Battles in Kona

Hilo, Puna, Kau and Kona

Battles 25 through 29: ʻUmialīloa establishes his dominion over the entire island

Hākau had been a ruthless ruler, so many chiefs were supportive of ʻUmi at the outset (Fornander 1996:96).  There were concerns about having this new ruler born of a women of unrecognized rank, however (Elbert 1959:160), and the high chiefs of each district declared their independence from the new island ruler (Elbert 1959:158).  After ʻUmi had been slighted in an encounter in Hilo he decided to march his army there.  Starting in his royal home in Waipio valley, he took the high mountainous trail of Poliʻahu (Kamakau 1992:16) in an attempt to stay undetected as he approached Hilo.  A fisherman named Nau from Puʻuʻeo just north of Hilo discovered the advancing army and met them at a narrow pass above Kaūmana where the army of ʻUmi had to proceed in single file.  There Nau single handedly killed many warriors [25] until they finally figured a way around (Elbert 1959:166; Kamakau 1992:17).  The army advanced upon and destroyed the chiefs of Hilo [26] after that, thus taking control of the Hāmākua and Hilo districts. 

ʻUmi and his army headed southeast to Puna and defeated the Puna chief Huaʻa at the battle of Kuolo near Keaʻau [27] (Elbert 1959:168).  ʻUmi’s army then moved south and may have set up headquarters at Ahuaʻumi (Kamakau 1992:35).  From there he set to attack the amazing blind Kaʻū [28] warrior ruler named Imaikalani (Iʻi 1959:20) at the battle of Kapaliikua (Kamakau 1992:408).  Imaikalani could throw five spears with each hand, and had the help of forty spear carriers and his two birds that guided him in battle, but he fell to the crafty general in ʻUmi’s army named Piʻimaiwaʻa (Kamakau 1992:18).  ʻUmi’s militia then took Kona and Kohala by defeating ʻEhunuikaimalino [29] (Kamakau 1992:19), thereby establishing his authority over the entire island.    Soon after that ʻUmi moved the seat of power for the island from Waipiʻo to Kailua in Kona. 

Elbert, S. H. (editor)  1959.  Selections from Fornander’s Hawaiian Antiquities and Folklore.  The University of Hawai‘i Press, Honolulu.

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

I‘i, J.  1959.  Fragments of Hawaiian History.  Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992.  Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kona

Battle 30: Sons of ʻUmi fight to rule the island

Before ʻUmi passed away, he, according to one version (Kamakau 1992:35), instilled his two sons as co-rulers of the island.  Elder son Keliʻiokaloaaʻumi (also known as Keliʻi) ruled from Kailua, and younger son Keawenuiaʻumi (also known as Keawe) ruled from Hilo.  Keliʻi abused his chiefs and commoners to the extent that they pleaded to Keawe for justice.  Keawe gathered armies at Kīlauea and marched across the central plateau of the island while sending some other warriors around the island in canoes.  They met in Kona where his forces defeated Keliʻi at Puʻuokaloa, a place somewhere between Kailua and Honokohau.  Fornander (1996:111) is inclined to disregard references to a bloody tussle between these brothers,  but he does mention that another kind of encounter probably took place during Keliʻi’s time: a Spanish sailing ship ran aground at Keʻei near Kealakekua Bay (Fornander 1996:106; Kalakaua 1990:389).

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kalakaua, D.  1990.  The Legends and Myths of Hawaii.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992.  Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kona

Battle 32: Sons of Keawenuiaʻumi struggle for power

Before Keawe died he installed Kaikilanialiʻiwahineopuna, the granddaughter of his elder brother, as island ruler.  At the same time he had his many sons paired up to rule three groups of districts: Kona/Kohala; Kau/Puna; and Hilo/Hamakua.  Kona/Kohala were united in a battle under one brother, when Kanaloakua‘ana defeated ‘Umiokalani at a battle at Puʻuwaʻawaʻa (Kamakau 1992:46).  Alternatively, Fornander (1996:115) provides a less divisive version of the events after Keawe’s death, and Cordy (2000:224) outlines a more peaceful the transfer of power within the Pili dynasty during those times.

Cordy, R.  1981.  A Study of Prehistoric Social Change: The Development of Complex Societies in the Hawaiian Island.  Academic Press, New York.

