Umi-a-Liloa

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ʻUmi-a-Līloa (fifteenth century) was a ruling ali'i-ai-moku (high chief of Hawai'i) who inherited religious authority of Hawai'i from his father, High Chief Liloa, who's line is traced, unbroken to Hawaiin "creation".[1] His mother was Akahi. She was of a lesser line of chiefs who Liloa had fallen in love with when he discovered her bathing in a river. He became Chief after the death of his half-brother Hakau, who inherited the lands of his father to rule.[2] Umi-a-Liloa was considered a just ruler, religious[3] and the first to unite almost all of the Big Island.[4] The legend of Umi is one of the most popular hero sagas in Hawaiian history. While there is probably embellishment to the story, as many sagas do, a portion of historic accuracy remains.[5]

Birth and early life

His father was Ali'i-ai-moku Liloa, and his mother, Akahiakuleana (Akahi).[6] Each were married to another. The couple met when Liloa, the then ali'i-ai-moku of Hawaii was visiting the local area of Hamakua. He met Akahi there and claimed his right to her as King and she accepted. After they had consummated, Liloa told her that, if she was to have a male child, she should present the boy to him along with royal tokens he gave to her as gifts, to prove her boy was the son of the king. Akahi hid the gifts given to her by Liloa from her husband and later gave birth to a son. At the age of 15 or 16, his step father was punishing the boy when his mother intervened and told the man he could not touch him because the boy was his lord and chief. She recoverd the hidden tokens of royal sovereignty to present to her husband to prove the high treason he would have committed. Akahi gave her son the gifts of the royal malo, niho palaoa, and lei, which were given to her by his true father, that only high chiefs wore, and sent Umi to Waipio to present himself to the king as his son.

Liloa's palace was well guarded and attended by several Kahuna. The entire enclosure was sacred and a penalty of death stood for breaching it's walls. Umi entered the walled off enclosure and walked straight to Liloa's sleeping quarters, waking the king. When Liloa asked who he was, he said "It is I, Umi your son". He then placed the tokens at his fathers feet and was proclaimed son by King Liloa. After learning of Umi, Hakau became upset and demanded answers from his father, who assured his first born that he would be king after his death and his brother would serve him. Umi was brought to court on an equal footing with his half brother Hakau, who was the son of Liloa with his first wife, Pinea from an ali'i family of equal rank to that of her husband. Living within Liloa's court along side his brother, Umi found great favor from his father, only increasing Hakau's dislike of his half brother.[7]

Just before his death, Liloa bestowed on Hakau the succession as Chief stating telling Umi that he was to serve as his "man" (Prime Minister) and that both were to respect the other and should either have issue with the other it would be for them to deicde.[8]

Death of Liloa, rise of Hakau

Liloa died and his kingdom passed to his first born son, Hakau as promised. At hirst a decent king, he soon became butal. To avoid his brother anger, Umi exhiled himself to another district. There he takes wives and is begins building forces and followers. Chiefs begin to believe him to be of the highest chiefly nature from signs they see. He gives food to people and becomes known for caring for everyone. In constrast, Hakau refuses to attend to his fathers two favorite, ailing Kahuna requesting food after an illness. He refuses them food in an insulting manner.[9]

References

  1. ↑ David Kalakaua (King of Hawaii) (1888). The legends and myths of Hawaii: The fables and folk-lore of a strange people. C.L. Webster & Company. pp. 288–. 
  2. ↑ Kent Flannery (15 May 2012). The Creation of Inequality: How Our Prehistoric Ancestors Set the Stage for Monarchy, Slavery, and Empire. Harvard University Press. pp. 341–. ISBN 978-0-674-06497-3. 
  3. ↑ Stacy L. Kamehiro (2009). The Arts of Kingship: Hawaiian Art and National Culture of the Kalākaua Era. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 120–. ISBN 978-0-8248-3263-6. 
  4. ↑ Greg Ward (2001). Hawaii. Rough Guides. pp. 223–. ISBN 978-1-85828-738-6. 
  5. ↑ Martha Warren Beckwith (1976). Hawaiian Mythology. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 389–. ISBN 978-0-8248-0514-2. 
  6. ↑ Edith Kawelohea McKinzie (1 January 1986). Hawaiian Genealogies: Extracted from Hawaiian Language Newspapers. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 30–. ISBN 978-0-939154-37-1. 
  7. ↑ Moke Kupihea (3 March 2004). The Seven Dawns of the Aumakua: The Ancestral Spirit Tradition of Hawaii. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. pp. 27–. ISBN 978-0-89281-144-1. 
  8. ↑ Charles Nordhoff (1874). Nordhoff's West Coast: California, Oregon, and Hawaii. Routledge. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-0-7103-0257-1. 
  9. ↑ Jocelyn Linnekin (1990). Sacred Queens and Women of Consequence: Rank, Gender, and Colonialism in the Hawaiian Islands. University of Michigan Press. pp. 97–. ISBN 0-472-06423-1. 
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