Keōua

Keōua Kalanikupuapaʻikalaninui Ahilapalapa, sometimes called Keōua Nui ("Keōua the Great"), was an Ancient Hawaiian noble and the father of Kamehameha I, the first King of united Hawaiʻi. He was progeneitor of the House of Keōua Nui.

Life

His father was Chief Keeaumoku Nui, the second son of Keaweikekahialiʻiokamoku, King of Hawaiʻi island, and his second wife, Princess Kalanikauleleiaiwi. Keōua's mother, Chiefess Kamakaʻimoku, was from the noble family of ʻI of Hilo. Keōua was a half-brother of King Kalaniʻōpuʻu of the island of Hawaiʻi through his mother who also married Kalaninuiamamao, Kalaniʻōpuʻu's father.^[1]

He was raised as royalty due to his royal birth. His father was a Pio chief which was considered among the highest rank in Hawaiian society. Through his mother and father he was descended from Kings ʻUmi and Liloa and related to chiefs of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai. He was chief of the Kohala district and Kona district of the island. He was a non-ruling chief; the ruling chief of Kona and Kohala was his brother Kalaniʻōpuʻu.

During his youth he spent his time at the royal court on Maui.

His wives were:

• Kaiolaniokaiwalani
• Kahikikala - mother of Kalokuokamaile
• Kalanilehua
• Kekuiapoiwa II - mother of Kamehameha I and Keliimaikai
• Kamakaeheikuli - mother of Kalaimamahu
• Manono I - mother of Kiʻilaweau
• Kalola - mother of Kekuiapoiwa Liliha
• Akahi-a-Kawalu

His bones were deposited in the cliffs above Kealakekua Bay, which to this day are still called pali kapu o Keōua, "the forbidden cliffs of Keōua". His remaining descendants are generally considered those of his eldest son Kalokuokamaile.

In 1920, Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau Pratt wrote a book, Keoua: Father of Kings, as a tribute to her great, great grandfather. It was republished in 1999 by his great-great-great-great-great grandson, David Castro.^[2] The first use of the name "House of Keōua Nui" dates to a press release by descendant Owana Salazar.

Ancestry

References

External links

• "The Hale O Keoua Nui: Keoua Kalanikupuapaikalaninui and his descendants". Hawaii's Royal Family web site. Keali`i Publishing. http://www.keouanui.org/Keouanui.html. Retrieved 2010-04-03.