Kamaloohua

Kamaloohua was the 8th Mo'i of Maui. He was the titular chieftain or king of the island of Maui. In some tradition he was called Kamaluohua.

He was the son of Kuhimana, Moi of Maui.

War of Kawelewele

He was first to be attacked, defeated, and taken prisoner by Kalaunuiohua of Hawaii, carried captive in the conqueror's train to Molokai where Kahokuohua, that island's sovereign, was conquered. From there Kalaunuiohua went on th Oahu, taking his prisoners with him. It is doubtful if Oahu had any recognised Moi or titular sovereign at the time. The invasion of Kalaunuiohua must have occurred while Moku-a-Loe ruled over the Koolau division and Kahuoi ruled over the Kona division of that island; for, without attacking either of those chiefs, Kalaunuiohua landed his forces at Waianae and gave battle to Huapouhilei, principal chief of the Ewa and Waianae division of the island. Again victory perched on Kalaunuiohua's banners, and Huapouleilei was defeated and captured. Kauai was the final island and there they were liberated by Kukona after the crushing defeat of Kalaunuiohua. The story goes after the defeat in the War of Kawelewele, 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.” [David Malo, Hawaiian Antiquities, Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1951.]

Arrival of Light Skin People

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."

While Kamaloohua ruled over the greater part of Maui, a chief who was doubtless a near relation, and was called Wakalana, ruled over the windward side of the island and resided at Wailuku. During his time tradition records that a vessel called "Mamala" arrived at Wailuku. The captain's name is said to have been Kaluiki-a-Manu, and the names of the other people on board are given in the tradition as Neleike, Malaea, Haakoa, and Hika. These latter comprised both men and women, and it is said that Neleike became the wife of Wakalana and the mother of his son Alo-o-ia, and that they became the progenitors of a light-coloured family, "poe ohana Kekea" and that they were white people, with bright, shining eyes, "Kanaka, Keokeo, a ua alohilohi na maka". The tradition further states that their descendants were plentiful in or about Waimalo and Honouliuli on Oahu, and that their appearance and countenances changed by intermarriage with the Hawaiian people. As the time of Kamaloohua and Wakalana was at least twenty generations ago, or about the middle of the thirteenth century, it is evident that no Europeans traversed the Pacific Ocean at that time, and that these white or light-coloured foreigners probably were the crew of some Japanese vessel driven out of her course, and brought by winds and currents to these shores, as is known to have happened at least in two instances since the islands were discovered by Captain Cook, and may have happened at other unrecorded times previous to the event now referred to. That the Hawaiian natives regarded these castaways as of an alien race is evident; and the impression of astonishment and wonder at their light complexions remained on the traditional record long after their descendants had become absorbed by, and become undistinguishable from, the original native inhabitants. Another version of the same tradition, while substantially the same as the foregoing, differs somewhat in the names of the new arrivals; and the event is ascribed to the time of Kamaloohua, while the other ascribes it to the time of Wakalana. As Kamaloohua and Wakalana were contemporary, and as the main fact is identical in both versions, this difference rather confirms than weakens the truth of the narrative, inasmuch as it goes to show that the remembrance of the event had come down on two different streams of tradition, one reckoning time by the reign of Kamaloohua, the other by that of Wakalana. [Abraham Fornander, An Account of the Polynesian Race: Its Origin and Migrations, Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1969. Page 67-68, 81-83]

After the reign and times of Kamaloohua he was succeeded by his son Loe.

Reference