Hawaii Flower Parade

A  L  O  H  A !                                     

 

" There is always

 something left to love. 

And if you ain't learned that, 

you ain't learned nothing. "

Lorraine Hansberry

God Save the Queen - Hawaii's View

 Perhaps our Brit Friends wonder

what we out-landers make

of this week's 
Golden Jubilee.

Well, in a world of

constant change,

constancy

is noted,

valued,

appreciated;

Especially constancy

in Duty.

What ever the politics
of the moment,

the Queen

is for ALL her people.


For us too-
your cultural, linguistic
offspring and allies-
she has been a fixture
of the world we share.

She provides something

both ancient

and contemporary.

She is a great gem

of a great people

and nation

that have given much

to the 

whole world.

God Bless the Queen!

Sincerely, 

                                   an American


Now for the HAWAII twist! 


Unlike other Americans,
we of Hawaii
still remember our own
monarchy.

Our Hawaiian kings & queens 
ever flavor our experience
of living in these islands.

From Iolani Palace,
to Queens Medical Center,
to St. Andrew's Cathedral,
and the affiliated
St. Andrew's Priory School,
they are still present with us
in many authentic ways.

Their names are on our streets,
and ever in our hearts.

They are beloved,
and fondly remembered.

Their statues
grace our lovely islands.

But there is are connections
more than symbolic
between the royalty of Hawaii
and that of Great Britain.


  Hawaii's Queen Emma 
was warmly received
 by Queen Victoria
 herself.

 Victoria's Diamond Jubilee





 The two widow queens
 sympathized with one other
 as Queen Victoria recorded
 in her journal
 on September 9, 1865:

    "After luncheon I received Queen Emma, 

the widowed Queen of the Sandwich Islands 

or Hawaii.
Met her in the Corridor & nothing

 could be nicer or more dignified 

than her manner.
She is dark, but not more so than an Indian,

 with fine feathers [features?] & splendid soft eyes.
 She was dressed in just the same 

widow's weeds as I wear.
 I took her into the White Drawing room, 

where I asked to sit down next to me on the sofa.
She was moved when I spoke to her 

of her great misfortune in losing her only child.
She was very discreet & would only remain 

a few minutes. She presented her lady,
 Mrs. Hoopile whose husband is her Chaplain, 

both being Hawaiians.... "

 
Despite the obvious difference 
in station, Queen Emma
 and Queen Victoria 
had both lost sons
 and spouses.

Both bore the responsibility
of the crown.

 The two queens
 became life-long friends,
and shared a lively exchange
of correspondence.
 

  Emma traveled to London in 1865
 specifically to visit 
and spent a night
 at Windsor Castle
 on November 27. 


Our ubiquitous 
Hawaiian Heirloom Jewelry, 
  originated with a gift
 from Queen Victoria to
Hawaii's Princess Liliuokalani
 in 1880. 

  It was a solid gold bracelet 
with the Princess' name 
engraved and enameled upon it
in olde English script.

 Another famous example:
Queen Emma's own
silver bracelet
engraved
 "Aloha ia ka heiheimalie."

(Very Roughly:
 "Love for the People of the Fragrant Maile" 
Hawaii's people were oft likened to flowers.
Kaulana Na Pua - the patriot's song of
Hawaii, praises the famous flowers- PUA- of Hawaii
i.e. her people-



[If you play this song, while God Save the Queen
continues, they make a unique blend!]

These Victorian style heirlooms
are seen everywhere.
They are popular gifts for
graduations, births, anniversaries,
and WORN (not locked away). 
I wear several daily.

  Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV 

They petitioned the Church of England

 to help establish the Church of Hawaii

 We look upon Elizabeth
and we feel a kinship,
and a loss.

A  L  O  H  A ! 


                                             Warmly, cloudia