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Bernice Pauahi Pākī Bishop KGCOK RoK (December 19, 1831 – October 16, 1884) was an aliʻi (noble) of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii and a well known philanthropist. At her death, her estate was the largest private landownership in the Hawaiian Islands, comprising approximately 9% of Hawaii's total area.
Bernice Pauahi Bishop was the last royal descendant of Kamehameha I and the largest landholder in Hawai‘i. She left her estate to establish Kamehameha Schools, a network of educational programs and scholarships for Hawaiian learners.
Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop was a woman of intelligence, compassion and foresight who understood that her kuleana as a Hawaiian ali‘i was to serve her people. Born in December 19, 1831 to high chiefs Abner Pākī and Laura Kōnia Pākī, Pauahi was the great-granddaughter of Kamehameha I.
Learn about the life and legacy of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a Hawaiian princess and philanthropist who founded the Kamehameha Schools. Discover how she inherited a vast estate, refused the throne, and endowed a lasting education for native Hawaiians.
Visit us at the Bishop Museum. Immerse yourself in Hawaiʻi’s rich culture and heritage at the premier natural and cultural history museum in the state.
Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop was a passionate advocate for her Native Hawaiian people, believing that education was key to the survival of our lāhui. In 1883, she bequeathed her entire estate, including 375,000 acres of Hawai‘i land, to create Kamehameha Schools.
Founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop to honor his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family, the Bishop Museum serves as the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific.
