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A Celebration of the triple aspect of the Mind, Body and Spirit

HAWAII SCOTS

The following text was gleaned from various sources, much of it based on information contained in a fabulous book "The Story of Scots in Hawaii" published by 'The Caledonian Society of Hawaii', and available from the Maui Celtic 'Storefront' on the right.

The British ships 'Resolution' and 'Discovery' sighted the Hawaiian Islands in January 1778. Mostly crewed by Englishmen, there were also a few Scots, Irish, and Welshmen. The famous explorer Capt. James Cook, thought of as a Yorkshireman, was actually the son of a Scottish carpenter, also James Cook. With him was William Anderson, a young Scotsman - the ships surgeon and naturalist - and the artist John Webber. These men were, as far as we know, the first Europeans to step ashore on the Hawaiian Islands, on Kauai, on January 21st 1778. Cook was initially mistaken for a reincarnation of the Hawaiian god Lono. The ships returned a year later to Hawaii, again to a fine welcome, and stayed several weeks. Soon after leaving, they were caught in gale force weather and damaged, and the ships limped back into Kealakekua Bay in Hawaii to a cooler reception -- maybe this was not Lono after all. Probably due to a misunderstanding by the visitors, of the concept of the Hawaiians' (and most ancient cultures) notion of communal property, a series of events ended on February 14th, 1779 , in an out of control retreat by Cook and his sailors, and during a skirmish Capt. James Cook died.

Over the years visiting Scots came and went, but the earliest settler may have been a Captain Stewart, who stayed in Kawaihae, Hawai'i, and served King Kamehameha, king of Hawai'i Island, who had conquered Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i, and in 1810 he united the Hawaiian Islands. Two early immigrants no doubt helped his cause, training Kamehameha's troops in the use of firearms supplied by British and American traders. These were Welshman Isaac Davis - advisor and friend to Kamehameha, who made him a high chief, and Governor of O'ahu - and John Young, of Scottish descent, from Lancashire, England - also advisor and friend to Kamehameha, who made him a high chief and Governor of the Island of Hawaii, who was grandfather of Queen Emma, wife of Kamehameha IV. Both men are buried near the Hawaiian Ali'i in the grounds of the Royal Mausoleum in Nuuanu Valley, Oahu.

Later Capt. Alexander Adams from Arbroath, Scotland, commanded King Kamehameha's ships. His first of three wives was Sally or Kale Davis, daughter of Isaac Davis. King Kamehameha designed the stripes on his own flag, to represent the inhabited islands, and accepted Adams' suggestion of the Union Jack , creating the Hawaiian Flag. In 1817 Adams' ousted a Russian fort that had been built at Waimea, Kauai. In 1823 King Liholiho made him the Honolulu harbour pilot.

A Scotsman revered for his services to the Hawaiian Monarchy was Robert Crichton Wyllie. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1845-1865, served Kings Kamehameha 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and fought for the preservation of the Hawaiian Monarchy and Nation for many years, seeking treaties from the encroaching maritime superpowers of Britain, France and the United States, recognising Hawai'i as an independent nation. Possibly he saw that the histories of his native Scotland and the small Pacific Nation of Hawai'i had similarities - feuding clans finally united under one ruler, threatened by stronger countries wanting to add them to their colonies. Wyllie also founded Princeville on Kauai. He died in 1865 and was buried in state near the kings he served by the Royal Mausoleum on Oahu. “The death of such a man can not but be regarded as a national calamity. There is not a Hawaiian, from one end of the Islands to the other, but who, when he hears of Mr. Wyllie’s death, will say – ‘There went a true friend of our King and His People.’” - The Hawaiian Gazette October 21, 1865.

Several Scottish Naturalists came to Hawai'i. William Anderson landed with Cook in 1778, and 11 years later Archibald Menzies explored the Islands. Over the first four decades of the 1800's others followed, including the botanist David Douglas, after whom the Douglas Fir is named, who died in mysterious circumstances on the Big Island of Hawai'i.

The early 1800's saw the start of the sugar industry on the islands, with Wyllie and the Sinclairs having plantations on Kauai in the 30's and 40's. By the 1850's plantations were all over the Islands, staffed with Scottish engineers, book-keepers and managers. Scottish machinery engineers would accompany the equipment to Hawai'i, with so many Scots on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island, that it was known as "The Scots Coast".

In 1881 King David Kalakaua went to Scotland, visited Glasgow and Edinburgh, sailed up Loch Lomond , and was entertained by the pipe band of the 42nd Highlanders, The Black Watch. More accounts of his trip, and many other fascinating histories can be found in Hardy Spoehr's great book "UPOHO UKA NUI'O KEKOKIA (Scotland's Great Highland Bagpipe) - The Story of Bagpipes, Bagpipers, and Bagpipe Bands in Hawai'i with accounts of King Kalakaua's Visit to Scotland", avalable at our online Storefront.

King Kalakaua's sister Princess Miriam Likelike was married to a Scot - Archibald Cleghorn - who arrived at age 16 and became a Honolulu businessman. Their daughter, born 1875 was Princess Ka'iulani, heir to the throne as King Kalakaua and his sister Queen Lili'uokalani had no children. Had the Monarchy continued, the Hawaiian Queen would have been half Scottish.