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992. Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kohala and Kona

Battles 43 through 46:   The divided island in Civil War

Lonoikimakahiki ruled the island peacefully after that for many years.  Keakealanikane, the son of Kanaloakua‘ana and Kaikilanialiʻiwahineopuna, became island ruler after Lonoikimakahiki passed away.  During this time, there were two powerful districts: the Hilo district under the leadership of the chiefly ʻI family, and the Kohala district ruled by the chiefs of the Mahi family.  These two families could act independently of the island ruler, and in one example of such, an army of warriors from Kohala under the leadership of one of the Mahi chiefs set out for a raid on Maui.  Tension between the ruling island chief and the influential district chiefs split the island into two rival factions sometime in the 1600s: those from the east in Hilo, Puna, and Hāmākua; and those from the west and south in Kohala, Kona, and Kaʻū.  Kamakau states that this “war” lasted “several centuries”, but it may have been as short as an estimated 20 years during the reign of Keākealaniwahine, the ruling granddaughter of Keākealanikane. 

Although many battles may have been fought during this time, only a few specific battles have been recorded.  It appears that the Hilo side often had the upper hand, even when the Kona forces retreated to their fortresses (Kamakau 1992:63).  There was a battle at Kahinaʻi (43), and one at Huʻehuʻe (44) where the Hilo forces broke into secret burial caves.  The Hilo army was also victorious at Mahiki (45), and this battle may be the one mentioned by Desha (2000:193) where the Kuahuʻia forces from Hilo fought against Keakealaniwahine.  Another battle took place at an undisclosed location between the Hilo chief Kuahuʻia who fought against the forces of Keākealaniwahine.  Perhaps this is the battle known as Keoneʻula that took place at Pohakuomaneʻo (46) where the Kohala chief Mahiʻololī fought during the time of Keākealaniwahine (Kamakau 1992:75). 

Desha, S. L.  2000.  Kamehameha and His Warrior Kekūhaupi‘o.  Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992. Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kohala, Kona, Hāmākua and Kaʻū

Battles 47 through 51: Civil War at the borderlands

During this time of warfare between the east and west sides of the island, there was also conflict between neighboring districts within the two major island factions.  Desha (2000:193) mentions in passing a rebellion by Mahiʻololī, the famous chief from the powerful Mahi family in Kohala that was the chief counselor for Keakealaniwahine (Fornander 1996:128).  Mahiʻololī rebelled against Mahiaeʻe (also known as Mahiua), a chief from Kona in an unspecified location that is presumed to have been in the homelands of Mahiaeʻe somewhere in Kona [47]. 

Mahiʻololī’s son, Kauauanuimahi (also known as Kauauaamahi), fought a protracted war against the forces from the eastern side of the island that were under the leadership of Mokulani.   During this five year long struggle known as He Hale Māmala Koa (The House of Fragmented Warriors), the battle apparently moved all across the island from Mahiki [48], up and over Mauna Kea to Kalaieha [49], then up and over Mauna Loa to Kapuʻa [50] in southern Kona, and may have terminated at Kahuenaha [51] in barren Kahuku, Kaʻū. 

Desha, S. L.  2000.  Kamehameha and His Warrior Kekūhaupi‘o.  Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kona and Hilo

Battles 54 and 55:   The civil war ends

Keaweikekahialiʻiokamoku (also known as Keawe) was in line to rule with the passing of his mother Keākealaniwahine.  Sometime around AD 1720 he managed to reunite the island under his rulership through diplomatic means (Fornander 1996:129), and he ruled peacefully in tandem with his half sister Kalanikauleleiaiwi.  The strong east-west schism flared up again (or could be considered a continuation of the old civil war) when Keawe died, and his son Kalanikeʻeaumoku claimed to be ruler of the island, after perhaps somehow arranging for the slaying of his elder brother Kalaninuiʻīamamao (Fornander 1996:132).  Mokulani from the eastern Hilo side refused to acknowledge Kalanikeʻeaumoku.  Even more troublesome for Kalanikeʻeaumoku, his half brother Alapaʻinuiakauaua (also known as Alapaʻi), decided to make a move.  Alapaʻi attacked and killed Kalanieʻeaumoku and conquered the Kona chiefs at unspecified locations [54] (Kamakau 1992:65) presumably in Kona.  His forces then dispatched Mokulani, probably in his seat of power in Hilo [55], and took control of the entire island.

