NameKekikipa'a (Kekikipa'a-a-Kameeiamoku, Nowelo-Kauhi-Kiki-a-Pa'a)
1565,1566, F
Spouses
BirthNov 1737, Pahoehoe, Maui
Death8 May 1819, Kailua, Kona, Hawaii Island Age: 81
Notes for UNNAMED (Spouse 1)
FULL NAME:
Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea.
THE IDENTITY OF THE BIOLOGICAL PARENTS OF KAMEHAMEHA THE GREAT is a disputed matter.
Contrary to popular history, there is a strong case to be made that Kamehameha was originally a member of the Maui royal family and that he was transferred to the Big Island and adopted by the ruling chief and his wife. They became his parents of record.
This has not been settled (c. 2010) and probably can't be settled. It doesn't need to be settled. However, there is no question about whom Kamehameha the Great treated as his father, and that was the great chief Keoua Kalani-kupu'uapai-kalani-nui Ahilapalapa. By tradition, the Hawaiian people follow this line of genealogy because Kamehameha himself did. It is probably a good practise. When fully understood, the ancient custom of hanai and the seriousness of it in Hawaiian culture makes clear to those who understand that Keoua was very much indeed Kamehameha's "real" father. All Hawaiians will understand that to be the truth. It is this family of Keoua that formed the royal court around Kamehameha the Great.
However, in our genealogy practise we follow the blood-line tradition from Maui (taught by our kupuna the genealogist SLK Peleioholani), which tells us that Kamehameha was not the natural biological son of Keoua Kalani-kupu'uapai-kalani-nui Ahilapalapa and Kekupoiwa Nui but rather given as a gift to them by his true biological parents from Maui. These biological parents were Kahekili (Ruling Chief of Maui) and his sister Ku, the son and daughter of Kekaulike (Ruling Chief of Maui). This Maui genealogy would make Kamehameha a full NINAU PI'O chief (the mother and father are full blooded brother and sister and children of ruling chief). This was a rare This would have made him the highest ranking male chief, by blood, in all the Hawaiian Islands. It may have been possible, with this exalted chiefl;y rank anbd all its honors and kapus, to assume complete control over all the islands without going to war, based on his bloodline alone. Such male chiefs are rare, the closest living male in Kamehameha's time being Keawemauhili (who possessed certain "intertwined kapus" from birth which were rare but not as exalted as the NINAU PI'O of Kamehameha).
When Kamehameha was gifted in "hanai" by Maui to the Big Island and it's rulers Keoua Kalani-kupu'uapai-kalani-nui Ahilapalapa and Kekupoiwa Nui, the social and political ramifications of Kamehameha's exceptionally high birth rank upon the fortunes and power of Maui's current elites were neutralized, at least for for the time being. This disappearance of the male infant Kamehameha was very convenient for all the othe other male chiefs of Maui, especially Kamehameha's father Kahekili and uncle Kamahemahanui Ailuau (who he was named after).
END OF THE KAMEHAMEHA DYNASTY
There was a controversy at the time of Kalakaua's election as to the quality of his bloodline and whether he was fit to sit on the throne of Hawaii. Also, there was a controversy about the special election itself, which brought him to power. It is now forgotten that there was a great tumult surrounding the elections results. Not everyone supported Kalakaua. People did riot when they heard Kalakaua had won. There were accusations that Kalakaua had cheated his opponent the beloved Queen Emma (widow of King Kamehameha IV) out of a victory with his political machinations. Many chiefs, especially the very old guard, refused their support and would not attend the Kalakaua court. This is now forgotten. But in its time this was a great controversy, a dark cloud that hung over the Kalakaua Dynasty's possession of the throne and some say it is why they could not hold on to it.
Nonetheless,in due time they did establish themselves firmly in the hearts of the people and their claim was secured. The Kamehameha line (and the Keoua line) lost their seniority in regal succession when the Kalakaua Dynasty came to power and legitamized their government by gaining acceptance by the people of Hawaii Nei. The expression of the warm and sincere acceptance by the Hawaiian people can be seen in their love for Queen Liliuokalani and also for the Princess Victoria Kaiulani.
The current heirs of the Kalakaua Dynasty would be the Kawananakoa family.
Notes for UNNAMED (Spouse 2)
Keawemauhili was joint chief of Hilo with his wife, first wife 'Ululani.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This chief was the product of a father/daughter "naha" marriage, with the same daughter already being the product of a full brother-full sister "niau pio" marriage. By marrying his own daughter from his own sister, Kalaninuiamamao passed to his son a very high kapu rank, based on his "multiple" or "entwined" kapus. His name means "entwined", referring to his compound lineage and his subsequent high status. The noted genealogist, S.L.K. Peleioholani says Keawemauhili was "iwiiapuu and iwilakee due to his kapu". He was said to be the sacred one of the twisting, turning and doubling back.
