Moses Kekuaiwa
Encyclopedia
Moses Kekūāiwa Keawenui (July 20, 1829 – November 24, 1848) was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
He was the second son of Mataio Kekūanāoa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of Kamehameha I
through his mother who was known as Kaahumanu II when she was regent. He had three brothers, David Kamehameha
(1828–1835), Lot Kapuāiwa
(1830–1872), Alexander Liholiho
(1834–1863), and a sister Princess Victoria Kamāmalu
(1838–1866).
He was adopted according to Hawaiian custom (hānai) by High Chief Kaikioewa, Governor of Kauai
and was heir presumative to the Governor of Kauai.
He was 10 years old when his uncle, King Kamehameha III
, placed him in the Chiefs' Children's School, the exclusive school for the children eligible to be rulers. This Royal School was run by Mr. and Mrs. Amos Star Cooke. Under an official order of the king, he was proclaimed eligible to rule the Hawaiian Kingdom. He would have been next in line for the throne if the order of succession
were based only on age.
He was not a favorite student of the Cookes. The Cookes and fellow missionaries felt that Hawaiian children were wild and unruly and that the royal children were the worst. Unlike American children, ali'i children were considered to be kapu
(sacred) to their subjects. It would be unthinkable for a kahu (servant) to strike a royal charge. The Cookes however, did not hesitate to enforce their rules and would beat the children with a ruler, deprive them of their meal and confining them to their rooms. On one occasion Mr. Cooke struck Alexander on the head and Moses replied, "he keiki a ke ali'i oia nei." Translated as "He is the son of the chief." Cooke replied "I am the King of this school." Many strange and often trying experiences unfolded for both Moses, his classmates and their teachers. In the earliest, most shaping time of their lives, the children had been raised in the environment of their homes which in the 1830s mixed some of the worst features of the old culture and those of the West, newly introduced to Hawaii.
The presence of scrupulously attentive kahus (attendants) within the margin of the school, presented a serious problem to the Cookes. Servants appearing at windows and doors, waiting to indulge the every impulse of their royal charges, continually hampered the educational program. In time this problem was handled, with the dismissing of most of them and replacing them with one, John Papa Ii. But others troubles developed. Fear of ghosts
brought difficulties at nightfall. The children looked everywhere for signs portending trouble with the spirit world. Odd holes in the ground or a particular pattern of shadows on the floor, or some other manifestation, were looked upon as warning signs of demons.
When the permanent school building was completed, the children were housed in rooms of their own but under the same roof with the Cooke family. A strict rule that kahus were not to sleep in the same rooms as the children was enforced upon by their teachers. Before long the rule was broken. Even disciplinary measures, when taken, could not put an end to the weeping that continued into the small hours of the morning. In time the burgeoning sexual urges of the older children presented the necessity of cautious surveillance after dark. The robust tendency of Moses became a great strain on Mr. Cooke's New England-endowed sense of sexual morality. Mathematics, history, philosophy, and music were embellished with interpolations of long-established lore superimposed upon the Western curriculum by fervent kahus and the older generation at home. In time the question of their future activities, including marriage, became a paramount issue. He was among the first to graduate from Royal School, although he actually left on his own accord.
Moses, the eldest male of his generation and a lineal descendant
of Kamehameha I, was expected to marry a high chiefess of rank to continue the royal line. He was engaged to the Tahitian Princess Ninito Teraiapo, who set sail for Hawaii, but arrived to the news of his death. He died November 24, 1848 at Honolulu in a measle
epidemic
. He was 19-years old, unmarried, and without any children.
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
.
He was the second son of Mataio Kekūanāoa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of Kamehameha I
Kamehameha 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...
through his mother who was known as Kaahumanu II when she was regent. He had three brothers, David Kamehameha
David Kamehameha
David Kamehameha was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Biography:Born May 20th, 1828, he was the firstborn and eldest son of Mataio Kekūanāoʻa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of King Kamehameha I through his mother and was named in his grandfather's honor and after the...
