Mataio Kekuanaoa

Infobox Hawaiian Royalty
name =Kekuanaoa
title =Kuhina Nui of the Hawaiian Islands and Governor of Oahu

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imgw =
reign =21 Dec, 1863 - 24 Aug, 1864
as Kuhina Nui
(age in years and days|1863|12|21|1864|8|24)
predecessor =Kaahumanu IV
successor =possession abolished
spouse =High Chiefess Kalehua
Princess Pauahi
Princess Elikapeka Kinau
High Chiefess Kaloloahilani
issue =High Chief Pa‘alua
Princess Ruth Keelikolani (probable)
Prince Moses Kekuaiwa
Prince Lot Kapuaiwa
Prince Alexander Liholiho
Princess Victoria Kamamalu
full name =Matiao Keawenui Keokinakūokinaanaōokinaa
titles ="HH" The Kuhina Nui
"HE" Governor of Oahu
"Nobile" Memeber of House of Noble
royal house =
royal anthem =
father =High Chief Nāhi‘ōle‘a of Oahu
or
High Chief Kiilaweau of Hawaii
mother =High Chief Inaina of Oahu
date of birth =c. 1791
place of birth =
date of death =Death date|1868|11|4|df=yes
place of death =Honolulu, O'ahu
place of burial =Mauna Ala Royal Mausoleum|

Mataio Kekūanaookinaa was born ca. 1791-1868. He was descendant from the high chiefs of the island of Oahu. Sometimes he was referred as Prince Mataio Kekuanaoa, even though he never was given the title of Prince in his lifetime.

He was born in 1791 or 1793 to the High Chiefess Inaina, daughter of Pupuka, an Oahu alii of considerable importance known to have risen up along with Elani of Ewa in revolt against Kahekili II. His father was either Nahiolea, an Oahu chief descended from Kalehunapaikua, or his father was High Chief Kiokinailaweau, the grandson of the Big Island usurper Alapa'inui, who was nephew of Keaweikekahiali`iokamoku being son of Princess Kalanikauleleiaiwi who ruled alongside her brother Keaweikekahiali`iokamoku. He was the punahele, or intimate companion of Kamehameha II in his youth and follow him to England where he and his Queen Kamamalu died of measles. He was able to escape the sickness and return to Hawaii and stablizing himself in the court by marrying two wives of his late sovereign.

His first marriage to the High Chiefess Kalehua, lasting from 1822 to 1825, and the product of this marriage was a son named Pa'aula. He married again to the widow of Kamehameha II, Princess Kalanipauahi, their marriage lasted from 1825 to her death in 1826, and was probably the father of her daughter Princess Ruth Keelikolani. He remarried to Elizabeth Kinau, another of Kamehameha II's widow, who ruled as the Kuhina-nui at the time under the name Kaahumanu II. From her he fathered Moses Kekuaiwa, Lot Kapuaiwa, Alexander Liholiho, and Victoria Kamamalu. His son Alexander and Lot would become Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V. His daughter would become Kaahumanu IV and become the fifth Kuhina-nui. The third marriage lasted from 1827 to Kinau's death in 1839. After 6 years as a widower he remarried again, in 1845, to the High Chiefess Kaloloahilani, and their marriage, lasting to his death, was issueless. [ [http://hawaii.gov/dags/archives/centennial/mataio-kekuanao2018a MATAIO KEKŪANĀO‘A — Department of Accounting and General Services ] ]

He was the royal governor of Oahu 1834 - 1868. In December 21, 1863 he was made the sixth Kuhina-nui replacing his daughter who had been made Crown Princess and heir apparent to the throne. Most of his reign as Kuhina-nui he supported his son Kamehameha V's view of abolishing the position. He held the position until 1864 when the Constitution of 1864 abolished it. He also served as a member of the House of Nobles, Privy Council and as President of the Board of Education. In 1866, Mark Twain praised Mataio Kekuanaoa as "a man of noble presence... seemingly natural and fitted to the place as if he had been born to it...."

Resource

* [http://hawaii.gov/dags/archives/centennial/mataio-kekuanao2018a MATAIO KEKUANAO'A]

References