Miriam Likelike Kekāuluohi Keahelapalapa Kapili

Miriam Likelike Kekāuluohi Keahelapalapa Kapili (January 13, 1851 – February 2, 1887), known simply as Likelike, was a Hawaiian princess and a prominent member of the reigning House of Kalākaua. Born in Honolulu, Oʻahu, she was the daughter of Analea Keohokālole and Caesar Kapaʻakea, both members of the aliʻi (nobility) class. Her full name, Miriam Likelike Kekāuluohi Keahelapalapa Kapili, honored earlier Hawaiian chiefesses, including Likelike, wife of Kalanimoku, and Miriam Auhea Kekāuluohi, Kuhina Nui (premier) and mother of King Lunalilo [3].

Likelike's parents were influential political advisors to King Kamehameha III and later to Kamehameha IV. Her lineage connected her to the Kamehameha Dynasty through her father's descent from Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku, an 18th-century aliʻi nui. She was also descended from Keaweaheulu and Kameʻeiamoku, two of Kamehameha I's royal counselors, with Kameʻeiamoku being depicted on the Hawaiian coat of arms [6]. She was the youngest daughter and penultimate child in a large family that included notable siblings such as James Kaliokalani, David Kalākaua (later King Kalākaua), Liliʻuokalani (later Queen Liliʻuokalani), Anna Kaʻiulani, Kaʻiminaʻauao, and William Pitt Leleiohoku II [7]. In accordance with the Hawaiian custom of hānai (informal adoption within extended families), Likelike was raised by other family members. Due to her delicate health as a child, she was sent to live in the dry climate of Kona on the island of Hawaii, though some accounts suggest she was raised in Hilo [9] [11].

At the age of six, Likelike returned to Honolulu for her education. She first attended the Sacred Hearts Convent and School, run by Roman Catholic sisters, and later the Makiki Family School, supported by King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma. Her final schooling was at the Kawaiahaʻo Seminary for Girls, where she was taught by Lydia Bingham, daughter of Hiram Bingham I, a leader of the first American Protestant missionaries to Hawaii [14] [15] [16]. She shared a close bond with her elder sister, Liliʻuokalani, who often offered guidance and protection, as evidenced in a letter from September 7, 1865, where Liliʻuokalani encouraged Likelike in her studies and urged her to control her emotions [19].

Around 1869, Likelike was betrothed to Albert Kūnuiākea, an illegitimate son of King Kamehameha III. This betrothal was highly favored by those in authority, but the engagement was later broken off for unspecified reasons [21]. On September 22, 1870, Likelike married Archibald Scott Cleghorn, a Scottish businessman nearly twice her age, in an Anglican ceremony at Washington Place, her sister Liliʻuokalani's residence [24]. Cleghorn had three daughters from a previous relationship, whom Likelike accepted into her family [25].

The couple initially resided in a mansion on Emma Street in Honolulu. On October 16, 1875, Likelike gave birth to their only child, Victoria Kaʻiulani, who was immediately recognized as a potential heir to the throne. Kaʻiulani's christening on December 25, 1875, was a significant event, with Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani and the reigning king and queen serving as her godparents. Keʻelikōlani gifted Kaʻiulani 10 acres of land in Waikīkī, where the family later moved and Cleghorn built the ʻĀinahau estate, named by Likelike [28] [29] [30] [31] [32]. Likelike experienced a miscarriage in 1877 and possibly another after a fall, which meant Kaʻiulani remained her only child [33] [34].

Likelike's marriage to Cleghorn, like her sister Lydia's to John Owen Dominis, had its complexities. While Victorian gentlemen expected dominance, Hawaiian aliʻi were raised to rule. Despite these challenges, Likelike was known for her vivacious personality and gracious hospitality at ʻĀinahau, welcoming important figures from around the world. She was also a fashion enthusiast, ordering clothing from San Francisco and Paris. She was known to be imperious and quick-tempered at times, once striking a groom with a whip for a poorly polished carriage. Likelike was baptized and confirmed into the Anglican Church of Hawaii in 1882 [9] [33] [35].

Following her brother Kalākaua's accession to the throne, Likelike and her siblings were bestowed with royal titles. She became Princess Miriam Likelike Cleghorn, and was in the line of succession after her sister, Liliʻuokalani. From March 29, 1879, to September 2, 1880, she served as the Governor of the Island of Hawaii, succeeding Samuel Kipi and being succeeded by Victoria Kinoiki Kekaulike [70] [71] [72]. Likelike was also a talented musician and composer, contributing significantly to Hawaiian music. She and her siblings, known as Na Lani ʻEhā (The Heavenly Four), are recognized by the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame for their patronage and enrichment of Hawaii's musical culture and history [94].

Princess Likelike's health began to decline, and she died under mysterious circumstances on February 2, 1887, at the age of 36, at her ʻĀinahau estate in Honolulu. Rumors circulated that she had been malevolently "prayed" to death [94]. Her death was a profound loss for the Hawaiian Kingdom, especially for her daughter Kaʻiulani, who was still young. Likelike was interred in the Kalākaua Crypt at the Mauna ʻAla Royal Mausoleum on February 27, 1887 [1] [79] [80]. Her legacy is intertwined with that of her daughter, Princess Kaʻiulani, who became the last heir to the Hawaiian throne before its overthrow. Likelike's ʻĀinahau estate became closely associated with Kaʻiulani, symbolizing the hopes and dreams for the future of the Hawaiian monarchy. Her musical compositions continue to be cherished, reflecting her deep connection to Hawaiian culture and arts. The Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, though not directly founded by Likelike, is a significant institution in Hawaii, and her sister Victoria Kinoiki Kekaulike's will contributed to its establishment, highlighting the family's commitment to the welfare of Hawaiian mothers and children. While the prompt initially caused confusion with another Princess Kinoiki Kekaulike, the specific mention of being the mother of Princess Kaʻiulani clearly identifies Miriam Likelike as the subject of this biography.