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992.  Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kohala and Kona

Battles 56 through 60: Maui forces of Kekaulike attack Hawaiʻi

Alapaʻinuiakauaua installed two grandsons of Keawe as commanders, Kalaniopuʻu and Keoua (Kamakau 1992:66).  While Alapaʻi settled into his new and turbulent role as island ruler, the Maui ruler Kekaulike attempted to take advantage of the discord on Hawaiʻi by attacking (Fornander 1996:133).  Kekaulike’s invading fleet of warriors engaged Alapaʻi’s army somewhere in Kona [56].  There was also a battle at sea [57] with warriors in canoes.  Repelled by Alapaʻi’s naval force, Kekaulike sailed northward and proceeded to destroy villages in Kekaha [58], cut down cocoanut trees in Kawaihae [59], and slaughter villagers in Kohala [60] (Fornander 1996:133; Kamakau 1992:66).  For the next few years Alapaʻi took the fight to Maui, Molokaʻi, and Oʻahu, with poor results.

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992.  Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kona

Battles 69 through 71: Rebels overthrow Keaweʻōpala

Keʻeaumoku fled south to Honomalino where he met Kalaniopuʻu’s army moving northward to make a challenge to be the sovereign of the island.  Keaweʻōpala chased Keʻeamumoku southward, but chose the inland route along the eastern side of Hualālai and then set up his camp above Kealakekua Bay (Fornander 1996:145; Iʻi 1959:4; Kamakau 1992:78).  The ruling forces met the rebel forces at Keomo [69] (Kamakau 92:110) between Hōnaunau and Keʻei on difficult, rugged lava terrain where the battle raged for several days.  Keaweʻōpala was victorious in one engagement that took place at Kepulu in the uplands of Kahauloa in Napoʻopoʻo [70] (Iʻi 1959:4).  Young Kamehameha had been with Keaweʻōpala during this campaign, but after the battle at Kepulu, Kamehameha slipped over to Kalaniopuʻu’s camp to begin his service with Kalaniopuʻu’s followers (Iʻi 1959:5).  The fighting continued, including at the battle of Pae at Kahilinaʻi [71] (Kamakau 1992:110) until finally Keaweʻōpala was killed and his forces were defeated.  Kalaniopuʻu became the ruler over the entire island. 

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

I‘i, J.  1959.  Fragments of Hawaiian History.  Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992.   Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kona

Battle 73: Kalaniopuu and Captain Cook

On February 14, 1779, Kalaniopuʻu was involved in the island’s first international clash when Captain James Cook came ashore at Kealakekua Bay during the annual Makahiki celebrations.  Much has been written about how and why this encounter escalated into violence, and stimulating discussions about the nature of imperial attitudes (both British and Hawaiian) and the clash of cultures have been going on around campfires, classes, and water coolers ever since.  A scholarly presentation of this rousing debate is laid out for all to read in a series of books by Marshal Sahlins and Gananath Obeyesekere.

Cook had come ashore with nine Marines to coax the elderly Kalaniopuʻu out to his ship the Resolution, to be held as a hostage until one of Cook’s smaller boats that had been recently stolen was returned.  As Cook and Kalaniopuʻu walked along the shore, many in the large crowd of over a thousand Hawaiians suspected trouble, and Kalaniopuʻu was convinced not to proceed any further.  News of the death of another local Hawaiian chief that was killed earlier while trying to paddle through the British blockade of Kealakekua Bay circulated through the crowd, and soon the general agitation turned to violence.  Hawaiians hurled stones.  Cook fired his musket, one barrel with shot that did not penetrate a warrior’s matted chest covering, and another with a ball that proved fatal.  The Resolution’s canon fired into the large crowd.  Many Hawaiians were killed.   Cook and four of his Marines died at the hands of warriors defending their ruler.  (Kamakau 1992:102-103).

