Hawaiian No More
December 29, 2007 7:13 am > MAUI TODAY, > Maui Yesterdays |
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Bowling Ball Day
HAWAIIAN WORD OF THE DAY — Kala: Currency, money HAWAIIAN PROVERB OF THE DAY — “A small eighth of a dollar, very smooth to handle.” 
December 29, 1903: Another sign that the American’s were taking over finally appears: The coins issued by the monarchy of King David Kalakaua are no longer accepted as currency in Hawaii, even though the coins are pure silver, in the case of dollars, and copper in pennies. American currency becomes the coin of the realm. (It is also interesting to note that the first half of the King’s name — Kala –means money in Hawaiian.)
By this date most stores will not accept the coins, although people have until December 31 to exchange the coins for American currency at banks.
Kalakaua coins are available today through venues such as eBay, where, on December 28, 2007, a Kalakaua silver dollar in pristine condition was selling for $449.95.
HISTORICAL EVENTS ON THIS DAY – December 29th
- 1782: The first nautical almanac in the U.S. is published by Samuel Stearns
- 1845: Texas is admitted as the 28th state of the Union
- 1851: The first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) chapter opens (Boston)
- 1852: Emma Snodgrass is arrested in Boston for wearing pants
- 1867: The first telegraph ticker is used by a brokerage house
- 1890: Federal troops massacre more than 200 Sioux men, women and children at Wounded Knee, South Dakota
- 1951: The first transistor hearing aid goes on sale (Elmsford NY)
- 1987: Cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko ends his record 326-day space flight
- 1989: Vaclav Havel becomes president of Czechoslovakia
- 1997: Hong Kong begins killing 1.4 million chickens to stem the spread of a mysterious bird flu
- 1998: Khmer Rouge leaders apologize for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed one million lives
BORN ON THIS DAY – December 29th
- 1800: Charles Goodyear, inventor
- 1808: Andrew Johnson, 17th U.S. president
- 1876: Pablo Casals, violinist/conductor/composer
- 1879: Billy Mitchell, aviation hero
- 1917: Tom Bradley, Mayor (D-LA
- 1934: Ed Flanders, actor
- 1934: Tom Jarriel, newscaster
- 1937: Mary Tyler Moore, actress
- 1938: Jon Voight, actor
- 1941: Ray Thomas, rock musician
- 1948: Mary Ann Faithful, singer
- 1947: Ted Danson, actor
- 1959: Patricia Clarkson, actress
- 1959: Paula Poundstone, comedian
- 1961: Jim Reid, rock musician
- 1967: Andy Wachowski, director of “Matrix” films
- 1972: Jude Law, actor
