I was researching books set in the state, this book was tops on several lists and I can understand why.  It has recently gained notoriety in the current political atmosphere of honoring the past and removing the lens of whitewashing from our history books.  This book left me in awe of the forcefulness of the settlers without calling it a conquering, but also with so many questions about what other nations have experienced this.  We think about Native American experiences in a similar light, but what other cultures have been effectively wiped out or changed solely to meet what the white man thinks is “good”.  Speaking as a while woman, there is value in our differences – I love learning about other cultures and experiencing what I can of them.  We should look for tolerance and acceptance of our differences, not strive for homogeny throughout the world.  It becomes a mighty bland place to live if we are all 100% the same.

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What I’m Reading

• Current print book: Flowers on Main, Sherryl Woods
• Current audio book: All the Bright Places, Jennifer Niven
• Book I’m most looking forward to: The Bridges of Madison County, Robert James Waller