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Kēlā Mea, Kēia Mea
By Ronald Williams Jr.
Within the dozens of Hawaiian-language newspapers published during the 19th and early 20th centuries were often found engaging columns titled Kela Mea Keia Mea. These features carried small tidbits of news and interesting happenings from places throughout the islands. With that same mana'o, this modern-day column is published with the idea of bringing to the readers brief bits of interesting and sometimes lesser-known histories. These "news bites" have been collected during the course of research in newspaper, manuscript, correspondence and other archival collections around Hawai'i. The sources are both Hawaiian language and English. It is hoped that, like its many predecessors, this column might inform, entertain and perhaps even spark discussion. Me ka ha'aha'a no.
Keauhou, Kona. October 1865. A recent article from Nupepa Kuokoa has revived interest in the great hōlua slide located here in Keauhou. It reminds us all of the great daring and skill possessed by those who regularly flew down these frightening slopes. The article makes clear "Ina hoi e kahuli ka papa i ka wa e holo ai, o ka make no ia o ke kanaka i ka niao o ka papa. A ma ia paani, ua lealea loa na kanaka, he eha nae a me ka make ka hope oia hana." (If indeed the sled flipped over during its running, it would mean the death of the rider by the edge of the sled. Much pleasure was brought by this sport though injury and death were sometimes the ending.)
Pālama. September 5, 1888. This past Sunday witnessed a glorious celebration of the fiftieth birthday of H.R.H. Princess Lili'uokalani at the Pālama residence. A multitude of societies, friends and well-wishers showered Her Majesty with gifts while a group of her attendants chanted mele in her honor throughout the night. Among the most impressive speeches was the one given by the secretary of the Hale Nauā Society, Kaikioewa, in which he praised the Princess for "He mau makahiki ona hana i ku i ke aloha..., aole wale hoi iwaena o kou Lahui kanaka ponoi aka, iwaena o na Lahui kanaka a pau o ka na aina e." (Many years of works distinguished by Aloha.., not only among those of your own race, but among all races of peoples from foreign lands as well.)
Honolulu. December 21, 1893. The newest scheme to try and cover the blatant tracks of last January's immoral and treasonous coup is currently being cooked up by U.S. Senator John Tyler Morgan. He is apparently now planning an alternate "fact finding investigation," after the unforseen results of the recent Blount Report. Does anyone truly believe that an "investigation" is what this man is leading? He has not only been one of the most ardent advocates of the annexation of Hawai'i, arguing last February that the taking of the islands "gives us a chance to double, perhaps quadruple, our commerce in the Pacific," but has already introduced a bill to set up a structure for accomplishing that annexation. Now he is going to do an "investigation" of what happened?
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