Lokahi

Ka'ahumanu Church, Wailuku, Hawaii

On a recent visit to the island of Maui, I made time to attend Sunday services at Ka'ahumanu Church in Wailuku. I'd been wanting to do this for many years. My favorite aunt told me that she attends Hawaiian churches when she visits the islands, and she said the singing is beautiful and the congregations are friendly and welcoming.

Wailuku has several historic church buildings. I believe there are fourteen on the island of Maui. Most are Congregational in origin, these being established by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions of Boston, Massachussetts in the early 1800s. Some of the family members of these missionary families, such as the Baldwins and the Baileys, also pioneered the sugar industry. That makes for fascinating visits of historic sites and museums throughout the Hawaiian Islands if you are visiting.

These were missionaries of an untypical sort. They more or less personalized Christianity for indigenous people, such as the Hawaiians. One of the first things they did was teach the Hawaiians to read and write in their native language, so they had to put together an alphabet and written text for them to learn. The Bible was translated into Hawaiian language in this process, as were hymnals. As the Hawaiian people became converted, by choice not force, they also learned to speak, read and write in English. Some of the royalty and upper class even went on to higher education.

These Congregationalist missionaries provided as well for the Hawaiians as they were able, having a deep respect and love for the people and their culture. In fact, when the government of the Hawaiian territory outlawed the language and the culture in a wrong-minded attempt to unify the cultures, the Congregational church was the preserver of these things because the goverment could not violate the sanctuary of the church.

This particular parish in which I attended service, is named for Queen Ka'ahumanu, a devout Christian convert who was probably most the most influential in transforming the entire kingdom from the ancient to the modern. Ka'ahumanu was the favorite and most powerful wife of King Kamehameha I, who united the islands under one rule. She visited the site before the present structure was built, and she requested that it be named for her. The honor was gladly bestowed.

Queen Ka'ahumanu

I arrived at Ka'ahumanu Church a few minutes early. I stood on the big lawn in front of the New England style architecture and watched as a procession of Daughters of Hawaii and their escorts were given entry ahead of the other congregants. Dressed in all-black or all-white Victorian dresses, they each took the arm of an escort dressed in black suit with yellow and red cape. As I approached the steps, they smiled to welcome me. A deep, masculine voice chanted an invocation in Hawaiian as we all entered the sanctuary and found our seats with the procession in the front rows, the rest of us seated behind.

The Daughters of Hawaii were founded by a group of pastor's daughters to preserve Hawaiian places and language.

There were three of us caucasian faces in the room full of brown people. The Hawaiians are not small. They are large, strong and handsome people. And although few of them are of pure blood, having intermarried with Westerners, Asians and other Polynesians, there is no mistaking the "brand."

It is bright, and light and breezy inside. The windows and doors all open to the tropical air. The walls are painted white and the trim painted green like so many plantation houses in the islands. Decor is simple, the windows are plain glass, and athough there is koa wood and fine linens at the altar, a simple wooden cross is the focal point.

"Ekolu Mea Nui" sang the Na Po'e (the congregation sang the hymn "The Three Greatest Things" from a hymnal printed in Hawaiian. I held it in my hands as I listened)

"Ka hea ho'omana," said the Alaka'i. ("Call to worship," said the pastor.) "On the second day of Advent, Christ connects us to the church in the spirit of Lokahi, the Hawaiian word for Unity."

The Alaka'i, whose name is Kahu Loweana Hau, gave a sermon on the topic of unity beginning with reminding folks that no matter how the local political elections turned out, everyone should be supportive, not devisive, in living with decisions as they are made. He pointed to a portrait of King Kamehameha V, and said that in celebrating the birthday of this past monarch today, we should remember also that the king was a uniter and a peaceful man. Alaka'i quoted Mark Twain:

Kamehameha V, also known as King Lot. He was the last monarch, having left no heir.

"He was a wise sovereign; he had seen something of the world; he was educated and accomplished, and he tried hard to do well by his people, and succeeded. There was no trivial royal nonsense about him; He dressed plainly, poked about Honolulu, night or day, on his old horse, unattended; he was popular, greatly respected, and even beloved."

The structure of the hour of worship was typical Congregational style, identical to services I've attended at home. The communion was a little different, though. Alaka'i presented a whole loaf of homemade bread, broke it in half as he gave the blessing and poured wine from a caraffe into a chalice. We congregants came forward, broke a bit off the loaf and dipped it into the wine before eating it.

The singing was as my aunt described. Harmonious and robust. I can still hear it sometimes when I am falling asleep. The chanting at the beginning and end of the service stirs the emotions and resonates in your very bones.

Upon the conclusion of the service, all are embraced by Alaka'i at the exit.

"Hi!" He said to me in my native tongue. "I am glad you found us and came to join us. May God bless you and keep you."

"Aloha," I replied to him. "Beautiful service. Thank you."

I walked across the big lawn toward my car. I turned around for a moment and looked back at the beautiful building with the West Maui Mountains as a backdrop. Just up the road going into the Iao Valley, King Kamehameha the Great defeated his last enemy army and made the Iao stream run red with blood and clogged with bodies, beginning the unification of the islands. His queen, Ka'ahumanu assisted him by forming alliance with the Westerners and obtaining cannon and muskets for her husband's effort.

Kamehameha the Great

It is said that Ka'ahumanu's life as a royal Hawaiian did not please her and she was eager to reject the old ways for the new. She made great personal sacrifice and good use of her position to make vast changes for the love of the Christian church and of her people. This is a good article about who she may have been:
http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/hawaii/queen+kaahumanu/

Lokahi. Unity in the marriage of Kamehameha and Ka'ahumanu, Ka'ahumanu and the church, the church and the people.

Lovely service indeed, on the second day of Advent.

HO'ONANI I KA MAKUA MAU.


Iao Valley and Wailuku painted by Edward Bailey, a benefactor of Ka'ahumanu Church, in the mid-1800s