Gideon Peleioholani Laanui

Gideon Peleioholani Laanui (1794 - 1849) was a Hawaiian chief and grandson of Kalokuokamaile and grandnephew of Kamehameha the Great who unifed the Hawaiian Islands in 1810. From him descends the House of Laanui.

Early life

He was probably born at the District of Waimea on the island of Hawaii in 1794. His mother was the Princess Kaohelelani, formerly the heir to the chiefdom or lands of Hana, Kipahulu and Kaupo and daughter of High Chief Kalokuokamaile and High Chiefess Kaloiokalani. His father was the High Chief Nuhi ruler of Waimea and son of Alii Hinai, Alii of Waimea, by his wife, Kupapa-a-i. His only sibling was his sister, Kekaikuihala. He survived the slaughter at the Battle of Kawaihae where Kamehameha unified the Big Island of Hawaii.

When Laanui was a boy growing to maturity, Kamehameha had not forgotten the great wish of his heart, coveting possession of the District of Waimea and hoping to gain it, if not in battle, through a matrimonial alliance. His failure to accomplished this end through his niece Kaohelelani was a sting to the old warrior's pride, and now he chose a new agent of his ambition by inviting Laanui to the court. The invitation was gladly accepted and the visit lasted for months. His uncle loath to have Laanui depart while he was slyly intriguing with Queen Kaahumanu to arrange a marriage between Piia and Laanui.

Marriage to Namahana

Namahana Kekuwai-Piia was the youngest sister of Queen Kaahumanu and formerly one of the queens of Kamehameha. Piia is described as being a person heavily built and not prepossessing in appearance like her sister Kaahumanu and Kaheiheimaile. When at last the preposition was put squarely to Laanui, that it was the united wish of the king and queen that the marriage should take place, for a moment he was dejected. To wed a woman very many years his senoir was not the desire of his heart. Yet realizing that it might be perilous to go contrary to the express desire of the powerful monarch he quietly consented "to take the bitter pill." [Pratt, Elizabeth Kekaaniau (1920, republished 1999). "Keoua : Father of Kings", p46.]

The couples took up their residence at Waialua, permanently, upon one of the divisions of land which Piia had received as her portion out of her father, Keeaumoku Papaiahiahi's, large estate. Soon afterward Kamehameha's death occurred, upon which Kaahumanu became Kuhina Nui and Kamehameha II became king. After this the first party of missionaries had just arrived. He and Piia, together with Queen Kaahumanu and several other chiefly persons, were among the first converts to Christianity. As so they were the first couples to be married by Reverend Bingham in a Christian ceremony. There favorite dwelling was a Waialua, Oahu. They found the climate there so salubrious and balmy that they loved it, visiting Honolulu only when their presence at court was demanded. Unfortunately Piia's corpulence did not inure to healthfulness and before long she sickended and died. On her deathbed she said to her husband:

"Laanui, I wish to divulge a secret in my hear to you. It was not my work that you gave up your patrimonial inheritance to me. It was at the instigation of Kamehameha that I played coyly toward you in order to gratify his selfish motives. For your cheerful sacrifice of what was so dear to your hear I feel it is my duty to repay you. Therefore in return for great kindness I leave this dear Waialua to you, as well as all the other lands which I own, for my token of love for you. I cannot die happy without making this reparation while the breath is in my body. Forgive me for the part I took in the wrongful measure."

Laanui, in the presence of their large retinue of friends, relatives and retainers, pronounced the desired forgiveness. A few days later Piia was no more. [Pratt, pp46–49.]

Marriage to Owana

After Piia's death either he decide to take a wife or Kaahumanu arranged another for him. It was most likely he did it himself. For his second wife, he took the High Chiefess Theresa Owana Kaheiheimaile, the eldest of twin daughters of the pioneer Frenchman, Monssieur Jasson Rives, (whose Hawaiian name designated by Queen Kaahumanu was Luahine), who had arrived in Hawaii during the early 1800s and had become the secretary of Kamehameha I and Kamehameha II, by his wife Holau II, descendant of Kaihikapumahana, the only daughter of Lonoikamakahiki Kapuokalani and his wife Kaikilanialliwahine o Puna and sister sister of Keawehanauikawalu, ancestor of Kekuanaoa, father of the last line of the Kamehamehas. His wife and her sister Virginia Kahoa were the hanai (adopted) daughters of the Queen Kaahumanu and were spoken by Mrs. Gerrit P. Judd as becomingly pretty. Laanui was almost twice the age of his young wife but that didnot mar the match, for his gentleness and kindly disposition had completely won her affection. [Pratt, p50.]

