Kalanipauahi

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Kalani-Pauahi
Queen Consort of the Hawaiian Islands and Princess of the Hawaiian Islands
Spouse Liholiho, King Kamehameha II
Prince Kahalaia Luanuʻu
Governor Mataio Kekuanaoa of Oʻahu
Issue
Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani
Full name
Kalani-Pauahi Pauli I
Titles and styles
HM The Queen Consort
HRH The Queen Dowager
HRH The Princess
Royal house House of Kamehameha
Father Prince Pauli Kaoleioku
Mother High Chiefess Keoua-wahine
Born c. 1804
Waikiki, O'ahu
Died 17 Jun 1826
Honolulu, O'ahu
Burial Mauna Ala Royal Mausoleum

Kalanipauahi (c.1804 - 1826) was a Hawaiian queen consort/princesss and a member of the House of Kamehameha. Her grandfather was Kamehameha I, who in 1810 united all of the Hawaiian Islands under his ruling. She was the mother of Princess Ruth Keelikolani.

She was the eldest daughter of High Chief Pauli Kaoleioku, by his first wife, Alii Keoua-Wahine. Her mother was daughter of Kauhiwawaeono of Maui by his wife, Alii Loe-wahine, daughter of Alii Kame'eiamoku, Counsellor of State to King Kamehameha I the Great. Her father was Pauli Ka'oleioku. born 1767, Kamehameha illegitimate son by his aunt, Kanekapolei. He was recognised by his father and his son and two daughters were declared Royal Princes and Princesses by their grandfather, including Kalanipauahi and her half-sister Konia. [1]

The name Pauahi originated in an incident which occurred in her childhood. By an accidental explosion of gunpowder she narrowly escaped being burned to death. Five men were killed in the catastrophe, her mother house was burned to the ground, and she was badly injured. In commemorating her escape she was given the name, which is compose of two Hawaiian words, pau, "finished", or "completed" and ahi, "fire", which, translated, means, "the fire is out". [2] She is referred to as Kalanipauahi or Kalani Pauahi so as not to mistaken her for her niece and namesake Bernice Pauahi Bishop.

She married her uncle Kamehameha II as one of his five consorts all being related. Kamehameha II was a younger son of Kamehameha the Great so Pauahi was only seven years younger than her uncle. During the accession of her husband Pauahi commemorated the fire incident of her childhood by descending from the couch in which she had been borne in the procession, and setting it on fire with all the elaborate decorations. Her attendants imitating her example and casted quantities of clothing, tapa, and costly foreign cloth into the flames.[3]

Her husband Kamehameha II died in London in 1824 and she became Queen dowager like all his other wifes at a very young age. She remarried to Prince Alii Kahalaia Luanu'u. Her husband was styled Royal Highness and Governor of island of Kauai, a grandson of king Kamehameha I, being the only son of the king's third son prince Alii Kahoanuku Kinau and his wife lady Alii Kahakuhaakoi Wahine-pio from Maui. She soon divorced Kahalaia and remarried on 28 November 1825 her next husband, prince Mataio Kekuanaoa. Her daughter Keelikolani was born 17 June 1826, after being married to Kekuanaoa for seven months. Her daughter's unorthodox birth was a reason Ruth was regarded somewhat outside the legitimate birth of Hawaiian nobility. Her daughter claimed to be a Kamehameha cannot be questioned since she was herself a Kamehameha. She died giving birth to her daughter although the cause was said to have been a flu type of illness which carried off many people in 1826.[4] She was 22 years-old.

[edit] Reference

  1. ^ HAWAII6
  2. ^ The Memoirs of Hon. Bernice Pauahi Bishop By Mary Hannah Krout, Page 19-21
  3. ^ The Memoirs of Hon. Bernice Pauahi Bishop By Mary Hannah Krout, Page 21
  4. ^ Hawaií in 1819: A Narrative Account By Louis Claude Desaulses de Freycinet, Marion Kelly. Page 108