Lili'uokalani (1838-1917) Hawaii
- andreachamizoalber
- Aug 31
- 1 min read
She was the sovereign and sole queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii, ruling from 1891 until her overthrow by a coalition of American businessmen led by Sanford Dole in January 1893. She wrote Aloha Oe and many other works, as well as her autobiography during her imprisonment following the coup.
Lili'oukalani played guitar, piano, organ, ukulele, and zither. In her autobiography, she wrote, "For me, composing was as natural as breathing, and this gift of nature, which has never fallen into disuse, remains a source of the greatest comfort to this day." She used her compositions as a way to express her feelings for her people, her country, and the political events in Hawaii.
After Lili'uokalani was imprisoned, she was denied literature and newspapers, but she continued to compose music with pencil and paper. She says, "At first I had no instrument and had to transcribe the notes only with my voice, but despite the disadvantages, I found great solace in composing and transcribed several songs." "Aloha Oe," originally written as a farewell to a lover, came to be regarded as a symbol and a lament for the loss of her country. Today, it is one of the most recognized Hawaiian songs.
Here's the link to download the sheet music. You can find many arrangements of it on YouTube, and I'm sharing one I liked.
Another work she wrote was He Mele Lāhui Hawai'i, considered the national anthem of Hawai'i. It was requested by Kamehameha V to replace the British anthem they previously had.
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