Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands - Kamehameha  l  (Part 1)

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Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands
" Keepers of the Culture "
A study in time of the Hawaiian Islands
Kamehameha  l 
and stories told by the ancients -- part 1
by Darlene E. Kelley
November 4, 2000

http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374

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As told by the ancients -- part 1

Kamehameha  l --
Brn abt November  1758 
Kohala district
Hawai'i 
Died May 8, 1819, Kailua.

On a certain night in Novembr 1758, a great storm, such as bad not been
known for years. broke over the island of Hawai'i. It was in the late
fall when storms could be expected,but the ferocity of this one, created
great concern among the people. Driving wind and rain as well as
crashing thunder and terrifying lightning, which was almost unknown in
the islands.

It was on this stormy night in Kohala that a son was born to a high
chief. Keoua, and his wife, the high chieftess Kekuiapoiwa, the neice of
Alapainui, the King of Hawai'i.

Awaiting the birth of this man child. the kahunas, Hawai'i's mystic
seers, had prophesied that a great leader was about to be born who would
defeat all his rivals and reign supreme over all the Islands. Alapai had
ordered the death of this man child, as he was jealous of this
ascention.

The man child was named Paiea, meaning 
" Hard Shelled Crab.' Fearing that he would be kidnapped from his home,
Keoua took every precaution. He entrusted him to a high chief, by the
name of Naeole, who swiftly and silently, with the child in his arms,
ran to the high mountains where a retreat had been arranged with a nurse
waiting to receive the baby.

It was not long before the nurse saw two strange men coming up the
trail. Rightly suspicious that they were seeking the hiding place of
Keoua's son, she quickly hid the baby behind a roll of Olona fibre, from
which she had been weaving. Finding no indication of the child's
presence, the men passed on.

It is not difficult to visualize the setting in which 
Paiea was born and reared. Snow capped Mauna Loa looked down upon the
ocean as it does today. Mauna Loa, the old vocano, destroyed the land as
it had done for centuries, and, in the cracks and the crevices of the
grey lava, nature replanted the verdure and the bloom. From the trees of
the dark forest, men built their swift canoes, and, a their fathers had
done before them, they traveled long distances on the sea. They erected
their temples, worshipped their gods, and obeyed the taboos which were a
complicated code of laws that were, in effect, religious ordinances.
High chiefs sought control of lands as men are doing now and for the
same reasons. Ambition was the keynote of the songs their retainers
sang.

When Paiea reached young manhood, he went to live with his half-uncle,
Kalaniopuu, King of the island of Hawai'i, who was engaged in a lifelong
war with the King of Mauli, Kahekili.
Although his uncle was somewhat unfortunate in his war. 

It was here that he was renamed Kamehameha, meaning " The Very Lonely
One," or " The One Set Apart."

History says the young Prince, Kamehameha, distinguished himself in
these campaigns as a brave and skillful warrior. But the stage upon
which he made his first entrance into the civilized world was the deck
of a British ship.

Captain Cook had anchored his squadron in Kealakekua Bay off the island
of Hawai'i on January 17,1779. King Kalaniopuu made a formal call upon
the Captain. He took with him a number of attendants, including
Kamehameha. Officers of the ship were impressed with the personality of
young Kamehameha. It was noted that he was the favorite of the old king,
and that he appeared to direct the interveiw with Captain Cook.
Lieutenant King, wrote on January 26, 1779, in his record that among the
chief attendants of the King was Kamehameha, whose hair was plaited over
with a brown dirty sort of paste or powder which added to as savage a
looking face as he had ever seen, however, it was by no means an emblem
of his disposition, which was good natured and humorous, although his
manner showed somewhat of an overbearing spirit, and was seemed to be
the principal director of the interview.

Through out Polynesia it was the custom to cover the head with a paste
to bleach the hair, which was an accepted fashion. Often only a strip of
the hair, bordering the face, was bleached. This produced a very
striking effect. Kamehameha, being especially interested in his
appearance, probably followed the fashion of the South Seas, and, if it
added to his savage look, that, too, may have pleased him. He was at
this time around twenty five years of age, and, perhaps, the Beau
Brummel of his set.

