Among the many streets that run through Waikiki is Olohana Street, a name that reflects an important figure in the history of Hawaii. The street is named for John Young, a British sailor who became a trusted advisor to King Kamehameha I and later a high chief in the Hawaiian Kingdom. This is his story.
In 1790, John Young, a 46-year-old British sailor from Liverpool, England, became stranded on the island of Hawaii. At that time he was serving as the boatswain aboard the Elenora, the first American ship known to visit Hawaii. Because of a sequence of events, he was unable to return to the vessel.
While on shore leave at Kealakekua Bay, the powerful chief Kamehameha reportedly declared the surrounding waters kapu, meaning forbidden. Since the Elenora was anchored just offshore, Young could not go back to the ship, as the penalty for disobeying the chief’s command was immediate death. After waiting several anxious days, his ship eventually sailed away to continue its journey to China. Observing Young’s situation and recognizing that he might be useful, Kamehameha brought him to Kawaihae, where the large temple Puukohola Heiau was being constructed.
The Foreign Advisors
During the following years, John Young and another British sailor, Isaac Davis, assisted Kamehameha in his efforts to unify the Hawaiian Islands. Because Young was familiar with European methods of warfare, he is believed to have trained Kamehameha and his warriors in the use of firearms such as muskets and cannons. In addition, both Young and Davis fought alongside Kamehameha in a number of battles.
Young played an important role in building defensive structures throughout the islands. This work included converting Mailekini Heiau into a fortification and arming it with as many as twenty-one cannons taken from ships. Because he frequently shouted “All Hands!” while directing soldiers in battle or training, Hawaiians began referring to him as Olohana, a Hawaiian form of that English expression.
Young also served the king as an intermediary when dealing with visiting foreigners, helping arrange trade and political agreements. When Captain George Vancouver visited Hawaii Island in 1793, he observed that both Young and Davis enjoyed Kamehameha’s complete trust and accompanied him during his journeys for business, leisure, and military expeditions.
Although this relationship might appear comfortable, Young later explained to a visiting captain in 1816 that their responsibilities were demanding and difficult. Even so, he stated that they felt a strong obligation to remain loyal to the king, who had shown them many favors.
The Elder Statesmen
Over time, John Young the sailor came to be known as Olohana the high chief. From 1802 to 1812 he served as the royal governor of Hawaii Island, administering the island from his home in Kawaihae. His duties included collecting taxes, conducting royal affairs on other islands, and meeting with the many foreign visitors who arrived there.
When receiving foreign ships, Young sometimes addressed the curiosity of his guests about his unusual position. In his book Astoria, Washington Irving described the meeting between John Young and the crew of the ship Tonquin in February 1811. Irving recounted how the captain went ashore to visit the governor, who turned out to be an experienced sailor named John Young who, after many years at sea, had come to hold authority on a remote island.
Even after his period as governor ended, when he was nearly seventy years old, Young continued to hold an important place in Hawaiian affairs.
In 1819 he was among the few present at the death of Kamehameha the Great and is believed to have taken part in the secret burial of the king. He later helped Kamehameha II, also known as Liholiho, maintain control during the political divisions that followed his accession to the throne. Young was also present when the kapu system was abolished in 1819 and later advised the new king to permit the first Protestant missionaries to settle in the islands.
John Young died in 1835 at the age of ninety-three at his daughter’s home on Oahu. By that time he was remembered as a statesman, high chief, and trusted advisor to Kamehameha. Although he had passed away, his influence continued through his descendants.
A Lasting Legacy
Although little is known about the first forty-six years of his life, it is recorded that while living in Hawaii John Young married into the family of Kamehameha and had several children. Many of his descendants later held important positions within the Kingdom of Hawaii.
His son by his first wife, James Young Kanehoa, served as translator during the ill-fated journey of King Kamehameha II to England in 1824. He later became governor of both Kauai and Maui. Another son, John Young II, known as Keoni Ana, held several high offices under Kamehameha III and served as Minister of the Interior until 1857 during the reign of Kamehameha IV.
The most prominent of Young’s descendants was his granddaughter, Queen Emma. In addition to founding Queen’s Hospital, which continues to serve the people of Hawaii, she represented the Hawaiian Kingdom abroad, making official visits to the White House and Buckingham Palace. John Young and Queen Emma are buried at the Royal Mausoleum on Oahu, the burial place of the high chiefs and members of the Kamehameha royal line.
Street location
Today, visitors can find Olohana Street in the eastern section of Waikiki, just a few blocks inland from Waikiki Beach. The street runs between Ala Wai Canal and Kuhio Avenue, in an area filled with hotels, shops, and restaurants. Several well-known accommodations are located along the street, including the Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki Beach, Holiday Inn Express Waikiki, and Aqua Ohia Waikiki Studio Suites. For travelers staying in this part of Waikiki, a walk along Olohana Street offers a small but meaningful connection to the history behind the name—remembering John Young, the sailor who became known in Hawaii as Olohana.