Kamakau, S. M. 1992. Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition. The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Obeyesekere, Gananath 1992. The Apotheosis of Captain Cook: European Mythmaking in the Pacific. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

Sahlins, M. D.  1985.  Islands of History.  The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Sahlins, Marshall 1995. Now “Natives” Think, About Captain Cook, for Example. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Kona

Battles 76 and 77: Kīwalaʻō’s short reign ends at Mokuʻōhai

Keōua was many things to many people.  He was the son of Kalaniopuʻu from Kanekapolei (Kamakau 1992:120).  He was the half brother to Kīwalaʻō.  He was a high ranking chief in Kaʻū (Fornander 1996:312).  And he was dissatisfied with the way Kīwalaʻō distributed the lands after he became island ruler.  Keōua displayed his anger by cutting down cocoanut trees at Keomo in Keʻei [76], a classic display of symbolically emasculating and challenging an opponent (Kamakau 1992:120).  Some of Kamehameha’s men were killed in a skirmish there, and they were offered up to Kīwalaʻō for luakini sacrifice under his command.  For several days chiefs and their armies fought one another in the rocky and difficult terrain of Mokuʻōhai [77], and jockeyed for position as the Kamehameha and Kīwalaʻō factions took full shape.  Keōua fought with Kīwalaʻō.  Many chiefs deserted Kamehameha for Kīwalaʻō, including one of Kamehameha’s favorite uncles Kānekoa, (Fornander 1996:309) and Ahia the mighty chief of Puna. After five days of fighting, the struggle for dominance of the entire island was favoring Kīwalaʻō.  Victory was suddenly denied Kīwalaʻō when he was struck by a pohaku ʻalaʻ (sling stone), and then finished off by a lei o mano (shark’s tooth weapon) at the hands of Keʻeaumoku who was fighting for Kamehameha. 

Fornander, A. 1996.  Ancient History of the Hawaiian People.  Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kamakau, S. M.  1992.  Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.

Kona

Battle 92: Kamehameha gains the Fair American

During this lull in battles on the island of Hawaiʻi, Kamehameha invaded neighboring Maui.  This military action was not part of a pan-island campaign of domination.  Rather, Kamehameha was ruler of the western portion of Hawai‘i, and he and his administration perceived Maui to be part of their ancestral jurisdiction (Fornander 1996:229).  Soon after that Kahekili, through warfare and diplomacy, took control of all of the Hawaiian islands except for the island of Hawaiʻi (Fornander 1996:227). 

One clash with foreigners turned out to be favorable for Kamehameha.  While in Maui in 1790 the rather cruel Captain Metcalf of the ship named the Eleanor had whipped Kame‘eiamoku, a notable chief from Kona and ally of Kamehameha.  Kame‘eiamoku had vowed to exact revenge upon the next ship that strayed into his territory in Kaʻūpūlehu.  True to his word, and unfortunately for Metcalf, that ship was the Fair American.  The crew of the Fair American consisted of the Metcalf’s son and five sailors.  They were no match for the angry Kame‘eiamoku and his warriors.  Only the ship’s mate, Isaac Davis, was spared death.  The vessel was taken ashore, and the bounty of swords, guns, ammunition, and one cannon that came to be known as “Lopaka”, was passed on to their leader Kamehameha. 

Fornander, A. 1996. Ancient History of the Hawaiian People. Mutual Publishing, Honolulu.

Kona

Battles 106 and 107: King Liholiho defends the kingdom from rebel Kekuaokalani

Kamehameha passed away in peace in 1819 at Ahuʻena in Kailua-Kona, the first capitol of the Hawaiian Kingdom.  Before his death he had decreed that his son Liholiho would rule the kingdom, and following the ways of old and like so many of his predecessors, assigned the keeping of the war god Kūkāʻilimoku to another.  In this case it was his favorite nephew, Kekuaokalani (Kamakau 1992:209).  Soon after the death of Kamehameha, his widow Queen Ka‘ahumanu and his son Liholiho, also known as Kamehameha II, instituted the free eating that was contrary to the prevailing kapu system.  This precipitated the abandonment of many of the old ways.  There were those that refused to abide by such drastic changes, and these were led by a rebellious Kekuaokalani.  Liholiho’s forces, led by Kalanimoku, met the rebels in a skirmish at Keauhou [106], but it was a little further to the south at Kuamo‘o [107] that the battle began in earnest.  The rebels were particularly courageous, but Kekuaokani died when shot in the chest, and his spouse Manono carried the fight a while longer before losing her life, too, on the battlefield.  The bodies of the defeated were handled with disrespect, and many surviving rebels dispersed as best they could (Kamakau 1992:228). 

Kamakau, S. M.  1992. Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Revised Edition.  The Kamehameha Schools Press, Honolulu.