Lunalilo Mausoleum facts for kids
King Lunalilo's Mausoleum
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1876 |
| Type | Mausoleum |
The Lunalilo Mausoleum is a special building where Hawaii's sixth king, Lunalilo, and his father, Charles Kanaʻina, are buried. It is located on the grounds of the Kawaiahaʻo Church in Downtown Honolulu, on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. This mausoleum is also sometimes called Lunalilo's Tomb.
A King's Final Wish
King Lunalilo passed away on February 3, 1874. He had been king for only about a year. Before he died, King Lunalilo made a special request. He wanted to be buried at Kawaiahaʻo Church. This was different from most Hawaiian monarchs. Many other kings and queens were buried at the Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla.
Historians believe King Lunalilo chose Kawaiahaʻo Church for a few reasons. He was a king chosen by the people. Perhaps he wanted to be buried closer to the common people he served. Another reason might have been a disagreement. There was a family issue between Lunalilo and the Kamehameha family. This was about his mother, Kekāuluohi, not being included in the royal burial list. Lunalilo had buried his mother's remains at sea.
Building the Mausoleum
After King Lunalilo's state funeral in 1874, his body was first placed temporarily at the Royal Mausoleum. This was while his own special tomb was being built. His father, Charles Kanaʻina, oversaw the construction. An Englishman named Robert Lishman designed the building.
On November 23, 1875, Lunalilo's remains were moved. They traveled from the Royal Mausoleum to the nearly finished tomb at Kawaiahaʻo Church. His father asked King Kalākaua for a second funeral. He also requested a 21-gun salute, just like the first royal funeral. King Kalākaua agreed to the second funeral. However, he did not allow the 21-gun salute.
During the procession, something amazing happened. Eyewitnesses said a sudden storm appeared. Twenty-one loud thunderclaps echoed across Honolulu. People called this event the "21-gun salute" from nature.
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The mausoleum was finished in 1876. King Lunalilo's father, Charles Kanaʻina, was buried there after he died in 1877. A cousin of Lunalilo, Miriam Auhea Kekāuluohi Crowningburg, became the kahu (caretaker) for the mausoleum. She cared for it until she passed away in 1899. Because of her important status, she was buried just outside the mausoleum vault. Her grandson, William Bishop Taylor, who was also a caretaker for the Royal Mausoleum, was later buried in the same spot.
Inside the Tomb
The inside of the Lunalilo Mausoleum holds two special caskets. They are made of koa wood. These caskets belong to King Lunalilo and his father. They rest on red-carpeted floors. Three kāhili (feather standards, symbols of royalty) are placed near the caskets. They are encased in Italian marble.
In 1917, two American sailors broke into the tomb. They were looking for valuable items. They stole a silver crown and a silver plate. The plate had King Lunalilo's life story written on it. The sailors melted down the silver items. They tried to sell them in Key West, Florida. They were arrested for their crime.
Who is Buried Here?
- Lunalilo (1835–1874), the sixth king of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
- Charles Kanaʻina (1801–1877), King Lunalilo's father.
- Miriam Auhea Kekāuluohi Crowningburg (1839–1899), a cousin of Lunalilo, buried outside the tomb.
- William Edward Bishop Kaiheʻekai Taylor (1882–1956), Crowningburg's grandson, also buried outside the tomb.
See also
