Na Mo`olelo o Na Mo`okuauhau o Maui

The Stories of the Genealogies of Maui

Maui Clouds

Maui Loa

The Prince MAUI-LOA was the first independent sovereign of Maui. This prince was born at Kaupo and came into his sovereignty at a young age. The beginning of his reign was marked by countless battles to establish his authority from many of the district chieftains of Maui who were loath to surrender their almost autonomous rule to the younger branch of the sacred ruling lineage of Hawai`i.

THE CHIEFS of Maui preferred to pay homage to the Kings of Hawai`i who were distant from them and actually not too interested in their affairs.

Maui-Loa, however, subdued his recalcitrant chieftains and vassals and with the help of his uncle, the Prince Haho, King of Hawai`i, established his authority over Maui. In return for this help, Maui-Loa ceded the District of Hana to the kings of Hawai`i, and he moved his capital to the village of Lahaina. This cession of Hana to Hawai`i was the root cause of many fierce battles between Hawai`i and Maui for the possession of this rich area.

TWENTY generations of independent monarchs ruled in Maui from the Prince Maui-Loa until the accession of Pi`ilani the Great who is perhaps the most renowned monarch of the island Kingdom of Maui. The kings of Maui consolidated their strength, built up their armies, and created a nation strong enough to threaten at times even the might of the powerful kings of Hawai`i.

Alau

Moe I Kaeaea Wahina

The Prince Maui-Loa was succeeded by his son, the Prince Alau and the generation of Maui kings passed as follows: Maui-Loa wed Moe-I-Kaeaea and had Kanemo-ku-Heali`i, who wed Keakauhale and had Lono-Mai-Kalewa, who wed Kolu-Ku`i-Mulia and had Waka-Alana, who wed Kauai-Kapu and had Alo-I-Kahakau, who wed Puhia and had Kahekahoku, who established on Maui the worship of the Lizard-God La`a.

THE PRINCE Kahekahoku wed, Maia-o-Ula and had Ma-pule-o-Ula, who wed Kamai-o-Kalani and had the warlike Paukei, who conquered the Kingdom of O`ahu and then wed the Princess Painalea of O`ahu and had Luakoa the Stupid, who lost the Kingdom of O`ahu , Luakoa the Stupid wed the Princess Hina-Apeape of Kona and had the twin brother and sister, Kuhimana and Kaumana.

The Princess Hina-Apeape of Kona was the full sister of the Queen-Consort of Hawai`i, of the reigning monarch of Hapae. She was also a half-sister of the reigning monarch of Hawai`i, the Prince Kalapana.

THE PRINCE, Kuhimana wed his twin sister the Princes Kaumana and of this sanctified union was born the sacred Prince Kamalu-Ohua.

When the Prince Kuhimana was slain at the Battle of Kaeleiki, his sister-bride was so very distraught that she killed herself and fell over the corpse of her husband. The royal couple were buried together at the sacred burial caves at Iao.

The sacred Prince Kamalu-Ohua was a pleasure-loving monarch who hated the duties and responsibilities of government. He loved better the soft caress of his women than the stringency of battle.

For generations the wisdom of his predecessors had strengthened his kingdom so that Maui had been spared the invasion of inimical armies, and Kamalu-Ohua was content in this false security.

ON THE ISLAND of Hawai`i, reigned his own cousin, the Prince Kalaunui-Ohua. On the island of Moloka`i his maternal uncle, the High-Chief Ohua-Pouleilei, ruled as a vassal of Maui. Another cousin was the monarch of O`ahu, the Prince Kau-a-Kamaka-Ohua.

It seemed farfetched that any of his cousins would want to wage war upon him, and Kamalu-Ohua basked in his seeming safety. All the monarchs of this period carry the epithetic title of "Ohua" which means - servant. All of these princes were descendants of the sacred Prince Kanipahu, King of Hawai`i, the 110th monarch of that lineage.

