Papakōlea Community Association
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole
Prince Kuhio was the founder of the hawaiian homes commisson act. 1920
Prince Kuhio was responsible for the passage of the
bill that created the Kilauea Volcano National Park.
Prince Kuhio's birthday March 26 is a State holiday founded in 1949.
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole was the youngest of 3 sons of High
Chief David Kahalepouli Piikoi and Princess Kinohi Kekaulike. His
Brothers were Prince Edward Keliiahonui Piikoi & Prince David
Kawananakoa Piikoi. The boys were orphaned at an early and were adopted
by their Mother's sister, who was Queen Kapiolani and her husband King
David Laamea Kalakaua. They received the best education in Hawaii,
California and England. In 1891 King Kalakaua died and his sister
Liliuokalani became Queen.
In 1893 the monarchy was overthrown and the
Queen was without her throne. Prince Kuhio was greatly affected by
these illegal actions of the Committee on Safety, the Republic of
Hawaii, with the help of the United States. At the age of 21 he joined a
group of royalists who tried to restore the Queen to her throne,
however they were discovered, arrested and tried for treason. Prince
Kuhio spent almost a year in prison. The Queen was held prisoner at
Washington Place. The day prince Kuhio was pardoned the Queen was
released also, however no longer a Queen. In 1896 he married Elizabeth
Kahanu, daughter of a chief of Maui and together they travelled the
world looking for a place on settling down because he was sadden by
the conditions of his people and the punishment of hard labor given the
royalist by the new government.
However in April 1900, Congress passed
the Organic Act making Hawaii a Territory of the US and subject to
their laws and constitution. He decided to become a legislator and
served for 20 years. Among his accomplishemtns were that he built a hospital at
Kalaupapa Settlement for the treatment of leprosy; amendeded the Organic
Act to created county government with elected officials; obtained
millions for the development of Pearl Harbor and other military
installations; obtained funds for the improvement of harbors in the
islands; obtained passage of the bill that created Kilauea National
Park and because the number of full-bloodied Hawaiians were on the
decline he wanted to get his people back to working the land and away
from the cities. His idea of turning over certain government lands to
the Hawaiians resulted in the Rehabilitation Act better known as the
Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, His greatest accomplisment although it
took 11 years of patience, persistence and tireless efforts in 1910 to
finally have it passed by Congress in 1921.
