Laura Kōnia
Born	c. 1808
Died	July 2, 1857 Honolulu, Oʻahu
Burial	August 4, 1857[1] Pohukaina Tomb October 30, 1865 Mauna ʻAla Royal Mausoleum
Spouse	Abner Pākī
Issue	Bernice Pauahi Bishop Liliʻuokalani (hānai)
Father	Pauli Kaʻōleiokū
Mother	Kahailiopua Luahine

Kōnia in later life, late 1850s

Laura Kanaholo Kōnia (c. 1808–1857) was a high chiefess of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She was the mother of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the founder of Kamehameha Schools.

Life[edit]

She was the youngest daughter of Pauli Kaʻōleiokū by his second wife, High Chiefess Luahine Kahailiopua.^[2][3] Luahine was descended from Keaweikekahialiiokamoku through her mother Kailipakalua.^[4]

She married High Chief Abner Kuhoʻoheiheipahu Pākī at Honolulu, Oʻahu. Their marriage was one of the first western Christian ceremonies in the Hawaiian Islands. They married at the recently built Kawaiahaʻo Church on December 5, 1828.

Kōnia and Pākī lived at Lahaina when that was the capital, and the King and the Premier Auhea had their residence there.^[5]:7 The king finally transferred the seat of government to Honolulu, Pākī and Konia accompanying him. By 1840, King Kamehameha III had a written Hawaiian Constitution and established a legislature. She and her husband were both among members of the House of Nobles from 1840 to 1851.^[6]

On December 19, 1831 in Honolulu Kōnia and Pākī had a daughter, named Bernice Pauahi Pākī after Kōnia's half sister, Kalanipauahi, who was saved as an infant from a fire.^[7] She let her daughter be adopted (the Hawaiian hānai tradition) to Kuhina-nui Kaʻahumanu II, Elizabeth Kīnaʻu.

Kōnia betrothed her daughter to Kīnaʻu's son Prince Lot Kapuāiwa in the Hawaiian practice of hoʻopalau. Bernice had no affection for Prince Lot. Bernice fell in love with Charles Reed Bishop and married him in 1850, when Bernice was 18 years old. She and her husband Pākī strongly opposed this union. The wedding had to be held by the Cookes at Chiefs' Children's School. She and Pākī did not attend the wedding, hoping that the Bernice would change her mind and marry Prince Lot. She and her husband later accepted their new son-in-law and are reconciled with Bernice on the advice of Princess Victoria Kamāmalu on August 2, 1851.

Boston merchant Gorham D. Gilman says of Kōnia:

" She was one of nature's true noblewomen, such as were to be found in that then unenlightended country. She possessed the elements of a strong character and was a recognized force, not only in administration of her own affairs, but when the King, Kamehameha III., formed his first body of high chiefs into a council of the government, she, with a few other of like birth, were selected as his advisers. She was naturally of gentle manners, and physically was rather short of stature, though inclined to stoutness. The daughter, Bernice, inherited her mother's grace of manner, and those qualities whereby all recognized her inheritance of birth and blood. Pākī was a fitting companion for Kōnia."^[5]:11–12

Kōnia was a poet and singer in the ancient Hawaiian tradition. In accordance with Hawaiian hānai tradition, she adopted Lydia Kamakaeha, the daughter of Caeser Kapaʻakea and Analea Keohokālole, soon to be the last monarch Liliʻuokalani. Kōnia was the main influence of her daughter's success as a musician during her early years. Before Lydia's schooling at Chiefs' Children's School, Kōnia had Lydia brought to her daily.

