Posted by Kaapuikinaea on February 11, 2009 at 2:30pm
A few days ago I felt like I wanted to write about one thing, but was compelled to do something else. I wasn’t sure at that time, but I realized later what I was suppose to write.I was wondering how unfortunate it is that we don’t learn true Hawaiian history. Sure we get to learn about Kamehameha and other important kings and queens of the kingdom, but other than we don’t know much about them. The typical Captain Cook story, Kalaniopuu, the overthrow, etc.KAMEHAMEHA’S ADVISORSWhat we should be learning about of all the events that lead up to Kamehameha’s unification. Most importantly, all the chiefs who played a part in his unification.There were the Kona chiefs who looked to Kamehameha for assistance since they were angry with the land division that occurred with Kiwalao. They were as follows:Keaweaheulu – first cousin to Kamehameha’s father Keoua. He was also the father of Keohohiwa, the grandmother of Keohokalole, mother of King Kalakaua and Queen LiliuokalaniKeeaumoku – father of KaahumanuKamanawa and Kameeiamoku – twin brothers to Keeaumoku and who appears on the Hawaiian Coat of ArmsKekuhaupio – great warrior and teacher of KamehamehaKalaimamahu, Kawelookalani and Keliimaikai – brothers of KamehamehaTo many, most of these are unknown. There are many things that these alii have done that we don’t know about. Especially after the death of Kamehameha, and his son Liholiho became Kamehameha II.CHANGES AFTER THE DEATH OF KAMEHAMEHA IOne thing might be well known is the fact that Kaahumanu, the kuhina nui, was responsible for breaking the ancient tapu system. She was the kuhina nuiThere were aliis such as Kalanimoku who was the chief advisor to Kamehameha. He, along with his brother Boki and their cousin Kaahumanu had a significant influence in the kingdom’s affairs.Boki’s wife Liliha was the daughter of Ulumaheihei, a close companion and trusted advisor of Kamehameha I. Ulumaheihei was the son of Kameeiamoku, one of Kamehameha’s 4 war generals. Liliha and Boki accompanied Kamehameha II and his wife Kamehamalu to England. Unfortunately Kamehameha II and his wife died in England. Boki and Liliha returned to Oahu.Boki was governor of Oahu and when he took another trip away from the islands, he left Liliha in charge of his responsibilities managing Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III)’s affairs.EARLY CONVERTSSoon after the overthrow of Hawaii’s religious system, the arrival of the missionaries in the islands made a big impact. It would be under the influence of Kaahumanu and the other chiefs that everyone would slowly become Christianized.The early converts to Christianity worth mentioning were Kalanimoku, Kaahumanu, Laanui (grandson of Kalokuokamaile, older brother to Kamehameha), Leleiohoku (infant son of Kalanimoku), Kapule (King Kaumualii’s favorite wife), Keliiahonui (Kaumualii’s son), and Namahana (Kaahumanu’s sister). Later others followed like Kapiolani (daughter of the chief Keawemauhili and granddaughter of Kameeiamoku), Kinau (Kamehameha’s daughter), Kekauluohi (half sister to Kinau, both of whom were nieces of Kaahumanu), and Kekauonohi (granddaughter of Kamehameha). All of these alii were either high ranking, closely related to Kaahumanu and Kamehameha or were influential somehow in the unification of the islands.HOUSE OF NOBLESHOUSE OF NOBLES (originals) – Kekauluohi, Hoapiliwahine, Kuakini, Kekauonohi, Paki, Konia, Keohokalole, Leleiohoku, Kekuanaoa, Keliiahonui, Kanaina, I’i, Keoniana, Haalilio, Kahekili and Kauikeaouli. These alii were instrumental and are descendants of those who helped Kamehameha united the islands. (Ke Au 'Oko'a - 'Aperila 29 - 1869)- Kekauluohi was the daughter of Hoapiliwahine (Kaahumanu’s sister) and Kalaimamahu (Kamehameha’s brother). She and her husband Kanaina became the parents of King Lunalilo.- Hoapiliwahine, Kuakini and Kahekili were siblings to Kaahumanu.- Kekauonohi was the daughter of Kahoanokukinau (son of Kamehameha) and Wahinepio (sister to Kalanimoku).- Paki, husband to Konia who was the granddaughter of Kamehameha and both of whom were parents to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop.- Keohokalole, mother of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani, was the great-granddaughter of both Kameeiamoku and Keaweaheulu.- Leleiohoku, the son of Kalanimoku and became the husband to Princess Ruth.- Kekuanaoa, his father was a close relative to Kaahumanu’s mother and Kalanimoku’s father of that generation.- Keliiahonui, a husband to Kaahumanu and was the son of King Kaumualii.- John Papa I’i, a well known Hawaiian scholar whose father was a kahu (attendant) to Kamehameha. John I’i was placed in the household of Liholiho. He was sent to study under Rev. Hiram Bingham by Liholiho.- Keoniana, the son of John Young and Kaonaeha. Kaonaeha was a granddaughter of both Kalaniopuu and his brother Keoua, the father of Kamehameha.