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May 31, 2009

Hawai’i – who would've think?...

Hawaii is the only state in the US that once was a kingdom…

Who were the Hawaiians? There are 2 standing theories about the provenience of the people of Hawaii. They either came from SE Asia, especially from Tahiti (to whom they resemble in looks, language, and ancient skills), or from the Americas (because of the commune features shared with the Incas). As a support to this theory it has been demonstrated that in those days they could sail through the Pacific, all the way down to the Horn Head.

The history of the kingdom of Hawaii is written at the Iolani Palace museum in Honolulu, on island Oahu of Hawaii.

Iolani Palace – a beautiful establishment, built in 1882 in a Victorian Style, is unfortunately an almost empty palace, due to the ignorance of early American conquistadors, who either stole, destroyed, or auctioned every item that belonged to the dynasty. However, the lobby of the palace can tell the whole history of Hawaii.


The first king of Hawaii, who had the vision of unifying all the (8) islands of the archipelago, was King Kamehameha I, who after fighting his own father in-law (ruler of one half of the Big Island), was able to bring together, under only one kingdom all his people. He established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810, and during his kingdom he developed friendships with the major Pacific colonial powers, preserved the independence, and guaranteed peace and prosperity.


In 1819 King Kamehameha II was groomed to be heir to the throne at the age of five. He was the eldest son of Kamehameha I and his highest-ranking wife (out of 28). He was succeeded by Kamehameha III in 1824, IV in 1855, V in 1863.

The Kamehameha dynasty got to an end, with the last king who didn’t have any direct heirs to the throne and refused to name a successor. So, in this case and in concordance with the Constitution of that time, it felt on the legislature to name a new king. Therefore, after the elections Kamehameha V's cousin, William Charles Lunalilo, was named the sixth king of Hawaii , in 1873.

King Lunalilo reigned only 13 months and left no heirs to the throne. That’s how another dynasty came to an end, and in 1874 new elections took place.

King David Kalākaua won the elections, though he run in the previous ones too, but lost in favor to former King Lunalilo. Raised and educated in the western European style, Kalākaua started his reign off with a tour of the Hawaiian Islands, to improve his popularity.

In 1881, King Kalākaua left the kingdom and went on a trip around the world – becoming the first king to do such a thing. He also wanted to study how other rulers ruled. In his absence, his sister and heir, Princess Lili'uokalani, ruled as regent and oversaw the building of the Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

The King first traveled to San Francisco, then sailed to the Empire of Japan, China, Siam, Burma, India, Egypt, Italy, Belgium, the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Romania, the French Third Republic, Spain, Portugal, UK, and back through the US before returning to Hawaii. During this trip, he met with many crowned heads of state, including Pope Leo XIII, Umberto I of Italy, Victoria of the United Kingdom, and Carol I of Romania.

Apparently, even though the history never states it, King Kalākaua and Carol I met in 1881 and had a great amiable relationship. Probably they saw each other just once during their lives, but when Kalākaua visited the Kingdom of Romania he was decorated by Carol I with the Order of the Crown of Romania – “Through Our Selves” (“Prin noi inşine”) – the proof lies next to some other decorations, in Iolani Palace’s Gallery in Honolulu, just across the world…

Another proof is one of the letters Kalākaua sent to Carol I – it is written in French and is displayed along with other three letters addressed to important western personalities, on king’s desk, in the top floor of the palace…

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The excitement of finding something from back home so far away from home, is replaced now by the questions of “Why the history didn’t note this as
pect, in a corner of a notebook?”, “Why aren’t we taught what proud to be Romanian means, anymore?”…

Even if we didn’t conquest lands, we've got far enough… Don’t you think so?!

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