Queen Lili'uokalani in the garden at Washington Place
Happy Birthday to Queen Lili’uokalani!
This year is especially important because it is the 100th anniversary of the Queen’s Trust, which was set up to help care for Hawai’i’s children and needy families. Liliu’okalani was also a great patron of the arts. She founded the keiki hula festival, composed over 100 songs, and even published a book about her life and the culture and politics of Hawai’i.
She is truly one of the most notable authors of Hawaii, and her book Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen is a testament to her love of the land, her people, and the arts. HBB did its very first blog review on that book in her honor, check it out here. She continues to be an inspiration for us as an author, cultural activist and benefactor.
State celebrations were held on the grounds of Iolani Palace, and free tours were given today. If you’d like to read more about this amazing monarch check out Lili’uokalani by Aldyth Morris for a great overall biography of her life, and The Betrayal of Lili’uokalani:Last Queen of Hawaii 1838-1917 for a closer look at her later years.
