Pilikaʻaiea (or Pili-auau; the short form: Pili) was '' Aliʻi Nui'' of

Hawaiʻi Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. He was a sovereign

chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the bo ...

, who deposed the indigenous chief, Kapawa.

Name

The Hawaiian word ''pili'' is the native Hawaiian name of ''

Heteropogon contortus ''Heteropogon contortus'' is a tropical, perennial tussock grass with a native distribution encompassing Southern Africa, southern Asia, Northern Australia, Oceania, and southwestern North America. The species has also become a naturalised weed i ...

''.

Biography

Pilikaʻaiea was a grandchild of Lanakawai of the

Ulu An ulu ( iu, ᐅᓗ, plural: ''uluit'', 'woman's knife') is an all-purpose knife traditionally used by Inuit, Iñupiat, Yupik, and Aleut women. It is utilized in applications as diverse as skinning and cleaning animals, cutting a child's hair, cu ...

line, but he was born and brought up in "Kahiki" (

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ...

). The parents of Pilikaʻaiea were Laʻau and Kukamolimaulialoha, whilst the wife of Pilikaʻaiea was his sister, Hina-au-kekele. Because the chiefs of (the island of)

had carelessly intermarried with junior chiefly lines, ''

kahuna ''Kahuna'' is a Hawaiian language, 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 ver ...

'' Paʻao went to Kahiki to find a relative of pure blood who could compete in rank with the chiefly lines of the other islands. He recites a chant to invite Lonokaeho to return with him. Lonokaeho declines the invitation, but sends Pilikaʻaiea in his place. Pilikaʻaiea becomes high chief and wins the support of the people and he becomes the ancestor of the chiefs of Hawaiʻi on the Ulu line down to the late 19th century. His successor was his descendant, Chief Kukohou.

David Malo David Malo or Davida Malo (1795–1853) was a chiefly counselor, a Hawaiian intellectual, educator, politician and minister. He is remembered by subsequent generations of Hawaiian people and scholars primarily as a Native Hawaiian historian of the ...

. ''Hawaiian Antiquities''. Bishop Museum Press.

References

Martha Warren Beckwith Martha Warren Beckwith (January 19, 1871 – January 28, 1959) was an American folklorist and ethnographer, appointed to the first chair in Folklore established in the U.S. Early life and education Beckwith was born in Wellesley Heights, Mass ...

''Hawaiian Mythology''
{{Authority control Hawaiian chiefs House of Pili

Name

Biography

See also

References