Kukona
Encyclopedia
Kukona was the 7th Alii Aimoku of Kauai
. He ruled as the titular king or chief of the island of Kaua’i. Kukona took Ka-lau-nui-ohua, the ambitious chief of Hawaii who tried to seize Kauai, as prisoner to Kauai and this war was known as the War of Kawelewele. He was born around 1405 according to Na Pua Ali'I O Kaua'i: Ruling Chiefs of Kaua'i by Frederick B. Wichman.
of Hawaii made his descent on the coast of Koloa, and in that neighborhood was met by Kukona and all the Kauai chiefs. On the hills above Koloa on the island of Kaua`i stood the heiau
and enclosures of the palace of the reigning king of that island kingdom, the gracious Kukona. His name became in Hawai`i the symbol of the very highest ideals of chivalry
in battle.
Long before the great sails of Hawai`i and her allies were seen, the court priests of Kaua`i had come before Kukona to warn him of the impending invasion. "And what is the outcome to be?" Kukona had asked, "Victory of defeat for us?" the priests had answered one word “Victory!” Kukona turned his eyes away and he wept. "O, that the blood of my people and my children, must flow again over their sacred land.
When Kalaunuiohua sailed on his campaign against Kauai to wage war upon Kukona, he was accompanied by three defeated kings of Maui
, Molokai
, and Oahu
. There were Kamaluohua, king of Maui and Kahakuohua, king of Molokai and Huaipouleilei , king of Oahu.
But he had no intention to surrender nor to deliver his sovereignty to alien hands. When the armada
of Kalaunui-Ohua, touched the shores of Kaua`i, they were met by an army of only 500 men. These were the defenders of Kaua`i. He himself had not even bothered to attend; he sent his heir, Mano-Kalanipo, to represent him. In one brief battle, the armies of invasion suffered a complete and absolute defeat. A small and greatly outnumbered force of Kaua`i warriors had decisively beaten the combined armies of all of the other islands. The invading monarchs now stood in peril of their very lives for ancient custom decreed that they might be slaughtered and offered as sacrifices before the great Ku temples of Kaua`i.
Kukona, however, decided otherwise and thereby set the pattern by which the acts in battle of the succeeding kings of Hawai`i were judged. He spared the kings who had come to conquer him. Instead of death, he gave them presents: to their men he gave provisions and supplies. He repaired their canoes and gave them more from his own fleets. He sent them back to their own realms over the seas in the regal state befitting a sovereign king of Hawai`i.
Kalaunuiohua and his fellow captives supposed that Kukona had really gone to sleep, and they began to grumble and find fault with Kukona and to plot against his life, at which the chiefs of Oahu, Molokai, and Hawaii nodded assent, agreeing that they should turn upon Kukona and put him to death. But Kamaluohua, the king of Maui, said, “Let us do no hurt to Kukona, because he has been kind to us. Here we are in his hands, but he has not put us to death. Let us then treat him kindly.”
Just then Kukona rose up and said to them, “What a fine dream I've just had while sleeping! I dreamed all of you were muttering and plotting my death; but that one,” pointing to Kamaluohua, “defended me and preserved my life.” They all acknowledged the truth of his accusations. “Because, however, of Kamaluohua's kindness,” continued Kukona, “and because of his determination that no evil should be done to me, because he appreciated that life and the enjoyment of peace were great blessings, I will not trouble you.”
“Because Kamaluohua did right, I now declare all of you free to return to your homes with the honors of war, taking your own canoes with you. Do not think I shall oppress you in your own lands. Your lands shall be your own to live in as before.” So Kalaunuiohua returned home to Hawaii; Huaipouleilei, to Oahu; Kahakuohua, to Molokai; and Kamaluohua, to Maui. And they lived peacefully in their own homes. This peace was called ‘ka lai loa ia Kamaluohua’, the long peace of Kamaluohua."
violated all battle etiquette - yet we praise the results which he achieved putting an end to a disordered social system of Ancient Hawaii
.
Kukona's generous conduct towards the Oahu, Molokai, and Maui chiefs who fell into his hands after the battle, brought Kauai back into the family circle of the other islands, and with an éclat and superiority which it maintained to the last of its independence.
His son Manokalanipo
by his wife Laupuapuama'a succeed him as king of Kauai.
Alii Aimoku of Kauai
The Alii Aimoku of Kauai was the sovereign king or queen of the islands of Kauai and Niihau.- Overview :The monarchs of Kauai, like those of the other Hawaiian islands, claim descent from Wakea and Papa. Nanaulu, a descendant in the fourteenth generation from Wakea, was the ancestor of Moikeha, 1st...
. He ruled as the titular king or chief of the island of Kaua’i. Kukona took Ka-lau-nui-ohua, the ambitious chief of Hawaii who tried to seize Kauai, as prisoner to Kauai and this war was known as the War of Kawelewele. He was born around 1405 according to Na Pua Ali'I O Kaua'i: Ruling Chiefs of Kaua'i by Frederick B. Wichman.
