Kalaikuʻahulu (also known as Kaleikuahulu, Kuahulu and Kua) was a ''kānaka maoli'' (Native Hawaiian) ''aliʻi'' (hereditary noble) and ''

kahuna nui ''Kahuna'' is a Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers. Background A ''kahuna'' may be versed in agriculture ...

'' (high priest) of

Kamehameha I Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Th ...

in pre-Christian Hawaii who was considered a prophet for his prediction of; ''"Ke Akua maoli"'' and a message to Hawaiians never seen before. After the arrival of the Christian missionaries in 1820,

Kaʻahumanu Kaahumanu (March 17, 1768 – June 5, 1832) (''"the feathered mantle"'') was queen consort and acted as regent of the Kingdom of Hawaii as Kuhina Nui. She was the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I and also the most politically powerfu ...

and others believed the prophecy to be fulfilled. He was also genealogist for Kamehameha, who placed his wives,

Kekāuluohi Miriam Auhea Kalani Kui Kawakiu o Kekāuluohi Kealiʻiuhiwaihanau o Kalani Makahonua Ahilapalapa Kai Wikapu o Kaleilei a Kalakua also known as Kaahumanu III (July 27, 1794 – June 7, 1845), was Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom of Hawaii, a queen cons ...

and Hoapiliwahine, under his tutelage as genealogy students. In 1805, as a skilled genealogist and orator, Kalaikuʻahulu won a match reciting genealogies in

Lahaina, Maui Lahaina ( haw, Lāhainā) is the largest census-designated place (CDP) in West Maui, Maui County, Hawaii, United States and includes the Kaanapali and Kapalua beach resorts. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a resident population of 12,702. Laha ...

over his competitor from

Bora Bora Bora Bora (French: ''Bora-Bora''; Tahitian: ''Pora Pora'') is an island group in the Leeward Islands. The Leeward Islands comprise the western part of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, which is an overseas collectivity of the French R ...

Five years later Kamehameha I negotiated the peaceful unification of the islands with Kauaʻi. Kalaikuʻahulu was instrumental in the monarch's decision not to kill

Kaumualiʻi Kaumualiʻi (c. 1778–May 26, 1824) was the last independent aliʻi nui (supreme ruler of the island) of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau Niihau ( Hawaiian: ), anglicized as Niihau ( ), is the westernmost main and seventh largest inhabited island in Haw ...

, the ruler of that island, when he was the single member of the aliʻi council to agree with Kamehameha's own reluctance to do so. The other aliʻi continued with the plan to poison Kaumualiʻi when Isaac Davis warned him, making the ruler cut his trip short and return to Kauaʻi, leaving Davis to be poisoned by the aliʻi instead.

Birth and ancestry

Kalaikuʻahulu was born in 1725 at Kainalu on Molokai as the son and ''keiki aliʻi'' (prince or child of a chief) of of Kumukoa (k), aliʻi nui of Molokai and son of

Kanealai Kaneʻalai (also known as Kane-a-Laʻe) was a Queen regnant of the Hawaiian island of Molokai, who lived in the 18th century. She ruled as Alii nui of Molokai. She was a daughter of Luahiwa II (of the reigning family of Kauai) and Ka-hoʻoia-a-P ...

(also known as Kanealiʻi) and

Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku Keaweīkekahialiiokamoku (c. 1665 – c. 1725) was the king of Hawaii Island in the late 17th century. He was the great-grandfather of Kamehameha I, the first king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a progenitor of the House of Keawe. Biography He ...

. The Kapana heiau in Halawa Valley was built by Kalaikuʻahulu in the early part of the 18th century.

Notable works and achievements

One of Kalaikuʻahulu many works was; "A Wakea Creation Chant". While written in a more contemporary period, it is likely based on older traditions.{{cite book, author=Sir Norman Lockyer, title=Nature, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3-4RAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA391, year=1921, publisher=Macmillan Journals Limited, page=391

References

Hawaiian Kingdom people Hawaiian nobility Hawaiian religion Religious leaders from Hawaii Nobility of the Americas