Virginia Kapoʻoloku Poʻomaikelani (1839–1895) was a member of the royal family of the
Kingdom of Hawaii.
She was elder sister of
Victoria Kinoiki Kekaulikeand younger sister of
Queen Kapiʻolani, who married to King
Kalākaua. Some sources give her different first names; for example Esther, Abigail or even Victoria. The situation was that the three sisters rarely used their Christian names.
Po
ʻomaikelani served as one of
Queen Emma's trusted
ladies-in-waiting for many years, but left Emma's employment to join her brother-in-law's court.
[2]
Her sister's husband became the king of Hawai
ʻi in 1874 and she was granted the title of
Princess and style of
Her Royal Highness, in 1883 during Kalākaua's coronation. She married
Hiram Kahanwai in 1874, a cousin of King Kalākaua and a former steward of Queen Emma. She was made
Governor of Hawaiiʻi island in 1884 by her brother-in-law and was paid an annual salary of 3500 dollars per year.
[3] She also served as President of the Board of Health in 1887.
[4]
She was Guardian of the Royal Tombs at the
Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii from October 15, 1888 until her death. Kalākaua appointed her as president of the Board of Genealogy of Hawaiian Chiefs. Po
ʻomaikelani was kahili bearer during Kalākaua's official coronation.
[5]
Suffering from
paralysis in her right leg, Poʻomaikelani had been largely incapacitated for the last ten years of her life having to be carried about, especially to service at
St. Andrew's Cathedral where she regularly attended. Her condition worsen over the years until she was unable to leave her house. She died at Kalihi Valley,
Oahu, October 2, 1895, aged 56, two years after
Queen Liliʻuokalani was overthrown. The cause of death was
heart failure. After a funeral service at St. Andrew's, she was interred in the
Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii.
[6][7][8] In 1910, after the completion of the separate Kalākaua Crypt, her casket was moved there from the main mausoleum building along with other members of the Kalākaua Dynasty.
[9]
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