War of Kawelelwele
Kukona was the Alii Aimoku or sovereign of Kauai when KalaunuiohuaKalaunuiohua
Kalaunuiohua ruled as the 7th Alii Aimoku of Hawaii from 1315 to 1345. He was the sovereign king or chief of the island of Hawaii. He is represented in the legends as a warlike and enterprising king.- War of Kawelewele :...
of Hawaii made his descent on the coast of Koloa, and in that neighborhood was met by Kukona and all the Kauai chiefs. On the hills above Koloa on the island of Kaua`i stood the heiau
Heiau
A heiau is a Hawaiian temple. Many types of heiau existed, including heiau to treat the sick , offer first fruits, offer first catch, start rain, stop rain, increase the population, ensure health of the nation, achieve success in distant voyaging, reach peace, and achieve success in war . Only the...
and enclosures of the palace of the reigning king of that island kingdom, the gracious Kukona. His name became in Hawai`i the symbol of the very highest ideals of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
in battle.
Long before the great sails of Hawai`i and her allies were seen, the court priests of Kaua`i had come before Kukona to warn him of the impending invasion. "And what is the outcome to be?" Kukona had asked, "Victory of defeat for us?" the priests had answered one word “Victory!” Kukona turned his eyes away and he wept. "O, that the blood of my people and my children, must flow again over their sacred land.
When Kalaunuiohua sailed on his campaign against Kauai to wage war upon Kukona, he was accompanied by three defeated kings of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
, and Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. There were Kamaluohua, king of Maui and Kahakuohua, king of Molokai and Huaipouleilei , king of Oahu.
But he had no intention to surrender nor to deliver his sovereignty to alien hands. When the armada
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
of Kalaunui-Ohua, touched the shores of Kaua`i, they were met by an army of only 500 men. These were the defenders of Kaua`i. He himself had not even bothered to attend; he sent his heir, Mano-Kalanipo, to represent him. In one brief battle, the armies of invasion suffered a complete and absolute defeat. A small and greatly outnumbered force of Kaua`i warriors had decisively beaten the combined armies of all of the other islands. The invading monarchs now stood in peril of their very lives for ancient custom decreed that they might be slaughtered and offered as sacrifices before the great Ku temples of Kaua`i.
Kukona, however, decided otherwise and thereby set the pattern by which the acts in battle of the succeeding kings of Hawai`i were judged. He spared the kings who had come to conquer him. Instead of death, he gave them presents: to their men he gave provisions and supplies. He repaired their canoes and gave them more from his own fleets. He sent them back to their own realms over the seas in the regal state befitting a sovereign king of Hawai`i.
Peace of Kamaluohua
Kalaunuiohua and the other chief lived peacefully on Kauai with Kukona and were treated by him with all kindness. One time when Kukona was spending the day apart from his own people, with these captive chief about him, he was taken with a desire for sleep. He rolled himself in his blanket and lay down, but did not fall asleep (he was setting a trap for them) but was all the time alert and watching them from beneath his covering.Kalaunuiohua and his fellow captives supposed that Kukona had really gone to sleep, and they began to grumble and find fault with Kukona and to plot against his life, at which the chiefs of Oahu, Molokai, and Hawaii nodded assent, agreeing that they should turn upon Kukona and put him to death. But Kamaluohua, the king of Maui, said, “Let us do no hurt to Kukona, because he has been kind to us. Here we are in his hands, but he has not put us to death. Let us then treat him kindly.”
Just then Kukona rose up and said to them, “What a fine dream I've just had while sleeping! I dreamed all of you were muttering and plotting my death; but that one,” pointing to Kamaluohua, “defended me and preserved my life.” They all acknowledged the truth of his accusations. “Because, however, of Kamaluohua's kindness,” continued Kukona, “and because of his determination that no evil should be done to me, because he appreciated that life and the enjoyment of peace were great blessings, I will not trouble you.”
“Because Kamaluohua did right, I now declare all of you free to return to your homes with the honors of war, taking your own canoes with you. Do not think I shall oppress you in your own lands. Your lands shall be your own to live in as before.” So Kalaunuiohua returned home to Hawaii; Huaipouleilei, to Oahu; Kahakuohua, to Molokai; and Kamaluohua, to Maui. And they lived peacefully in their own homes. This peace was called ‘ka lai loa ia Kamaluohua’, the long peace of Kamaluohua."
The Chivalry of Kukona
Chivalry and grace were embodied in Kukona, the King of Kaua`i, and he remained throughout the centuries of Hawai`i's history as the criterion whence all other acts of warfare are measured. Even Kamehameha IKamehameha I
Kamehameha I , also known as Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha preserved Hawaii's independence under his rule...
violated all battle etiquette - yet we praise the results which he achieved putting an end to a disordered social system of Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
.
Kukona's generous conduct towards the Oahu, Molokai, and Maui chiefs who fell into his hands after the battle, brought Kauai back into the family circle of the other islands, and with an éclat and superiority which it maintained to the last of its independence.
His son Manokalanipo
Manokalanipo
Manokalanipo was the 8th Alii Aimoku of Kauai. He ruled as titular King or chief of Kauai. He was also known as Mano-ka-lani-po and was probably born around the year 1430...
by his wife Laupuapuama'a succeed him as king of Kauai.