Scottish Botanist James McCrae voyaged from Scotland through the Pacific to Sri Lanka.

Do you drink coffee grown in Hawaii? You may be able to thank McCrae. He introduced the first successfully cultivated Arabica coffee beans to Hawaii from Brazil.

Essay as presented to SASH by Kaiwiola Coakley.

Robert Crichton Wyllie was a man who strived to preserve the independence of Hawaii and its dynasty, through his knowledge and passion of working in Foreign Affairs. He was born in October 13, 1798 in Eastern Scotland and later attended the University of Glasgow.

Known as “Hawaii’s Island Rose,” Princess Ka’iulani was a fascinating, bright, young lady who fought for her home miles away from it. With a heavy heart and firm stance, she takes it upon herself to advocate for her people and spread awareness of the oppressive ultimatum her family was facing back home.

Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson has quickly become a notable influence and friend of my

royal family since his arrival earlier this year. He has gifted me with the journal I’m currently

writing in and is now a close friend of mine. It’s the early morning, and I am sitting under my

favorite banyan tree on the property of my beloved Ainahau in Waikiki, taking in the beautiful

foliage and squawking of the mynah bird one last time before one of my most adventurous

endeavors…

This essay is about a Hawai’i-born man named Douglas Herring who designed and wove

an inspired tartan fabric that became the official tartan for the State of Hawai’i. As we know,

the tale of one person is more often complete when the people in their lives are acknowledged

as well. The Hawai’i Tartan is recognized world-wide and is celebrated as such every April 6th on

National Tartan Day. I think this is an important contribution to the art, history and culture of

Hawai'i. When I spoke to Douglas, or Doug, as he preferred to be called, he recalled that the

story of the Tartan all started with a persisting request to his mother, Alice Herring.

A woman who of Scottish ancestry who contributed to Hawaii in health and social services to better the islands and people around her was Miss Margaret Mary Louise Catton. Attending Punahou and other private schools in Hawaii and Scotland, a school in Honolulu Hawaii, she grew to have a passion for working in social services so she went on to New York School of Social Work in 1917. Two years later she returned to the islands and worked as the “first university trained professional social service worker”. Passionate about her work in social services she was able to start programs at Palama Settlement, University of Hawai’I, and a court of domestic relations.

Photo: @ldandersen on unsplash

John Young was a British subject from Scotland who became an important military advisor to Kamehameha I during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was born in Crosby in Lancashire, England in 1742 of parents of Scottish descent.  After several family mishaps, he joined the merchant fleet as a boatswain’s mate. During a voyage between North American and China, Simon Metcalf, captain of the American ship Eleonora, accidently left behind John Young. Being a “cast away” became a serendipitous event for John Young as he became a friend and advisor to Kamehameha I. He brought knowledge of the western world, including naval and land battle strategies, to Kamehameha as he attempted to consolidate the various Hawaiian factions throughout the islands.  In fact, he played an instrumental role in the culminating battle for supremacy between Kamehameha’s forces and those of O’ahu and Maui.

Red, white, and blue...that is the first thought that comes to mind when people are asked

about the flag that represents the United States of America. Three simple colors, that a make a

bold statement. The red stands for valor, while the white signifies innocence, and the blue is for

justice. The Hawaiian flag carries the same colors as our nation’s flag, which is why I love it so

much. Hawaii is a beautiful, historical place of its own, that is a part of an equally extravagant

country. I would have to credit and thank Captain Alexander Adams for designing such an

exquisite flag for the place I call home.

Photo: Ka’iulani Project

On October 16, 1875, Princess Victoria Ka’iulani was born to Archibald Scott Cleghorn

and Princess Miriam Likelike. Her mother, Princess Miriam was the sister of King Kalākaua and

Queen Liliʻuokalani and her father Archibald was from Scotland and was well known in the

mercantile and horticulture industries. Like most young royal children, princess Ka’iulani was

raised by her nurse and governess for the first years of her life and was raised in an area of

Waikiki called Âinahau. Princess Ka’iulani spent her childhood partaking in leisurely activities in

nature, spending time with her pets, dancing and singing with music, and playing with her

friends. As she grew older, she especially liked being active with horseback riding, swimming,

and surfing.

Photo: @pixidlife on unsplash
Spending most of his time on either a ladder or a roof, the last person you would expect, to

see surfing a rocky cove, dropping in on big waves, is someone who is seventy years old. In my

interview with John “Jock” Sutherland he says " ... one way to always feel alive, is to incorporate

nature into your life. ... It keeps you on your toes, ... " Jock went on to say, how his life is a part,

of many lives coming together. Everyone from his Scottish ancestors, to his mentors, like Greg

Noll, Rabbit Kekai and Woody Brown, to his parents and his students. A community of people

dedicated to courage and perseverance.