Kanipahu was overthrown from power by his half-brother the High-Chief Kama-Iole, and was forced for a time to labor as a servant.

The title "Ohua" memorializes this period of humiliation and servitude and of the profanation of royal sanctity by menial labor. It is a title borne proudly by many princes of the royal houses of Hawai`i.

The island Kingdom of Hawai`i rises in majestic splendor from the depths of the Pacific and reaches with her snowy crest of Mauna Kea to kiss the very heavens - the highest mass of earth in the world.

OVER THIS Kingdom about half a millennium ago ruled an ambitious prince who, within the pasture of his eight-island universe, dreamed of empire. This was the Prince Kalunui-Ohua King of Hawai`i and the 122nd monarch of the Hawaiian race.

Throttled by the dream of empire and conquest, the Prince of Hawai`i let his covetous eyes wander over the seas to the other kingdoms of this archipelago.

HE GATHERED together the Warrior-Clans of Hawai`i ,collected provisions, and assembled a fleet of war-canoes. When all was ready, the armada of Hawai`i moved against the green coasts of Maui.

The armies of Hawai`i in one mightysweep had conquered Maui, O`ahu and Moloka`i. The monarchies of those kingdoms had surrendered their sovereignty before the conquering power of the King of Hawai`i, Kalaunui-Ohua.

And, now the victor stood on the shores of O`ahu and gazed 90 miles across the ocean channel to the richest prize of all - the rich and fertile lands of Kaua`i.

THE ISLAND of Kaua`i is a veritable garden; her fields are rich; her waters are sweet; her seas teem with abundance. For many decades since her invasion and conquest by the mighty Prince Moikeha, Kaua`i had enjoyed an era of fruitful peace.

These years of peace however had not debilitated the prowess of the warriors of Kaua`i. Their courage was renowned, and their skill in the arts of battle was to be feared.

AND NOT ALONE on their strength and bravery of their warriors did the people of Kaua`i depend for their security. High in their green mountains stood the great Heiau (temples).

Just below the crest of Mount Kawaikini stood the holiest of the holy, the sacred Heiau of the Supreme IO - the only temple outside of the island of Hawai`i erected to honor IO.

THE PRIESTHOOD of Kaua`i had a profound knowledge of those mystic and truth which govern all elements and subdue the very forces of nature. The armies stood as the last measure of defense; before them in gray clouds of mystery rose the strange powers of the Kahuna the priesthood.

Even before the allied forces of Maui, O`ahu, Moloka`i and the conquering Hawai`i had prepared their invasion, the priest of Kaua`i had predicted their attempt and they smiled at the puny efforts of men against the gods.

On the hills above Koloa on the island of Kaua`i stood the Heiau and enclosures of the palace of the reigning princes of that island kingdom, the gracious Kukona. The name of this prince became in Hawai`i the symbol of the very highest ideals of chivalry in battle.

Kukona

Long before the great pandanus sails of Hawai`i and her allies were seen, the court priests of Kaua`i had come before Kukona to warn him of the impending invasion. "And what is the outcome to be?" Kukona had asked, "Victory of defeat for us?" the priests had answered one word - Victory - and Kukona turned his eyes away and he wept. "O, that the blood of my people and my children, must flow again over their sacred land."

CENTURIES after Kukona had died, another monarch of Kaua`i, the Prince Kaumuali`i, a descendant of Kukona, was faced with the same threat of invasion from Hawai`i and her allies. He remembered the tears of his ancestor and the concern of Kukona for the lives of his people.

Kaumuali`i had naught to lose but his throne not half so precious to him as the blood of his subjects. He delivered his sovereignty to the invading Kamehameha. Few of this world's monarchs can boast of so deep a concern for the welfare of their people.

THE KING of Kaua`i, Kukona, had no intention to surrender nor to deliver his sovereignty to alien hands. When the armada of Kalaunui-Ohua, touched the shores of Kaua`i, they were met by an army of only 500 men - defenders of Kaua`i.

