Read more
"To compose was as natural to me as to breathe; and this gift of nature, never having been suffered to fall into disuse, remains a source of the greatest consolation to this day..." Featuring over a dozen unique compositions either written or translated by Her Majesty,
The Songs of Queen Lili'uokalani is a compliation celebrating the musical legacy of the last and only queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
About the author
Lili'uokalani (1838-1917) was the last and only queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Born in Honolulu to a prominent chief and chiefess, Lili'uokalani was adopted and raised by a chief advisor of King Kamehameha III. Lili'uokalani was baptized as a Christian and educated at the Royal School. Declared eligible to succeed to the throne, Lili'uokalani married John Owen Dominis, an American who was later appointed Governor of O'ahu. After her brother's death in 1891, Lili'uokalani ascended to the throne, marking the beginning of a brief reign with which she would attempt to create a new constitution restoring power to the monarchy and granting voter rights to the poor and disenfranchised. In retaliation, and with the help of Hawaiian oligarchs, American led forces overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, bringing an abrupt end to Lili'uokalani's rule. In 1895, following the failed Wilcox rebellion, Lili'uokalani was placed under house arrest and forced to abdicate, leading to the annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898. During her imprisonment, Lili'uokalani wrote
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen (1898), an autobiography detailing her life and appealing for her reinstatement as queen. In addition, while she was Princess of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Lili'uokalani wrote the popular song "Aloha 'Oe," (1878) now a symbol of Hawaiian sovereignty and identity.
Summary
“To compose was as natural to me as to breathe; and this gift of nature, never having been suffered to fall into disuse, remains a source of the greatest consolation to this day.[…] Hours of which it is not yet in place to speak, which I might have found long and lonely, passed quickly and cheerfully by, occupied and soothed by the expression of my thoughts in music.”Queen Lili‘uokalani, the last and only queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was an incredibly gifted musician and composer. A student from a young age, Lili‘uokalani’s legacy as a songwriter is felt even today with her most well-known composition, “Aloha ʻOe” becoming the National Anthem of Hawai’i and a cultural call for Hawaiian sovereignty. Featuring over a dozen unique compositions either written or translated by Queen Lili‘uokalani, The Songs of Queen Lili‘uokalani is a compliation of Her Majesty Queen Lili‘uokalani’s handwritten musical compositions including the aforementioned, “Aloha ʻOe,” “The Queen’s Prayer,” and "Ka ʻŌiwi Nani,” among many others–pulled straight from the Hawai‘i State Archives.
Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.
With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