There was once a temple [heiau] and a " City o Refuge' in the valley. In
those early days the ancient gods of old Hawai'i kept their watch. It
was here that the chosen chiefs came to council with the King. One can
see them comng down the trail, their rich brown bodies reflecting the
changing lights and shadows of the sunlight and the shade. The high
chiefs in their brillant feather cloaks and helmets, their faces clean
cut and strong, tell the history of their people. Hawaiian chieftains
were outstanding men with the dignity and bearing of their rank. 

King Kalanipuu was then an old man. The following year he decided to
settle the matter of the succession in his kingdom. He called the
council of chiefs together in the landlocked valley of Waipio on the
island of Hawai'i.

The shadows of the night were being cast upon the ground with the
settling of the sun and the appearance of the first quarter moon. Severl
chiefs had gathered in the King's compound earlier in the evening
dressed in their regalia of feathered capes with colors of yellow,
green. black, and red. The varied colored patterns on these capes
distinguished their rank and family alliances. Other chiefs wore mantles
of dyed tapa cloth draped over their shoulders. Intricately printed on
these garments were their family markings similar to their tattoos.
Ornamented with pendants around their necks, the chiefs were also clad
in malo [ loin cloths ] with colors and prints that corresponded with
their other attire. It was a very exalted and spectacular site to be
seen.

The district chiefs along with their advisors from thoughout had
gathered here at the request of the King. When the King and his priests
finally made their appearance, the entourage of about forty men
proceeded to the stately temple grounds. Located on an elevated
prominence, this rectangle site was about 160 feet by 200 feet in size
and was encompassed with a stone wall five feet in height. Within the
enclosure was a flooring paved with small water-worn pebbles. Torches
made from the stalks of bamboo with the top open node filled with pieces
of tapa cloth soaked in the kukui 
[ candlenut oil ] encircled the meeting area.

This council of chiefs was summoned to settle the matter of the
sucession of his Kingdom. As the council asembled, three young chiefs of
the royal house formed the center of interest. Kiwalao, the King's son
and heir presumptive to the throne; Keoua Kuahuula, his younger brother;
and Kamehameha, half-nephew of the King.

The King was seated on several woven mats of lauhala [ pandanus leaves ]
padded and cushioned with numerous layers of fine tapa cloths. His
priests, advisors, and attendants were statoned on both of his sides.
Seated in a semicircle before the King were the various district chiefs
with their advisors seated directly behind them. During the proceedings
of this assembly, the large ceremonial kanoa [ kawa bowl] was brought
forth.

The black-colored 'awa plant [ Piper methysticum ] was specifically
selected for ths ceremonial drink. Portions of the 'awa root had been
chewed by young attendants with strong teeth until there was enough root
to make several balls. Then they were placed in the kanoa. This was
repeated until there were sufficient chewed 'awa roots for the quanity
desired. Water was then added into the kanoa from the bottle necked
gourds. A bundle of fiber of the "ahu'awa sedge [ Cyperus javanicus ]
was dropped in the kawa bowl and stirred around in a clockwise motion.
It was then lifted up and squeezed. The 'awa fragments were shaken out
and this process was repeated until all fiberous particles were removed.
A cupful of this liquid was scooped up and poured into a coconut shell
cut in half. The essence from this first cup of this drink was then
offered to the ancestral deities. Next, cups of the 'awa drink were
presented individually to each district chief. The King had the honor of
drinking the last cup.

It was a dramatic moment when the old King. Kalaniopuu, announced the
final decision regarding the sucession. Kiwalao was to have the red
feathered girdle, the symbol of kingship, as he was the son of the
reigning chief. Kamehameha was made the keeper of Kukailimoku, the war
god of the kings of the island of Hawai'i.

To the assembled chiefs the King's decision may have seemed prophetic.
To them Kamehameha's understanding and comprehension of war was
surprising. The older chiefs may have talked of this amongst themselves.
The prophecy made at his birth became true.