Kahikikalaokalani, a Hawaiian chiefess, was the first wife of Keoua Kalani-Kupuapa-I-Kalaninui-Ahilapalapa and mother of Kalokuokamaile.
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She was born the eldest daughter of the High-Chief Kalahumoku II, titular chieftain of Hāna, Kipahulu, and Kaupo, and his wife the Chiefess Kalani Kaumehameha. Her younger sister was Kalanilehua. Kahikikalaokalani and her sister Kalanilehua were of great beauty and sacredness as her family possessed a wonderful kapu entirely different from, and never known to exist among, any other chief families of the Hawaiian Islands. It was styled "Ka Poo hoolewa i ka La", and inherited from Kaakaualaninui, the great-grandmother of Kahikikala. It signified the laying of the head toward the sun's position in the heavens from its rising unto its setting. Days for the observance of this kapu were strictly kept. The only time for recreation during the kapu must be taken from between the setting of luminary and the dawn of a new day. She was successor to the chieftainship of Hana, Kipahulu and Kaupo as heir to her father due to her age.
Their beauty and sacredness was spread across the waters of the ʻAlenuihāhā Channel to the Island of Hawaii to the Prince Keoua Kalanikupuapaikalaninui. Keoua showed such great restlessness and anxiety, so much that his father beseeched him to make known his wishes. Keoua answered: "I desired to visit the court of the two young princesses of Hāna, to take to wife one of them, for great is my ambition to obtain that most wonderful of all tabus, so as to hand it down to my posterity forever." His father agreed to this and preparations were immediately made to carry out the wish of the young prince. Followers, retainers, and kahunas formed an imposing retinue for Keoua and at dawn of a fine morning the expedition sailed away so as to reach the opposite shore of Muoleilani by noon.
With the sea calm and quiet, everything portended a welcome from his selected hostesses. When the fleet was sighted by the Kamaainas on the Hāna shore great surprise was shown on every countenance. Heralds announced that a royal visitor was about to land. Emissaries were quickly despatched to the landing to welcome the prince and his followers and invite them to the royal abode, where Kahikikala and her sister Kalanilehu would be ready to receive them.[1]
Upon Keoua's arrival a truly royal greeting was exchanged between the three chiefly scions, while an equally cordial pledging of friendship took place between those accompanying the prince and those attending on the princesses.
Soon it was noticed that Keoua's attention was more devoted to Kalanilehua than to her elder and regnant sister whom she distinctly outrivaled in beauty. It was said of Kalanilehua that her complexion was like the ohia blossom form which in fact her name was derived. She was indeed most prepossessing in appearance, so that no young knight meeting her could escape being smitten by her charms. Even though Keoua failed to conceal his preference, it did not make any difference of feeling in Kahikikala's heart toward her sister. There was a great affection not only between the sisters but Kahikikala held a motherly love for her younger sister. Matters stood until Keoua's kahuna deemed it his to duty to give warning counsel to his lord, which he did in this matter: "My Alii, you have come to the land where the sun is never seen setting in the western horizon, as the peaks of Mauna Kauwiki obstructed the view. Therefore the aliʻis of Hāna are called Na Lii oi ka La Kau; while you have the title and distinction of the Alii of the Rising Sun-'I ka Hikina i Haehae.' Your purpose in coming here was to get a legal inheritance which you greatly coveted for yourself and your successors, that of the far-famed tabu, Ka Poo Hoolewa i ka La, of which Kahikikala is the only rightful possessor, as she is the Alii Aimoku as long as she lives, of all this country and people. Therefore make amends for your past indifference and lack of courtesy, and seek Kahikikala's forgiveness and respect. Besides, she being the elder born, her progeny will always take precedence of seniority by birth.".[2]
Keoua rose to his feet and said: "I have done wrong and I shall try to make reparation for my past heedless infatuation." Now Kalanilehua was well versed respecting her position as the only Hooilina or successor to her sister so long as her sister remained single, as well as conscious that all the honors should be paid to her sister, and aware of the duty of abiding by the monarchical law that required respect and kindness toward all royal visitors at the court. Therefore, she permitted Keoua's behavior toward herself to grow no warmer, but not alone for that reason but because her heart had been already captured by a chief to the manner born, o ka aina, Ua Lanihaahaa who claimed descent from the noble family of Elani. It was as if a flood of sunshine had come over her, leaving her in her full glory, free and happy.[3]
In the meantime events were taking a different course in Kahikikala's life. Keoua was anxious for the culmination of the grand desire of his heart through the ceremony of the "Hoao." Accordingly all the subjects dwelling in Hāna, Kipahulu and Kaupo were summoned for the grand hookupu and hearing of the proclamation of the "Hoao" or she and Keoua. Feasting, dancing and merry-making in turn expressed general happiness and rejoicing until it was time for the people to return to their homes.[4]
