Hulihe‘e Event Remembers Boy Prince

The Daughters of Hawai‘i present Afternoon at Hulihe‘e 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at Hulihe‘e Palace to remember the late Prince Albert. Enjoy the voices of the Merrie Monarchs and Hawaiian performing arts by Kumu Hula Etua Lopes and his Halau Na Pua Ui O Hawai‘i. The halau is fresh from dancing at the recent Merrie Monarch Festival.

Hula Dancers dance behind Hulihe’e Palace. (Photo Fern Gavalek)

Afternoon at Hulihe‘e is part of the palace’s series of free monthly concerts that honor Hawai‘i’s past monarchs and historical figures; donations are appreciated. Kindly bring a beach mat or chair as seating won’t be provided.

 “Albert was the only royal Kamehameha of his generation,” notes Casey Ballao, palace docent coordinator. “The baby was named after Queen Victoria’s prince consort, and the British royals agreed to serve as his godparents.”

King Liholiho and his young family enjoyed traveling to the neighbor islands and visited Hulihe‘e Palace several times, favoring the seaside royal residence for vacations from Honolulu’s busy pace. “We have a crib used by the baby prince on display in the palace’s north bedroom,” adds Ballao.

 The north Kauai community of Princeville is named after Prince Albert in honor of his family’s visit there in 1860. Tragically, the prince died at the young age of 4, shortly after he was declared Ka Haku o Hawai‘i (His Royal Highness the Prince of Hawai‘i.)

Hulihe‘e Palace is open for self-guided tours. Museum and gift shop hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Hulihe‘e Palace admission, which at this time includes a self-guided tour brochure, remains $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and $1 for keiki under 18. Volunteer docents are sometimes available to give guided tours. For details, contact the palace at 329-1877, the palace office at 329-9555 or visit www.daughtersofhawaii.org. The gift shop can be reached by phoning 329-6558.

Caretakers of Hulihe‘e Palace are the Daughters of Hawai‘i. The organization was founded in 1903 and opens membership to any woman who is directly descended from a person who lived in Hawai‘i prior to 1880. Helping the Daughters in its efforts since 1986 are the Calabash Cousins; membership is available to all.

2013 Afternoon at Hulihe‘e schedule: 4-5 p.m. on the palace grounds

All Afternoons at Hulihe’e present hula by Na Pua U‘i O Hawai‘i Hula Halau and vocals by the Merrie Monarchs. Some events also include the Hulihe’e Palace Band and are noted below. On band dates, only kahiko hula is showcased. Other events offer a full hula show.

•  Apr 21: Event remembering Prince Edward Albert
• May 19: Event remembering King Kamehameha IV “Alexander Liholiho”
• Jun 9: Band appearance remembering King Kamehameha I “Paiea”
• Jul 21: Event remembering John Adams Kuakini
• Aug 18: Event remembering King Kamehameha III “Kauikeaouli”
• Sep 15: Band appearance remembering Queen Lili‘uokalani
• Oct 20: Event remembering Princess Ka‘iulani
• Nov 17: Band appearance remembering King Kalakaua, Palace Curator Aunty Lei Collins and Bandmaster Charles “Bud” Dant
• Dec 15: Event remembering Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop

Related articles

• Hulihe’e Palace Honors Prince Kuhio and Queen Ka’ahumanu (damontucker.com)