Your Aloha Preview - July - "Walking in Waikiki" - "Company Coming & Names of Waikiki" - Kaimuki

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Your Aloha Preview - July - "Walking in Waikiki" - "Company Coming & Names of Waikiki"
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Courtesy of Cloudia Charters Author of Aloha Where You Like To Go?

Walking in Waikiki

with

Cloudia Charters

"Company Coming & Names of Waikiki"

In 1881, Hawaii's King David Kalakaua was the first head of state to meet with Emperor Meiji after the "opening" of Japan. Kalakaua requested, and Meiji later signed, an agreement (1885) allowing the immigration of Japanese workers to HawaiÔi. Those issei (first generation) immigrants and their descendants have contributed much to the multicultural society that is HawaiÔi. Many of our Japanese visitors are delighted to find familiar folkways, food, and customs waiting for them here, but with a delightful, old-timey flavor. Currently, for example, it is Bon Dance season. On a rotating weekend schedule, local neighborhood Buddhist temples on each island erect the red & white draped musician's tower, and host costumed celebrants who dance to the ancient tunes late into the evening. The musicians and dancers are remembering and honoring their relatives who have passed (Ancestors) and EVERYONE is invited to dance along. There are even practice sessions for the younger generations, and for those of other cultures who wish to take part. To see the elders dancing with their eager grandchildren and attentive neighbors, sharing their experience and knowledge, is surely one of the great sights of our Hawaii. And what would Hawaii BE without our Japanese-American neighbors? Without teri-chicken, spam musubi, or US Senator Inouye? This week, another lovely couple from Japan is visiting us here in Hawaii. Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are here to observe the 50th anniversary of the local Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation. They are also slated to lay a wreathe at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. In doing so they will honor the many WWII veterans resting there, including grandfather Stanley Dunham with whom a teen-aged Barack Obama once lived. The president of Taiwan was here recently, and rumor has it that our president will be "home" visiting here in December. . . We'd better clean up!

While in Japan, King Kalakaua also proposed the betrothal of his 5 year old niece, Princess Victoria Kawekiu Lunaliko Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kaiulani Cleghorn, to an imperial prince. The Princess was the Hapa-Haole (half Caucasian) daughter of Kalakaua's sister Princess Miriam Likelike, and Scottish businessman/horticulturist Archibald Scott Cleghorn, sometime governor of Oahu. Our legendary royal beauty grew up on 10 choice Waikiki acres that were a baptismal gift from her aunt, Princess Ruth (granddaughter of Kamehameha the Great). Kaiulani's father built his family a two story home there, planting bountiful gardens of flowers and plants from all over the world, set among lily ponds. Kaiulani's mother named the estate "Ainahau". Today this part of Waikiki displays street signs reading: Ainahau, Cleghorn, and Kaiulani in their honor. Shortly after her mother passed away (1889) an unhappy 13 year old Princess was sent to England to be educated at the Great Harrowden Hall School for Girls in Northamptonshire. For someday she was expected to become queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii! Alas, that would never be. When the student Princess heard news that her aunt, Queen Lydia Liliuokalani had been deposed (1893) she immediately traveled from England to New York City, Boston, and Washington DC to try and save her homeland from annexation by the United States. Despite speeches, negotiations, and even a meeting with President Grover Cleveland, her efforts were in vain. On July 4, 1894 the Republic of Hawaii was declared in a shocked Honolulu, and our Hawaii became a U.S. Territory with formal annexation by the United States in 1898 . But the Kingdom of Hawaii continues to live in Hawaiian hearts. Even patriotic local US citizens feel a deep loyalty to this kingdom of hearts, and a heart of love for "our" royalty. And the princess who would never become queen? She returned to her beloved Ainahau estate in 1897. But sadly our beloved citizen-princess Kaiulani died there on March 6, 1899, at the young age of 23. They say her beloved peacocks called out at the moment she died. And some even claim to hear them still on dark Waikiki nights. Listen! World-class racing yachts are lining up here at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor as they complete the bi-annual Transpac Sail Race from California. This years winner, New Zealand's Alpha Romeo, completed the the 2,225-nautical miles between Point Fermin, California, and Diamond Head in 5 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes and 20 seconds. They broke the old race record by better than a day! Some 47 boats are competing, some still in transit, so I expect our pier to become even more of a party in the hours and days to come. The Hawaii Yacht Club (founded by King Kalakaua & friends over 100 years ago) is in it's glory, welcoming each boat and bursting with happy folks, delicious smells, and music. Incidentally, the Alpha Romeo at 100 feet is tied up at Pier 10 by the Aloha Tower Marketplace where you can always have a drink or a meal at the waterside while enjoying the tugs, Coast Guard craft, and bustling activity of the islands busiest commercial harbor. While there, I uncharacteristically treated myself to a half hour massage at Elite Massage Academy, where local surfer-boy owner Brian Matsudo and his colleagues treated my creaky neck with deep aloha. So convenient! I wonder if Brian will be O-Bon Dancing this season? If you suspect that I've gone totally self indulgent I'll confirm your suspicion by admitting that we also made a stop at Chocolates in Hawaii on the second floor of the marketplace. So Ono! (Delicious). This Summer has been characteristically beautiful here at life's great beach. Happy crowds are strolling Kalakaua Avenue, and the south shore surf has been thrilling surfers and beach goers royally. Yes, it's easy to feel like a king, a princess, or even an emperor . . . when you're walking in Waikiki. . . ALOHA!

You can join Cloudia for more Honolulu Happenings at her daily blog Comfort Spiral www.comfortspiral.blogspot.com AND be sure to check out her Hawaii novel: Aloha Where You Like Go? at Amazon or the Hawaii State Library!

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Kaimuki, Hawaii News Item

Your Aloha Preview - July - "Walking in Waikiki" - "Company Coming & Names of Waikiki"

Kaimuki, Hawaii
News Item