On January, 8, 1891, William Hyde Rice and his wife, Mary, entertained Queen Liliu‘okalani at Hale Nani, their Lihu‘e home once located not far beyond what is today the west entrance into Ewalu Street.
The queen had arrived at Nawiliwili earlier that day aboard her majesty’s ship “Mikahala.”
A carriage then drove Liliu‘okalani to Hale Nani — its grounds landscaped to perfection and splendidly decorated with rare flowers, vines, ferns, palms, banners, and colorful flags to welcome her.
At noon, Hale Nani came alive with the music of the Royal Hawaiian Band conducted by bandmaster, Henry Berger, while 300 to 400 children of various nationalities passed before Liliu‘okalani while she sat on the lanai.
In passing, the children laid gifts of fruit before her, and the Rice’s small son, Arthur, drove up to the steps in a gift-filled little cart drawn by four goats.
Later in the afternoon, a lu‘au was served under a great banyan tree on the lawn, which was followed, between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., by an old-fashioned hookupu — a gift-giving ceremony performed as a sign of honor and respect for the queen.
People from all around Kaua‘i came forward to present Liliu‘okalani with their best offerings of poultry and pigs, flowers and fruits, cakes, kahilis, leis, and calabashes, which the smiling queen graciously received.
That evening, a reception was held in her honor at Hale Nani, with prominent members of the Kaua‘i community being presented to her majesty by Mr. Rice, who stood with Liliu‘okalani in the alcove of the parlor.
In the alcove, a glittering crown had been suspended over her head, while on either side stood kahilis, the feathered standards symbolic of royalty.
Outside, the lanai was decorated with a great variety of Japanese lanterns, and the Royal Hawaiian Band played sweetly before the house.
On the following morning, the queen set off on a tour of Kaua‘i.
Shortly thereafter, Queen Liliu‘okalani appointed Rice to be the governor of Kaua‘i, a position he held until after the revolution of 1893.
Rice was the last governor of Kaua‘i.
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Hank Soboleski has been a resident of Kauai since the 1960s. Hank’s love of the island and its history has inspired him, in conjunction with The Garden Island Newspaper, to share the island’s history weekly. The collection of these articles can be found here: https://bit.ly/2IfbxL9 and here https://bit.ly/2STw9gi Hank can be reached at hssgms@gmail.com