Her foster daughter Liliʻuokalani said "I knew no other father or mother than my foster-parents, no other sister than Bernice." Kōnia died during the influenza epidemic of Hawaii on July 2, 1857.^[8] The death of Pākī and Kōnia placed Liliʻuokalani under the charge of Bishop and Bernice. Kōnia's funeral was held on August 4, 1857 in Haleākala; it had been postponed for weeks due the illnesses of the guests. Initially buried in the Pohukaina Tomb located on grounds of ʻIolani Palace, her remains were later transported along with those of her husband and other royals in a midnight torchlight procession on October 30, 1865, to the newly constructed Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla in the Nuʻuanu Valley.^{[9][10][1][11]}In 1887, after the Mausoleum building became too crowded, the coffins belonging to members of the Kamehameha Dynasty including Kōnia's were moved to the newly built Kamehameha Tomb. The name "Konia" was inscribed on the waikiki side of the monument above her final resting place.^[12]

Family tree[edit]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Alexander, William DeWitt (1894). "The "Hale o Keawe" at Honaunau, Hawaii". Journal of the Polynesian Society. London: E. A. Petherick. 3: 159–161.
• Judd, Walter F. (1975). Palaces and Forts of the Hawaiian Kingdom: From Thatch to American Florentine. Palo Alto, CA: Pacific Books. ISBN 0870152165.
• Parker, David Paul (2008). "Crypts of the Ali`i The Last Refuge of the Hawaiian Royalty". Tales of Our Hawaiʻi (PDF). Honolulu: Alu Like, Inc.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kōnia.

• Martin K.I. Christensen. "Women with power 1840-70". Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership. Retrieved 2009-11-24.

Abner Pākī
Born	c. 1808 Molokaʻi
Died	June 13, 1855 Honolulu, Oʻahu
Burial	June 28, 1855[1] Pohukaina Tomb October 30, 1865 Mauna ʻAla Royal Mausoleum
Spouse	Kuini Liliha Kōnia
Issue	Bernice Pauahi Bishop Liliʻuokalani (hānai)
Full name Abner Kuhoʻoheiheipahu Pākī
Father	Kalani-hele-maiiluna
Mother	Kahooheiheipahu

Paki, a courtier, painting by Admiral Sir Henry Byam Martin, 1846

Abner Kuhoʻoheiheipahu Pākī (c. 1808–1855) was a Hawaiian high chief during the reign of King Kamehameha III, the father of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, founder of Kamehameha Schools.

Early life and family[edit]

According to Hawaiian tradition, he was born in the year Ualakaa, which corresponded to around 1808, on the island of Molokaʻi.^[2] His father was High Chief Kalani-hele-maiiluna, whose father was Kamehamehanui Ailuau the King of Maui, and mother was his wife Kahooheiheipahu.^[3]:6

Pākī was a close friend of King Kamehameha III. He served as Privy Councillor, Chamberlain to the King, Assistant Judge of the Supreme Court, and in the House of Nobles from its founding 1841 until 1855.^[4] The most prominent feature of his character was his firmness; when he took a stand he was immovable.^[3]:6–8

Marriages[edit]

Pākī married first High Chiefess Kuini Liliha but their marriage produced no children. He then married Kamehameha III's niece Laura Kōnia, daughter of Kamehameha III's half-brother Pauli Kaōleiokū. It was one of the first Christian weddings for native Hawaiians at Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu on December 5, 1828.

Konia and Pākī lived at Lahaina when it was the capitol, and the King and the Premier Kekāuluohi, had their residence there. Gorham D. Gilman, a merchant from Boston, mentions visiting Kōnia and Pākī at Lahaina in their "fine new house" in his diary on June 26, 1845.^[3]:7

At this time he also writes:

"Called on Paki and Konia, the parents of Bernice and the foster-parents of Lydia, and the first of the nobility that I became acquainted with. They have always been very kind to me, she (Konia) calling me her keiki (child). The Premier has also done so. Konia conferred quite a favor on me by lending me a nice travelling calabash, not wishing to take my trunk, being too heavy."

