Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole was a prince, descended from the last king of Kaua'i. He was called Prince Cupid as a child for his twinkling eyes and perpetual smile, a nickname that stuck with him through adulthood. He attended schools that later became 'Iolani and Punahou, and then he and his two brothers were sent to the United States and the United Kingdom for schooling. While in the United States and United Kingdom, he and his brothers introduced surfing to the residents there, becoming the first surfers in both California and in the British Isles. After the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom, he was put into jail for rebelling against the annexation. After serving his time, he and his wife decided to leave Hawai'i, and they traveled the world, with Kūhiō even joining the British Army at one point. They returned home to Hawai'i after their self-imposed exile of 2 years, and he decided to run for Congress, to further help Native Hawaiians with their independence. He served for 10 terms, introducing a number of bills in Congress, including one for women suffrage, 4 years before Congress had passed the Nineteenth Amendment. He also helped in getting the Hawaiian Homes Act passed, even though he disagreed with what was eventually signed into law. He served on the first Hawaiian Homes Commission for a few months before his death in 1922. He is interred at Mauna 'Ala, along with other Hawaiian royalty. We celebrate this day to honor him and all that he has done to help Native Hawaiians.
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