The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-26
ROYAL HAWAIIAN women
BY JESSIE KAUFMAN.

into the light OF understanding Just
as her development was slow, so it
grew in strength, until, firm in her
new faith, she was able to see the
evils about her and the darkness that
enveloped her subjects
She determined to rescue her coun-
try from the cruel bondage and toI
save her people by the force of ex-
ample.
There was a way to stagger their
credulity, form of daring that could
not fail to show her absolute faith in
her new religion and her contempt for
the heather gods she had once dread
ed. She would defy Pele, the goddess
of the volcano, of all the deities the
most fearful.
Pele's dangerous home, the world
famous volcano of Kllauea, wei ac-
corded with the goddess's terrible
character. Here, with her attendant
spirits, she played with the flames.
The roar of the burning was the
music of their dance and their sea
sports were in the surf of fiery pillows
that dashed against the sides of the
crater.
To insult awful Pele, of to neglect
to send her offerings, was to call down
certain destruction. Many tributes
were required to appease her, the
greater part of which went to support
the wealthy priests.
Going to the crater on foOt-for
there were no horses on the islands
in those days, Kapiolani had long
and tiresome journey. But fatigue
did not shake her resolve.
Arrived at the brink of the crater,
she reproved the idolatry of the wor-
shippers and ignored every rite and OBJ
servance that she had been taught
from childhood
In vain did the priests threaten her,
and in vain did the waves of liquid
lava rise, and roar break, and throw
their spray of fire toward the brave
chiefess. Never had Kilauea been
more active, more awe-inspiring.
But Kapiolani, approaching to the
very brink, descended several hundred
feet toward the raging fire, and the
angry noises deafened and terrified
her.
After casting the scored berries into
the flames, the acme of sacrilegiou'
daring, she praised God and proclaim
} ed this the most sublime, if most ter
tribe, of His works.
The courage of conviction could g
: no further, the dept of her faith coul
!. not have been put to a more sever
! test a"n.
Kaahumanu, who lived about tn
i same time as Kapiolani, is heroine o
Hawaiian history whose ability, fore
of character, and mother-love coul
1 hardly be excelled in any country o
5 age
; Through the strength of her Low
r for her son she broke the kapus s
that he might be a worthy king and
free man, able to lead his people fo
, ward.
Kaahumanu deserved more cred
than would the women of any othe
country, for the maternal instinct wa
not strongly developed in the Hawa
ian Islands. The giving away of chi
dren at their birth was of commo
occurrence, and the burial alive of III
welcome babies was accounted n
grave crime in early days
The rank of child came throug
the mother, as the fathers identit
> YVES impossible to determine, OWN
to the fact that a woman of roy;
blood was allowed many husbands. S
: the child in Hawaii was scarcely
bond of union.
In spite of prevalent conditions, HOY
ever, there have been instances
, motherly devotion tested weighed an
. found to be not wanting. Kaufman
stands at the head of these exception
Kaahumanu means the feather ma
tie" fitting name for this haught
queen, rs the mano, the wonderf
feather clock of Hawaii, was VOL
=. only by the highest chiefs,
r. Kaahumanu had intense pride
% rank; she was imperious and despot
to the highest degree. She was
a. queen, every inch of her Tall al
v. stately, with flashing dark eyes, beau
Of full teeth and rich, dark coloring, s.
m showed her royal blood in face al
of figure.
n Her son, Eholiho, came to Il
throne about 1919, and received t
it. name of Kamehameha the Second.
h, was weak and pleasure-loving, and
es terly under the influence of the prizes
w. who prompted him to enforce rigid
ly the cruel system of the kapus.
pu But about that time there was