-
https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/3baff92caad9da8ad2974e92ad5bfe02.pdf
991da4a1de8757978d8f6336ac62501f
PDF Text
Text
����Letter Reference:
1827_Oct24_Hoapilikane-Kaahumanu
Date of Letter:
October 24, 1827
From:
Hoapilikane
To:
Kaahumanu
Content Summary:
A letter from Hoapilikane to Kaahumanu reporting about an incident in Maui regarding Capt.
Clark taking women on board his ship for the purpose of prostitution.
[Page 1 of 4]
Typescript:
[Archival Note]
No. 222
Translation of a letter from Hoapili to Kaahumanu,
giving an account of the firing on Lahaina + the reason for it.
Lahaina. Oct. 24th, 1827.
Love to you Elizabeth Kaahumana,
This is the word which
I have to declare to you. We have recently been in difficulty, we
here of Maui. No one else is involved, I alone. It was my own
personal resolution. This is the ground of the difficulty which
you are to consider.- a strict regard to God.- because you & we
had said, the women must not go on board the ships for the
purposes of prostitution. I have strictly observed this word of
ours. There have recently gone off secretly several women for purposes of lewdness, Nakoko and Hikapako and others whose names
I do not know. When I heard by the people that the ship
had got possession of the women, then I requested the commander of the ship, Capt. Clark, to return to me the women. He
would not consent. He ridiculed what I said. That day
passed, next morning I urged him again, three times I insisted on it. He said to me, your efforts are vain, it is not
right, it is not thus in Great Britain - it is not right for
�you to withhold women from Englishmen.- Dont keep
[Page 2 of 4]
back the women that go in the bad way otherwise a man
of war will come & destroy you all. Then I replied, I do not
at all regard what you have said, there is but one thing that
is right in my view, that you send me back the women.- but
understand, if you do not return them, I shall detain you here
on shore till we obtain the women, then you may go to the
ship. My requirement was not at all complied with. Then
I sent men to take the boat. The boat was detained by me,
& the foreigner was detained by me here on shore. He said to
me, this place will be full of ships & Maui shall be free
from tabu or entirely burnt, so that not a cluster of houses
shall be left: my ship is ready to fire upon you this night.
I replied, if the guns of your ship fire, I will take care of
you. You & I and my chiefs will go to another place. If
your men fire from the ship, we the people of the island will
remain quiet, but if the people land here on shore to fight
us then my people will fight them. You and I will sit
still & let your people & mine do the fighting. I will take
care of you. If you do not give me back the women, you &
I will dwell here on shore, & you shall not return to your vessel.
I have but one desire, & that is the return hither of the women.
I ended.
We continued together from the early to the latter part of the
[Page 3 of 4]
evening, when the cannon of the ship were fired.
Mr. Richards had come to me saying, "I have come to promote
a reconciliation out of love to you, & out of love to them."
Mr. Richards inquired of me, "What is your design? I replied,
my only design is that the women be returned. We were pursuaded to yield by Mr. Richards. I therefore sent the foreigner
back but did not obtain the women.
These are my thoughts concerning the recent doings in this
place belonging to your king; it is nearly right perhaps, it
is nearly wrong, perhaps. He said to me, "I shall sail to
Oahu, Boki and the Consul will come and fight.
Where are you? look out well for Nakoko & those with
�her, and if you can get them, send them back here to Maui,
and if the vessel does not anchor, then give directions to
Pelekaluhi. It is ended.
Love to you all,
Hoapilikane.
[Page 4 of 4]
Translations of
Various Letters.
April 24, 1829.
Notes:
1. Nakoko & Hikapako - Two Hawaiian women who were prostituting themselves and at
the center of this incident.
2. Capt. Clark - Captain of an English ship who fired his ship's cannon at Lahaina in protest
of restrictions that kept women from being taken on board.
3. Mr. Richards - William Richards came to Hawaiʻi with the second company of
missionaries and taught at Lahainaluna. He would later leave the Mission and became an
integral member of the Hawaiian government.
4. Boki - Boki Kamāʻuleʻule was a high chief in the court of Kamehameha I, a husband of
Kuini Liliha and a sibling of Kālaimoku. He had accompanied Kamehameha II on the
journey to London in 1823 and on his return, became the guardian of young Kauikeaouli,
Kamehameha III.
5. Pelekaluhi - Palekaluhi was a name of Kaikioʻewa, a chief from the time of Kamehameha
I, who later became the governor of Kauaʻi.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hoapilikane - Ali`i Letters - 1827.10.24 - to Kaahumanu, Elizabeth
Description
An account of the resource
A letter from Hoapilikane to Kaahumanu reporting about an incident in Maui regarding Capt. Clark taking women on board his ship for the purpose of prostitution.
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions Pacific Islands Missions Records, 1819-1960 (ABC 19.1-19.7). Houghton Library, Harvard University. Used by permission of Wider Church Ministries
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Hawaiian Mission Children's Society Library at the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Hoapilikane
Translated by Awaiaulu Foundation
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Puakea Nogelmeier
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
If you would like permission to publish or reproduce this material, please send your requests to archives@missionhouses.org
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1827-10-24