In a project organized and led by the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, more than 225 letters written by 42 ali‘i during the 1800s have been digitized, transcribed, translated and annotated, and are now preserved in the Mission
In a project organized and led by the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, more than 225 letters written by 42 ali‘i during the 1800s have been digitized, transcribed, translated and annotated, and are now preserved in the Mission Houses Archives in Honolulu.
The collection contains many of the earliest examples of the written Hawaiian language and covers a wide range of topics, from details of daily life, to increasing concerns with the role of the Ali‘i within the church, to disputes on sovereignty with Britain and France.
Kapali Lyon of the University of Hawaii at Manoa brings these unique pages of history to light, introducing the “Letters of the Ali‘i” project during a presentation at the Lyman Museum on two occasions: 3-4:30 p.m. Monday and 7-8:30 p.m. July 24.
Lyon will discuss the principal letter writers and the role of the letters in helping to understand the connection of the ali‘i to the Christian mission in Hawaii during the first half of the 19th century.
The program is part of Lyman’s Saigo Public Program lecture series. Admission is free to museum members, $3 for nonmembers.
The nationally accredited and Smithsonian-affiliated Lyman Museum showcases the natural and cultural history of Hawaii. Located at 276 Haili St., the museum is open 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 935-5021 or visit www.lymanmuseum.org.
