The Hawaiian Kingdom in the World: King Kalākaua's 1881 World Tour
Experience the incredible journey of King Kalākaua in 1881 as he became the first head of state to circumnavigate the globe. Welina! Welcome!
Watercolor painting of Hawaiian double hulled canoes (1886) by R. C. BarnfieldThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
A Legacy of Voyaging, Continued
By the late 19th century, long-distance canoe voyaging in Hawaiʻi had largely stopped; however, many Hawaiians continued to travel on ships all over the world.
Photograph of King Kalakaua aboard the Kaimiloa by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
King Kalākaua’s journey was part of this long legacy of Hawaiian voyaging.
Cabinet card of King Kalakaua by J. A. GonsalvesThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
The Hawaiian Kingdom in the World
King Kalākaua's voyage around the world was ambitious and pioneering. He aimed to study foreign governance, bolster diplomatic relationships, and promote immigration to secure labor for a booming plantation economy in the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Bon Voyage, King Kalākaua!
King Kalākaua departed Honolulu on January 20th, 1881. Before his departure, he attended numerous dinners and celebrations across the Hawaiian Islands. His tour was met with great enthusiasm by his people and was a common topic in local and international newspapers.
Palace Hotel, San Francisco. New Building designed for Bradley and Rulofson Gallery. (1870s) by UnknownThe J. Paul Getty Museum
A Greeting Fit for a King
The King arrived in San Francisco on January 29, 1881. He was hosted by prominent Chinese families, as well as the Chinese consul general. On February 7, a grand ball was hosted in his honor at the world-renown Palace Hotel.
Photograph of King Kalakaua with Japanese Ministers (1881) by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
An Emperor's Welcome
On March 7, the King arrived at Yokohama, Japan. Although he hoped to travel in secret, King Kalākaua was honored by a large welcoming as his ship arrived at port.
The band of His Imperial Majesty of Japan played Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī (Hawaiian national anthem written by King Kalākaua) as the ship arrived. During his stay, King Kalākaua was hosted and entertained by the Meiji emperor, a gesture of the strong friendship between the two nations.
Royal Order of Kamehameha I Grand Cross by KretlyThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
Exchanging Royal Orders
An act of diplomacy and good will, royal orders were commonly exchanged between sovereign rulers in the 19th century.
In Tokyo, the Emperor personally presented King Kalākaua with the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, Japan’s highest order. In return, Kalākaua bestowed upon the Emperor the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Hawaiʻi’s most prestigious order.
Chinese vase (1883-02-12) by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
A Progressive Monarch
In China, King Kalākaua proposed the expansion of Chinese immigration to Hawaiʻi. It was only a year later that the United States passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited Chinese immigration to America.
A Progressive Monarch
King Kalākaua’s support for Chinese immigration was not ignored. In 1883, the United Chinese Society of Honolulu gifted the King a pair of vases seen on display in the Grand Hall of ʻIolani Palace today.
You might be wondering, how did King Kalakaua travel so quickly?
King Kalākaua’s voyage took only ten months thanks to rapid improvements in transportation technology. On his tour, he mostly travelled via steamships and trains, enabling his party to traverse oceans and continents with ease.
Letter from Shanghai (1881-04-06) by King KalakauaThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
A Transportation Revolution
In this letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, William L. Green, King Kalākaua praises "the agents of the China Merchant Steamship Navigation Company, having kindly placed one of their fast boats, the Pan-Tah at my disposal. "
During his trip, King Kalākaua received many gifts from foreign leaders.
Royal Order of the Crown of SiamThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
A Gift Between Kings
The King was presented with numerous gifts as he travelled throughout Asia. In Siam (Thailand), King Rama V gifted him the Star of the Royal Order of the Crown of Siam...
Elephant statuette by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
...as well as an elaborate bronze elephant like this.
King Kalākaua wrote numerous letters back home, providing information about the people and places he visited.
Letter from the Red Sea (1881-06-18) by King KalakauaThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
A section of the letter shown here was written in July of 1881 by King Kalākaua to his sister, Princess Liliʻuokalani. After passing a shipwreck, he sketched a lighthouse as he sailed across the Red Sea.
King Kalākaua was not the only Hawaiian voyager. In fact, he encountered several on his tour.
