Mailikukahi
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Mailikukahi was the 8th Alii Aimoku of Oahu. He reigned as the titular chieftain or King of the island of Oahu and all its territories it may of claim at the time. His court was an equal to King Arthur's court at Camelot.
Mailikukahi was the son of Kukahiaililani and Kokalola. His father was fourth in descent from Maelo and her husband Lauli-a-Laa, and he thus represented both the Maweke and Paumakua families; a fact which gave him and his descendants no little importance among the Hawaiian aristocracy. Mailikukahi is said to have been born at Kukaniloko, and thus enjoyed the prestige of the kapu attached to all who were born at that hallowed place. He succeeded Haka of Oahu after he was overthrown. Unlike his predessor he does not descend from Kumuhonua but rather his brother Moikeha. Tradition does not say whether Mailikukahi had a hand in this affair, but he was clamorously elected by the Oahu chiefs in council convened as Moi and duly installed and annointed as such at the heiau. After his installation as Moi he made Waikiki in the Kona district his permanent residence, and with few exceptions the place remained the seat of the Oahu kings until Honolulu harbour was discovered to be accessible to large shipping.
On the Oahu legends Mailikukahi occupies a prominent place for his wise, firm, and judicious government. He caused the island to be thoroughly surveyed, and the boundaries between the different divisions and lands to be definitely and permanently marked out, thus obviating future disputes between neighbouring chiefs and landholders. He caused to be enacted a code of laws, in which theft and rapine were punishable with death. He also caused another ordinance to be enacted and proclaimed, which the legend says found great favour with both chiefs and commoners, namely, that all first-born male children should be handed over to the Moi, to be by him brought up and educated. He was a religious chief withal, built several Heiaus, held the priests in honour, and discountenanced human sacrifices. The island of Oahu is said to have become very populous during his reign, and thrift and prosperity abounded.
During his reign peace was not everlasting their were some conflics. An expedition by some Hawaii chiefs, Hilo-a-Lakapu, Hilo-a Hilo-Kapuhi, and Punaluu, joined by Luakoa of Maui, which invaded Oahu during the reign of Mailikukahi. It cannot be considered as a war between the two islands, but rather as a raid by some restless and turbulent Hawaii chiefs, whom the pacific temper of Mailikukahi and the wealthy condition of his island had emboldened to attempt the enterprise, as well as the eclat that would attend them if successful, a very frequent motive alone in those days. The invading force landed at first at Waikiki, but, for reasons not stated in the legend, altered their mind, and proceeded up the Ewa lagoon and marched inland. At Waikakalaua they met Mailikukahi with his forces, and a sanguinary battle insued. The fight continued from there to the Kipapa gulch. The invaders were thoroughly defeated, and the gulch is said to have been literally paved with the corpses of the slain, and received its name, "Kipapa," from this circumstance. Punaluu was slain on the plain which bears his name, the fugitives were pursued as far as Waimano, and the head of Hilo was cut off and carried in triumph to Honouliuli, and stuck up at a place still called Poo-Hilo.
Mailikukahi's wife was Kanepukoa, but to what branch of the aristocratic families of the country she belonged has not been retained on the legends. They had two sons, Kalona-nui and Kalona-iki, the latter succeeding his father as Moi of Oahu. From Kalona-nui's son, Kalamakua, descended the Moi of Maui.
[edit] Reference
- Abraham Fornander, An Account of the Polynesian Race: Its Origin and Migrations, Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1969. Page 88-90
| Preceded by Hākā |
Alii Aimoku of Oahu | Succeeded by Kalonaiki |