Mano Kalani Po

Kukona had not even bothered to attend; he sent his heir, Mano-Kalanipo, to represent him. In one brief battle, the armies of invasion suffered a complete and absolute defeat.

A small and greatly outnumbered force of Kaua`i warriors had decisively beaten the combined armies of all of the other islands. The invading monarchs now stood in peril of their very lives for ancient custom decreed that they might be slaughtered and offered as sacrifices before the great Ku temples of Kaua`i.

The Prince Kukona, however, decided otherwise and thereby set the pattern by which the acts in battle of the succeeding princes of Hawai`i were judged.

KUKONA SPARED the princes who had come to conquer him. Instead of death, he gave them presents: to their men he gave provisions and supplies. He repaired their canoes and gave them more from his own fleets.

He sent them back to their own realms over the seas in the regal state befitting a sovereign prince of Hawai`i.

CHIVALRY AND grace were embodied in Kukona, the King of Kaua`i, and he remained throughout the centuries of Hawai`i's history as the criterion whence all other acts of warfare are measured. Even Kamehameha violated all battle etiquette - yet we praise the results which he achieved putting an end to a disordered social system.

The Prince Kamalu-Ohua King of Maui, returned to his own kingdom after his defeat on Kaua`i. His cousin, Kalunui-Ohua, returned to Hawai`i.

These two monarchs had wed sisters. The elder sister, Kaheke, became the Queen-Consort of Hawai`i, and the younger sister, Kapu-I-Kaheke, became the Queen-Consort of Maui.

KAMALU-OHUA was succeeded by his eldest son, Loe-Ua-Kane, who wed a chiefess of Kaupo, Wao-Haapuna, and had Kahaoku-Ohua who wed the Princess of Hawai`i, Hai-Kekaiula, and had the Warrior - Prince Kaulahea the Great who invaded and conquered the Kingdom of O`ahu.

Kaulahea the Great wed the High-Chiefess Kapo-Hanai-Au-puni of Hilo and had Kakae, the King of Maui and O`ahu. Kakae wed his maternal aunt, the High-Chiefess Kapo-Hauo-la, and had Kahekili the Great who impoverished his Kingdom and people by his many war campaigns.

Kahikili

KAHEKILI the Great wed the Princess of Kaua`i, Hau-Kanuihoniala and had Kawaokanele whose name means, Our-Days-of-Poverty to commemorate the impoverishment of his kingdom.

Kawaokanele wed the High Chiefess Kapalaoa of O`ahu and of this union was born a son who was destined to become the most renowned of the monarchs of Maui. This was the mighty King of Maui, Pi`ilani the Great.

NO OTHER monarch is so revered by the people of Maui as this prince, and even in their poetic forms, the Island of Maui is often addressed as Na-Hono-A-Pi`ilani,

Pi`ilani the Great was the 130th generation descendant of Wakea, the God of Light, through the younger brance (Hana-La`aiki) of the divine royal house of Hawai`i. He was the 20th independent monarch and sovereign of Maui.

Piilani

To all of the world's great men, time and mankind will bestow some form of divinity. Thus was it with Pi`ilani of Maui.

In order to certify the parentage of a royal child - especially the first born the nuptial rites of Hoao-Wohi demanded that the bride be secluded from all male company excepting her husband until her pregnancy was assured.

DURING THIS hymeneal seclusion of the Princess Kapa-laoa of O`ahu, Queen-Consort of Maui, a strange incident occurred. In the early evening, the peace of the nuptial bower was shattered by the screams of Kapalaoa.

Since not any of the warrior-guards was permitted - except under pain of death - to approach the Princess, only her ladies-in-waiting could rush to the aid of their queen. As they entered the darkened room, they beheld a fearsome sight.

