Have you seen this photograph before? Can you tell what it is? The ‘Iolani Palace in the background signifies a royal event—and indeed it is. This image captures part of the funeral procession of Queen Liliʻuokalani, as her body was moved to lie in state at the Palace. The men in white are “poʻolā,” or Native Hawaiian stevedores. 

What do stevedores have to do with the Queen? Quite a lot. But to understand that connection, we need to go back. Under Kamehameha I, Hawaiʻi entered international trade by exporting salt and sandalwood, which the king exchanged strategically for ships to build the kingdom’s maritime capabilities. While he welcomed foreign advisors, Kamehameha relied on his chiefs to train in shipbuilding, blacksmithing, and other trades— creating trusted homegrown workforce that powered the early economy. Native stevedores loaded and unloaded cargo and sometimes helped guide ships to the outer harbor by canoe. 

Though the origins of the name poʻolā as Native stevedore are unclear, “poʻolā” roughly translates to “head in the sun”. These workers formed a mutual aid society in 1876: the ʻAhahui Poʻolā. Members paid 25 cents annually to help cover funeral expenses for fellow workers and their families during a time of devastating population loss among Native Hawaiians.

That same year, the Hawaiian Kingdom entered a major free trade agreement with the United States known as the Reciprocity Treaty. While free trade promised economic growth, many Native leaders opposed provisions they felt undermined Hawaiian sovereignty. Amid this tension, King Kalākaua turned to the poʻolā, whose labor would become vital as trade expanded. 

In 1877, Kalākaua attended the ʻAhahui Poʻolā’s convention. In a lengthy speech, he traced the term poʻolā to his chiefly ancestors in Kaupō, Maui, known for toiling in the sun for the good of the people. He recast the term as a title of honor, referring to generations of aliʻi who worked for their people, and thanked the poʻolā for their service to the nation. 

Both Kalākaua and his sister Liliʻuokalani called on the poʻolā in times of need. In 1881, when lava from Mauna Loa displaced families, the ʻAhahui Poʻolā donated to relief efforts. During the 1882 smallpox outbreak, they gave $500 to assist the quarantined. When a fire displaced residents in Hilo, the poʻolā gave generously again, becoming the second-highest donor in a campaign led by Queen Liliʻuokalani.

Beginning in 1877 with Kalākaua’s brother Leleiohōkū, the poʻolā also served as pallbearers for Hawaiian royalty. Not six to eight men, but dozens—sometimes hundreds— dressed in white, drawing the royal hearse with symbolic ropes. For Queen Liliʻuokalani, they carried her casket from the Palace to her final resting place at Mauna ʻAla. 

Because of this deep historical connection, the Hawaiʻi Longshore Division fought to win Queen Liliʻuokalani’s birthday as a holiday for their members. While met with resistance, the union held firm. Ultimately, the committee prevailed— earning the first new holiday in 27 years. September 2nd is now a day of remembrance, honoring the Queen and the proud lineage of poʻolā still carried by Hawaiʻi’s longshore workers today.