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The Education of Hawaiian Youths Abroad program

H.E. Col. Robert Hoapili Baker, a staunch and loyal supporter of King Kalakaua (his cousin) introduced a proposal to educate Hawaiian youths abroad to the 1880 Legislature.

"On June 1, 1880, representative (Col) Robert Hoapili Baker, formerly a member of the King's Household Guard, succeeded in getting the House of Representatives to appropriate $15,000 to support the program. Further appropriations for the program were $30,000 in 1882, $25,000 in 1884, and $30,000 in 1886, for an aggregate total of $100,000 investment in the program"

Between the years 1880 and 1892, during King David Kalākaua's reign, 18 Hawaiians participated in the "Hawaiian Youth Abroad" program in six different countries around the world. These included Italy, Scotland, England, China, Japan and the United States. The 17 men and 1 woman were personally selected by King Kalākaua himself "to become future leaders" of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The Hawaiian youths studied subjects such as engineering, medicine, art, music, military science and foreign languages for the purpose of bringing skills back to the service of their country.

An interesting point here is that the Kawananakoa brothers, nephews of King Kalakaua's wife Queen Consort Kapi'olani benefited from the program introduced by H.E. Col. Robert Hoapili Baker. And now the Head of the House of Kawananakoa, Prince Quentin and the Head of the House of Kamakahelei Prince Darrick are both highly ranked as Ali'i Nui and eligible for election as Ali'i Moi (King). (H.E. Col. Robert Hoapili Baker, Prince of Kaua'i was once Head of the House of Kamakahelei)

The three Kawananakoa brothers at St. Matthews episcopal day school in San Mateo, California, USA

Sadly though one of the students, who was a recipient of this most generous program by the Kingdom, a Robert Wilcox, turned against the Kingdom on a number of occasions. He gave a damning speech about the Queen Lili'uokalani herself and these treasonous and misogynistic words by Wilcox, are testament to the questionable 'character' of this man.

1892 May 2 - from the book 100 YEARS OF HEALING - The Legacy of a Kauai Missionary Doctor by Evelyn E. Cook (2003)
- Note that the following speech was not covered in the newspapers nor was it brought out in the trial for ROBERT W. WILCOX, et. al.:
page 105:
"highly educated part-Hawaiians, such as Robert W. Wilcox and John E. Bush, who, while strongly identifying with the Hawaiian people, nevertheless often opposed the Queen and considered the monarchy obsolete." Robert Wilcox delivered the following speech on May 5, 1892, before an audience of about 200: 'Monarchy is limited to descendants of royalty. Republic means the welfare of all. In an aristocratic republic the president is chosen from the nobility. In a democratic republic any commoner can become a president. The most popular man, receiving the greatest number of votes will become president. America and Switzerland are the leading republics of today.
Those who tell you that you are not fit to govern a republic, you should regard as your worst enemies. Our greatest enemy is the Queen, because she keeps the Hawaiians down.
Are we to be governed by Wilson (Marshal Charles B. Wilson, alleged lover of the Queen). I do not wish to be governed by dolls. I believe no woman ought to reign. They have no brains. They are generally weak."
1892
R.W. Wilcox and others were arrested and charged with Treason:
The Pacific commercial advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, May 21, 1892.

Wilcox's wife Theresa Owana Ka'ohelelani La'anui was later "prosecuted by the Territorial Court for conspiracy of forgery" of Queen Liliuokalani's will. Theresa was found guilty and in 1918, she was sentenced to three years of hard labor in prison for conspiracy in the first degree.

And now a descendant of this couple claims to be the Head of the Royal house? That family is quite simply not eligible for election! Nor would they ever have the remotest chance of qualifying for an election by the Ali'i council for the Head of the Royal House. To date no election has taken place. Thus no one can just 'claim' to be Head of the Royal House especially a low ranking Ali'i. One must certainly question the motives of this family through the generations and their highly exaggerated and misguided self-importance.

Thus it is most sad to see that the legacy of King Kalakaua and H.E. Col. Robert Hoapili Baker was misused and abused by some that had benefited directly from the Kingdom and the Hawaiian people.

 

Sources:

  • Kalakaua's Hawaiian Studies Abroad Program by Agnes Quigg. A librarian at the University of Hawai'i at Mdnoa and former Head Librarian at the Kamehameha Schools. The Hawaiian Journal of History, vol. 22 (1988)
  • Ioalani- Monday, October 9, 2017 Exposing Treasonous Robert Wilcox, His Family, and his leader Celso Moreno
  • The Pacific Commercial Advertiser. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, May 21, 1892.
  • The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Volume LIX, Number 11105, Section 2, Page 1. January 10, 1918
  • Ka Nupepa Kuokoa
  • Advertiser, 1/10/1918, Section 2, p. 1