For Kānaka ʻOiwi, our Aliʻi are so important. They symbolize us as a people, and the generations who forged the path on which we walk.
As Native Hawaiians, our kingdom was stolen, our lands reallocated under colonialist laws, blood quantum requirements were enacted by the American Congress to try and assure that we do not survive as a people for many more generations. Because of land mismanagement and invasive species introduction, many scientists have called us the endangered species capital of the world.
To add insult to injury, people can’t even let us keep the images of our beloved Queen who strove to do so much for her people. Emalani sold her personal jewels and hit up her friends to do the same to build the Queen’s Hospital so that Hawaiians could have proper health care.
And people can’t even let us have her image without appropriating it and giving it to someone else! Honestly, it is hurtful on a personal AND A CULTURAL level.
Below is one of the images often misrepresented as Mary Ellen Pleasant (August 19, 1814 – January 11, 1904), a Black entrepreneur who lived many years in San Francisco. It does a disservice to BOTH women to steal Emalani’s image and use it for Mrs. Pleasant. Mrs. Pleasant does not need to be represented by a Hawaiian. And Queen Emma is OUR beloved Emalani, not a San Francisco businesswoman. Please respect BOTH women and stop using Emalani’s image to represent Mrs. Pleasant, and please speak up when you see others do so.
The below standing portrait was made based on a photograph taken after August of 1862. We know this because the original photo has the christening cup of her son, Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Leiopapa a Kamehameha. The cup was a gift from Queen Victoria. Tragically, the little prince died on August 27, shortly before the cup arrived. I expect it was a mourning photo and that there is symbolism to the flowers.
The photo may even be after the death of her husband, Alekanetero ʻIolani Kalanikualiholiho Maka o ʻIouli Kūnuiākea o Kūkāʻilimoku, whom she lost a little over a year later, November 30, 1863.
For more images of Queen Emma which have been misidentified as Mary Ellen Pleasant, visit this web page.