The Last Hawaiian Monarch

“…I was driven from my prison-once my palace…” (295).

The Book

Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen provides a unique perspective into the life of Liliuokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch. Originally published in 1898, the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy is still fresh on Liliuokalani’s mind. The publisher’s foreword provides a brief introduction to the author, history of Hawaii, and the complicated relationship between native Hawaiians and those of American descent. All the chapters following are Liliuokalani’s words and commentary on political events.

While time is spent on her early life, the focus of the book is on Liliuokalani’s adult life and the last Hawaiian monarchs. Born in 1838, Liliuokalani was adopted as a baby by a Hawaiian high chief (a common practice) and in 1877 she was named the heir apparent to the throne by her brother King Kalakaua. After her brother’s death, Liliuokalani became Queen in 1891 and reigned until a provisional government was forced onto the Hawaiian people in 1894.

Liliuokalani is cognizant of the fact that many of her readers aren’t Hawaiian, so she explains the customs and heritage of the island nation. The autobiography is written so that it is easy to follow and presents a window into what life was like during the last days of the monarchy. Liliuokalani tells the Hawaiian side (her side) of the revolt to overthrow the monarchy and strongly presents the cause for Hawaiian autonomy. She calls out the individuals who spread rumors and lies and wrestled the control of the islands from the constitutional monarchy.

The final chapter of Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen ends with a plea to the American readers: see the overthrow for what it was and reject the treaty of annexation.

The Place

Iolani Palace is a must see on a visit to Honolulu. The palace is restored to what it looked like when the last two Hawaiian monarchs (King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani) reigned. Although it isn’t a large palace, the attention to detail and architecture are striking and beautiful: the royal crest is seen in window etchings and wall engravings. Each room has a proud history and shares the story of Hawaiian culture. But, there is also an underlying current when the visitor is confronted with the reality of the overthrow of the monarchy. Queen Liliuokalani’s throne room became the location of her trial for treason and an upstairs bedroom became her prison.

There are two tour options: guided tours and self-led audio tours. When my family visited, the guided tours were sold out and we took the self-led audio tour. This provided a unique way to learn about the Hawaiian monarchy at your own pace. Visitors are given headphones and an iPod preloaded with audio tracks for each of the rooms. A visitor can choose to hear the standard information or choose to go more in-depth. I enjoyed this opportunity to explore the various rooms and learn about the monarchs who resided there. Visitors can also explore the basement galleries to learn about the restoration of the Iolani Palace and see various artifacts.