Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop

Princess Pauahi was the great granddaughter of King Kamehameha I, and the last descendant of the Kamehameha line. 

About the Author Ruby V. Redona

Ruby began her career as an elementary teacher in the Hawaiʻi public schools in 1993. In 2006, she started working as the Library Media Specialist for the lower elementary grades at Kamehameha Elementary School, Kapālama Campus, and she remains to enjoy it there. She loves challenging her students to think, create and evaluate by integrating technology with information literacy, E Ola! and Hawaiian Christian Based Education. On her free time, she enjoys a variety of fitness classes such as kickboxing, weight lifting, body combat, and Zumba. During the stay-at-home order in 2020 summer months, she added watching Chinese and Korean dramas. She bought a SUP and went on lots of hikes to enjoy the beautiful island she calls home, O&apos;ahu. She prays a corona virus vaccine is made soon, so life can return to normal. WORK Kamehameha Schools, Kapālama, October 2006 EDUCATION MLISc, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Spring 2004 BEd Elem. Ed., University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Spring 1993 OTHER Seesaw Ambassador since 2019 Common Sense Media Certified Educator since March 2014

December is such a favorite month because we celebrate and honor Jesus’ birthday. We think of gifts under the tree, and we enjoy special memories with our &apos;ohana.  Do you know there is a special Hawaiian heroine also born in December?

Legacy of a Princess: Ke Ali‘i Bernice Pauahi Bishop

Video Source: https://youtu.be/7yYhWR478m0

Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop with the help of her husband established Kamehameha Schools in 1887 to help the Hawaiian people succeed in life with a strong Christian Faith and education foundation. Here are some quick facts of the Kamehameha School’s early years taken from the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Memorial Chapel website: 1. The first headmaster of the Schools was an ordained minister, the Reverend William B. Oleson. 2. The first learning textbooks for the 37 boys that entered Kamehameha Schools on November 4, 1887 was the Bible. 3. In the early years, students marched to Kaumakapili to attend church services, Sunday School and Christian Endeavor activities. 4. Religious Education curriculum began since day one of our school life.

Photo credit: http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/pauahi/#jp-carousel-6024

Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernice_Pauahi_Bishop

Please click on the play button on the next page to enjoy this 12 minute video about Princess Pauahi.

https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2014/12/bernice-pauahi-bishop.html http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/pauahi/ https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/almanac/people/hall-of-fame/detail/bernice-pauahi-bishop https://kaiwakiloumoku.ksbe.edu/article/heritage-center-pauahis-letters-papers-and-diaries https://www.ksbe.edu/about_us/about_pauahi/ https://apps.ksbe.edu/bmc/about/kamehameha-schools-christian-heritage/ https://akakafoundation.org/sermonBernice.html

She loved Jesus very much. She studied the Bible. She sang in the church choir and taught Sunday School. She also helped the sick and the needy. This is a photo of Kawaiahao Church, then and now.

Photo credit: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Kawaiahaʻo_Church

Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kawaiaha%CA%BBo_Church.JPG

On July 9, 1867 Princess Bernice confessed her faith to Christianity. She was then accepted and confirmed as a member of Kawaiahao Church.

Her mother was Chiefess Laura Kōnia Pākī who was the granddaughter of Kamehameha I. 

Photo credit: http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/pauahi/#jp-carousel-6020

Photo credit: http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/pauahi/#jp-carousel-6008

Her parents were of royal nobility. Her father was High Chief Abner Pākī who had an important job as a legislature and judge.

Photo credit: http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/pauahi/#jp-carousel-6007

Princess Pauahi died of breast cancer on October 16, 1884. Although she had no children, she was able to hanai thousands of haumāna as if they were her own by blessing them with quality education and a strong Christian faith foundation. She will forever be remembered as a true heroine to the Hawaiian people.

Pauahi defined two important characteristics for the students of Kamehameha Schools:

Photo credit: KS NEWS | Photo Galleries | Kamehameha Schools

Bishop Memorial Chapel 1897 Photo Credit: https://apps.ksbe.edu/bmc/about/kamehameha-schools-christian-heritage/

Did you know Kumu Redona did a lot of reading and used resources to find information about Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop? She had to paraphrase and used quotation marks for direct quotes to avoid plagiarism and to honor copyright laws. She is so grateful that you have read her book.

Here is a great tip! The internet and nonfiction books are helpful for mostly secondary resources. A better place for information can be found in primary resources, but they are difficult to find since one has to find a diary or do an interview with the person or experts related to the topic. The information Kumu Redona shared with you is from secondary resources.

She dated a businessman named Charles Reed Bishop. They got married when she was 18 years old. This was against her parents’ wishes, so for about a year after their wedding her parents did not speak to her. Her parents wanted her to marry someone who was of royal nobility.

‘O Kumu Redona ko&apos;u inoa!  Hele mai, &apos;āwīwī, follow me! Let us learn about Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop!

This special Hawaiian heroine is Bernice Pauahi Pākī. She was born on December 19, 1831 in Honolulu, Hawai&apos;i at her home.

Photo credit: http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/pauahi/#jp-carousel-6010

Photo credit: http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/pauahi/#jp-carousel-6013

With God’s grace, she followed her heart and married someone she loved. Eventually her parents approved of her marriage.

Pauahi lived a life filled with Christian and Hawaiian values. She attended Royal School with all of the other ali&apos;i children. They learned English and was trained to be the future leaders of the Kingdom of Hawai&apos;i. She excelled in academics and learned etiquette mannerisms.

Mahalo for learning with me! A hui hou! Mālama pono!

Rev. Abraham K. Akaka explained Bernice Pauahi&apos;s thinking at his church service on Sunday, December 19, 1965: In Princess Pauahi&apos;s mind, &quot;life&apos;s tragedy is not only that her people go uneducated - but that those who ARE educated lack the most important thing - COMMITMENT TO CHRIST. Thus foremost is her belief that the best education meets our Hawaiian people&apos;s greatest need - the need for CHRIST-CENTERED LIVES, for MORALITY, for the LOVE OF GOD IN FIXED PRINCIPLES THAT CAN BUILD A GOOD SOCIETY AND A PEACEFUL WORLD.&quot;

Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop

Photo credit: https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/almanac/people/hall-of-fame/detail/bernice-pauahi-bishop

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