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Kamehameha Hall
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Meeting house in Hilo, Hawaii
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| Location: | 1162 Kalanianaole Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii |
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| Area: | 1 acre (4,000 m2) |
| Built: | 1938 |
| Governing body: | Royal Order of Kamehameha I |
| NRHP Reference#: | 93000426[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | May 20, 1993 |
The Royal Order of Kamehameha I was a society established in 1865 by King Kamehameha V in defense of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.
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After Lot Kapuāiwa took the throne as King Kamehameha V, he established the Order of Kamehameha I on April 11, 1865 named to honor his grandfather Kamehameha I, known as Kamehameha the Great for unifying the Kingdom of Hawaii and founding the House of Kamehameha. The original purpose was to defend the sovereignty of the Kingdom. Upon the overthrow of the kingdom of Queen Liliʻuokalani, the provisional government of the Committee of Safety (many from conservative western missionary families) declared the order a threat to national security and forcibly suppressed it. The Royal Order of Kamehameha I continued to exist as an underground society, keeping vigil for the restoration of the Hawaiian monarchy and to aid Hawaiians in need.
The Order was reorganized by Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole in 1902. In 1903, the Royal Order of Kamehameha I came out of hiding when the surviving heir to the throne, Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole led a torchlight ceremony to the statue of Kamehameha I in front of Aliʻiōlani Hale. He announced the restoration of the order and established new civic clubs to act as grassroots organizations in advocacy of native Hawaiians.[2]
The purpose of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, as it is known today, is to unite men of Hawaiian descent in fraternal and benevolent work, good moral character, and sound bodily health; to cultivate the cardinal principles of friendship, charity and benevolence; to aid widows and orphans; to improve the social and moral conditions of its members; to provide scholarship assistance; to preserve and perpetuate the ancient culture, customs, and traditions of ancient Hawaiʻ, uplift the Hawaiian people; infuse the spirit of patriotism, loyalty, helpfulness and kindness among its members; advance the interest of its members in every rightful cause, and to encourage and develop leadership.
Today the order has eight Chapters:
The last remaining original meeting hall of the order, located at 1162 Kalanianaole Avenue in the Keaukaha community of Hilo, Hawaii, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 20, 1993.[1]
The Royal Order of Kamehameha I continues its work in defense and preservation of native Hawaiian rituals and the rites established by the leaders of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. It is often consulted by the U.S. Government, State of Hawaiʻi and the various county governments of Hawaiʻi in native Hawaiian-sensitive rites performed at state functions.[3]
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