Princess Victoria Ka'iulani Cleghorn and her father, Archibald Scott Cleghorn

The Princess was a remarkable child of two races, educated in Hawai'i and the British Isles and was heir to the Hawaiian throne at the time of annexation. This brave young girl overcame great sorrow to become Hawaii's 'Hope of the Nation', when she travelled from England to the U.S.A at the age of 16 to address the American people, following the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy, and persuaded President Cleveland not to annex The Kingdom of Hawai'i. Princess Ka'iulani was also instrumental in changing the world's prejudiced view of the Hawaiian people. She retuned to her home Islands, and saw her country annexed to the United States. She became ill and died in 1899, at the tragically young age of 23. (Follow this link for a more detailed article on Princess Ka'iulani by Mindi Reid, and more info at The Ka'iulani Project website).

The famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped) spent time in Hawaii, and was a friend King Kalakaua and of Princess Ka'iulani , and even wrote a poem for her, when she went off to school in the U.K.

"Forth from her land to mine she goes,
The Island maid, the Island rose;
Light of heart and bright of face:
The daughter of a double race.

Her islands here, in Southern sun,
Shall mourn their Kaiulani gone,
And I, in her dear banyan shade,
Look vainly for my little maid.

But our Scots islands far away
Shall glitter with unwonted day,
And cast for once their tempests by
To smile in Kaiulani’s eye."

The above text was gleaned from various sources, much of it based on information contained in a fabulous book "The Story of Scots in Hawaii" published by 'The Caledonian Society of Hawaii', and available from the Maui Celtic 'Storefront' on the right. 295 pages and many period photographs. Dust jacket features the "Hawai'i Tartan".

This informative book "sketches the story of the lives of more than twelve hundred Scots who came to Hawai'i from 1778 to the present day. It reaches back into history with the arrival of Captain James Cook, RN, and follows the explorers, seamen, merchants, lawyers, doctors, government servants, entertainers, scientists, teachers and preachers, to the plantation workers and more recent arrivals from Scotland. It gives the reader first hand accounts of life in the late 19th and early 20th century and recounts in scholarly history and poignant memories the significant role of Scots in the development of Hawai'i.

MAUI AND OAHU SCOTS AND HAWAIIAN NEWS.........

AN ONGOING PROJECT

THE KA'IULANI PROJECT is a movement that celebrates the life, spirit and legacy of Hawaiian Crown Princess Victoria Ka'iulani Cleghorn who since her passing in 1899 has been referred to as a sad and “Tragic Princess'. The project is spearheaded by the upcoming production "Ka'iulani - The Island Rose" and it's writers, Jennifer Fahrni and Carol Harvie-Yamaguchi. New information on Ka'iulani's life has been revealed. Fahrni, who has been researching the princess's life since 2003, has recently found several significant connections Ka'iulani made during her years in England and Scotland and now is working with a person who has been tracking Ka'iulani's travels there in the 1890's.

"Ka'iulani should be remembered for her vibrance and courageous efforts for her nation during her lifetime. We owe that to her" says Jennifer Fahrni. "Ka'iulani changed forever how the world saw the Hawaiian people". The Ka'iulani Project is leading to a dynamic production that will premiere on Maui, and is also gaining interest outside of Hawaii - Scotland's National Newspaper, The Sunday Post interviewed Ka'iulani advocate, Jennifer Fahrni about the life of Hawaiian Princess Victoria Ka'iulani Cleghorn and the recently created festival where Fahrni was a guest speaker. The Smithsonian Magazine recently interviewed her for an article they published on the Princess.

THE KA'IULANI PROJECT has a new website at thekaiulaniproject.com

The new play KA'IULANI, THE ISLAND ROSE celebrates the life of a brave young girl who overcame great sorrow to become Hawaii's 'Hope of the Nation.' The script is a period piece (years 1885-1893) surrounding the life of Princess Victoria Ka'iulani Cleghorn. The play covers a controversial period in Hawaiian history where several members of the musical Kalakaua Royal Family are depicted, as well as other well-known politicians and ladies of the day. It is not widely known that Princess Ka'iulani was a child of dual heritage, her mother being the Hawaiian Princess, Miriam Likelike, and her father, the Scottish entrepreneur, Archibald Cleghorn. This remarkable child of two races was educated in Hawai'i and the British Isles and was heir to the Hawaiian throne at the time of annexation.
At the young age of seventeen, the young princess fought courageously for her country in its hour of need. Ka'iulani was also instrumental in changing the world's prejudiced view of the Hawaiian people.

The project has been deeply honored by receiving a full Hawaiian Blessing.
The public reading took place Saturday, April 12th 2008 at the The Steppingstone Playhouse, Kahului, produced and narrated by Jennifer Fahrni, and directed by David Johnston, the executive and artistic director of the Maui Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA). All members of the community were invited to attend this free event, and encouraged to give feedback at this developmental stage. With a cast of 17, the piece was well received with a standing ovation from the audience. More details on our NEWS ARCHIVE page. This will ultimately lead to a large stage production (with music) for Hawaii, which will first be performed here in Maui. To be considered for casting: email and submit resume and headshot if available. If you have no headshot and resume, please email your interest to Jennifer at jjfahrni@shaw.ca. Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian actors are required. Anyone wanting to take part in or sponsor the stage production is encouraged to contact David Johnston, Executive and Artistic Director of the Maui Academy of Performing Arts at 808-244-8760, or email Jennifer at jjfahrni@shaw.ca.