24-04-2025
Merrie Monarch Festival named in honor of King Kalākaua
HONOLULU (KHON2) — In the ahupuaʻa of Punahou, which lies in the moku of Hilo on the beautiful island of Hawaiʻi, stands a roadway named in honor of the Merrie Monarch.
We are speaking of Kalākaua St.
Farrington, named after a Hawaiʻi governor
David Kalākaua was elected King of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1874, becoming its seventh ruling monarch.
Serving for nearly 17 years until his passing in 1891, King Kalākaua is credited with both significant gains and losses.
He was known for his parties and lūʻau, for being a gracious host, for his love of entertainment, but also for his drinking.
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote about the king's ability to drink several bottles of wine and then go on to attend official functions as if he didn't.
Unfortunately, the King suffered from heart, kidney, and liver problems, passing away from Bright's Disease while was because of his flamboyant personality that King David Kalākaua was given the nickname, the 'Merrie Monarch.'
But another one of his nicknames was the 'Renaissance King,' credited for bringing cultural arts out from behind closed doors.
Following the arrival of the missionaries to Hawaiʻi, the 'heathen song and dance', referring to chant and hula, began to be forbidden.
But King Kalākaua, being a product of a bicultural upbringing, understood the value of both the Western and Hawaiian worlds.
When the king celebrated his coronation, he invited 7 hula teachers and 50 or so dancers who performed over 260 chants and dances.
This began a renaissance of Hawaiian culture, which, today, is alive and well.
Check out more news from around Hawaii
The annual Merrie Monarch Festival is named in honor of King David Kalākaua.
Did you know? Now you do!
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