- Haalilio, an early convert to Christianity who also studied with Rev. Bingham was a private secretary to Kamehameha III and went abroad in order to confirm the kingdom’s independence with other nations.By 1848, the House of Nobles increased by including – Jonah Piikoi (whose son married Princess Kekaulike, sister to Queen Kapiolani), Nueku Namauu, Beneli Namakeha (first husband to Queen Kapiolani and brother to Naea, the father of Queen Emma), Luka Keelikolani (Princess Ruth), George L. Kapeau, Kaisera Kapaakea (father of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani), Paul Kanoa, Kanehoa (James Young, another son of John Young), Hakaleleponi Kalama (wife of Kamehameha III), Joseph Kaeo (great-grandson of Kalaniopuu and husband to JaneYoung, daughter of John Young), Julie Kauwa Alapai. Those who had died were Kekauluohi, Kekauonohi, Hoapiliwahine, Haalilio, Leleiohoku, Kahekili.THE ROYAL SCHOOLKamehameha III was concerned for the future of the kingdom and had a school created to educate the kingdom’s future rulers. Those who attended the Royal School taught by Amost Starr Cooke and his wife Juliette (Montague) Cooke were:Moses Kekuaiwa (older brother to Lot, Alexander & Victoria), Lot Kapuaiwa, Alexander Liholiho, Bernice Pauahi, Abigail Maheha, Jane Loeau, James Kaliokalani, David Kalakaua, Lydia Namakaeha, Peter Kaeo, Victoria Kamamalu, Emma Rooke, John Pitt Kinau, William Lunalilo, Elizabeth Laanui, and Mary Paaaina.Some of the attendees became our ruling monarchs. Alexander Liholiho became Kamehameha IV and he married Emma Rooke, Lot Kapuaiwa became Kamehameha V, and there was King Lunalilo, King Kalakaua and Lydia Namakaeha who became Queen Liliuokalani. Others have held important positions throughout the kingdom’s time, as in the case of Victoria Kamamalu being the kuhina nui during Kamehameha IV’s reign.Many of these alii were descendants of the aliis close to Kamehameha.- Abigail Maheha and Jane Loeau being Liliha’s daughters. Liliha being the daughter of Ulumaheihei and granddaughter of one of the twins – Kameeiamoku.- Moses, Lot, Alexander and Victoria were children of Kinau, daughter of Kamehameha and Hoapiliwahine (sister to Kaahumanu & a member of the House of Noble).- James, David and Lydia were children of Kapaakea (great-grandson of Kameeiamoku) and Keohokalole (great-granddaughter of Kameeiamoku and also of Keaweaheulu).- Peter, Emma and Mary were great-grandchildren of John Young and great-great-grandchildren of Keoua, the father of Kamehameha. Peter’s parents were Joseph Kaeo and Jane Young while Mary Paaaina was the half sister of Emma.- John was the grandson of Kalanimoku (Kamehameha’s kalaimoku) and the son of Princess Ruth (older sister to Moses, Lot, Alexander and Victoria).- Bernice was the daughter of Paki and Konia (Kamehameha’s granddaughter), both who were members of the House of Nobles.- Elizabeth was the daughter of Peleioholani Laanui, and great-granddaughter of Kamehameha’s older brother Kalokuokamaile.It is important to know that all of these descendants were important because of their ancestors and their ancestors' role in assisting Kamehameha with the unification of the islands.
Mahalo e Miliaulani. I have some committed to memory, but take good notes nonetheless so that even if i have to go back to the original source for it, I know where to go. And if I don't remember, eventually I am lead to go to that place.
Mahalo e Alice. Like I said, I guess the 1st time when I quickly blogged it, there was a reason why it didn't go through so I had to re-write it out another way. :) And you're right about thanking those people b/c it was they who made these docs. available for us to learn about our kupuna.
Of course they do not make it a point to teach us this. Worse it's usually taught in olelo haole but I'm not surprised that they withhold this information. To *not* share this info is to try to control oiwi so I am not surprised. Always trying to keep da oiwi down das why.
Come to think of it... this is what they taught about Hawaiian history: Captain Cook and statehood while raving about how supposedly great they are. Das about it so I am glad all of this was preserved in olelo oiwi especially. A caveat of course is that one needs to understand the language in order to interpret it which you obviously do well.
I'm still impressed. I just wanted to let you know I like the way you wrote it out, clearly to understand the relationship to each person. Let take the time to acknowledge the po'e such as aunty Edith McKenzie and Mary Kawena Puki, and others who has translated documents from Hawaiian to English. To other po'e such as Kamakau, Malo, Fornander for their contributions to understanding our heritage. We must thank the po'e who wrote about the current events in the Hawaiian newspaper. To all those who contribute, mahalo KE AKUA!
Aloha mai e Kalani,
Mahalo for the overview of our alii and their relationships to Kamehameha I and each other. How you have that in your memory bank is pretty amazing. Your years of research is evident. Mahalo for sharing that here.
Miliaulani
Comments
Mahalo e Alice. Like I said, I guess the 1st time when I quickly blogged it, there was a reason why it didn't go through so I had to re-write it out another way. :) And you're right about thanking those people b/c it was they who made these docs. available for us to learn about our kupuna.
Lana...geez, that link, it went to the small one. I'll fix it so that the PDF link is on there. Anyway, here's the link for the pdf, that mentions the HON.
http://ulukau.org/collect/nupepa/index/assoc/HASH01a5/8b761a46.dir/...
And I updated the link above.
That's why I love the immersion schools so much! Especially the charter schools.
Aloha!! ~~ Lana
Of course they do not make it a point to teach us this. Worse it's usually taught in olelo haole but I'm not surprised that they withhold this information. To *not* share this info is to try to control oiwi so I am not surprised. Always trying to keep da oiwi down das why.
Come to think of it... this is what they taught about Hawaiian history: Captain Cook and statehood while raving about how supposedly great they are. Das about it so I am glad all of this was preserved in olelo oiwi especially. A caveat of course is that one needs to understand the language in order to interpret it which you obviously do well.
Latahs!
Mahalo for the overview of our alii and their relationships to Kamehameha I and each other. How you have that in your memory bank is pretty amazing. Your years of research is evident. Mahalo for sharing that here.
Miliaulani