HomeMy WebLinkAboutBIL 104 Draft 02 2002-2004
COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII
BILL NO. 104
Draft 2
ORDINANCE NO.
A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 15-68.1, HAWAII COUNTY CODE,
PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITY SCHEDULE, BY NAMING THE KAWANANAKOA
HALL--"PRINCESS ABIGAIL WAHIIKA`AHU`ULA KAWANANAKOA CENTER".
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Purpose. The purpose of this measure is to name the newly constructed
Kawananakoa Hall-"Princess Abigail Wahiika'ahu'ula Kawananakoa Center"--to correctly
reflect the name and title of Princess Abigail Wahiika'ahu'ula Kawananakoa in recognition of her
outstanding contribution to the Keaukaha community, island of Hawaii and State of Hawaii.
Abigail Wahiika'ahu'ula was born on January 1, 1882, the daughter of James Campbell and
Abigail Kauihelani Maipinepine Bright. She was educated in private schools in Honolulu and
graduated from the College of Notre Dame in San Jose, California in 1900. In 1902, she
received the courtesy title of princess through her marriage to Prince David La'amea
Kahalepouli Kawananakoa Pi'ikoi.
Princess Abigail Kawananakoa effectively became the leader of the native Hawaiian community
and took an increasingly active part in territorial politics after the death of her brother-in-law,
Prince Kuhio, in 1922. She first registered as a voter on February 8, 1922, and her example
influenced thousands of other women to become voters. She was one of the earliest
campaigners for women's rights in Hawaii and sponsored legislation for the welfare of women
and children.
In 1931, she was appointed chairperson of a special committee by Governor Judd to investigate
complaints made by some of the homesteaders against the Hawaiian Homes Commission
(HHC). The committee's report presented on December 31, 1931, found in favor of the
complainants. In 1935, twelve senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties,
recommended that she be appointed to the reorganized HHC. She was confirmed in
March 1936.
As a member of the HHC, she was responsible for the establishment of a finance committee
and also initiated a new rehabilitation project, an additional houselot area at Keaukaha on the
island of Hawaii. On July 2, 1938, after a year of planning, she dedicated the first new structure,
Kawananakoa Hall, which was erected on the shoreline at Keaukaha and named in her honor
by the community of Keaukaha. She was accompanied by Reverend Moses Moku, pastor of
Haili Church. The first Kawananakoa Hall was a central gathering area for the community with a
welfare clinic, a home economics instruction room, and was once the office of the Hawaii
County Recreation Director.
The Kawananakoa Hall was moved off of its original foundation by a large tsunami on April 1,
1946 that devastated the town of Hilo. It was again restored and rededicated on Hawaiian
Home Lands property, the Hualani Park, on October 18, 1947, and subsequently converted into
a gymnasium with an adjacent nursery building.
Princess Abigail Kawananakoa was one of the earliest feminists in Hawaii and, as a political,
social and cultural leader of the native Hawaiian community, she fought fearlessly for their rights
saying, "It is high time that we became aggressive enough to fight for the rights of the Hawaiian
people in any of their pilikias".
SECTION 2. Chapter 15, Section 15-68.1 of the Hawaii County Code, relating to the
Parks and Recreation Facilities Schedule, Parks, Hilo/Hamakua, is amended to read and be
appropriately numbered as follows:
"Princess Abigail WahTika'ahu'ula Kawananakoa Center"
SECTION 3. New material is underscored.
SECTION 4. If any provision of this ordinance, or the application thereof to any person
or circumstance, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of
the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this
end, the provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable.
SECTION 5. This ordinance shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRO U BY:
V
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF WAI`I
Hawaii
Date of Introduction:
Date of 1St Reading:
Date of 2ntl Reading:
Effective Date:
Reference: Comm. 227.2
2