A Masonic Certificate belonging to King David Kalākaua I (David Laʻamea Kamananakapu Mahinulani Naloiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua), King of Hawai’i (1836–1891)
Born in Honolulu, Kingdom of Hawai’i
Died in San Francisco, CA
Kalākaua’s early reign was steeped in controversy. Not only was his election to the Hawai’ian royal throne contested and rife with foreign interference, but he also opened the kingdom to trade under intense legislative and military pressure from the United States. In order to stave off US annexation, his 1875 Reciprocity Treaty granted the US exclusive use of Pearl Harbor.
His around the world trip in 1881 was intended to encourage the immigration of sugar plantation workers. While sojourning in California, he fell ill. In Santa Barbara, he suffered a stroke and was conveyed to San Francisco for treatment. Attended by US Navy doctors, he died from kidney inflamation in his suite at the Palace Hotel.
The Oakland Scottish Rite is proud to own a traveling certificate issued to the King Kalākaua I by Hyram Lodge under the Lusitanian Grand Orient, United Supreme Council of Portuguese Masonry (written in French and Portuguese). Other than the issuer and the issuee, its provenance is unknown, but we do know that in early 1928, when the library from the Madison temple was being moved to our present location, Walter Scaife (then serving as the Valley’s librarian) discovered the certificate in the archives. The document caused much excitement, and it was reported on in the March 10, 1928, edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Translation (with additional information included in brackets):
To the Glory of the Great Architect of the Universe
Order From Chaos
The R[espectable] L[odge] “Hyram”, Or[ient] of Severin [Romania]
Under the auspices of the Lusitanian Gr[and ]Or[ient], United Sup[reme] Couns[el] of Portuguese Masonry
We, the dignitary members of the R[espectable] L[odge] Hyram in the Or[ient] of Severin, let it be known that His Majesty King Br[other] Kalakao I [Kalākaua I]
In reward of his merits and Mas[onic] zeal which distinguish him, [he] was unanimously appointed honorary member of this R[espectable] L[odge] in accordance with the decision taken in the meeting of January 15/27, 1885 EV. [Era Vulgaris, or common era]
We will issue the present certificate to the aforementioned Br[other] as a sign of veneration and fr[aternal] love.
Issued at the Orient of Severin on the 15th/27th of January, 1885
Certificate Property of the Harry Yetter Masonic Research Library/Oakland Scottish Rite. 2002 All Rights Reserved. Image of King Kalākaua courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
