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Coming to the close of 2016 and the beginning of 2017.
Of course we lost dad in January of last. In January of 2007, about a year before we lost mom, I started working on the online encyclopedia called Wikipedia. I loved the idea of helping research encyclopedic subjects and writing about them. it felt like I was helping to educate myself and others at the same time. When I started at Wikipedia I never thought anything about research helping me unearth my genealogy as I never really thought there would be much to find in any document, let alone a reliable book source.
I read some of the Hawaiian History but knowing so little I didn't edit any of the articles. I began researching ancient Rome and it's monuments and long lost structures. Yes...I was researching the western world. What got me interested in political articles was Prop 8 and then Jerry Brown, Meg Whitman and the other living people got me interested in biographies.
It wasn't until February of 2013 when I began to get serious about Hawaiian history and started making edits to the article; "Kaʻiulani". I centered on this figure because of old stories I heard my dad and his brother discussing about her. It's some of the only stories of old Hawaii I remember my dad ever discussing at length with a family member or anyone else. While that direction was a dead end of sorts, it was the story of Princess Kaʻiulani that made me realize my genealogy research, if uncovered, might not have the classic sunset, roses and everybody lives happily ever after story with a positive ending. But...do most stories of old Hawaii really have happy endings?
My dad was very ill by the time I had done most of my research but before he was unable to talk my sister showed me the documentation she wanted to have clarified. After some research I told her the people mentioned were related to the Hawaiian Royal Family. So she approached dad to ask (if you knew him, ya knew it was always a risk to ask dad about his family) about the document. She showed it to him and said that I researched the names and she wanted to know if it was true that he was related to the Hawaiian Royal Family. He told her yes but she didn't want to bother him with any more questions. That was in 2014. I had only one line researched to GGG Tututman Ali'i Kilinahe. This man achieved an awful lot and endured an lot. But in the end...his last days were in the courts even if he did prevail at last.
Let me tell you, when I first found Kilinahe's name and began to see all of the surviving royal family of the time linked by blood to the same princess (Moana) I was floored, in total disbelief and felt like Alex Haley was playing a joke on me. I'm reading about Liloa and Umi one day.....and two weeks later I see them on a family tree. I'm reading about Captain cook being killed in 1778 one day....and weeks later find out one of the people present at his death (actually standing over him) was a distant relative. Then see documentation listing the wife of the very king of Hawaii at the time of Cook's arrival as my GGG Tutu. One would think...oh well...that can't be the same person connected to Kamehameha and Kalaniʻōpuʻu....until I then see her husband is mentioned in Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii as the builder of Kamehameha I's palace.
If you got this far in the story....how can I explain what this was all beginning to feel like? There was shock, disbelief, pride I guess, but a real odd since of finding out the information after so long. Percy Jackson movies make me a little teary eyed.....or any movie or story where the character finds out that, far from having no family and being related to nothing....they discover that an entire culture is their family.
OK...so I discovered it in a way that still makes it hard to deal with, especially with the discovery of the Miller family estate this year being sold to pay back taxes. It really was an estate at one time and was the largest piece of land near Kamehameha schools for over 100 years...well....next to cousin Bernice's. And yeah...that part. Cousin Bernice...still having a hard time wrapping my head around that. Not just a cousin through one 3x Tututman but through a 3x tutu as well. That probably hit me harder than when I had to be pretty much hit over the head with my genealogy to Kamehameha I. There is a level of disbelief that really does make you just say; "Nah" and leave it for a long time until someone else confirms it....or throws it at ya.
The thing is...while these people are historic, royal and well known....it is their descendants who I have discovered along with the bones of my kupuna. I am not disclosing where my kupuna are hidden...just acknowledging that I hear their voices and thank them for guiding me here.
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Moana Keaulana-Dyball Well said cuz..... A feeling of pride and honor......
LikeReply110 hrs
PrincesLehuanani Kumaewakainakaleomimona HISTORY AND LIVING IT ......MAKES BIG TIME DIFFERNCE....FOR I WAS RAISED ON MY MAUI SACRED ROYAL ANCESTORS WAINEE AHUPUAA....WITH MY LIVING MOI ALII KUPUNA OF MAUI NUI.....OUR MAUI SACRED ROYAL MAUI KINGDOM CAPITAL TRADITIONAL PROTOCOLS......I NEVER HAD TO READ ABOUT IT...FOR I LIVED IT...I BREATHE IT....I SUFFERED FIGHTING FOR IT....AND TODAY I AM A SURVIVOR....STILL IN THE FACES OF THIS ILLEGA AMERICAN WAR CRIME SYSTEM......IF YOU NEED ANY MAUI RECORDS....AND OR MAUI FAMILIES TO LOOK YOUR MAUI ROYAL FAMILES....I BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU.....FOR ON OUR MAUI NO KA OI.....I PRETTY MUCH KNOW ....WHO IS WHO....????.....OR I WILL FIND OUT....MAHALO KE AKUA.....EO....!@@!
LikeReply14 hrs
Amelia Gora empower yourself with my recent article.... share, share, share.... the Royal Families exists and we are the heirs and successors of the Hawaiian archipelago....not the entity State Hawaii which came out of corruption claims by U.S. President McKinley......the truth of the matter is that President Cleveland Gave Hawaii Back to Queen Liliuokalani and the U.S. has No Jurisdiction in the Hawaiian archipelagos .... http://iolani-theroyalhawk.blogspot.com/.../royal-tidings...




Victoria Qualani White
10 hrs · Honolulu ·
Calling all prayer warriors, I have a lot on my mind and heart.....so much that I have been praying about for quite a while, and even more currently so, I figure getting an online prayer circle going wouldn't hurt. Much love to everyone who reads this. I believe that when someone asks you to pray for them, you pray because prayers are free and should be given wholeheartedly! I decided to do this today because I'm standing in the need of prayer and so many others are as well. Let's pray for each other today, regardless of who or what your spiritual foundation! All prayers needed right now. If I don't see your name, I'll understand. I ask my family and friends wherever you might be, to kindly copy and paste this status for one hour to whisper a prayer for all of those who have family problems, marital problems, health struggles, job issues, or worries of any kind and just need to know that someone cares. Do it for all of us, for nobody is immune. I hope to see this on the walls of all my family and friends just for moral support. I did it for a friend and you can too. You have to copy and paste this one, NO SHARING. Praying for several families and people in need! Put your finger at the top of the post until the word copy shows, then go to your status and put your finger until the word paste comes up-click on paste and the passage should be there!! Amen! Praying right now.
Because of the crisis the world is in right now we need prayer more than ever!!
Amen! Praying right now. 🙏🏼