Womanica Maritime Madams: Emma Kaʻilikapuolono Metcalf Beckley Nakuina
Emma Kaʻilikapuolono Metcalf Beckley Nakuina (1847-1929) was a highly regarded authority on Hawaiian water rights law and unofficially considered Hawaii’s first female judge. Descended from an American sugar planter and a Hawaiian high chiefess, she was born a kaukau ali’i and educated in cultural customs and water rights from a young age. She was a curator of the Hawaiian National Museum, a Commissioner of Private Ways and Water Rights, a supporter of women’s suffrage, and a prolific writer on Hawaiian culture during the colonization of her homeland.
For Further Reading:
- Emma Ka’ilikapuolono Metcalf Beckley Nakuina – First Wave Feminisms
- Emma Nakuina - Hawai‘i Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemoration
- Video Replay available: Emma Nakuina & the Preservation of Hawaiian Culture – Historic Hawaii Foundation
This month, we’re talking about Maritime Madams. Whether through scientific study, aquatic exploration, or legendary prowess, they harnessed the power of the bodies of waters that cover our earth.
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