My entire life, I've listened to my grandmother tell me stories of what Hawaii was like in the 'Old Days'. On my grandmother's side, we're a mix of Hawaiian, German, Scottish and Irish- my great-grandparents met at my alma mater, The Kamehameha Schools, married, and lived on the sugarcane plantation in Paia, Maui where my great-grandfather was a manager. They lived in quite a large wooden plantation home, my grandmother says, 'with a servant's quarters'... though they had no servants. Up there, my Friends, that's Waikiki in the 1930's when only two hotels, the Moana Surfrider and Royal Hawaiian, graced its shores. At the time, the rest of Waikiki was home to the estates of Hawaii's Royal family and taro fields.


My grandmother's stories, along with old photos of Hawaiian Royalty have always intrigued me and I've always wondered what it was like to live in those times. My grandmother always said I bore a resemblance to Princess Ka'iulani, also Hawaiian-Scottish, one of the last Hawaiian princesses. Her beauty was unmatched and her spirit was gentle and kind. In a time when royal pairings were arranged to perpetuate the Hawaiian Monarchy, Ka'iulani is often quoted as saying, 'If I marry, I will marry for love'. Had the Monarchy continued and had she not died at 23, Ka'iulani would have been the next Queen of Hawaii.


I've been waiting for over a year now for the movie about Princess Ka'iulani (not loving the title, Barbarian Princess) and I'm excited to report I'll be screening it next week. The Hawaii I live in today is very different from the Hawaii of a little over a century ago and today I thought I'd take you back to a time in Old Hawaii when Waikiki was home to plantation style estates of Hawaiian Royalty, carefree afternoons filled with food, friends and lounging for hours and moonlit walks on secluded shores. These images are of Princess Ka'iulani and her estate in Waikiki, Ainahau.



I love the composition of this photograph... An amazing moment captured in time.


The stream that flowed through Ainahau and emptied into the ocean where the present Outrigger Hotel is located, was called Apuakehau. At one point more than 50 peacocks roamed the estate and were fed by the hands of Princess Ka`iulani. When Ka`iulani, heir to the Hawaiian throne died, the peacocks screeched so intensely and incessantly, that some were destroyed.


The estate at Ainahau is no more and in its place is the Moana Surfrider Hotel. Built in the late 20's, if you're planning on staying in Waikiki, it's the closest you get to Old Hawaii.


So, if you're in Hawaii, I hope you'll make it out to see Princess Ka'iulani/Barbarian Princess during HIFF (Hawaii International Film Festival).


While digging up images for this post, I came across The Kaiulani Project, a group dedicated to keeping the story of Ka'iulani alive. Their website is a wealth of information and I implore you to learn a little more about Ka'iulani, her life and legacy.

Thanks for letting me take you back in time today...

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