RESTING UPON the prostrate princess was a huge dragon-like lizard. This form was one traditionally used by the dreaded God of Power and Destruction - KU in his physical manifestations.

Even as the women watched, the dragon slowly rose in the semi darkness and disappeared. They were struck blind for their sacrilege in daring to behold a divinity.

WHEN THE Princess Kapa-laoa gave birth to a child - a son he was given the name of Pi`ilani, the Ascent to Heaven, to memorialize the visitation of the divine Ku.

This tradition bequeathed to the royalty of Maui their claim of divine descent and also the belief that their kingdom could never be conquered except by a descendant of Kane, God of Life and Creation.

Kamehameha whose birth signified his descent from the Kane lineage - did take the Kingdom of Maui.

Kiha-a-Piilani

The eldest son and heir of the great Pi`ilani of Maui was the Prince Kiha who succeeded to the sovereignty of that kingdom at the death of his father. He too had many wives and concubines, and it has long been know in Hawai`i that the true might and strength of the Maui warriors lay primarily in the fact that they were all very close relatives.

THE PRINCE KIHA of Maui first married under the nuptial rites of "Hoao-Wohi", the Princess Kumaka-Kui-Kalani by whom were born the might Warrior King of Maui, Kamalala-walu, and his sister, the Princess Pi`ilani-Wahine.

All of the latter monarchs of Maui as well as the Kamehameha and Lunalilo Dynasties descend from these tow children.

THERE ARE two poetic description frequently used in Hawaiian melodies to describe the Island of Maui. The first calls Maui - The fields of Pi`ilani ( Na Hono a Pi`ilani). This refers to the great king of Maui, Pi`ilani.

Kamalalawalu

The second calls that island Maui Nui a Kama (Maui Great Land of Kama). This refers to the great Kamalalawalu. Pi`ilani and his grandson, Kamalalawalu, have long been regarded a the greatest of monarchs of the Kingdom of Maui

KAMALALAWALU wed his own sister, the Princess Pi`ilani, and had a son, Kauhi-a-Kama, who took as his consort the sacred Niau-Pio Princess Kapukinia-a-Liloa of Hawai`i.

The Princess Kapukini (and/or [Kini][Iwi] Kaui Kaua and sister) was the daughter of the King of Hawai`i, Hakau, and his sister-consort, the Princess Kini-Laukapu.

Kapu-Kini-a-Liloa

The Princess Kapukini-a-Liloa wed first her uncle of half blood, the King Umi-a-Liloa of Hawai`i, and from them descend all of the kings and princes of that island.

Kauhi-a-Kama

KAPUKINI then married the King of Maui, Kauhi-a-Kama, and from this second marriage descend all of the kings and princes of Maui, O`ahu and Kaua`i.

The sacred Kapukini - daughter of Hakau and grand-daughter of the immortal Liloa of Hawai`i, was truly the Mother of Kings. It was by her that the kings of the various island kingdoms traced the sanctity of their descent from Wakea, God of Light, and the original star-born monarchs of the Hawaiian race.

The King of Maui, Kauhi-a-Kama, and his consort, the Queen-Consort of Hawai`i, Kapukini-a-Liloa, had two children, the Prince Kalani-Kau-Maka-o-Wakea and the Princess Kanea-Kauhi.

Kalani-Kaumaka-o-Wakea-Kanea-Kauhi

These children wed each other and had three children of their own; the Prince Lono-Honua-Kini, the Princess Pi`ilani II, and the Princess Umi-a-Liloa.

Lono-Honua-Kini-Kauana-Kinilani

The Prince Lono-Honua-Kini wed the High-chiefess Kauana-Kinilani of Hana and four children were born. The eldest was the Prince Kaulahea II, later monarch of Maui, next was the Prince Lono-Maka-Honua followed by the Princess Kalani-[ ]-Mai-Heula and the Princess Kuhala.

