Iolani Palace

#Onthisday in 1889, Father Damien passed away at the age of 49. Born Joseph DeVeuster in Belgium in 1840, he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts as a priest, taking the name Damien after he arrived in Hawaii. His first calling was on Hawaii island. In 1873, he volunteered to work with Hansen’s disease patients on the island of Molokai. Always focused on caring for his congregation, Father Damien did not hesitate to solicit the Hawaiian government and his church for m...ore resources. In 1881, the Princess Regent Liliuokalani visited Father Damien and awarded him the Royal Order of Kalakaua in recognition of his work. He was eventually diagnosed with Hansen’s disease. In 1936 at the request of the Belgium government, Father Damien’s remains were exhumed and reburied at Louvain, Belgium. In 1995, a relic (remains of his right hand) was returned to his original grave at Kalawao. In 2009, Damien was canonized a Saint in the Catholic Church. Pictured: Statue of Father Damien at St. Joseph Church, Kalawao, Molokai.

Mahalo to Kaunamano Farm and Kamehameha Schools for the $10,000 gift to support our efforts to protect, preserve, and perpetuate Iolani Palace. Kaunamano Farm owner Brandon Lee offered a special promotional fundraising package of locally raised-products last summer through its Eating with Impact program and donated $20 of each purchase to The Friends of Iolani Palace. The promotion raised $5,000 and Kamehameha Schools matched the Farm’s donation for a grand total of $10,000. ...Food security and sustainability is important to Hawaii so is sustainability of our cultural resources, like the Palace. Plus, it’s appropriate that Brandon raises hogs. In 1883, King Kalakaua won first place at the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, for having the fattest native pig! Pictured left to right are Kaikena Scanlan and Brandon Lee of Kaunamano Farm, Friends of Iolani Palace Executive Director Paula Akana, and Kamehameha Schools Trustee Lance Wilhelm. PC: Kamehameha Schools.

Join us for our next episode of our Virtual Discussion Series: Creating the King’s and Queen’s Kahili on Monday, April 19 at 12 p.m., HST. Hawaiian feather work artist Kawika Lum-Nelmida will discuss the process he and his team undertook to create two re-creation sets of kahili for the King’s and Queen’s bedrooms from research and design to installation protocol. The Virtual Discussion Series is complimentary for The Friends of Iolani Palace members and $10 for non-members. Registration is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited, so secure your spot today! Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-kings-and-queens-

Curious about how Hawaiian feather work artist Kawika Lum-Nelmida and his team crafted two re-creation sets of kahili for the King's and Queen's bedrooms? Register for the next episode of our Virtual Discussion Series: Creating the King’s and Queen’s Kahili on Monday, April 19 at 12 p.m., HST where Kawika will join us to discuss the process he and his team undertook to create the kahili including everything from research and design to installation protocol. Following the presentation, viewers will have the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A with Kawika. The Virtual Discussion Series is complimentary for The Friends of Iolani Palace members and $10 for non-members. Registration is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited, so secure your spot today! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-the-kings-and-queens-

On April 12, 1877, King Kalakaua named his sister Her Royal Highness Lydia Kamakaeha Liliuokalani as heir to the Throne. Prior to this date in the newspapers, she was usually referred to as Princess Lydia Kamakaeha, or Princess Kamakaeha, and at least on one occasion Mrs. Dominis Jr. to differentiate her from her mother-in-law. From this date forward she was known as Princess Liliuokalani. Pictured: Liliuokalani before 1880. PC: Hawaii State Archives.

#Onthisday in 1886, King Kalakaua and the Royal Hawaiian Band were in Hilo to celebrate the birthday of Princess Poomaikelani, Governess of Hawaii Island. In the days leading up to her birthday, the band played in different locations around Hilo. On her birthday, April 7, the band played at her home. Her birthday was celebrated with boat races in the morning, a luau in the afternoon and a ball in the evening. The celebration continued through April 8 with an ice cream festi...val and an exhibition of paintings by Jules Tavernier. This painting by Paul Petrovitz in The Friends of Iolani Palace collection.