Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 6, 1 June 1989 — Battle Of Moku'ohai Decisive One For Paiea [ARTICLE]

Battle Of Moku'ohai Decisive One For Paiea

By Keone Nunes Culture Officer Kamehameha Paiea has long been associated with the famous battles of Kepaniwai (the Battle of 'lao) and Kaleleka'anae (the Battle of Nu'uanu), for these were decisive battles in whieh he gained rule over Maui and O'ahu. Many people however, forget the most important battle that Kamehameha waged whieh gave him rule over a larger part of the island of Hawai'i, — the battle of Moku'ohai. This was his initial encounter with a formidable opponent and if he had not been victorious, the successive battles would not have occurred. The battle of Moku'ohai was said to have been started when Kiwala'o was served the first eup of 'awa that was chewed and prepared for him by his cousin Kamehameha. Instead of accepting and drinking to acknowledge this important gesture by Kamehameha, Kiwala'o handed the first eup to a friend of his. Kekuhaupi'o, warrior, kahuna, and teacher to Kamehameha quickly struck the eup from Kiwala'o's companion's hand and said, "The chief has insulted us. Your brother did not ehew the 'awa for a commoner but for you, the chief." Hostility between Kamehameha and Kiwala'o increased and skirmishes occurred before the final battle. An account of the final battle of Moku'ohai as found in Ruling Chiefs o/Hawai'i by S.M. Kamakau (p. 121 and pp. 122-123), is as follows: All the chiefs had gone to the battle except Kamehameha, who was detained at Kealakekua by Holo-'ae and the prophetess (kaula) Pine to perform the ceremony of divination with the sacred calabashes. Said Holo-'ae to Kamehameha, "It is a day of misfortune, with defeat for both sides. One chief in your party will be killed, but when the god turns the defeat to that side then the ruling chief will be killed; but the tide is

still rising; when the sun begins to decline the other side will meet defeat." Ke'e-au-moku was fighting in the rear of the battle and fell entangled by his (Kini's) pololu spear. Kaha'i and Nuhi ran and stuck him through with their daggers (pahoa). Kini eame to retrieve his pololu spear and stood at his (Ke'aumoku's) back and shouted in his harsh voice, "My weapon has caught a yellow-backed crab!" Kini was a person with a rasping voice (leo'a-'a). Almost dead though he was, Ke'e-au-moku heard the voice of Kiwala'o say, "Guard the ivory whale tooth (niho palaoa)! Guard the ivory whale tooth! Do not let it become covered with blood!" He knew that he must die since the chief had no care for his own blood relative (hulu makua). Ka-amanawa, meanwhile, seeing his plight, rushed through the thick of the fight to reach his side. As Kiwala'o gazed eagerly at the famous ornament to see that it should not get smeared with blood, Ke-akua-wahine silently aimed (poko) a slingstone (pohaku'ala) whieh struck Kiwala'o unaware, and he fell down. The men who were stabbing Ke'a-au-moku fled. Seeing Kiwala'o lying prostrate, Ke'e-au-moku crawled to him with his shark's'tooth weapon (lei o mano) in his hand and cut his (Kiwala'o's) throat with it so that he (finally) died." The victorious Kamehameha thus acquired Kona, Kohala and half of Hamakua. It was also at this time that the prophet Kea'ulumoku composed

a chant, "Ha'ui ka Lani," that prophesized the future endeavors of Kamehameha. I ka papa o Akahipapa Haawi'oe o kou ea o kou make. Lilo ka hema me ke 'akau, A la lilo — mai welawela, Mai 'ea'ea, mai puniu Waihoa ko ia nei ko me ko ia nei 'oli'oli. and again: At the eamp ground of Akahipapa Thou gauest up f/iy life, thy death. The south land and the north are gone, There they are now Iost; grudge not to yield them, Dispute not, ho!d not back, Giue up to him what he has gained with his joy. 1 kahi one i Hauiki O Kalani kela, O Kalani keia; Koi moku ilaila; Koi ka'a kumu kela, Koi pa i ke poho, Pa i kumu helu palua, Helu koke no i ka puni 'eo Eia koi'aina, puo ka lima, Oia koi moku o ka lani. O Kalani Kau-i-ke-ao-uli kela, O Kalani-nui-lani-mehameha keia. . . . at the sand beach at Hauiki That was a chief, this was a chief; The stake was the island; There the property was staked, The game was played to utter Ioss, He strikes the goal, he counts double, He quickly counts what he has gained. 'Tis he who staked the land, he clasps his hands, He is the chief who staked the island. The diuine Kau-i-ke-ao-uli is that one, The diuine Kamehameha the Great is this.

Cover: "Tamehameha," by Hawaiian artist Herb Kawainui Kane, depicts the warrior king in his prime. Portrait courtesy Herb Kawainui Kane