Kaulahea II

BEFORE WE continue the long and involved story of these four children of Lono-Honua-Kini, we shall trace the descent of the Prince Kiha of Maui and his second consort of rank, the High-Chiefess Koleamoku.

We do this so that we shall have done with the collateral relatives of the reigning family of Maui prior to discussing those monarchs and princes of Maui who lived in the era of recorded history.

PRINCE KIHA of Maui and the High-Chiefess Koleamoku of Waimea had one son, the High-Chief Kekauhi-o-Kalani. Many island families descend from this chieftain. We neither have the time nor the scope to trace every ramification of the intricate genealogical descent of the many people who descend from this chieftain.

King Kiha-a-Pi`ilani of Maui and the Chiefess Koleamoku of Waimea had one son, the High-Chief Kekauhi-o-Kalani, who had two children of his own. From the eldest descended the Chieftain Kaha Kauila; from the younger came the Chiefess Koleamoku II. These two in turn were married and had a son and a daughter, Kameailihiwa and Wiwiokalani.

We have gone to great length to trace the descent of many of Hawai`i's best known families who descend from the union of the Prince Kiha of Maui and one of his consorts, the Chiefess Koleamoku. We have also traced the legitimate ruling dynasty of Kiha and his queen, Kumaka, through the four generations of Kamalalawalu, Kauhi-a-Kama, Kalani-Kaumaka-o-Wakea and Lono-Honua-Kini, all monarchs of Maui.

Lono-Honua-Kini and his queen, the High Chiefess Kaumakinilani had four children. The eldest was the Prince Kaulahea II later King of Maui. He had one brother, Lono-Maka-Honua, and two sisters, the Princesses Kalani-Maiheuila and Kuhala.

The Prince Lono-Maka-Honua married the Chiefess Kapoohiwi of Kalae, Moloka`i and had a son, the High-Chief Kauakahiakua-o-Lono. This royal chieftain by his first wife, the Princess Kekuiapoiwa the Great of Maui was the father of the Princess Kekelaokalani who married the Prince Haae-a-Mahi of Hawai`i and had the Princess Kekuiapoiwa II, mother of the great Kamehameha.

THE PRINCESS Kekelaokalani had a second husband who was the sacred High-Chief of the House of Keawe, Kamanawa the Great. They were the parents of the Princess Peleuli who married Kamehameha the Great and had the Prince Kahoanoku-Kinau, the Prince Kaikoolani and the Princess Kaleikiliwehi.

The High-Chief Kauakahia-Kua-o-Lono for his second wife of rank married the High Chiefess Umiaemoku (also called Umiaenaku) of the nobel Hawai`i House of the Mahi. They had one daughter, the Princess Kanekapolei, who was the favored queen of Kalaniopuu, King of Hawai`i during the arrival and visit of Capt. James Cook.

THE CHILDREN of Kanekapolei and the King of Hawai`i, Kalaniopuu, were first the tragic Sovereign Prince of Hilo. Keoua-Kuahuula, and second the Prince Pauli-Kaoleioku ancestor of the Most Excellent Ruth Keelikolani and her cousin, the Honorable Bernice Pauahi Bishop.

The Princess Ruth Keelikolani while not the epitome of grace and loveliness in the modern sense, was truly one of Hawai`i's great aristocrats. Her great mansion stood for many years on Emma street on the site now occupied by the Central Grammar school. It was she who inherited by order of the Hawaiian courts the vast lands of the Kamehameha family. These lands now make up the majority of the Bishop Estate.

The youngest daughter of Lono-Honua-Kini, King of Maui, was the Princess Kuhala. She was the great-grandmother of the High-Chief Kalahuimoku II, Titular chieftain of Hana and Kipahulu. This Maui chieftain married the Chiefess Kamehameha and had two daughters, Kahikikala and Kalani-Lehua.

When the young prince Keoua (surnamed Kupuapa-I-Kalaninui-Ahilapalapa), later father of the Kamehameha nd Lunalilo Dynasties, was a youth, he lived on the Island of Maui.

