Moikeha

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Moikeha was the 1st Alii Aimoku of Kauai. He ruled as titular King or chief of Kauai. He was a chief of the Nanaulu line being son of Mulielealii and grandson of Maweke.

His elder brother were Kumuhonua and Olopana. In his youth he assisted his brother Olopana. They appeared to have established themselves on Hawaii, where Olopana ruled the valley of Waipio and adjacent country, and Moikeha, if not co-ordinate with his brother in power, was at least his highest subject and most trusted friend. Here Olopana married Luukia, granddaughter of Hikapoloa, chief of Kohala Hawaii, and Mailelaulii, his wife, from Kona Hawaii—both descended from the ancient Hawaiian Nanaulu line—and begat a daughter named Kaupea. How long Olopana dwelt in Waipio is not mentioned, but the legend states that after a while heavy storms, floods, and freshets desolated the valley and compelled the inhabitants to seek refuge in other places. Olopana and his family, accompanied by his brother Moikeha and his family, embarked on their canoes and sailed for Kahiki, where they arrived safely, and where, according to the legend, Olopana obtained the sovereignty of a district or section of land called "Moaulanuiakea," and where Moikeha, remained the right-hand man of his brother. He built a sumptuos residence and heiau for himself, called Lanikeha. On this voyage to Tahiti, he took with him, as an adopted son, the young chief Laa, the son of Ahukai, and who then must have been but a child. It woul

It would be interesting to know, if possible, on which of the southern or south-western groups of the Pacific Olopana and Moikeha landed and established themselves. The word "Kahiki," from a Hawaiian point of view, comprises any and every group from Easter Island to the farthest west, even far into the present Malaysia. Not being able to define the particular place, it may be assumed with a considerable degree of certainty to have been on one of the Society or Georgian groups most probably being Tahiti. The Hawaiian legends mention only three names of places in connection with these voyages of Moikeha, of Kila, or of Laa-mai-kahiki, and they were Moa-ula-nui-akea, the name of a land or district where Olopana dwelt, Lanikeha, the name of the residence and Heiau of Moikeha, and Kapaahu, the name of a neighbouring mountain, where Laa-mai-kahiki was stopping when Kila was sent to bring him back to Moikeha. The name of the district or section of country over which Olopana is said to have ruled in Kahiki was in Hawaiian Moa-ula-nui-akea. Analysing this word, it consists of one appellative, Moa, and three adjectives or epithets, ula, nui, akea, " red, great, open, or wide-spreading." As the adjectives may or may not have been original at the place to which they were applied, and probably arose in the eulogistic tendency of those who cherished its memory, and in the magnifying disposition of the bards of subsequent ages, there remains the word Moa as an index for our research. In the island of Raiatea, Society group, one of the entrances leading to the bay on which Opoa was situated was anciently, and is possibly still, called Ava-Moa, " the sacred harbour" or entrance. This, then, may be the place which Hawaiian legends so highly extolled as the splendid domain of Olopana and of Laa. Moa, which in Tahitian means "sacred," and was originally a distinctive epithet of that particular harbour, became in Hawaiian and to Hawaiian emigrants a local name, adorned with other though analogous epithets. When, moreover, we consider that Opoa, to which this "sacred entrance," this Ava-Moa, conducted the voyager, was the seat, cradle, and principal sanctuary of the entire Society group, the Tahitian Mecca, in fact, there are reasonable grounds for assuming that the Moa- ula, &c., of the Hawaiian legends refers to the Ava-Moa of Raiatea, Society group. It is true that the Hawaiian legends referring to this period make no mention of Opoa, its Morae or temple, nor to its presiding deity, Oro. But according to Tatutian legends and traditions, the Morae of Opoa was built and dedicated to Oro by Hiro, whom their genealogies make the twentieth before the late Queen Pomare IV, and who, according to the same genealogies, was the great-grandson of Baa; whereas the Hawaiian Laa flourished twenty-three generations ago, and his foster-father, Moikeha, at least two generations earlier. Hence the legends of Moikeha and his contemporaries are silent on the Morae of Opoa and its famous god Oro. Of the mountain of Kapaahu nothing is known, It is to be hoped that some Tahitian archaeologist may take the trouble to ascertain if any of the mountains of Raiatea, especially in the neighbourhood of Opoa, ever bore the name of Kapaahu.

