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����Letter Reference:
Undated_Boki-Unknown
Date of Letter:
Undated
From:
Boki
To:
Unknown
Content Summary:
Boki documents events involving a man-o-war threatening violence due to outrage over the
restriction of prostitution.
Typescript:
[Page 1 of 4]
No.207
I mai ke alii o ka manua ia'u
aohe maikai o ke kapu nui loa, e a ka
hele oukou o wikiwiki oukou aua nei
a pa laha, e hoo halike, oukou me kahi
aina ma Maleka, kapu kahi wahine, ka
pu ole kahi wahine ma Pele kane, kapu
ka hi wahine, kapu ole ka hi wahine
o ka wahine no imalama i ke Akua oia ke
kapu aka o ka wahine imalama ole i
ke Akua aole no ia e kapu, ua oki no la
kou i ka lakou manao
No ka mea ua nui ka ou kou ao ana, aole
ola kou, ^lo he mai, i ka oukou olelo, ina, e
haawi mai ka haole, oka moku, i ke kala
ame kahi lole, lawe mai no lakou, aole
lakou, e olelo aku, he kapu ma kou
Aole no, na oukou nana lii, e kii, ka wa
hine, hoo kama kama malu na o ka moku
he mea hila hila ia, no ko makou poe alii
pau kou lohe ^pono ana, i olelo pono mai ai
o ke kahi lohe o’u, na Kahuhu a'u, i hai mai
�I mai ke alii, o ka manua, ia'u pe nei, e kii
aku ana, kanaka, o kuu moku, e wawahi
i ka hale, o mika Pinamu, ilohe laua, elua, iana mai, iau pela, elua no hoi, au, olelo
ana aku, ia Kaahu manu, ma laua o Pinamu
[Page 2 of 4]
Eia ke kahi mea au, i lohe pono, mai ko
na wa mai, aohe mai kai, o Pinamu, i ke ka
pu o ka holo lio, i kala kapu, ame ka lio pili
waiwai, i kala kapu ole
Boki
Ka mea ike
Davida Malo
i ke kakau ana
Kanaina
[Page 3 of 4]
[English translation was part of the original file, a typescript of which is included here as part of
the Awaiaulu MHM Project 2016]
Translation of the foregoing (July 31, 1828.
The chief of the man of war said to me
the very strict tabu is not good. Do you
go slow, lest going quick you tumble down.
Do like other lands. In America, some women are tabu and some are not - In England
some women and tabu and some are not.
The women that regard God, they are tabu,
the women that regard not God are not tabuLet them alone, leave them to their own
thoughts; for you have taught them suffi
ciently, but they do not listen to what
you say. If the foreigners from the vessels
give them money or cloth, let them take it.
Let them not say we are tabu - neither
let the chiefs go after the prostitutes on
board the ships, that is a very shameful
thing with our chiefs."
This is all which I correctly heard, myself,
But there is one more thing. Kahuhu told me.
The chief of the man of war said thus to me, "May
"The men of my vessel are going up to pull
�down Mr. Bingham's house. Let them look out.
Twice it was told to me, and twice I told
Kaahumanu and Mr. Bingham.
Here is one thing more that I heard di–
[Page 4 of 4]
rectly from his own mouth "Mr. Bingham
is not good in his tabuing riding on the
sabbath and racing for money on
other days.
signed Boki
Witness} Davida Malo
Kanaina
Boki.
Rec'd at the Room April 18
1829
Translation:
[Page 1 of 4]
No.207
The commander of the man-o-war said to me [“]There is no good in heavy restrictions.
You all should be careful or you will quickly be leveled. You should emulate some of the lands
in America [where] some women are under restriction and other women are not. In Britain, some
women are under restriction and other women are not. The women who observe God are
restricted, but the women who do not observe God are not under restriction; leave them to follow
their intentions.
For you have done much teaching, yet they do not heed what you say. If a foreigner from
a ship gives money and some cloth, they take them, and they do not say, [ʻ]We are forbidden[’].
It should definitely not be you, the chiefs, who retrieve prostitutes aboard the ship; it is an
embarrassment for our officers.[”] That ended what I heard directly of what he said. Another
thing I heard, Kahuhu told me, [“]The commander of the man-o-war said this to me as follows,
[ʻ]Men from my ship are heading out to tear down the house of Mr. Bingham, so the two of them
should know.[’ ”] That was told to me twice, and twice I told Kaʻahumanu and Bingham.
[Page 2 of 4]
Here is another thing I heard directly from his mouth, that Bingham is no good, with [his]
restrictions on horseback riding on the Sabbath and betting on horses on unrestricted days.
Boki
Witness
David Malo
to the writing Kanaina
�[Pages 3 & 4 of 4 contain and English translation that was part of the original file, a typescript of
which is included above]
Notes:
1. ke alii o ka manua - “the commander of the man-o-war” in this letter threatens to tear
down the home of Rev. Hiram Bingham, likely for his influence on the chiefs’ views
regarding prostitution. The officer, who is unnamed, is probably Lieut. Percival of the
Dolphin. The attack seems to have directly followed this warning that Boki describes.
2. Kahuhu - James Kahuhu was associated with the chiefs and was one of the the first to
learn English and the written word.
3. Kaahumanu - The favorite wife of Kamehameha I, Kaʻahumanu was the first Kuhina
Nui, or co-regent, from 1819-1832. She was a convert and a strong advocate for the
Protestant religion.
4. Pinamu - Rev. Hiram Bingham arrived in Hawaiʻi with the first company of missionaries,
and became the first reverend of Kawaiahaʻo Church.
5. Boki - Boki, named Māʻuleʻule at birth, a high chief, had accompanied Kamehameha II
and Kamāmalu on their fatal visit to London and on his return, served as guardian to the
late king's younger brother and successor, Kauikeaouli Kamehameha III, and was
governor of Oʻahu.
6. Davida Malo - David Malo was an early Christian convert, a minister and an important
advisor to the chiefs. He signed as a witness to Boki's document.
7. Kanaina - Charles Kanaʻina was a man of chiefly lineage who married Miriam
Kekāuluohi. Their son, Willian Charles Lunalilo, was the sixth monarch of the Hawaiian
Kingdom. He signed as a witness to Boki's document.
�
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
Boki - Ali`i Letters - No Date - to Unknown
Description
An account of the resource
Boki documents events involving a man-o-war threatening violence due to outrage over the restriction 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
Boki
Rights
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If you would like permission to publish or reproduce this material, please send your requests to archives@missionhouses.org
Contributor
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Puakea Nogelmeier
Translated by Awaiaulu Foundation
Date
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No date