They lived at Waialua in the La'anui Estate, by the Anahulu River, most of the time. Their town residence is now owned by the James Campbell estats, it frontage being on Punchbowl, Hotel and Likelike streets, just above the Library of Hawaii. In time a little daughter appeared on the scene to bless their union and the people from all around Waialua visited the new-born babe with a "hookupu" in silver dollars. That custom was styled "palala." No one could have a view of the little stranger unless they came with their "mohai" in their hands. Friends and interested people from Honolulu also brought offerings to mingle with those of Waialua and were generously entertained by Laanui and Owana. [Pratt, pp50–51.]

They named their darling child Elizabeth Kekaaniauokalani --"Elizabeth" after the baptismal name of Quuen Kaahumanu, the child's foster grandmother and step-aunt, and the Hawaiian name after one of Laanui's sister, the firstborn of Kaohelelani and Nuhi, who died at the age of five years. Elizabeth was idolized by her parents and the people of Waialua living under Laanui. For five years they longingly hoped for a male heir further to brighten their home before ther wish was realized. They named their little son Gideon Laanui II (after his father) and Kailipalaki o Keheananui (after the high alii Kinau II). [Pratt, p51.]

Death

In 12 September 1849, Laanui's death occurred at his favourite home at Waialua, Princess Elizabeth Kekaaniau was still a minor and attending school as the time. His two children were fortunate to have still living some members of their mother's family, Owana's twin sister and two brothers, who grasped the occasion to claim their right to take them to their home and protection. Before this could be arranged notice had to be given to the king and chiefs that, owing to failing health, Mr. Cooke with his family was going to close the Royal School. [Pratt, p56.] Eventually a guardian was appointed in the person of John Ii who was also administrator of Laanui's estate after his death. Upon arriving at maturity Elizabeth was advised to claim her portion of her father's estats. When she called on Ii for this purpose, he astounded her with the information, "There is not much property that I know of which belonged to your father." Being young and unsuspicious she turned toward home little suspecting the wrongs inflicted on her and her brother. How they had been wronged remained a mystery until several years afterward, when a very confidential retainer of Laanui's took sick and fearing that death might overtake him at any moment, despatched a boy to Princess Elizabeth urging her to come to his bedside, as he wished to see her once more before the end came. The next morning, in company with her uncle, she went to the old gentleman awaiting their arrival in great anxiety. After they had partaken of some food the household was summoned to evening prayers as usual, by the sick man's couch, and after delivering the blessing of God he turned and addressed his guest thus:

"My dear you Alii, I have been a traitor to you and your cause. I have been false to my haku, your beloved father, who brought us to this new residence aside from our own loved land of Waimea, the birthplace of your dear fahter and his ancestors before him. He placed in my hands a book, which you will find in your room, containing a list of lands to be presented to the Land Office just newly created to secure the legal award of title as ordained by law. I did not follow your father's command, but listend to the tempter. All the lands that I possess as presents from your father it is my wish that they be returned to you after the death of my wife."

[Pratt, pp51–58.]

The old gentleman passed away a few hours later and Elizabeth and her brother receive their father's inheritance excluding those already losted to Laanui's other former retainers and the lands of Hana, Kipahulu, Kaupo, and Waimea lost to the conniving Kamehameha. All descendants of Kalokuokamaile had no luck at landholding each one being robbed from first to the last. Eventually the Laanui Estate at Waialua, Oahu was losted and torn down to built the Haleiwa Hotel.

Reference

External links

* [http://www.keouanui.org/Laanui.html Biography from the Hawaiokinai Royal Family's official site]