Cannibals, Courage, and President Lincoln

The James Kekela Story

Kawaiaha'o Church
Honolulu, Hawaii

In the heart of Honolulu, near the historic Kawaiahaʻo Church, a plaque stands in tribute to James Kekela, a Hawaiian missionary whose extraordinary bravery caught the attention of President Abraham Lincoln. Though his story took place far from the battlefields of the Civil War, Kekela’s heroism unfolded in the untamed waters of the South Pacific—where he found himself standing between life and death, reason and savagery.

An Unlikely Mission to the Marquesas

In 1853, a Honolulu-based religious group sent Kekela on a daunting mission—to spread Christianity among the cannibal tribes of the Marquesas Islands, nearly 1,000 miles north of Tahiti. For 46 years, he lived in isolation on the remote island of Hiva Oa, armed with little more than faith and a few basic possessions. The Marquesans, descendants of Polynesians who had settled Hawaii centuries earlier, tolerated Kekela and his teachings—but they harbored an intense hatred for white men. Their violent encounters with whalers, slave traders, and drunken sailors had left deep scars, making outsiders an easy target for retribution.

The Rescue That Captured Lincoln’s Heart

In January 1864, the American whaling vessel Congress, sailing out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, dropped anchor in Puamau Bay. Damaged in a storm, the ship needed repairs, fresh water, and provisions. Ignoring warnings of the cannibalistic islanders, Seaman Jonathan Whalon launched two boats to trade with the natives. He was quickly seized, stripped, and dragged toward an open hearth oven, where he was moments away from being cooked alive.

Kekela, witnessing the horrific scene, boldly confronted Chief Mato. His pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears, so he resorted to an extraordinary gamble—offering a ransom. Kekela presented Mato with his musket, his boat, and even his prized possessions: a stiffly starched white pair of trousers, a black claw-hammer jacket, and a beaver hat. Overwhelmed by the gifts, the cannibal chief relented, releasing the terrified whaleman.

Later, Whalon, still shaken, could barely sleep, tossing and turning with fear. Kekela gently urged him to kneel and thank God for his deliverance, documenting the emotional moment in his diary.

Lincoln’s Presidential Gift

News of Kekela’s bravery made its way to Abraham Lincoln, a president deeply embroiled in the Civil War but moved by the missionary’s actions. Despite the chaos consuming his nation, Lincoln personally ordered a gift of $500 in gold, along with a set of gold hunting-case watches, two double-barreled guns, a silver medal, and navigation tools including a spyglass, quadrants, and charts. He also ensured the Marquesan chief who had helped Kekela received a gun, and honored a young Marquesan girl who had warned Whalon against going ashore.

In response, Kekela sent a touching letter, written in Hawaiian, acknowledging the president’s kindness:

“When I saw one of your countrymen, a citizen of your great nation, ill-treated and about to be baked and eaten, as a pig is eaten, I ran to save him, full of pity and grief at the evil deed of these benighted people. I gave my boat for the stranger's life, and other possessions. They became the ransom of this countryman of yours, that he might not be eaten by the savages…” [1]

A Story That Endured

Years later, in 1888, famed author Robert Louis Stevenson sailed into the Marquesas aboard his 74-foot yacht, Casco. He came across Kekela’s letter to Lincoln, reading its words with deep emotion. In his book In the South Seas, Stevenson wrote:

“I do not envy the man who can read it without emotion.”

Kekela’s legacy is one of bravery, sacrifice, and a quiet but unwavering commitment to humanity. His story is etched into the Pacific’s forgotten history, forever bound to Lincoln’s own legacy—a reminder that heroes emerge in the most unexpected places.

This was another anecdote about Abe Lincoln, Storyteller.

Mac

FYI: For those eager to experience history firsthand, Kawaiahaʻo Church and the James Kekela plaque offer a unique stop in Honolulu, blending architecture, Hawaiian heritage, and Lincoln-era connections. The church, often called the "Westminster Abbey of Hawaii," stands as one of the state's oldest Christian places of worship, rich with cultural significance. After viewing the plaque honoring Kekela’s heroism, visitors can explore the nearby Bishop Museum for deeper insights into Hawaiian history or take a short walk to Iolani Palace - the only royal palace in the U.S. Whether you're a history buff or a traveler seeking hidden gems, this site tells a story worth seeing in person.

Works CIted

[1] Menard, Willam. "Lincoln - And the Hawaiian Hero". The American Legion Magazine, February 1977. pp. 16, 45.