At this time Lahaina was the capital and the favorite residence of Kamehameha III. It was an important port, filled with whaling ships. Families often accompanied officers to spend winter in the tropics. When the king eventually transferred the seat of government to Honolulu, Pākī and Konia accompanied him. The change was made by the King very reluctantly, for, as Gilman observed, he much preferred the retirement and leisure which he could command at Lahaina.^[3]:8

In his unpublished sketches of the "Chiefs of Honolulu," at the court of Kamehameha III, Gilman has written of Pākī in detail:

"A. Paki is one of the conspicuous personages in the (audience) room, being upwards of six feet-six feet four inches-in height, and weighing about three hundred pounds. Although of this colossal size, he is of equal and fine proportions-no one feature being more prominent than another. He generally stands to receive the visitors and exerts himself to be attractive and affable His is of high rank by birth, as well as stature, and, it is said, at one time had more land and tenants than his Majesty himself, which, for some political eruption, were taken from him and the other concerned. And for the same reason, he had never received any appointment of influence other thn he hold as one of the superior judges. Be this as it may, he seems to be now in full favor and truly loyal, and is receiving again some of the lands formerly held. He is one of his Majesty's aides and alway accompanies him on visits to different parts of his Kingdom. As Chamberlain, he presides over the internal economy of the palace, the expenditure of funds,etc., and one sight of the whole premised shows that every attention has been bestowed (on them.) He speaks English but little, tho' he often attempts it. He is a member in the regular standing of the Mis. Ch, [Kawaiahaʻo] as well as his wife, a chiefess of direct descent from the Kings of Hawaiii, and noted for her kind heartendness and hospitality. Tho' not figuring conspicuously at Court in Honolulu, she is known and regarded as one of those who are patterns. Miss Bernice is their daughter, in whom they feel a justifiable pride."

^[3]:7–9

To this may be added a reminiscence of Mrs. Rice, one of the pioneer teachers of Hawaii. She recalled Pākī as a man of towering height and proportionate strength of which she one witnessed a remarkable exhibition. He had driven down to the beach upon the sailing of a vessel and the horses attached to his carriage became frightened and attempted to run away. Pākī did not try to check them with the reins, but threw himself across the plunging animals and held them by main force, as he might have held a pair of unruly dogs, and so succeeded in quieting them.^[3]:11

Family[edit]

Haleʻākala

With Kōnia he had a daughter, Bernice Pauahi Pākī. She was hānai (adopted) at birth to the Premier Kīnaʻu. Hānai was a tradition of giving up ones child, practiced by the Hawaiian chiefs and commoners alike, to a close relative or friend. It was to strengthen family ties (ohana). The missionaries condemned hānai as immoral and wrong, stating that you should not give up your child like puppies.^[5] He and his wife arranged a marriage between her daughter and Kinau's and Kekūanāoʻa's son, Prince Lot.

His daughter opposed her parent's decision. She wished to marry for love and said there was no love between her and Lot besides the love of a brother toward his sister. He, his wife, and Governor Kekuanaoa told Bernice it was her duty as a high chiefess to marry a high chief of rank. His daughter later married Charles Reed Bishop, an American. He never attended his daughter's wedding at the Royal School. Bernice and her parents later reconciled at the constant urging of the twelve-year-old Princess Victoria Kamāmalu.^[6]:75

He and Kōnia had a hānai daughter, Lydia Pākī. Their foster daughter was the natural daughter of Keohokalole and Kapaakea. Lydia grew up on Pākī's residence in Honolulu, on King Street. The house was called Haleʻākala, sometimes translated as House of the Sun (Haleakalā), but probably meant Pink House after the coral rock that the house was constructed of.^[6]:75 The house was originally called ʻAikupika (Egypt). Later it became the Arlington Hotel.^[7]:110

The two-story coral house was built by Pākī himself, from the original grass hut complex of the same name at the same site, financed by the sale of Mākaha Valley and would later become one of the primary residence of his daughter Bernice Pauahi and her husband.^[8]

Death[edit]

On the death of Kamehameha III, Pākī predicted he would only outlive his king for a few months.^[3] He died on Oahu on June 13, 1855 at Haleʻākala.^[2] He had planned on giving all his land and estates to his foster daughter Lydia, but changed his mind and left all his properties to his daughter Bernice. Lydia later became ruling Queen Liliʻuokalani, and would always feel disappointment that her foster sister, Bernice, had not willed her Haleʻākala, where she grew up as a child.^[7]:110

Family tree[edit]

References[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pākī.