According to the legend, Olopana and Moikeha lived harmoniously in their new domain for a long time, until jealousy and envy actuated a Tahitian chief named Mua to slander Moikeha, and prejudice him in the eyes of Luukia, the wife of Olopana. Unable to clear himself of the slander and to convince Luukia of its malice, life became irksome to Moikeha, and he concluded to seek diversion by returning to his native land. His canoes were equipped forthwith under the superintendence of Kamahualele, his astrologer and seer (Kilokilo), and, with a goodly company of chiefs, retainers, and relatives, they set sail for Hawaii. It was on this occasion, as they approached the island of Hawaii, that Kamahualele is said to have chanted:--

Eia Hawaii, he moku, he kanaka, Here is Hawaii, the island, the man,
He kanaka Hawaii,-E A man is Hawaii,-E
He kanaka Hawaii, A man is Hawaii,
He kama na Kahiki, A child of Kahiki,
He pua Alii mai Kapaahu, A royal flower from Kapaahu,td>
Mai Moaulanuiakea Kanaloa, From Moaulanuiakea Kanaloa,
He moopuna na Kahiko and Kapulanakehau, A grandchild of Kahiko and Kapulanakehau,
Na Papa i hanau, Papa begot him,
Na ke kama wahine o Kukalaniehu laua me Kauakahokoku. The daughter of Kukalaniehu and Kauakahakoku.
Na pulapula aina i paekahi, The scattered islands are in a row,
I nonoho like i ka Hikina, Komokana, Place evenly from east to west,
Pae like ka moku i lalani, Spread evenly is the land in a row,
I hui aku, hu mai me Holani. Joined on to Holani.
Puni ka moku o Kaialea ke kilo, Kaialea the seer went round the land,
Naha Nuuhiwa Lele i Polapola: Separated Nuuhiwa, landed on Polapola:
O Kahiko ke kumu aina, O Kahiko is the root of the land,td>
Nana i mahele kaawale na moku. He divided and separated the islands.
Moku ka aholawaia a Kahai, Broken is the fish-line of Kahai,
I okia e Kukanaloa: That was cut by Kukanaloa:
Pauku na aina na moku, Broken up into pieces were the lands, the islands,
Moku i ka ohe kapu a Kanaloa. Cut up by the sacred knife of Kanaloa.
O Haumea Manukahikele, O Haumea Manukahikele,
O Moikeha, ka Lani nana e noho, O Moikeha, the chief who is to reside,
Noho kuu Lani ia Hawaii-a- My chief will reside on Hawaii-a-
Ola, Ola, o kalana ola! Life,life, O buoyant life!
Ola ke Alii, ke Kahuna, Live shall the chief and the priest,
Ola ke Kilo, ke Kauwa, Live shall the seer and the slave,
Noho ia Hawaii a lu lana, Dwell on Hawaii and be at rest,
A kani moopuna i Kauai. And attain to old age on Kauai.
O Kauai ka moku-a- O Kauai is the island-a-
O Moikeha ke Alii. O Moikeha is the chief.

The legends differ somewhat as to the names of the followers of Moikeha, but they all agree that a number of places, in the Hawaiian group were named after such or such companions of Moikeha, who were permitted to land here and there as the fleet coasted along the island shores, and who succeeded in establishing themselves where they landed. Thus were named the land of Moaula in Kau, Hawaii, the capes of Haehae and Kumukahi in Puna, the district of Honuaula on Maui, capes Makapuu and Makaaoa on Oahu.

One legend says that Moikeha's priest was called Mookini, and that he and another follower named Kaluawilinau landed at Kohala, Hawaii. It may have been so, but the inference drawn by the native Hawaiian mind, that the famous Heiau of Mookini in Kohala was called after this companion of Moikeha, is an evident anachronism, as Paao who built the Heiau preceded Moikeha in time of arrival at Hawaii; and it is not probable that the Paao and Pili joint interest in Kohala would then, or in aftertimes, permit their special and sacred Heiau to be named after a chance passenger in the fleet of Moikeha ; the more so as the former sprang from the Samoan group, and the latter came from the Society group. There was, doubtless, a Heiau in Puuepa, Kohala, near the shore, called Mookini, the ruins of which still remain, but it was much older than the one which Paao built, and probably gave its name to the latter.

