The Mahele

The Mahele. . , In 1848 under King Kamehameha III, the Mehele (divide) privatized land for the first time in Hawai'i. As foreigners settled in Hawai'i and introduced western ideas, King Kamehameha III believed the Mahele was a way for Native Hawaiians to secure titles to their lands., Land was divided among the king, chiefs, and the Hawaiian Kingdom's government. Land parcels, called Land Commission Awards (L.C.A.), were granted to maka'ainana (common people) who met certain narrow criteria., Because maka'ainana were not accustomed to private land ownership, most lands intended for them ended up sold or leased to foreigners. The effects of the Mahele are a subject of great debate to this day., Foreign businessmen, wanting more favorable trade agreements with the United States, overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom's government in 1893, resulting in the controversial U.S. Annexation of Hawai'i in 1898., In 1993, the U.S. government formally apologized for the overthrow via Public Law 103-150, known as the Apology Resolution. , [Captions:] , Queen Lili'uokalani was the last reigning Hawaiian monarch in 1893. Lili'uokalani was a gifted composer of Hawaiian music and was fiercely dedicated to the Hawaiian people and the sovereignty of her nation., These stone ruins are remnants of a house site. in 1848, "L.C.A. 10879B" was awarded to the Kauhoalalua 'ohana (family) who had lived here for generations. Because this parcel was located on a steep ridge line unsuitable for commercial agriculture, the house site was preserved. Records do not show what eventually happened to this family.