Hao of Oahu
Encyclopedia
Hao, Prince of Oahu, was the High Chief of Ewa
and Waianae. He would suffered the same fate as Priam of Troy, in the Ancient Greek myth of the Iliad
.
, the Alii Aimoku of Oahu
, and her husband Lupe Kapukeahomakalii, a son of High Chief Kalanuili and High Chiefess Naluehiloikeahomakalii. Through his mother's side, he possessed the royal Oahuan and Mauian bloodlines and he was the grandson of Queen Kukaniloko and Luaia, Prince of Maui. Through his father, he was a descendant of the Koolau chief, Kalehenui
and his daughter Hinakaimauliawa
; and so partenally he was of the Kalehenui branch of the Maweke
Dynasty.
Hao had three siblings. He was the younger brother of Ku-a-Manuia and Kaihikapu-a-Manuia; and elder brother to Kekela. Following the ancient customs the sons of the family were given over to their several Kahus or guardians, chiefs of high rank and generally related to the parents, to be brought up by them and educated. This separation at birth between him and his two brothers may be the reasons behind the villainy and cruelty that the brothers would one day do to each other, which would plunge Oahu into a state of civil war. And, so he was brought up with his own kahu at Waikele, Ewa
, away from his mother and father, who had enough time to be good rulers but not enough to be good parents.
. She appointed Hao's elder brother, Ku-a-Manuia, to succeed her as Moi of Oahu, and she gave him the Kona and Koolaupoko districts for his maintenance. To Kaihikapu-a-Manuia, she entrusted the charge of the kapu
, the religious cult, and her family gods, "Kukalani" and "Kuhooneenuu;" and for his maintenance she gave him the lands of Kalauao, the former royal seat; Aiea
, Halawa, and Moanalua
. Hao received the districts of Ewa
and Waianae, but was subject in authority, however, to his two elder brothers. And to her daughter, Kekela, Kalaimanuia gave the districts of Waialua and Koolauloa. Thus, the kingdom was , as the Queen believed, left in good hands when she died at the age of ninety-one, during the sixty-fifth year of her reign.
His elder brother was greatly despised by the nobles, priests, and the general public because of his greedy and ambitious ways. Ku, discrediting his parents whose desires and commands he had disregarded and ignored, endeavored to wrest the inheritance of his two brothers and sister from their hands. For six years, Ku constantly argued with his two younger brothers, and finally, he resolved on an armed attack on Kaihikapu, who was at that time peacefully constructing the fishponds of Lelepaua and Kaihikapu at Keehi. The
latter defended himself against this sudden attack; Hao came to his assistance, and a general battle was fought between Lelepaua and Kapuaikaula. In the Battle of Lelepaua and Kapuaikaula, Ku was finally slain and a memorial stone was erected on that field as marking the place where Oahu's tyrant king fell. This event would lead to further skirmishes and bloodshed.
. His wealth and charisma would not be his blessing but his downfall. On a tour of the kingdom, his brother visited Waikele and was surprised and disturbed in his mind at the splendor of his brother's court. Kaihikapu knew that a chief with so abundant material resources might any day rise in revolt and assert his independence. Laumea, the High Priest and the Odysseus
in this story, advice his king to avoid open conflict with Hao, since such an action would alienate Kaihikapu from the people and his sister Kekela and cause him to suffer the same fate as Kuamanuia. The priest advise to sent an offering of an enormous shark that Kaihikapu had personally caught off the coast of Waikiki. After Hao received this and having no idea of his brother's intentions, he became occupied with dedicating the shark to the gods. Armed men issued forth and slew Hao, his priests and his attendant chiefs, who were unarmed and unprepared. One is inclined to believe that the embellishments of the legends, a many other cases, are of a much later time, and that the actual fact of the matter was the sending of a valuable present, the bearers of which surprised Hao at the Heiau and killed him there.
The Waipahu plantation stables on the mountain side of the road across from the schoolhouse west of the town now occupy the site of the former heiau at Waikele. Nothing remain of this temple where Hao was surprised during worship and slain with his priest. Similar to Priam of Troy, Hao died in a temple.
Ewa
Ewa can refer to:In geography:* Eastern Washington* 'Ewa Beach, Hawaii, unincorporated Census-designated place * Ewa Villages, Hawaii, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and Waianae. He would suffered the same fate as Priam of Troy, in the Ancient Greek myth of the Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
.
Early life
Hao was born around the 16th or 17th centuries, but most likely the early 16th century. He was the third child and third son of KalaimanuiaKalaimanuia
Kalaimanuia was the 12th Alii Aimoku of Oahu. She reigned as Queen of the island of Oahu and all its territories it claimed at the time. She was Oahu's last queen regnant until Liliuokalani, the last queen of all of the Hawaiian Islands. She is sometimes referred to as Kalanimanuia...
, the Alii Aimoku of Oahu
Alii Aimoku of Oahu
The Alii Aimoku was the sovereign king or queen of one of the four main Hawaiian Islands. The monarchs of island Oahu, like those of the other Hawaiian islands, claim descent from Wakea. Nanaulu, a fourteenth generation descendant of Wakea was the ancestor of Kumuhonua, 1st known King of Oahu,...