AS ANY YOUNG man would, he paid court to these two lovely Maui girls. Although the younger sister, Kalani-Lehua, was his favorite, he had no children by her.

By the elder sister, Kahikikala, Keoua had one son, his first, the Prince Kalokuokamaile, who is in all reality the eldest half-brother of the great King Kamehameha.

THE YOUNG Prince Keoua was later ordered by his father, the sacred Prince Keeaumoku, to return to Hawai`i and to leave behind him his Maui son and his wives. Keoua did this and his eldest-born was reared as a true Maui Prince.

On his arrival at Hawai`i Keoua was married to the Princess Kamakaeheukuli daughter of the Prince Haae-a-Mahi of Hawai`i and the Princess Kalelemaoli-o-Kalani of Maui. The sacred Prince Kaleimamahu (also called Kalaimamahu and Kalanimamahu) was born of this union. He is the ancestor of the Lunalilo Dynasty.

THIS PRINCE KEOUA then married the Princess Kekuiapoiwa II, sister of Kamakaeheukuli, and the great Kamehameha and his younger brother Kealiimaikai were born of this marriage.

The eldest branch of the Kamehameha Dynasty therefore is the House of Kalokuokamaile. The sanctity of the Hour of Keawe and the family of Keoua lies however in the House of Kaleimamahu whence springs the Lunalilo Dynasty.

THE TEMPORAL powers of the Hawai`i royal family lies in the House of Kamehameha by virtue of the conquests of Kamehameha and of this subsequent marriage to the sacred Niau-Pio Princess Keopuolani.

Kalokuokamaile married Kaloiokalani and had Kaohelelani, a daughter, who married the Chieftain, Nuhi-o-Waimea, and had two children Laanui, a son, and Kekaikuihela, a daughter. The daughter has no living descendants. Her only child Ulumaheihei (Mrs. J. K. Young), had no children.

LAANUI MARRIED Theresa Owana Rives, daughter of the secretary of Kamehameha II, they had two children, Gideon Kailipalaki and Elizabeth Kekaaniau (Mrs. Frank S. Pratt). Gideon Kailipalaki married first a woman named Puohu (later Mrs. Carsley) but had no children with her. His second wife was Kamaikaopa by whom he had the late Princess Theresa Owana Kaohelelani Wilcox.

The eldest child and only royal son of King Kaulahea II of Maui was the Prince Kekaulike (surnamed Kui-Hono-I-Kamoku) who succeeded to the sovereignty of Maui at the death of his father. This prince, founder of the last ruling dynasty of Maui, had fince consorts of rank - two of them were his own sisters of half-blood.

Through these consorts of Kekaulike and their children, the power of Maui was made absolute throughout the islands.

THE RANKING consort of Kekaulike and his queen was his half-sister, the Princess Kekuiapoiwa the Great, in whom was combined the sanctities of both the kingdoms of Maui and Hawai`i. His last consort was the Princess Kahilipoilani, another half-sister. She and the Queen Kekuiapoiwa the Great were sisters of full blood.

The second consort of the Prince Kekaulike was the High-Chiefess Holau of Hawai`i. She was the daughter of the High-Chief Kawelo-a-Aila and the Chiefess Kauakahialii-a-Kaiwi. Her paternal grandmother was the Princess Kaihikapumahana who was the daughter of Kaikilani the Great, the first Queen-Regant of Hawai`i.

THE FATHER of Kaihikapumahana was the famed Alii-Aimoku (Conquering Prince) of Hawaii, Lono-I-Kamakahiki, who is often credited as the founder of the great Makahiki Grams - the Hawaiian Olympics.