(NOTE: We see the same twisting, turning and doubling back in the Maui royal family genealogy occurring at the same time as this same generation. See the lineage of Kamehamehanui Ailuau-to- Kalanikauiokikilo-to-Kalaniulumoku I-to-Kalaniulumoku II and his brothers. By noticing and considering this similarity, we understand why we see the kapu chiefess Kalanikauiokikilo mating with Keawemauhili's son Keaweokahikona. This is also why we see her son Kalaniulumoku II mating with I-kanaka, her daughter of from Keawekahikona. It is a merging and amplification of the two powerful iwiiapuu and iwilakee kapu bloodlines of the chiefs. - Dean P. Kekoolani, Feb. 12, 2010)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the "Ancestry of John Liwai Ena":
HAWAIIAN:
Kalaninuiamamao (k) hoao i kana kaikamahine ponoi, Kekaulikeikawekiuonaiani (w) hanau o Keawemauhili, iwiiapuu, iwilakee i ke kapu.
ENGLISH:
Kalaninuiamamao (k) married his own daughter, Kekaulikeikawekiuonaiani (w), born was Keawemauhili, who was iwiiapuu and iwilakee due to his kapu.
Keawemauhili was reknown because he possessed many intertwined kapus. His name means "intertwined or knotted". His wife's father Mokulani was a ninau-pio chief (the highest god-like rank for a sacred chief because his mother and father were full-blooded brother and sister).
This is why his son Keaweokahikona was of judged to be of sufficiently high rank to marry and sire children with the great chiefess Kalanikauiokikilo of Maui, the highest ranking sacred ninau-pio chief alive, and the last ever of that rank to live. The next closest ranking chief was her niece Keopulani, wife of Kamehameha the Conqueror and mother of Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III.
------------------------------------------
ABOUT ULULANI (THE WIFE)
------------------------------------------
(From JOHN ENA genealogy)
Kalanikumaikiekie (w) niaupio married her brother Keaweikekahimakaoi; born was Mokulanl (k), high chief governing Hilo; Mokulani married Papaikaniaunui (w), wife of Kaulahea. King of Maui; born was Ululaninui (w), who married Keawemauhili (k); born was Keaweokahikona (k), grandfather of S. L. K. Peleioholani, first son.
----------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE KALANIOPUU LINEAGE
-----------------------------------------------------
(From JOHN ENA genealogy)
Look at the chief Kalaniopuu (k), he is the own grandson of Umiulaikaahumanu (w) (true chiefly class) and Kuanuuanu (k) of Waianae, Oahu. Look closely at Kalaninuiiamamao, the own father of Kalaniopuu (k). A high chief. And here are the chiefly descendants that are seen in the broad daylight.
Look at Kalaniopuu (k) and his
2. Younger brother Keoua (k), father of Kamehameha I.
3. Sister Kekaulikeikawekiuonalani (w), grandmother of L. M. kekupuohi.
4. Sister Kahiwaokalani (w). Grandmother of the Princes.
5. Sister Ahia (w).
Here is the (wohi) son of Kalaninuiiamamao (k), namely
6. Keawema'uhili (k), he is the own grandfather of
7. S. L. Kalaniomaiheuila Peleioholani (k), own father of
8. A. Kahalelehua Kaonohiulaokalani Notley.***
** (nee Annie Kahalelehua Peleioholani, daughter of Solomon Peleioholani and Elizabeth Kekumano)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUTY HIS SONS WHO FOUGHT FOR KAMEHAMEHA
FORNANDER:
"Certain it is that during the summer of this year (1790), Kamehameha, assuming the style of " Moi" of Hawaii, sent to Keawemauhili of Hilo and Keoua-Kuahuula of Kau to furnish him with canoes and troops for a contemplated invasion of Maui. Keawemauhili complied with the summons of Karnehameha, and sent a large force of men and canoes under command of his
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUTY HIS CHIEFLY RANK
FORNANDER:
"The result of the battle of Mokuohai was virtually to rend the island of Hawaii into three independent and hostile factions. The district of Kona, Kohala, and portions of Hamakua acknowledged Kamehameha as their sovereign. The remaining portion of Hamakua, the district of Hilo, and a part of Puna, remained true to and acknowledged Keawemauhili as their Moi ; while the lower part of Puna and the district of Kau, the patrimonial estate of Kiwalao, ungrudgingly and cheerfully supported Keoun Kuahuula against the mounting ambition of Kamehameha.
In order to properly understand the political relations and rival pretensions of these three chiefs, and to disillusion oneself from certain impressions obtained from those who in the earlier days wove the history of Kamehameha into legend and song, or from those who in after years kept up the illusion from force of habit or from interested motives, it may be well to " take stock," as it were, of the political capital with which each one supported his claim to supremacy.
Keawemauhili was undoubtedly the highest chief in rank, according to Hawaiian heraldry, of the three. He was the son of Kalaninuiamamao and Kekaulikelikawekiuokalani, the latter being the half-sister of the former and daughter of Kauhiokaka, one of Keaweikekahialiiokamoku's daughters. Hence he was also called Keawe-Wililua."