Kekuiapoiwa II
Encyclopedia
Kekuiapoiwa II was a Hawaiian chiefess and the mother of the king Kamehameha I
.
Her father was High Chief Haae, the son of Chiefess Kalanikauleleiaiwi
and High Chief Kauaua-a-Mahi of the Mahi family of the Kohala district
of Hawaii island
, and brother of Alapainui. Her mother was Princess Kekelakekeokalani-a-Keawe (Kekelaokalani I), daughter of the same Kalanikauleleiaiwi and Keaweikekahialiʻiokamoku, king of Hawaii
. Her mother had been sought after by many who wished to marry into the Keawe line. She was the niece of Alapainui through her father.
She married the High Chief Keōua
to whom she had been betrothed since childhood. Through her double grandmother Kalanikauleleiaiwi, Keōua's own paternal grandmother, she was the double cousin of Keōua. When her uncle was staying at Kohala superintending the collection of his fleet and warriors from the different districts of the island preparatory to the invasion of Maui, in the month of Ikuwa (probably winter) Kamehameha was born probably in the November of 1758. He had his birth ceremony at the Mookini Heiau, and ancient temple which is preserved in Kohala Historical Sites State Monument.
Many stories are told about the birth of Kamehameha.
One says that when Kekuiapoiwa was pregnant with Kamehameha, she had a craving for the eyeball of a chief. She was given the eyeball of a man-eating shark and the priests prophesied that this meant the child would be a rebel and a killer of chiefs. Alapainui, the old ruler of the island of Hawaii, secretly made plans to have the newborn infant killed. Some historians suggest this legend might be an adaptation of the Nativity of Jesus
story.
Kekuiapoiwa's time came on a stormy night in the Kohala district, when a strange star with a tail of white fire appeared in the western sky. This could have been Halley's Comet which appeared near the end of 1758. According to one legend, the baby was passed through a hole in the side of Kekuiapoiwa's thatched hut to a local Kohala chief named Naeole, who carried the child to safety at Awini on the island's north coast. By the time the infant in Naeole's care was five, Alapainui had accepted him back to the boy into his household.
After Kamehameha, Kekuiapoiwa bore a second son, Keliimaikai
. A few years later, Keōua died in Hilo, and the family moved with Alapainui to an area near Kawaihae, where she married a chief of the Kona district (and her uncle) Kamanawa
.
She had one daughter, Piipii Kalanikaulihiwakama, from this second husband, who would later become an important military ally of Kamehameha, who was both step son and cousin through several relationships.
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...
.
Biography
She was named after her aunt Kekuiapoiwa Nui (also known as Kekuiapoiwa I), the wife of King Kekaulike of Maui.Her father was High Chief Haae, the son of Chiefess Kalanikauleleiaiwi
Kalanikauleleiaiwi
Kalanikauleleiaiwi was a Chiefess on the island of Hawaii in the late 17th century and early 18th century. She was considered to be the co-ruler of the island of Hawaii with her half-brother Keawe ikekahialiiokamoku, the 21st Alii Aimoku of Hawaii island. Their shared mother was Keakealani-wahine,...
and High Chief Kauaua-a-Mahi of the Mahi family of the Kohala district
Kohala, Hawaii
thumb|right|300px|The districts of the [[Hawaii |Big Island]]. From Northernmost, clockwise; Kohala , [[Hamakua|Hāmākua]], [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...
of Hawaii island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, and brother of Alapainui. Her mother was Princess Kekelakekeokalani-a-Keawe (Kekelaokalani I), daughter of the same Kalanikauleleiaiwi and Keaweikekahialiʻiokamoku, king of Hawaii
Alii Aimoku of Hawaii
The following is a list of alii aimoku of Hawaii. "Alii aimoku" refers to the ruler of the island. alii refers to the ruling class of ancient Hawaii...
. Her mother had been sought after by many who wished to marry into the Keawe line. She was the niece of Alapainui through her father.
She married the High Chief Keōua
Keoua
Keōua Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Ahilapalapa, sometimes called Keōua Nui , was an Ancient Hawaiian noble and the father of Kamehameha I, the first King of united Hawaii...
to whom she had been betrothed since childhood. Through her double grandmother Kalanikauleleiaiwi, Keōua's own paternal grandmother, she was the double cousin of Keōua. When her uncle was staying at Kohala superintending the collection of his fleet and warriors from the different districts of the island preparatory to the invasion of Maui, in the month of Ikuwa (probably winter) Kamehameha was born probably in the November of 1758. He had his birth ceremony at the Mookini Heiau, and ancient temple which is preserved in Kohala Historical Sites State Monument.
Many stories are told about the birth of Kamehameha.
One says that when Kekuiapoiwa was pregnant with Kamehameha, she had a craving for the eyeball of a chief. She was given the eyeball of a man-eating shark and the priests prophesied that this meant the child would be a rebel and a killer of chiefs. Alapainui, the old ruler of the island of Hawaii, secretly made plans to have the newborn infant killed. Some historians suggest this legend might be an adaptation of the Nativity of Jesus
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
story.
Kekuiapoiwa's time came on a stormy night in the Kohala district, when a strange star with a tail of white fire appeared in the western sky. This could have been Halley's Comet which appeared near the end of 1758. According to one legend, the baby was passed through a hole in the side of Kekuiapoiwa's thatched hut to a local Kohala chief named Naeole, who carried the child to safety at Awini on the island's north coast. By the time the infant in Naeole's care was five, Alapainui had accepted him back to the boy into his household.
After Kamehameha, Kekuiapoiwa bore a second son, Keliimaikai
Keliimaikai
Kalanimālokuloku-i-Kepookalani Keliimaikai was a High Chief and the most popular brother of Kamehameha the Great, who founded the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was generally credited as an ancestor of Queen Emma of Hawaii, the consort of Kamehameha IV, a candidate for the Royal Election of 1872. His name...
. A few years later, Keōua died in Hilo, and the family moved with Alapainui to an area near Kawaihae, where she married a chief of the Kona district (and her uncle) Kamanawa
Kamanawa
Kamanawa was a Hawaiian high chief and early supporter of King Kamehameha I, known as one of the royal niau-pio twins with his brother Kameeiamoku...
.
She had one daughter, Piipii Kalanikaulihiwakama, from this second husband, who would later become an important military ally of Kamehameha, who was both step son and cousin through several relationships.