Sharon Linnea is an author of both fiction and non-fiction books. She has been a staff writer for the Hallmark Network, is the founding Inspiration Producer of a multi-faith Website, Beliefnet, has assisted in making an independent feature film called Knowing Lisa (which won the Silver Award at Worldfest Houston) and works with the authors of Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Interview with Keri Kittleson and Author Sharon Linnea
Keri: Can you tell me about your book and the research you did for "Princess Ka'iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People"? Sharon: For the book, I spent time in Hawaii, researching at the Bishop Museum, which has many letters and journals of the time, the University of Hawaii, which has many original newspapers and interviews, in the archives of the state library, which has local magazines and newspapers from the time, as well as the Cleghorn Collection, which had all the letters of Kaiulani, her parents, and the like. I also interviewed many people who knew the family, as well as biographers of earlier books who had spoken directly to people involved when they were still alive. I also visited the places of Kaiulani's life: Iolani Palace, the site of her home in Waikiki, St. Andrews Church, Kawaiahao Church, the mausoleum where Kauilani and her mother are buried, the site of their home on the Big Island, Parker Ranch, and many other places Kaiulani and her family would have known. As a Christian, I knew much about the Christian Bible, but I also learned a lot about Huna and the learning of the kahunas (scientists).
Keri: What can you tell me about the strength and character of the royal Hawaiian family; especially the princess and then queen Liliuokalani? Sharon: Hawaiians had long believed that the High Alii, their royalty, were descended from the Gods. Kamehameha I, was the first High Alii who took advantage of western guns and ships to take over all the islands and become king of all Hawaii. His line died out, through tragic illness, and the Kalakaua dynasty took over. King Kalakaua tried to walk the line between the absolute power of the High Alii and what was expected of a modern ruler. He erred a bit on the side of believing he was godlike. His sister Lydia, who became Queen Liliuokalani, on the other hand, was a more educated, temperate, and thoughtful woman. When she became queen, she governed the island in a much more educated way. Princess Kaiulani was a young woman who was educated in Europe and learned to truly respect the importance of all the island's subjects. She believed the native Hawaiians were as important as the Westerners, but she knew how to talk to the westerners.
Keri: What do you think the explorers that came to Hawaii did to make the life of the Hawaiians better? Sharon: The explorers didn't do much to make the islands better. Captain Cook and his men left behind syphilis and rum, which had devastating effects. When the missionaries arrived, they brought written language and the wheel. They also brought catastrophic things like measles and imposed their own beliefs and laws. They forced alii to abandon all but one wife, and their children and other merchants turned the islands into an international trading port. They deforested and took lands from the native peoples, and introduced virtual slavery and the idea of white supremacy. They also brought contact with the wider world, for better or worse.
Keri: What negative impact did the explorers have on the future of Hawaii? Sharon: The driving notion of white supremacy meant that native Hawaiians and Japanese and Chinese laborers were treated as sub-human. They also took all the land away from the Hawaiians--who didn't believe people could "own" land, and made the bounty of the islands all about money.
Keri: Why do you think the princess was unable to persuade the United States to return Hawaii back to its people? Sharon: She did persuade the president, Grover Cleveland. Neither she nor Cleveland could convince a Congress that was split down the middle. There was too much money and power at stake. When McKinley became president, she knew he was a firm believer in expansionism--taking over as much land as possible. Between McKinley and fighting in the Philippines, what was politically expedient took precedence over what was right and fair.
Keri: The Hawaiian rulers were educated and refined people in their own right and then had converted to Christianity; the missionaries and businessmen still continued to treat them a lesser people. Why do you think they got away with this and eventually took over their government? Sharon: The United States of America was founded by fundamentalist Christian groups (i.e. the Pilgrims) who considered themselves the last remnants of the Chosen People. Since they were chosen, other people--native Americans, Africans, Jews, Mexicans, certainly Hawaiians, didn't have to be considered on their level. That thinking permeated American thinking. People other than whites on the mainland were certainly treated no better than those in Hawaii at that time. The sons of the missionaries convinced Congress that Hawaiians were simple heathen--cannibals, in fact--and it was in the Hawaiians' own best interest to have American overlords. It didn't take much convincing.
Keri: Do you think the royal Hawaiian family could have done something differently which would have saved their country from U.S. rule? What could they have done, or would the U.S. have dominated them no matter what they tried? Sharon: You have to remember that Britain and several other countries were also after the Islands. There's a chance that, if Queen Liliuokalani had let her people take up arms against the American insurgence instead of asking them to join her in prayer against the attackers, they might have been able to defeat them. But the sons of the missionaries had guns and were more than willing to kill people, while the Christian queen felt it was against God's law.
Keri: The princess and her family appear to have been well-educated and peaceful people, what else would you like to share about the princess and her family? Sharon: Kaiulani was able to be part of a plan to get universal (male) suffrage for Hawaii-which meant that even native Hawaiians got to vote in elections. That was huge. And there is really something to be said for practicing the spirit of aloha, and love, and forgiveness, even when people have taken everything from you. But the spirit of aloha in the Islands is like very few places on Earth.
Keri: Thank you so much for your time and help. It is an honor to interview you. Sharon: You are so welcome.