Hawaiian Mission Houses Commemorates 200th Anniversary Connecting New England to Hawai'i

Tour to New England Cities

News Release from Hawaiian Mission Houses, Sep 18, 2019

BOSTON, Sept. 18, 2019 -- The Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives commemorates the 200th anniversary of the first Congregational mission to Hawai'i with "The Hawai'i, New England Connection," a 30-day tour of History Theatre, panel discussions, and cultural events (please see tour calendar). This series explores the history and contemporary results of the intersection of New England and Hawaiian culture, which began in 1819 when the first missionaries left Boston for Hawai'i and continues today.

Moses Goods

"The Hawai'i, New England Connection" features a one-man play, "My Name is 'Ōpūkaha'ia." Performed by Moses Goods, Hawai'i's premier actor, storyteller, and writer, it recounts the life of 'Ōpūkaha'ia, a young Native Hawaiian man who would change the history of Hawai'i forever with his arrival in New England. Events also include discussion panels with New England and Hawai'i scholars, school workshops, and performances of Hawaiian songs and chants.

The thirty-day New England tour begins at Yale University, New Haven, CT and continues with visits and activities in sixteen other New England locations, concluding with a major public event at Park Street Church on October 23rd in Boston, MA. Join Hawaiian Mission Houses also in Boston for a Bicentennial Reception on October 20th at the Vincent Club with members, friends, and guests from Hawai'i and New England, an encore performance of "My Name is 'Ōpūkaha'ia" by Moses Goods, and the opportunity to meet Hawaiian Mission Houses' Director Dr. Neal V. Hitch (open to public, reservations required, www.missionhouses.org).

"WITH THIS THIRTY-DAY TOUR OF LIVE THEATER, DISCUSSIONS, AND IMAGES, WE PROVIDE A RARE LOOK INSIDE THE 1819 HAWAIIAN EXPERIENCE AND EXPLORE THE LEGACY OF NEW ENGLAND CULTURE AND RELIGION IN HAWAI'I..."

– Neal V. Hitch, Ph.D., Executive Director, Hawaiian Mission Houses

ABOUT THE HAWAIIAN MISSION HOUSES HISTORY AND CULTURE
Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives (HMH) was founded in 1820 by protestant missionaries from New England as the "Sandwich Islands Mission." Now a National Historic Landmark and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, HMH sits on a one-acre site in the Historic Capital district in downtown Honolulu. HMH preserves Hawai'i's two oldest houses, the 1821 Mission House and the 1831 Chamberlain House; a cemetery; and a collections, archives, and library facility. In 2011, a coral and grass performance venue were added, hosting 22 weeks of theater and mele (music) performances a year. A reconstructed hale pili (grass home) will be completed in 2019.

The 2019 Hawaiian Mission Houses New England Tour will visit sixteen New England locations and is devoted to commemorating the Bicentennial of this remarkable alliance, exploring and showcasing the Hawaiian-New England story and its impact on Hawaiian history. For more information about HMH, visit www.missionhouses.org/about or call HMH information at (808) 447-3910.