Keoua

Keōua Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Ahilapalapa sometimes referred to as Keoua Nui "Keoua the Great" was the father of Kamehameha I. Progeneitor of the House of Keoua Nui - Father of Kings and the first reference of the name of such a house dates to a press release by note descendant, Princess Owana Salazar.

He was the son of Kalani-Keeaumoku-nui, second son of Keaweikekahialiiokamoku, King of Hawaii, by his second wife, Princess Kalanikauleleieiwi, granddaughter of Iwikauikaua (whose celebrated kapu was the torchlight burnt at midday) and daughter of high chiefess Keakealani-wahine. He was half brother of King Kalani‘opu‘u of the island of Hawaii through his mother Chiefess Kamaka'imoku who married Kalani-Keeaumoku-nui, and Kalaninui'iamamao, Kalani‘opu‘u's father. His mother was from the chiefly family of I or Kohala.

He was reared with the utmost dignity due to his royal birth. His father was a "Pio" chief which was considered among royalties of the highest rank in the realm. Through his mother and father flowed the blood of Umi and Liloa, connecting also to the chiefs of Maui, Oahu, Kauai. He was chief of the Kohala and Kona district. He was a non-ruling chief, the "aliokinai" of Kona and Kohala was his brother Kalani'opu'u.

During his youth he spent his time at the royal court on Maui. His two wives High Chiefess Kahikikala-o-kalani and her Kalanilehua, daughters of High Chief Kalahumoku II, Alii of Hana, by his wife, High Chieftess Kalani Kaumehameha. From Kahikikalaokalani was his eldest son Kalokuokamaile who was deemed "Ka Keiki o Kona wa Heuole", which means the offspring of his beardless youth. He was the ancestor of Theresa Laanui, Elizabeth Kekaaniau, and was the progneitor Kalokuokamaile Dynasty. When he return to Hawai'i, he left his son behind in Maui. [Pratt, Elizabeth K. (March 27, 2000). Keoua : Father of Kings . Ke Ali'i Pub.]

He married two daughters of Alii Ha'ae-a-Mahi, High Chiefess Kamakaeheikuli and High Chiefess Kekuiapoiwa II who were niece of the King Alapai'nui that usurped his uncles claimed to the throne and absorbed him into his tribe. Kekuiaipoiwa was daughter of High Chiefess Kekela-nui the aunt of Keoua. From Kekuiaipoiwa was born Kamehameha and Kealiimaikai Chief Priest of Io and Kane and the ancestor of Queen Emma and from Kamakaeheikuli Kalaimamahu who was the ancestor of Lunalilo. His other marriage he married his maternal half sister, Manono I who was a daughter of Alapai'nui and begot Chieftess Ki'ilaweau who was mother of Keaoua Kekuaokalani who would later rebelled against Kamehameha successor Liholiho. He married Aliokinai Kalola Pupuka-o-Honokawailani the daughter of King Kekaulike of Maui and they had Kekuiapoiwa Liliha the mother of Keopuolani.

His only remaining descendants are the descendants of his eldest son Kalokuokamaile.

In 1920, Princess Elizabeth Kekaaniau wrote a book, Keoua: Father of Kings, a tribute to her great, great grandfather Keoua. A chronicle of events in the life and times of Keoua and his son, Kamehameha. It has been republished in 1999 by his great great great great great grandson, David Castro.

Citations

External links

* [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~royalty/hawaii/i24.html#I24 Rootsweb]
* [http://www.keouanui.org/Keouanui Biography from the Hawaiokinai Royal Family's official site]