Kānekapōlei

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Kānekapōlei
Spouse Kalaniʻōpuʻu
Kamehameha I
Issue
Keōua Kuahuʻula
Keōua Peʻeʻale
Pauli Kaʻōleiokū
Father Kauakahiakua
Mother ʻUmiaemoku

Kānekapōlei (fl. 18th-century) was a Hawaiian High Chiefess notable for being the wife of Kalaniʻōpuʻu at the time of Captain Cook's arrival, and the aunt of Kamehameha I with whom she had a son by the name of Pauli Kaʻōleiokū.

Contents

Life [edit]

Born in the early 18th century, Kānekapōlei was a daughter of the High Chief Kauakahiakua of Maui and High Chiefess ʻUmiaemoku of Kaʻū. According to Hawaiian historian Samuel Kamakau, her father Kauakahiakua owned the sea cucmber (loli) ovens of the district of Kaupo on the island of Maui.[1] Her paternal grandparents were High Chief Lonomakahonua, the second son of King Lonohonuakini and brother of Kaulahea II, and Kahapoohiwi.[2] Her mother ʻUmiaemoku, who was also married for a period of time to her nephew King Alapainui, was an offshoot of the powerful ʻI family of Hilo district on her mother Kanekukaʻailani's side, and a scion of the Mahi family of Kohala on her father Mahiolole's side; both families were formidable rivals to the main royal line on the island of Hawaii, the descendants of Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku.[3]

Around the 1750s,[4] Kānekapōlei became one of the wives of King Kalaniʻōpuʻu of Hawaii. She was not his highest ranking wife, that position was held by Kalola Pupuka-o-Honokawailani, the mother of his heir Kīwalaʻō, but was considered his favorite. With Kalaniʻōpuʻu, she had two known sons, Keōua Kuahuʻula and Keōua Peʻeʻale. Their first son would contend with Kamehameha I over the supremacy of the island of Hawaii until his death in 1790 at Kawaihae.[5] Nothing is known about the fate of Keōua Peʻeʻale, although historian John F. G. Stokes argued Keōua Peʻeʻale was merely another name for Pauli Kaʻōleiokū, her son with Kamehameha I.[6]

The Death of Captain Cook painted by John Webber

During Captain Cook's visit to Hawaii on his third voyage of exploration in 1779, he mentioned King Kalaniʻōpuʻu's favorite wife and queen Kānekapōlei. He and his men spelled her name many different ways including "Kanee-Kabareea", "Kanee-cappo-rei", "Kanee Kaberaia", "Kainee Kabareea", "Kahna-Kubbarah".[4] Cook's second in command, Lieutenant James King, recounted her role in preventing the kidnapping of her husband and their two sons:

Things were in this prosperous train, the two boys being already in the pinnace, and the rest of the party having advanced near the water-side, when an elderly woman called Kanee-kabareea, the mother of the boys, and one of the king's favourite wives, came after him, and with many tears, and entreaties, besought him not to go on board.[7]

Hearing her lament, the Hawaiians gathered around the shore of Kealakekua Bay and tried to prevented their king from being taken. Cook's men had to retreat to the beach. As Cook turned his back to help launch the boats, he was struck on the head by the villagers and then stabbed to death as he fell on his face in the surf.[8][9]

Kānekapōlei had a son named Pauli Kaʻōleiokū with Kalaniʻōpuʻu's nephew Kamehameha I, while she was still married to former.[10][11][12] In ancient Hawaiian society, it was customary amongst the aliʻi class for an elder female in the family to train a boy in sexual practices, and if a child was born, it was to be raised by the mother.[13] The exact paternity of Kaʻōleiokū' is contested because of this.[14][15] Kaʻōleiokū was raised by his mother and then after her death by Kalaniʻōpuʻu; he joined his brother Keōua Kuahuʻula's forces in opposition to Kamehameha in 1782 after the Battle of Mokuʻōha split the island into three warring chiefdoms. In 1790, when Kamehameha defeated and killed Keōua Kuahuʻula at the consecration of the Puʻukoholā Heiau, he announced that Kaʻōleiokū was the child of his beardless youth thus sparing his life. Her descendants by this son include Ruth Keʻelikōlani and Bernice Pauahi Bishop, founder of the Kamehameha School.[16] Kānekapōlei was also said to be the mother of Keliʻikahekili, one of the wives of Kameʻeiamoku and mother of Hoapili, although the father is not mentioned.[1]

Kanekapolei Street in Waikīkī was named after an early 1930s resident of the area named Marion Kānekapōlei Guerrero Diamond, who was named for the chiefess Kānekapōlei.[17]

Family tree [edit]

Her two descendants Bernice Pauahi Bishop and Ruth Keʻelikōlani
 
 
 
 
 
 Kamehameha I
1758–1819
 
 
 
 Kānekapōlei
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Keouawahine
 
 Pauli Kaōleiokū
1767–1818
 
 Kahailiopua
Luahine
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pauahi
1804–1826
 
 Laura Kōnia
1808–1857
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ruth Keʻelikōlani
1826–1883
 
 Bernice Pauahi Bishop
1831–1884
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 William Pitt Kīnau
1842–1859
 
 Keolaokalani
1862–1863

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b Kamakau 1991, p. 352.
  2. ^ Thrum 1919, p. 50.
  3. ^ Christopher Buyers. "The Kamehameha Dynasty Genealogy (Page 1)". Royal Ark web site. Retrieved December 11, 2012. 
  4. ^ a b Stokes 1935, p. 33-34.
  5. ^ Fornander 1880, p. 205.
  6. ^ Stokes 1935, p. 35-36.
  7. ^ King et al. 1784, p. 43-44.
  8. ^ Collingridge 2003, p. 409-410.
  9. ^ Kuykendall 1965, p. 18-20.
  10. ^ Fornander 1880, p. 333-334.
  11. ^ Kamakau 1991, p. 127.
  12. ^ Thrum 1916, p. 50-51.
  13. ^ Handy & Pukui 1952, p. 277.
  14. ^ Stokes 1935, p. 15–42.
  15. ^ Kanahele 2002, p. 152.
  16. ^ Kanahele 2002, p. 7-9.
  17. ^ Pukui and Elbert (2004). "lookup of Kāne-kapōlei". on Place Names of Hawai'i. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii. Retrieved December 12, 2012. 

Bibliography [edit]

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