Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 10, 1 October 2001 — Church refurbishes royal resting place [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Church refurbishes royal resting place

By Manu Boyd Most people associate Mauna'ala, the Royal Mausoleum in Nu'uanu, as the resting plaee of all rulers, except of course for Kamehameha I. But King Lunalilo, who died in 1874, chose to be entombed near his constituents, on the grounds of Kawaiaha'o Church and its maka'āinana cemetery. By his will, Hawai'i's sixth ruler, William Charles Lunalilo, known as "the people's king," and his father, Charles Kana'ina, remain at Kawaiaha'o in a mausoleum that over the past decade has been neglected. Kawaiaha'o has instigated a $65,000 landscaping project whieh includes the replacing of deteriorated pipes and the installation of a sprinkler system. Acting Kawaiaha'o Administrator Puanani Akaka Caindec, who also serves on the church's board of trustees, is pleased with the progress. "With irrigation pipes throughout the church campus being replaced, we have a long-term plan whieh

includes landscaping the mausoleum are," she said. "King Lunalilo's tomb is right at the entrance where the project would start there." Fred Lau of Hawaiian Landscape Company ine. is combining native and introduced flora including loulu palms, lā'ī, 'ākia, plumeria and traveler's palm. "Years ago, plumeria trees were removed from the area," remembers R-M. Keahi Allen, who serves as trustee of Lunalilo Trust whieh oversees Lunalilo Home. "Plumeria is not native, but it has become a favorite for its beauty and fragrance," she said. Although Kawaiaha'o Church has jurisdiction over the land areas surrounding the tomb, the king's trust continues its jurisdiction over the cement structure. Landscaping of the Lunalilo complex will be completed this month. The church has also recently renovated its bookstore, and has been cleaning the coral structure of the church. "There's a lot of work to do, and over time, we will accomplish our goals," said Caindec. ■

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