, and her husband Lupe Kapukeahomakalii, a son of High Chief Kalanuili and High Chiefess Naluehiloikeahomakalii. Through his mother's side, he possessed the royal Oahuan and Mauian bloodlines and he was the grandson of Queen Kukaniloko and Luaia, Prince of Maui. Through his father, he was a descendant of the Koolau chief, Kalehenui
Kalehenui
Kalehenui was a northern Hawaiian chief. The second son of Maweke and brother of Mulielealii and Keaunui. He was of the Nanaulu line being lineal descendant of Nanaulu, the brother of Ulu, from whom the southern chiefs claim their descent....
and his daughter Hinakaimauliawa
Hinakaimauliawa
Hinakaimauliawa, a Princess or High Chiefess of Oahu, was the District Chieftain or Queen of Koolau on the island Oahu. During her days, Oahu was divided among the descendants of Maweke, the legendary blue blood alii from which the Northern royal bloodlines sprouted.Hinakaimauliawa was the...
; and so partenally he was of the Kalehenui branch of the Maweke
Maweke
Maweke was a northern Hawaiian king. He was of the Nanaulu line being lineal descendent of Nanaulu, the brother of Ulu, from whom the southern chiefs claim their descent. The northern chiefs of Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau descent from Maweke and Nanaulu...
Dynasty.
Hao had three siblings. He was the younger brother of Ku-a-Manuia and Kaihikapu-a-Manuia; and elder brother to Kekela. Following the ancient customs the sons of the family were given over to their several Kahus or guardians, chiefs of high rank and generally related to the parents, to be brought up by them and educated. This separation at birth between him and his two brothers may be the reasons behind the villainy and cruelty that the brothers would one day do to each other, which would plunge Oahu into a state of civil war. And, so he was brought up with his own kahu at Waikele, Ewa
Ewa
Ewa can refer to:In geography:* Eastern Washington* 'Ewa Beach, Hawaii, unincorporated Census-designated place * Ewa Villages, Hawaii, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, away from his mother and father, who had enough time to be good rulers but not enough to be good parents.
War with Ku
Prior to their mother's death she made the following dispositions of the government and the land. This action would prove to be as foolish as the action of Louis the PiousLouis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
. She appointed Hao's elder brother, Ku-a-Manuia, to succeed her as Moi of Oahu, and she gave him the Kona and Koolaupoko districts for his maintenance. To Kaihikapu-a-Manuia, she entrusted the charge of the kapu
Kapu
Kapu refers to the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations. The kapu system was universal in lifestyle, gender roles, politics, religion, etc. An offense that was kapu was often a corporal offense, but also often denoted a threat to spiritual power, or theft of mana. Kapus were...
, the religious cult, and her family gods, "Kukalani" and "Kuhooneenuu;" and for his maintenance she gave him the lands of Kalauao, the former royal seat; Aiea
Aiea
Aiea or Aiea may refer to:* Members of the Hawaiian flowering plant genus Nothocestrum**Nothocestrum breviflorum A.Gray - Smallflower aiea...
, Halawa, and Moanalua
Moanalua
Moanalua is a valley, a stream, an ahupuaa, and a residential neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii. The valley extends inland from behind Āliapaakai crater to the crest of the Koʻolau Range....
. Hao received the districts of Ewa
Ewa
Ewa can refer to:In geography:* Eastern Washington* 'Ewa Beach, Hawaii, unincorporated Census-designated place * Ewa Villages, Hawaii, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and Waianae, but was subject in authority, however, to his two elder brothers. And to her daughter, Kekela, Kalaimanuia gave the districts of Waialua and Koolauloa. Thus, the kingdom was , as the Queen believed, left in good hands when she died at the age of ninety-one, during the sixty-fifth year of her reign.
His elder brother was greatly despised by the nobles, priests, and the general public because of his greedy and ambitious ways. Ku, discrediting his parents whose desires and commands he had disregarded and ignored, endeavored to wrest the inheritance of his two brothers and sister from their hands. For six years, Ku constantly argued with his two younger brothers, and finally, he resolved on an armed attack on Kaihikapu, who was at that time peacefully constructing the fishponds of Lelepaua and Kaihikapu at Keehi. The
latter defended himself against this sudden attack; Hao came to his assistance, and a general battle was fought between Lelepaua and Kapuaikaula. In the Battle of Lelepaua and Kapuaikaula, Ku was finally slain and a memorial stone was erected on that field as marking the place where Oahu's tyrant king fell. This event would lead to further skirmishes and bloodshed.
Treachery at the hand of his brother
Hao recognized his brother as the Moi of Oahu, and he had no ambition of taking the position from his brother. He remain the district chief of Ewa and Waialua; his governing seat was his own childhood home of Waikele, in the Ewa District. He must have been a benevolent and just ruler because his court's wealth and the number of vassals and retainers, both nobles and commoners, that followed his banner, could outmatch his brother's seat at WaikikiWaikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
. His wealth and charisma would not be his blessing but his downfall. On a tour of the kingdom, his brother visited Waikele and was surprised and disturbed in his mind at the splendor of his brother's court. Kaihikapu knew that a chief with so abundant material resources might any day rise in revolt and assert his independence. Laumea, the High Priest and the Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
in this story, advice his king to avoid open conflict with Hao, since such an action would alienate Kaihikapu from the people and his sister Kekela and cause him to suffer the same fate as Kuamanuia. The priest advise to sent an offering of an enormous shark that Kaihikapu had personally caught off the coast of Waikiki. After Hao received this and having no idea of his brother's intentions, he became occupied with dedicating the shark to the gods. Armed men issued forth and slew Hao, his priests and his attendant chiefs, who were unarmed and unprepared. One is inclined to believe that the embellishments of the legends, a many other cases, are of a much later time, and that the actual fact of the matter was the sending of a valuable present, the bearers of which surprised Hao at the Heiau and killed him there.
The Waipahu plantation stables on the mountain side of the road across from the schoolhouse west of the town now occupy the site of the former heiau at Waikele. Nothing remain of this temple where Hao was surprised during worship and slain with his priest. Similar to Priam of Troy, Hao died in a temple.