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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.
Honolulu. August 6, 1865. Yesterday's Nupepa Kuokoa carried a lengthy description of last week's wonderful July 31 celebration of Ka Lā Ho'iho'i Ea (Restoration Day). More than twelve hundred people were present and enjoyed a feast that included roast pig, poi, and also foreign delicacies. Many of the ali'i nui were present on this twenty-second anniversary. The Hon. David Kalākaua was the main speaker of the day and inspired the large crowd with words in both Hawaiian and English. Words were also shared by Mea Ki'eki'e W.C. Lunalilo. A canoe race finished off the day.
Honolulu. November 3, 1885. The very popular Honolulu Reading Room Association, begun here in 1879, has received an incredible bequeathal. By the will of the late Queen Dowager Emma Kaleleonālani Rooke, the library is to receive at once its first bequest and most valuable contribution of books yet made at any one time. The tremendously generous and important gift of her entire private library consists of nearly six hundred volumes and embraces many works of great interest and value.
Honolulu. November 1892. In this second year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Lili'uokalani, the Kingdom Legislature has formed a Special Committee on an Electric Light Franchise for Honolulu. The legislative committee will look at a proposed bill that "asks for a franchise to carry on the business of manufacturing and disposing of electric light and power, and to use the public streets in Honolulu for erecting and maintaining poles and wires for that purpose."
Kalua'aha, Moloka'i. February 1895. There is much consternation about the island this week after the mission paper The Friend decided to lay its condeming sites on this land. A recent column in that paper spoke of how the "Association for the Supression of Idolitary" had observed houses in Kalua'aha that were openly marked as those where kahuna were practising. This organization, founded by H.E.A. pastor Rev. James Bicknell, has been at the center of attacks on Native practises in Honolulu and has now set its sites on Moloka'i.
Honolulu. September 1899. Dr. William T. Brigham, director of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, has published a monograph on the subject of Hawaiian feather work. In this first part of a series titled Bishop Museum Memoirs, Brigham describes this amazing art and compiles a census of feather capes and cloaks throughout the world that lists one hundred items.
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