High Chief James Kaliokalani

James Kaliokalani, also known as Kali, was a Hawaiian high chief born on May 29, 1835, likely in Honolulu, Oahu. He was a significant figure in the Hawaiian Kingdom during the 19th century, primarily through his lineage and his early education alongside future monarchs. His life, though brief, was intertwined with the political and social transformations of his era.

Kaliokalani was the son of High Chief Caesar Kapaʻakea and High Chiefess Analea Keohokālole. His parents were influential advisors to King Kamehameha III, placing him at the heart of the Hawaiian aristocracy. His lineage was deeply rooted in Hawaiian history, as he descended from Keaweaheulu and Kameʻeiamoku, who were royal counselors to Kamehameha I during his unification of the Hawaiian Islands. Notably, Kameʻeiamoku, the grandfather of both his mother and father, was one of the royal twins depicted on the Hawaiian coat of arms, signifying his family's close ties to the ruling House of Kamehameha. His family's connections also extended to High Chiefess Kapiʻolani, a prominent figure known for her defiance of the goddess Pele, a powerful demonstration of her Christian faith.

James Kaliokalani was the older surviving brother of several notable figures who would play crucial roles in the Hawaiian Kingdom's history. His siblings included David Kalākaua, who would later reign as King, and Lydia Kamakaʻeha, who would become Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last monarch of Hawaii. Other siblings were Anna Kaʻiulani, Kaʻiminaʻauao, Miriam Likelike, and William Pitt Leleiohoku II. In accordance with the Hawaiian custom of _hānai_, an informal adoption practice common among both royals and commoners, Kaliokalani was adopted by his maternal grandfather, ʻAikanaka. ʻAikanaka commanded the Punchbowl Battery in Honolulu. After ʻAikanaka's death around 1837, Kaliokalani was subsequently adopted by Kaiahua, ʻAikanaka's widow, whom the Cookes referred to as his "step-mother."

At a young age, Kaliokalani was selected to attend the Chiefs' Children's School, later renamed Royal School, which was founded in 1839. This institution was established to provide a Western-style education to the Hawaiian royal children, preparing them for future leadership roles. He entered the school temporarily in July 1839 and then as a steady boarding student in May 1840. His classmates included his younger siblings David Kalākaua and Lydia Kamakaʻeha, as well as thirteen other royal cousins, all of whom were declared eligible to succeed to the Hawaiian throne by Kamehameha III. The school was run by American missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and his wife, Juliette Montague Cooke, who taught the children in English. The curriculum was comprehensive, covering subjects such as reading, spelling, penmanship, arithmetic, geometry, algebra, physics, geography, history, bookkeeping, singing, and English composition. John Papa ʻĪʻī and his wife Sarai Hiwauli served as _kahu_ (caretakers) to the royal children.

Referred to as "Kali" by his teachers, he was part of the second-level class alongside Emma Rooke (future Queen Emma, wife of Kamehameha IV) and Peter Kaʻeo. He was described as less robust than his younger brother Kalākaua, who often defended him from bullies. The Cookes maintained strict discipline, particularly regarding moral conduct. A notable incident occurred when Kali was severely punished for being found in Emma Rooke's room, an event that highlighted the strictures placed upon the royal children. His _hānai_ mother, Kaiahua, once removed him from the school, believing that chores like watering plants were beneath a chief, but he was returned by the intervention of _kahu_ John Papa ʻĪʻī. A traumatic event in his childhood was the visit to his paternal grandfather, Kamanawa II, on the night before his execution for murder, an experience that deeply affected Kaliokalani and his brother Kalākaua.

After leaving the Royal School, Kaliokalani's life remains less documented. He reportedly worked as an interpreter in the Police Court with Charles Coffin Harris, a New England lawyer who later became a prominent politician in the Kingdom. This experience suggests an early engagement with the legal and administrative aspects of the Hawaiian government. His brother, Kalākaua, later reminisced about James's role as their first instructor in law and his work as an interpreter, indicating a degree of intellectual and professional influence on his younger siblings.

James Kaliokalani died at Lahaina, Maui, in 1852, at the young age of sixteen. Historical records provide conflicting dates for his death, citing either April 2 or April 21, and the cause of his death was not recorded. His remains were transported to Honolulu for burial on May 4, with his funeral held on May 6. The Privy Council of State declared a fourteen-day mourning period, underscoring his status as a high chief. The exact location of his burial is unknown, and he is not interred at the Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla with his parents and siblings. His name, "James Kaliokalani Kapaakea," was later inscribed on the Cooke Memorial Tablet at Kawaiahaʻo Church in 1912, commemorating the Royal School children and their teachers. The dedication ceremony was attended by his sister, Queen Liliʻuokalani, and cousin Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau, the last surviving members of the Royal School.

Kaliokalani's legacy is primarily tied to his prominent lineage and his association with the Royal School, which educated many of Hawaii's future leaders. Although he did not live to assume a significant political role, his early life and education placed him within the inner circle of Hawaiian royalty, influencing his more famous siblings. His story provides a glimpse into the lives of young aliʻi during a period of immense change and Western influence in the Hawaiian Kingdom. He is remembered as a member of the Kalākaua family, a lineage that would ultimately provide the last reigning monarchs of independent Hawaii. His name on the Cooke Memorial Tablet serves as a lasting tribute to his place within this distinguished group of royal children.