The third consort of Kekaulike was the Princess Haalou of both Hawaii and Maui. Her father was the Prince Haae-a-Mahi of Hawai`i, son of the High-Chief Kauauanui-a-Mahi and the sacred Kalani Kaulelea-Iwi of the House of Keawe. The Prince Haae was a younger half-brother of the great Alapai (Mahi-I-Kauakahi), King of Hawaii at the birth of Kamehameha.

THE MOTHER of the Princess Haalou was the Princess of Maui, Kaleiamaoli-o-Kalani, the full-blood sister of King Kekaulike.

Haalou had two sisters. The eldest was the Princess Kamakaeheukuli who is the mother of the Lunalilo and Kalaakaua families. The youngest was the Princess Kekuiapoiwa II, mother of the Kamehameha family.

THE FOURTH consort of Kekaulike was the Chiefess Kane-a-Lae of Molokai who wa also one of the consorts of the great King Keawe II (surnamed I-Kekahialii-a-Kamoku) of Hawaii. This chiefess descended from the famed Sovereign Prince of Molokai, Lono-I-Kahikina, through his first consort, the Chiefess Hina-I-Kalelaehu. As we have mentioned above the last of the consorts of Kekaulike was his sister of half-blood, the Princess Kahilipoilani.

By these five consorts, King Kekaulike of Maui had 15 children, each of whom played vital and very often critical parts in the revelation of Hawaii's destiny. In more ways that we can here consider, the Kekaulike Dynasty of Maui was the mightiest in island history.

No other royal dynasty in the Hawaiian Islands since the first partition of insular sovereignty during the reign of the sacred Prince Paumakua ever enjoyed the power, might and prestige held by the Kekaulike Dynasty of Maui.

The princes and nobles of the Principality of Molokai were vassals of the Kings of Maui. The Island of Lanai was their outright possession.

THE RULING HOUSE of Maui invaded and conquered the Kingdom of Oahu and overthrew the dynasty of Kakuhihewa-I-Kaleimanuia. Even the King of Kauai - rendered by its mighty priests inviolate from war-like aggression - was still invaded by the force of Maui.

Instead of a spear or a warclub, the princes of Maui used a heart filled with love. The sent their brother, the Prince Kaeo-Kulani of Maui, to wed and thereby to rule the Queen-Regnant Kamakahelei of Kauai.

EVEN ON THE great island Kingdom of Hawaii was the power of Maui manifested. The ranking queen-consort of the great Kamehameha was the sacred Princess Keopuolani, granddaughter of Kekaulike. She was the mother of the second and third Kamehameha monarchs.

WHILE IT MAY be true that Kamehameha the Great did finally conquer Maui and did really overthrow the Kekaulike Dynasty, it must still be remembered that his own mother, the Princess Kekuiapoiwa II, was a Maui princess. All of Kamehameha's consorts of rank were princesses of Maui and not of Hawaii. These were Keopuolani, Kalakua-Kaneiheimalie, Peleuli and Kaahumanu. The grandmother of Kamehameha IV and V as well as King Lunalilo was the Princess Kalakaua of Maui.

Of all of the latter monarchs of Hawaii perhaps only the last two, David Kalakaua and his sister, Lydia Liliuokalani, were of the true descent of Hawaii and without close alliance to Maui. In all of the other members of Hawaii's royal lines the infusion of Maui blood was very strong.

THE GREAT Kamehameha lived many years, and as those years passed most of the Hawaii chieftains who had helped him attain his power and throne had died. Slowly, cautiously, and with great cunning the chieftains of Maui had taken these places vacated by death. At his death, Kamehameha was surrounded by the princes of the Kekaulike Dynasty.

It was these who overturned the ancient religion and gods of Hawaii and thereby undermined the strength of the Hawaiian throne. They paved the road which led to the downfall of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

King Kekaulike of Maui and his queen, the Princess Kekuiapoiwa the Great, had three children. The eldest of these was a son, the Prince Kamehamehanui (surnamed Ai-Luau). This prince succeeded his father as the sovereign of Maui.


(research in progress, more to come soon...)


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