(1828–1835), Lot Kapuāiwa
Kamehameha V
aloghaKamehameha V , born as Lot Kapuāiwa, reigned as monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipa`a": immovable, firm, steadfast or determined; he worked diligently for his people and kingdom and was described as the last great traditional chief...
(1830–1872), Alexander Liholiho
Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV, born Alexander Iolani Liholiho Keawenui , reigned as the fourth king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 11, 1855 to November 30, 1863.-Early life:...
(1834–1863), and a sister Princess Victoria Kamāmalu
Kaahumanu IV
Victoria Kamāmalu Kaahumanu IV , was Kuhina Nui of Hawaii and its crown princess. Princess Kamāmalu is one of Hawaii's less notable historical figures...
(1838–1866).
He was adopted according to Hawaiian custom (hānai) by High Chief Kaikioewa, Governor of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
and was heir presumative to the Governor of Kauai.
He was 10 years old when his uncle, King Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
, placed him in the Chiefs' Children's School, the exclusive school for the children eligible to be rulers. This Royal School was run by Mr. and Mrs. Amos Star Cooke. Under an official order of the king, he was proclaimed eligible to rule the Hawaiian Kingdom. He would have been next in line for the throne if the order of succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
were based only on age.
He was not a favorite student of the Cookes. The Cookes and fellow missionaries felt that Hawaiian children were wild and unruly and that the royal children were the worst. Unlike American children, ali'i children were considered to be 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...
(sacred) to their subjects. It would be unthinkable for a kahu (servant) to strike a royal charge. The Cookes however, did not hesitate to enforce their rules and would beat the children with a ruler, deprive them of their meal and confining them to their rooms. On one occasion Mr. Cooke struck Alexander on the head and Moses replied, "he keiki a ke ali'i oia nei." Translated as "He is the son of the chief." Cooke replied "I am the King of this school." Many strange and often trying experiences unfolded for both Moses, his classmates and their teachers. In the earliest, most shaping time of their lives, the children had been raised in the environment of their homes which in the 1830s mixed some of the worst features of the old culture and those of the West, newly introduced to Hawaii.
The presence of scrupulously attentive kahus (attendants) within the margin of the school, presented a serious problem to the Cookes. Servants appearing at windows and doors, waiting to indulge the every impulse of their royal charges, continually hampered the educational program. In time this problem was handled, with the dismissing of most of them and replacing them with one, John Papa Ii. But others troubles developed. Fear of ghosts
Fear of ghosts
The fear of ghosts in many human cultures is based on beliefs that some ghosts may be malignant towards people and dangerous ....
brought difficulties at nightfall. The children looked everywhere for signs portending trouble with the spirit world. Odd holes in the ground or a particular pattern of shadows on the floor, or some other manifestation, were looked upon as warning signs of demons.
When the permanent school building was completed, the children were housed in rooms of their own but under the same roof with the Cooke family. A strict rule that kahus were not to sleep in the same rooms as the children was enforced upon by their teachers. Before long the rule was broken. Even disciplinary measures, when taken, could not put an end to the weeping that continued into the small hours of the morning. In time the burgeoning sexual urges of the older children presented the necessity of cautious surveillance after dark. The robust tendency of Moses became a great strain on Mr. Cooke's New England-endowed sense of sexual morality. Mathematics, history, philosophy, and music were embellished with interpolations of long-established lore superimposed upon the Western curriculum by fervent kahus and the older generation at home. In time the question of their future activities, including marriage, became a paramount issue. He was among the first to graduate from Royal School, although he actually left on his own accord.
Moses, the eldest male of his generation and a lineal descendant
Lineal descendant
A lineal descendant, in legal usage, refers to a blood relative in the direct line of descent. The children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc...
of Kamehameha I, was expected to marry a high chiefess of rank to continue the royal line. He was engaged to the Tahitian Princess Ninito Teraiapo, who set sail for Hawaii, but arrived to the news of his death. He died November 24, 1848 at Honolulu in a measle
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
. He was 19-years old, unmarried, and without any children.