Aloha E Ko Mo Mai

(Hello and Welcome)

A Dear friend of mine was talking with me about
of all things *s*....to do with our King that once ruled
the Hawaiian Islands
Of all the years I have lived here in Hawaii, we were
always taught about our ancestors. In school we would have to
go to Hawaiiana classes, which I loved, because I liked anything
to do with history. The best part is when our kupunas (grandparents)
and my Makuakane (father) & Makuahine (mother) would teach and tell
us stories of long ago.

Well, I put some interesting stories together about our first King, who united
all of the Hawaiian Islands as we have today. Many battles was won
during that time. So here are some interesting facts about our King
King Kamehameha 1
(The one set apart or The Lonely One)
note: Sorry sweet, Kamehameha does not mean the conquering one *s*

Aloha Pumehana (With warmest love)
Pelenakeka (Bernadette)

Born: Between 1740 and 1758
Died: May 8, 1819 King Kamehameha I, also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the head of a dynasty (a succession of rulers from the same family) that ruled the Hawaiian islands for more than a century. Legend has it that he was born at the time of the appearance of Halley's comet and that this was a sign that he would rise to greatness. The name Kamehameha (pronounced kuh-may-ha-may-ha) means "the one set apart."

A Boy Who Became King
Hawaii is the only state in America that was once ruled by a king who was also a native. The most famous of these kings was Kamehameha I, also known as Kamehameha the Great. Shortly after Kamehameha was born, a priest warned his grandfather, King Alapai, of the birth of a "rebel infant" who would be a slayer of chiefs. Taking the priest's advice, the King ordered that his grandchild be killed upon birth. Instead, priests hid the King's grandson, the infant Kamehameha, in a cave, and he was raised in secret by a childless couple.

After a few years, King Alapai found out that the child had been saved and he allowed the young Kamehameha to return to court. By the 1780s, Kamehameha was an important chief. He served as an aide to his uncle, King Kalaniopuu, who died in 1782. At the time, the island of Hawaii (the largest of the islands that make up the state of Hawaii today) was divided between Kamehameha and King Kalaniopuu's son, Kiwalao. War broke out between supporters of the two men, and Kiwalao was killed. Kamehameha was victorious.Kamehameha also won wars on the other Hawaiian islands, and by 1810, he had united all of the islands. Two of his sons succeeded him after his death in 1819. These sons became Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III.

King of All Hawaii
King Kamehameha 1 was an autocratic ruler, one who rules without any limits to his or her power. In America, the system of rule is democratic, the people rule through their elected representatives. Although Kamehameha answered to no one, he did establish a system of governors for each of Hawaii's islands

Kamehameha maintained Hawaii's harsh system of laws, called kapu, but he also established another system to protect his people. It was called mamalahoe kanawai, or the "Law of the Splintered Paddle." This law protected the common people from the brutality of other chiefs. The King also outlawed a cruel ritual that was practiced at the time. Do you know what it was?The ritual was human sacrifice and it was performed in Hawaii to honor the king by increasing his mana, or sacred power. Kamehameha 1 is considered to be Hawaii's strongest ruler and truly deserving of the title Kamehameha the Great.

The Dynasty of Kamehameha
King Kamehameha 1 was a smart ruler who amassed a fortune and made Hawaii a desirable prize for foreign explorers. He was the one who united all the Hawaiian islands and founded the royal dynasty that ruled them for years. He established a government monopoly in the sandalwood trade, and he collected duties (charges) from visiting ships. Kamehameha was a strong and able king, but his successors were not as strong as him and ultimately were not able to resist European efforts to control the islands.

Kamehameha II, the second king in the Kamehameha line, gave much of the responsibility for ruling Hawaii to one of his father's wives, Kaahumanu. He abolished the harsh system of government rule and allowed American missionaries on the islands. When he died in 1824, his younger brother, Kamehameha III, succeeded him at the age of only 11. What would it be like to be a king at the age of 11?

For the first seven years of his rule, most of Kamehameha III's duties as King were carried out by his father's wife, Kaahumanu. Once Kaahumanu died, in 1832, Kamehameha III went on to rule until 1854. He Hawaii's first written constitution in 1840.Two other kings, called Kamehameha IV and V, succeeded the boy king, followed by two other royal rulers who were not part of the Kamehameha family. The last royal ruler of Hawaii was Queen Liliuokalani, who died in 1917. In 1898, the United States acquired Hawaii, and in 1959 it became the 50th state.

Statues of King Kamehameha
There exist in the world today at least five large bronze statues of Kamehameha 1st of Hawai'i. Of these, one is in Oahu, one in Maui, two in Hawai'i, one in Washington D.C. All of them originate from the first, hugely successful statue cast by Thomas Ridgeway Gould in 1878. Of these statues, at least two, and probably as many as three were cast in Italy.

Statue in Washington D.C.

E 'oni wale no 'oukou i ku'u pono 'a'ole e pau
(Endless is the good that I have given to you to enjoy)

Kamehameha was born in secret and buried in secret. But the life he lived was one of courage, wisdom, and justice. It was he who brought together the separate island chiefdoms, uniting them into one Hawaiian kingdom. Under his leadership, the people lived a peaceful and productive life.

Statues in Kohala and Hilo, Big Isle Hawaii

Statue in Maui, Hawaii

Statues in Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii

Well, I hope you have learned a little something about our
King of the Hawaiian Islands. The Big Isle, where my family
and I reside, has a lot of mystic and cultural experiences that go
on til today. More so then the other islands. Probably because
this is the home of where King Kamehameha was born, and whisked away
to stay hidden til he grew older. There are alot of Heiaus (temples)
constructed in he's honor. He has walked among this land, hes home
and there are still evidences that mark the most favorite places where
he roamed. Til this day, no one knows the where abouts of he's remains
It is still a secret of he's last resting place.

Mahalo Nui Loa (Mahalo very much)
A Hui Hou (Til we meet again)
Pelenakeka (Bernadette)
09/12/02

note: Background is the Lauhala mat and Tapa Design