Kawelo-a-Maihunaliʻi was the 19th Alii Aimoku of Kauai. He ruled as titular King or chief of Kauai. He is sometimes referred as Kaweloleimakua in some legends.
He was son of High Chiefess Malaiakalani, daughter of Kawelomahamahaia, 16th Alii Aimoku of Kauai, by his bride Kapohinaokalani, and of High Chief Maihunalii. His cousin was Kaweloaikanaka, 18th Alii Aimoku of Kauai. For some reason not clearly stated in the legends, he become obnoxious to Kaweloaikanaka and was driven out of the island.
Legends state that in his exile he found a refuge with Kaihikapu-a-Kakuihihewa in Ewa, Oahu. Kaihikapu-a-Kakuhihewa gave him a land bordering on the Kolekole Pass in the Waianae mountains; but unless Kaihikapu-a-Kakuhihewa had survived to an unprecedentedl old age, he must have been dead before this time and the succour given to Kawelo-a-Maihunalii must have come from Kaihikapu's sons or descendants. Certain it is, however, that Kawelo-a-Maihunalii not only received land on Oahu referred to for his maintenance, but in due time obtained both men and canoes to invade Kauai and make war on his cousin, Kaweloaikanaka.
The legends and chants referring to this war are lengthy, confused as to sequence of events, and so overloaded with the marvellous and fabulous that very little reliance can be placed upon the details which they set forth. The result however, is historically certain and vouched for by numerous other legends from the other islands, and that was the overthrow and demise of Kaweloaikanaka and the transfer of the supremacy of Kauai to Kawelo-a-Maihunalii. Kawelo-a-Maihunalii's military genius exceeds that of Kamehameha I. He was the only person ever to successfully conquer Kauai by the sea since the first Kauaian aliis, legendary conquerors of the Menehunes.
How long he reigned is not known, but it is said that when he became old he was killed by having been thrown over a cliff by some rebellious subject; but who they or their leaders were, or what the occasion of the revolt, is not remembered. His only wife was Kanewahineikiaoha, a daughter of Kalonaikahailaau, of the Koolau chief families on Oahu. They are known to have had a daughter, Kaneikaheilani, who became the wife of Kaaloapii, a Kau chief from the Big Island of Hawaii, and grandmother to Haalou, one of the wives of Kekaulike of Maui, and to Kamakaeheukuli, one of the wives of Kameeiamoku, a Hawaiian chieftain and grandson of Lonoikahaupu.
After the death of Kawelo-a-Maihunalii, Kualii of Oahu became the next chief over the windward side of Kauai. Legends doesn't explain, but the probability is that Kualii reclaimed the succession, as well as the sovereignty, in the name of his grandmother, Kawelolauhuki, one of the daughters of Kawelomahamahaia. Other legend said that in order to obtain a handful of warriors and a double canoe, Kawelo-a-Maihunalii agreed to cede Kauai to Ku-alii in case both Kawelo and his enemy Kawelo-'Aikanaka died as a result of the coming war. When Kawelo-a-Maihunalii had killed his cousin and that his own subjects had thrown him over a cliff, Kualii hurried to Kauai and declared himself alii nui. The legends of Kualii never speak of Kauai as a conquered territory, and the presumption is that he came into possession by inheritance.
| Preceded by Kaweloaikanaka |
Alii Aimoku of Kauai | Succeeded by Kualii |