Another of the companions of Moikeha was the famous Laamaomao, who by subsequent generations was worshipped as an Aumakua, and exalted as a demigod, a Hawaiian Aeolus, from whose Ipu or calabash the imprisoned winds went forth at his bidding, in force and direction to suit the wishes of the devotee. He is said to have taken up his abode near a place called Hale-a-Lono, a well-known hill and landmark on Kaluakoi, island of Molokai. No incident is recorded during the voyage from Kahiki to Hawaii, and having passed through the Hawaiian group, making the different debarcations above mentioned, Moikeha arrived one evening off the island of Kauai, and anchored his canoes outside of Waialua and the surf of Makaiwa, or, as others say, off Waimahanalua in Kepaa, the neighbouring land, where the Puna family of chiefs held their court. Early next morning, with his double canoe dressed in royal style (Pulou-lou-Alii), Moikeha went ashore and was cordially received by the chiefs of the district.

[edit] Marriage

According to one tradition, Puna had two daughters, Hooipo i Kamalanae and Hinauu or Hinauulua, who fell in love with Moikeha, and whom he married; another tradition only mentions Hooipo i Kamalanae as his wife. On the death of Puna, Moikeha became the principal chief (Alii nui) of Kauai, and remained there the balance of his life. Moikeha was listed as the first Alii Aimoku of Kauai. With these two wives Moikeha had the following children mentioned in the legends, Hookamalii, Haulanuiaiakea, Kila, Umalehu, Kaialea, Kekaihawewe, and Laukapalala, all boys.

Not much is said of Hookamalii in the legends. It would appear that he settled in the Kona district of Oahu, where his grandfather, Muliele-alii, had held possession, and is reported to have resided at Ewa. His son Kahai is said to have made a voyage to Kahiki, and from Upolu in the Samoan group brought a species of bread-fruit tree, which he planted at Puuloa. The great-granddaughter of Hookamalii, called Maelo, married Lauli-a-Laa, the son of Laa-mai-kahiki, whom Moikeha took with him to the Society group, and from this union descended the great Kalona families on Oahu, which spread their scions over the entire group.

The second son of Moikeha was Haulanuiaiakea. He followed his father in the supremacy of Kauai. The third son of Moikeha was Kila. He makes a more conspicuous figure in the ancient legends than his other brothers. There is two legends relating to Kila. One is very copious and detailed, but shows evident marks of the embellishments of later narrators; the other is more succinct. They differ in several material points, and thus to believe that the one is not a copy of the other, but that both sprang from independent sources. Comparing the two together, and with other legends referring to this period, the historical facts appear to be these: After Moikeha had been many years residing at Waialua as chief ruler of Kauai, and when his sons were grown-up men, a strong desire took possession of him to see once more his foster-son Laa, whom, on his departure from Kahiki, he had left with his brother Olopana, and whom Olopana had adopted as his heir and successor. Either Moikeha was too old, or from other causes unable to undertake the voyage himself, and Kila was commissioned to go to Kahiki to Moa-ula-nui-akea and bring Laa with him to Kauai. The double canoes were fitted out and equipped for the long voyage; several, if not all, of Kila's brothers went with him; and, finally, Moikeha's own astrologer (Kilokilo) and friend, Kamahualele, who came with him from Kahiki, was ordered to accompany Kila as special counsellor and chief navigator. When all were ready the expedition started. After passing through the Hawaiian group, and taking its departure from the south point of Hawaii, it stood to the southward, and in due time arrived at Kahiki. Eventually Laa is comes to Kauai and the legend adds that after Moikeha's death Laa returned to Tahiti and lived and died there.

It then narrates the adventures of Kila and his troubles with his brothers in a rather prolix and marvellous manner; but the result seems to be, comparing the two legends together, that Kila abandoned the island of Kauai and established himself on Hawaii, where he obtained possession of the valley of Waipio, the former land of his uncle Olopana; and from him several Hawaii families claimed descent, notably Laakapu, the wife of Kahoukapu, Kapukamola, the wife of Makakaualii, and Piilaniwaliine, the wife of Kamalalawalu of Maui.

[edit] References


Preceded by
none		 Ali'i Aimoku of Kaua'i Succeeded by
Haulanuiaiakea