Born: September 28, 1854 (Kūkūau, Hilo, Hawaiʻi)
Died: December 28, 1935
Biography:
Emma ʻAʻima Aʻii Nāwahī (September 28, 1854 – December 28, 1935) was a Native Hawaiian political activist, community leader, and newspaper publisher. She and her husband, Joseph Nāwahī, were leaders in the opposition to the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and co-founded Ke Aloha Aina, a Hawaiian language newspaper that served as an important voice in the resistance to the annexation of Hawaiʻi to the United States. After annexation, she helped establish the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi and became a supporter of the women’s suffrage movement.
Born on September 28, 1854, in the rural area of Kūkūau, Hilo on the island of Hawaiʻi, Emma Nāwahī was regarded as a hapa-pākē, of half-Native Hawaiian and half-Chinese descent. Her mother, Kahaoleʻauʻa, was the daughter of a minor Hilo chief, while her father, Tong Yee, was a Chinese immigrant from Xiangshan County, Guangdong. Tong Yee had originally left China to take part in the California Gold Rush but later settled in Hilo in 1850, where he became a successful businessman and co-founded Paukaʻa Sugar Plantation with other Chinese sugar planters on lands leased from King Kamehameha V. Emma’s parents married on June 25, 1851. Her father adopted the surname Aʻii (based on the Hawaiian pronunciation of his given name) for himself and his children.
Emma Nāwahī, along with her four sisters, Aʻana, Aʻlai, Aʻoe, and Mihana, were known as Ka Pua O Kina (The Flower of China) and regarded as famous beauties. On February 17, 1881, Emma married politician Joseph Nāwahī in Hilo, becoming his second wife. Together, they had three sons: Albert Kahiwahiwa Nāwahī, Alexander Kaʻeʻeokalani Nāwahī, and Joseph Nāwahī Jr. They also adopted a daughter named Emmeline Kaleionamoku Kalei Nāwahī, who tragically died while attending St. Andrew’s Priory School in Honolulu.
During her husband’s political career and their residency in Honolulu, Emma Nāwahī became a lady-in-waiting and confidante to Queen Liliʻuokalani. Her proximity to the queen gave her firsthand insight into the political climate and fueled her activism.
Following the overthrow of the monarchy on January 17, 1893, Joseph Nāwahī became the president of Hui Aloha ʻĀina o Na Kane (Hawaiian Patriotic League for Men), a patriotic group founded to oppose annexation and support the deposed queen. Emma Nāwahī joined the corresponding female organization, the Hui Aloha ʻĀina o Na Wahine (Hawaiian Women’s Patriotic League), which was led by Abigail Kuaihelani Campbell as president. Emma served as a member of the executive committee of the organization in 1893 and later became the Secretary of the Hilo Branch of the League.
As an activist, Emma Nāwahī fought tirelessly for the restoration of Hawaiian sovereignty and worked towards educating her fellow Hawaiians about their rich cultural heritage. She co-founded and published Ke Aloha Aina, a Hawaiian language newspaper that became a platform for raising awareness and rallying support for Hawaiian independence. The newspaper played a crucial role in uniting the resistance movement against the annexation of Hawaiʻi to the United States.
After the annexation, Emma Nāwahī shifted her focus towards political organization and suffrage. She actively participated in the establishment of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, which sought to represent the interests of Hawaiians and promote democratic principles within the newly formed territorial government. Furthermore, Emma Nāwahī became a staunch advocate for women’s suffrage in Hawaiʻi, recognizing the importance of women’s voices in shaping the future of the islands.
Emma Nāwahī’s contributions to Hawaiian activism and advocacy for women’s rights paved the way for future generations of Native Hawaiians to continue fighting for their rights and preserving their cultural heritage. Her dedication to the cause of Hawaiian sovereignty and her efforts to empower women have left a lasting impact on the history and identity of Hawaiʻi.