Historical photograph of James Kaneholo BoothThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
Hawaiian Youths Abroad
In 1880, King Kalākaua launched the Hawaiian Youths Abroad program, sending young Hawaiians to study engineering, medicine, military science, and other subjects in six different countries. The program helped prepare and educate them to serve the Hawaiian government.
In Naples, Italy, on June 30, 1881, King Kalākaua was greeted by Robert Napuʻuako Boyd and James Kaneholo Booth. These young men were students at military academies in Livorno and Turin, respectively. Pictured here is Booth in his Royal Military Academy uniform.
Victorian wooden music box (1881) by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
This wooden music box was gifted by King Umberto of Italy to King Kalākaua.
Victorian wooden music box, interior (1881)The Friends of ʻIolani Palace
The box came with four Western ballads: "Scots Wha Hae Wi Wallace Bled", "O Lovely Polly Stewart", "My Love She's Like the Red Red Rose", "There's Nae Luck About the House".
Royal Order of St. Michael & St. George by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
Tea with the Queen
On July 11, King Kalākaua met Queen Victoria of England, who had sent her own personal carriages to receive his party in London.
The Queen bestowed upon King Kalākaua this Knight of the Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George, a royal order reserved only for sovereigns.
Sometimes, things did not always go according to plan.
Unexpected Adventures in Spain
According to The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, King Kalākaua’s trip was briefly halted when his train struck a bull, causing it to derail between Veradas and Puerto Llano. Fortunately, nobody was injured, and the event caused quite the excitement!
Other times, new ideas were inspired.
Artillery HelmetThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
King Kalākaua was interested in military strategy. On his tour, he visited several military schools, attended drills and practices, as well as took note of the military attire he saw.
This Prince's Own Volunteer Guard artillery unit helmet demonstrates the influence of Prussian designs in the military attire of Hawaiʻi.
Photograph of Iolani Palace staircase (1882/1887) by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
A tour of the United States of America was the final leg of King Kalākaua’s world trip. In a span of just twenty days, the King quickly toured several American cities including New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Omaha.
Photograph of the Grand Staircase of Iolani Palace with carpet by The Friends of Iolani PalaceThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
Lighting up the Palace
While in New York, King Kalākaua met with Thomas Edison, who demonstrated the use of electric lighting. When ʻIolani Palace was completed in 1882, it had electricity before both the White House and Buckingham Palace.
A Momentous Circumnavigation Completed, King Kalākaua Returns
Photograph of a Honolulu archway (1881-10) by A. A. MontanoThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
Home Again, At Last!
King Kalākaua’s arrival to Honolulu Harbor on October 29, 1881, marked the end of his world tour. He was greeted by thousands of spectators and numerous archways decorated with Hawaiian flags, bunting, and greenery.
Photograph of Iolani Palace main gate (1881-10-28) by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
The Kauikeaouli Gate of ʻIolani Palace was also decorated to celebrate the return of King Kalākaua.
Commemorative medal (1881) by UnknownThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
A Voyage To Remember
In celebration of King Kalākaua's circumnavigation, a commemorative medal was created in 1881.
An International Kingdom
King Kalākaua’s 1881 world tour was a remarkable success. He represented the Lāhui Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian nation) with dignity and established long-lasting relationships with foreign leaders.
Photograph of Iolani Palace Gold Room by The Friends of Iolani PalaceThe Friends of ʻIolani Palace
Today, King Kalākaua's legacy is displayed throughout ʻIolani Palace. The many gifts he received on his tour and in subsequent years continue to adorn the rooms of the Palace.
Explore King Kalākaua's journey with our 1881 Tour Virtual Map
Special thanks to the Hawaiʻi State Archives.
For Additional Reading:
Neil Dukas, A Military History of Sovereign Hawaiʻi, 2004.
Lorenz Gonschor, A Power in the World: The Hawaiian Kingdom in Oceania, 2019.
Tiffany Lani Ing, Reclaiming Kalākaua: Nineteenth-Century Perspectives on a Hawaiian Sovereign, 2019.
Stacy Kamehiro, The Arts of Kingship: Hawaiian Art and National Culture of the Kalākaua Era, 2009.
*As a symbol of a proud Hawaiian national identity, ʻIolani Palace strives to perpetuate the Hawaiian language for future generations. Diacritical marks, which were not commonly used during the Kalākaua Dynasty, are used today to assist both learners and experts in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian).
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