Palaces and Sacred Spaces
Palaces and Sacred Spaces
‘Iolani Palace
This chapter argues that ‘Iolani Palace underscores the critical and conditional relationships between local subjectivity, indigenous agency, and global dynamics in the production of visual and spatial cultural forms. Addressing the inadequacy of interpreting colonial architectural production and cultural change as simply reactive rather than active and deliberate responses to historical and colonial processes, this chapter suggests that through the designated functions and purposeful location of his palace, as well as its design, embellishment, and technological innovation, Kalākaua projected his vision of himself as both an internationally recognized ruler (to counter colonial threats to Hawaiian sovereignty) and an exalted political and religious authority in Hawaiian terms (to address political divisions internal to the Native Hawaiian chiefly community). In ‘Iolani Palace, he fashioned a modern Hawaiian space and structure.
Keywords: local subjectivity, indigenous agency, global dynamics, cultural forms, ‘Iolani Palace, Hawaiian sovereignty
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