Prince Kuhio Day
March 26, is called Kuhio Day in Hawaii. It is a state holiday that marks the birth of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. The territorial legislature of Hawaii passed this resolution in 1949 establishing March 26, as a holiday honoring Prince Kuhio.
He was born on the island of Kauai. His mother was a sister of Queen Kapiolani. In 1883, the Hawaiian Monarchy was overthrown and Queen Liliuokalani was put under house arrest. Sanford Dole became the governor under the new provisional government. Two years later, Kuhio was jailed for his conspiracy in the unsuccessful attempted revolution to restore the monarchy.
He was educated at Royal and Punahou Schools, where he excelled at football and track. It is reported that he was the last alii, monarch, trained in the higher art of Hawaiian wrestling called lua. Kuhio was a master of its holds. He is on the far left of the above Punahou archived picture. Notice the O on the jerseys. Punahou School, used to be called Oahu College. He left the islands to expand his education at St. Matthew's College in San Mateo, California and later attended the Royal Agricultural College in England. He married the daughter of the chief of Kauai. In 1899, they toured the world.
From 1902 to until Jan. 7, 1922 he served as a delegate from Hawaii to Congress. Some of his major accomplishments was a $27 million appropriation for dredging and construction of Pearl Harbor, the Makapuu Point Lighthouse, the territorial building, the Hilo wharf and the Hawaii Volcano National Park. In 1919, he introduced a bill requesting that Hawaii be admitted into America as a full fledged state. Hawaii become the 50th state in 1959. His greatest contribution to the Hawaiian people was the establishment of the Hawaiian Homes Commission. This was to benefit those Hawaiians who were homeless or lived in slums. The picture above is from his funeral procession on Nuuanu Ave. It was the last royal funeral in Hawaii.
A bronze plaque was placed in 1940 at Kuhio Park in Honolulu. It said:
"Prince by the grace of god
"Statesman by accomplishment
"Delegate to Congress by popular choice
"Father of the Hawaiian rehabilitation act."
Jonathan Yorck - Hawaii
"Statesman by accomplishment
"Delegate to Congress by popular choice
"Father of the Hawaiian rehabilitation act."
Jonathan Yorck - Hawaii