Weeks extended into months with her husband happy and contented in his new home. Places of interest, including the sublime extinct crater of Haleakala, were visited by them. To the "house of the rising sun," as the name of the vast mountain signifies, the distinguished expedition was accompanied by the best-informed guides and persons versed in the old folklore and legends of the region. On the fourth day they emerged from the interior of the crater through the Kaupo Pass. At the exit the vast multitude was met by the folks of that district with a well-prepared feast in honor of the alii and his party. Thence the royal excursion was continued to one of her homes at Kaupo, for a rest of a few days before facing the rugged trails of Kipahulu, a district noted for its pecipitous cliffs and deep ravines. Upon this final stage of the return journey, Keoua, according to custom was carried upon the backs of his sturdy lieges one relieving another as necessary.[5]
During all this time events at home were in a lively turn, for the people of Kipahulu and Kaupo were eager to have carried out that which they required, namely, that one of the sisters should make a resident court at Kipahulu, and they looked to Kalanilehua to gratify their longings. So the day was set that the Hoao of Kalanilehua and her devoted lover should be solemnized, it being arranged so as to take place as soon as Keoua should reach home. The repetition of the sacred ceremony was carried out being as bright and joyous as the nuptials of Kahikikala and Keoua's had been. The day of departure for the royal couple was one of sorrow for the two sisters. Multitudes of people escorted the pair to their new home, borne on covered palanquins carried on men's shoulders.[6]
The next event for grand celebration was the birth of Kahikikala and Keoua's son and firstborn, who was deemed "Ka Keiki o Kona wa Heuole," which means the offspring of his beardless youth. The child was named Kalokuokamaile. Of course this brought many from other courts far and near, including people of Maui. Their rejoicings seemed to know no bounds. Kahikikala spared nothing in lavishly entertaining the vast multitude with all the country afforded. When the time came for the guests to depart for their homes they were loath to go, she and Keoua having proved such agreeable and courteous hostess and host. With cordial invitations for renewal of visits and pledges of enternal friendship they took farewell.[7]
Their son Kalokuokamaile had reached his third year a handsome lovely child, but there was cloud coming to shadow their bright life. Kahikikala was soon to lose her husband and Kalokuokamaile was soon to lose a kind father's embrace and a parent's unbounded love. An embassy from Keoua's long forgotten father, Keeaumokunui, desired the return of his son to his paternal home, to accomplish the heart wish of his parents that he should be married to his cousin Kekuiapoiwa II, their niece, they having been betrothed from infancy. Keoua turned to his faithful and downhearted wife, entreating, "What shall I do?"[8]
"Return to your home and obey the desire of your parent and people," in self-sacrificing spirit she replied. "Here is your son, the love of your youth. He will be my comfort and solace to require my affection for you in your absence." Her husband bowed low and embrace her saying, "I will do as you bid me." When preparations were completed for his return to his ancestral home, there was sorrow and weeping all over Hāna, for Keoua had endeared himself to the whole country of Hāna, Kipahulu and Kaupo. On the day of his departure Keoua turned to Kahikikala and said, "Be tender and loving toward our son and always teach him to understand that it is to obey the dictate of my conscience that I return to my father, for he showed me great love by granting me the great wish of my life to come here in search of you. Although my footsteps are turned homeward, my heart remains with you and our child. With our child I leave my tabu "a noho kane hele ka wahine." Thus saying he departed; embarking in his canoe, regally fitted up to bear the royal scion home, followed by his sute and attendants.[9]
| Kahikikalaokalani |
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Keōua Nui |
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Kekuiapoiwa II | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Kalokuokamaile |
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Kaloiokalani |
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Kamehameha I (The Great) |
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| Kaohelelani |
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Jean Baptiste Rives (1793–1833) |
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| Gideon Peleioholani Laʻanui (1797–1849) |
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Theresa Owana Kaheiheimalie Rives (1815–1850) |
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| Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau Laʻanui (1834–1928) |
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Gideon Kailipalaki Laʻanui (1840–1871) |
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| Alexander Cartwright III |
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Theresa Laʻanui (1860–1944) |
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Robert William Wilcox (1855–1903) |
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| Daisy and Eva Cartwright |
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Robert Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Wilcox (1893–1934) |
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Virginia Wilcox (1895–1954) |
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Helena Kalokuokamaile Wilcox (1917–1988) |
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Owana Salazar (born 1953) |
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Mahana Kaʻahumanu Walters (born 1979) |
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Noa Kalokuokamaile (born 1981) |
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