King Kamehameha the Great of Hawaii - A Short Biography (Pt. 1)

King Kamehameha is perhaps the best known and most revered figure in Hawaiian history.

King Kamehameha the Great. (Source: KonaParade.org)

He was a great leader, one who essentially united the Hawaiian islands by a combination of political prowess and military might. Kamehameha made his mark in a time of great cultural upheaval that was catalyzed by the arrival of the West.

I will be covering Kamehameha's life in three parts. In this first of three weekly installments, I will cover his birth, early childhood and his life and times up until Captain James Cook "discovered" Hawaii.

The Birth of Kamehameha

Kamehameha was born sometime between 1751 and 1761 into a noble family in the Kohala region of Hawaii island. His mother Kekuiapoiwa was daughter of a chief from Kona and his father was said to probably be Keoua, a Kohala chief.

Regional Map of Hawaii Island, The "Big Island" (Source: Wikipedia)

Legends state that at the time of his birth there were storms and strange lights in the sky, signs from the heavens that to the Hawaiians heralded the arrival of a great chief.

Hawaiian Night Sky.(Source: Aouli.com)

It is said that immediately after being born he was taken away and hidden so as to avoid possible kidnapping (or worse) by rival warring clans.

Early Childhood

After his father died early on in his childhood, Kamehameha spent his childhood with his mother and his uncle King Kalani'opu'u. His uncle trained him in the arts of warfare, navigation, religious ceremonies, games, oral history and other skills and knowledge required to become a capable ali'i-'ai-moku (district chief).

The Hokulea Hawaiian Voyaging Canoe. (Source: Polynesian Voyaging Society)

The Arrival of Captain James Cook and the West

Kamehameha was in his late teens or early twenties when Hawaii's first contact was made with a European power. The famous British captain James Cook "discovered" the islands in January of 1778.

Official Portrait of Captain James Cook. (Source: Wikipedia)

At the time of Cook's arrival, it is written that Kamehameha was an exceptional warrior who already bore scars from a a number of both physical and political encounters. He was described during this time as being physically fearless, tall and incredibly strong. It was said that at the time he "moved in an aura of violence."

These qualities would prepare him well for the coming violence...

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Follow me for more on the life and times of Kamehameha. Next week, I will cover the death of Captain Cook and Kamehameha's violent and dramatic accession to power. Mahalo for reading and if you enoyed this, please upvote, comment and share!