The Battle of Mokuʻōhai, fought in 1782 on the island of
Hawaiʻi
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
, was a key battle in the early days of
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. T ...
's wars to conquer the
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
. It was his first major victory, solidifying his leadership over much of the island.
Background
After King
Kalaniʻōpuʻu
Kalaniōpuu-a-Kaiamamao (c. 1729 – April 1782) was the aliʻi nui (supreme monarch) of the island of Hawaiʻi. He was called ''Terreeoboo, King of Owhyhee'' by James Cook and other Europeans. His name has also been written as Kaleiopuu.
Bio ...
died in the spring of 1782, his family took his remains to the royal mausoleum known as ''Hale o Keawe'' at the important religious temple
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau. While Kalaniʻōpuʻu's son
Kīwalaʻō
Kīwalaʻō (1760 – July 1782) was the aliʻi nui of the island of Hawaii in 1782 when he was defeated in battle and overthrown by Kamehameha I.
Early life
Kīwalaʻō was born in 1760 to Aliʻi Nui, Kalaniʻōpuʻu and his queen consort Kalol ...
had inherited the kingdom, his nephew Kamehameha was given a religious position, as well as the district of
Waipiʻo valley. When a group of chiefs from the Kona district, including his brothers and uncles,
Keaweaheulu
Keaweaheulu Kaluaʻapana (sometimes Keawe-a-Heulu, died 1804) was a Hawaiian high chief and maternal great-grandfather of King Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani. He was among Kamehameha I's council of chiefs and was one of the Five Kona chiefs.
...
, twins
Kamanawa
''For other persons with this name, please see Kamanawa II.''
Kamanawa (died c. 1802?) was a Hawaiian high chief and early supporter of King Kamehameha I, known as one of the royal ''Nīʻaupiʻo'' twins with his brother Kameeiamoku. He later bec ...
and
Kameʻeiamoku
Kameeiamoku (died 1802) was a Hawaiian high chief and the Counselor of State to King Kamehameha I. He was called Kamehameha's uncle, but he was really the cousin of Kamehameha's mother, Kekuiapoiwa II.
Birth and ancestry
Along with his twin b ...
, and
Keʻeaumoku Pāpaʻiaheahe, offered to back Kamehameha instead of Kiwalaʻo, he accepted eagerly, traveling back from his residence in
Kohala.
Kīwalaʻō's half-brother
Keōua Kūʻahuʻula
Keōua Kūahuula was an '' Alii'' (member of the royal class) during the time of the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Family
His name means "rain cloud of the red cloak".
His father was Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the king at the time of the arriv ...
had been left with no territory from his late father.
He went into a rage, cutting down sacred coconut trees belonging to Kamehameha (considered a great insult) and killing some of Kamehameha's men.
Their bodies were offered as a sacrifice to Kīwalaʻō, who accepted them, and Kamehameha felt he had to respond to the challenge to his honor.
[William De Witt Alexander (1891) ''A brief history of the Hawaiian people'']
Battle
The battleground was just to the south of
Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona.
Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples (heiaus) and also ...
, near the present-day community called Keʻei.,
[Thomas S.Dye (2003]
Archaeological Survey of a Portion of Keʻei Makai
/ref> on the bay now called Mokuʻakae (which could be a misspelling of Mokuʻōhai), South of Palemano point. The name means "grove of ʻōhai trees". The tree, ''Sesbania tomentosa
''Sesbania tomentosa'', commonly known as Oahu riverhemp and ''ōhai'', is an endangered species of plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to the main Hawaiian Islands as well as Nihoa and Necker Island. It inhabits low shrublands ...
'', is now endangered, and no longer grows in the area, so the site is only known from oral history.
As tensions were building, women and children from both sides flooded into the "place of refuge", Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau.
Kameʻeiamoku was the first leader injured, but when Kīwalaʻō approached, Kamanawa came to his aid. Then Kīwalaʻō was knocked down by a sling stone, and the injured Kameʻeiamoku was able to slit his throat with a shark-tooth dagger.Bishop Museum
The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, is a museum of history and science in the historic Kalihi district of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. Founded in 1889, it is the lar ...
) was captured by Kamehameha the Great.
Aftermath
Keawemaʻuhili (uncle of Kīwalaʻō) was captured but escaped to Hilo
Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 United ...
, and Keōua Kūʻahuʻula fled to Kaʻū where he had relatives.
After the battle, Kamehameha controlled the Northern and Western parts of the Big Island, including Kona, Kohala, and Hāmākua while Keawemaʻuhili controlled Hilo and Kīwalaʻō's half-brother Keōua Kūʻahuʻula controlled Kaʻū.
Kamehameha fought several more battles over many years to consolidate his control. In 1790, Keōua's party was to have their footprints frozen into volcanic ash,
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mokuohai
Battles involving Hawaii
History of Hawaii (island)
Ancient Hawaii
Conflicts in 1782
1782 in Hawaii
Wars of succession involving the states and peoples of Oceania