Pauli Kaōleiokū

Pauli Kaʻōleiokū (abt 1767–1818) was a Prince of Hawaii.

Early childhood

Pauli Kaʻōleiokū was born in 1767. His mother was High Chiefess Kānekapōlei, a wife of Kalaniʻōpuʻu. His paternity is a matter of some debate. However, it is known that Pauli Kaōleiokū was an ali'i po'olua. Both Kalaniʻōpuʻu and Kamehameha accepted him as their own son. A dispute is not suggested by this from Hawaiian tradition as po'olua was a common and formally acknowledged, chiefly acceptance that enhanced the offspring's lineage.[1] He was admitted into manhood by the traditional ʻawa ceremony around 1778.[2] Shortly after that, he was among the first to meet Captain Cook when he came to the islands.[2] He was known to be an expert spear thrower because of his ability to predict where a moving target would go to.[3]

Battle of Mokuʻōhai
Main article: Battle of Mokuohai

In 1782 Kamehameha I won his first decisive victory towards conquering the islands. King Kalaniʻopuʻu had died a year before leaving his son Kiwalaʻo to rule in his place. Keōua Kūʻahuʻula was left nothing by his father after his death. Enraged by this, Keōua made several provocative moves to insult the new ruler and would become Kamehameha's chief rival during the battle that would ensue. Kamehameha received encouragement and the backing of several prominent figures instead of the new King. Kaʻōleiokū was Keōua's half-brother and supported him in the battle and afterwards, escaped with him to Kaʻū.

Keōua was convinced by twins Kamanawa and Kameʻeiamoku to travel with them when summoned to Kawaihae by Kamehameha. Kaʻōleiokū was among the formal entourage. Keōua was resigned to a probable fate and surrounded himself with his selection of chiefs to die with in his own canoe. Others were ordered to accompany Kaōleiokū. As they came to shore to greet Kamehameha, Keeaumoku Pāpaiahiahi stood from a distance with his men and threw a spear at Keōua, who, after a small fight, was killed.[4]

Kaōleiokū was saved by command of Kamehameha I, who did not intervene during the struggle moments before.[5] Another popular version of this event states that Kamehameha's brother, Keliimaikai had attempted to intercede for Keōua but failed and when Kaōleiokū's group made shore, Keliimaikai demanded that Kamehameha kill the young man and his group stating: "You have killed my Hanai, and I will now kill yours". To which Kamehameha replied: "He shall not die: he is the child of my youth."[5] After that, he was taken into Kamehameha's court and traveled to Oʻahu where he fought problematic Russians around 1816.[6]

Family and legacy
Keōuawahine, one of the wives of Kaʻōleiokū, in 1819

He was the father of four children, Kalanipauahi, Hānuna, Keolaloa and Kōnia. Keōuawahine was the mother of Kalanipauahi and Hānuna, and Kahailiʻōpua Luahine was the mother of Kōnia and Keolaloa.[7][8]

He died February 19, 1818, supposedly, by means of akua hānai, being secretly fed the scrapings of the wooden images of the poison gods, or the kālaipāhoa gods.[9]

He was a grandfather of Keʻelikōlani and Bernice Pauahi Bishop.

Family tree

References
  1. Jocelyn Linnekin (1990). Sacred Queens and Women of Consequence: Rank, Gender, and Colonialism in the Hawaiian Islands. University of Michigan Press. pp. 96–. ISBN 978-0-472-06423-6.
  2. John F. G. Stokes (1935). "Kaoleioku, Paternity and Biographical Sketch". Hawaiian Journal of History. Hawaiian Historical Society: 15–42. hdl:10524/94.
  3. John Papa ʻĪʻī (1983). Fragments of Hawaiian History, Edition 2. Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 0-910240-31-0
  4. Ralph Simpson Kuykendall (1 January 1938). The Hawaiian Kingdom. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 38–. ISBN 978-0-87022-431-7.
  5. Abraham Fornander; John F. G. Stokes (1880). An Account of the Polynesian Race: Its Origins and Migrations, and the Ancient History of the Hawaiian People to the Times of Kamehameha I. Trubner & Company. pp. 334–.
  6. Stephen L. Desha (2000). Kamehameha and his warrior Kekūhaupiʻo (Moolelo kaao no Kuhaupio ke koa kaulana o ke au o Kamehameha ka Nui). Translated by Frances N. Frazier (Revised ed.). Honolulu: Kamehameha Schools Press. ISBN 0-87336-056-7.
  7. Liliʻuokalani (July 25, 2007) [1898]. Hawaii's story by Hawaii's queen, Liliuokalani. Lee and Shepard, reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-0-548-22265-2.
  8. Julie Stewart Williams (1999) [1992]. Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Kamehameha Schools Press. ISBN 0-87336-057-5.
  9. John Papa ʻĪʻī (1983). Fragments of Hawaiian History, Edition 2. Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 0-910240-31-0. Page 124
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