ʻAkahi
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ʻAkahi (died October 8, 1877) was a high chiefess and female landholder of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Also known as "Akahi-a-Kaleiwohi", she was named after her great-grandmother Akahi-a-Kuleana. ʻAkahi was also the name of Akahi-a-Kuleana, the mother of 15th-century Hawaiian king
ʻUmi-a-Līloa ʻUmi-a-Līloa (fifteenth century) was the supreme ruler Aliʻi-ʻAimoku (High chief of Hawaiʻi Island) who inherited religious authority of Hawaiʻi from his father, High Chief Līloa, whose line is traced, unbroken to Hawaiian "creation". Ali� ...
. A relation of the ruling
House of Kamehameha The House of Kamehameha ''(Hale O Kamehameha)'', or the Kamehameha dynasty, was the reigning Royal Family of the Kingdom of Hawaii, beginning with its founding by Kamehameha I in 1795 and ending with the death of Kamehameha V in 1872 and Lunal ...
, ʻAkahi was married to Kahekili Keʻeaumoku II and
Kalanimoku William Pitt Kalanimoku or Kalaimoku ( – February 7, 1827) was a High Chief who functioned similarly to a prime minister of the Hawaiian Kingdom during the reigns of Kamehameha I, Kamehameha II and the beginning of the reign of Kamehameha III. ...
, two prominent Hawaiian high chiefs and politicians during the early 19th-century. She lived most of her life on the island of
Hawaii 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 ...
where she was allocated vast landholdings after the
Great Mahele Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...
of 1848. After her death in 1877, these lands were inherited by her relative
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Bernice Pauahi Bishop KGCOK RoK (December 19, 1831 – October 16, 1884), born Bernice Pauahi Pākī, was an '' alii'' (noble) of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Hawaii and a well known philanthropist. At her death, her estate was the l ...
and upon the latter's death became part of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, which now funds the
Kamehameha Schools Kamehameha Schools, formerly called Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE), is a private school system in Hawaii established by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, under the terms of the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was a formal mem ...
.


Life and family

Born in the early 19th-century, her parents were Pauwelua and Kaluai. Both parents were from ''
aliʻi The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands. They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the ''noho aliʻi''. The word ''aliʻi'' has a similar meaning in the Samoan language and other Polynesian languages, and in Māori ...
'' (noble) lines of descent. Her mother Kaluai was descended from the high chiefs of Waimea, Hawaii. From her father's family descent, she was a great-granddaughter of Keōua Kalanikupuapaʻīkalaninui Ahilapalapa, the father of King
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 ...
who was the progenitor the
House of Kamehameha The House of Kamehameha ''(Hale O Kamehameha)'', or the Kamehameha dynasty, was the reigning Royal Family of the Kingdom of Hawaii, beginning with its founding by Kamehameha I in 1795 and ending with the death of Kamehameha V in 1872 and Lunal ...
and the unifier of the
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost ...
. Her father Pauwelua descended from Keōua's last wife Akahi-a-Kawalu (her great-grandmother and namesake), who became the mother of Kaleiwohi who married Kailipakalua and had Pauwelua. Through the Keōua line, according to
Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau Laʻanui Pratt, full name Elizabeth Kekaʻaniauokalani Kalaninuiohilaukapu Kekaikuihala Laʻanui Pratt (September 11, 1834 – December 20, 1928), was a Hawaiian high chiefess (aliʻi) and great-grandniece of Kamehameha I, ...
, "Akahi was the third cousin of Bernice Pauahi Bishop and the second cousin of Kekaʻaniau herself." Akahi was also the cousin of Pauahi's mother
Kōnia Laura Kanaholo Kōnia (c. 1808–1857) was a high chiefess of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She was the mother of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the founder of Kamehameha Schools. Life She was the youngest daughter of Pauli Kaōleiokū by his second wife, H ...
through their common grandmother Kailipakalua. In her final will, Pauahi called Akahi her aunt and historian
George Kanahele George Hueu Sanford Kanahele (1930–2000) was a native Hawaiian activist, historian and author. Biography George Hueu Sanford Kanahele was born October 17, 1930, in Kahuku on the island of Oahu of Hawaii. Kanahele graduated from Kamehameha Schoo ...
also called her Pauahi's aunt. ʻAkahi's first known marriage was to High Chief Kahekili Keʻeaumoku II, a brother of the
Kuhina Nui Kuhina Nui was a powerful office in the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1819 to 1864. It was usually held by a relative of the king and was the rough equivalent of the 19th-century European office of Prime Minister or sometimes Regent. Origin of the offi ...
, Queen
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 ...
. He was also the
Governor of Maui The Governor of Maui ( haw, Kiaaina o Maui) was the royal governor or viceroy of the Island of Maui in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Governor of Maui resided at Lahaina and was usually a Hawaiian chief or prince and could even be a woman. The governo ...
and commonly known by foreigners as "Governor Cox". After Keʻeaumoku's death in 1824, ʻAkahi married Prime Minister William Pit Kalanimoku, on June 28, 1825. This date was recorded in the journal of Spanish settler Don
Francisco de Paula Marín Don Francisco de Paula Marín (1774–1837) was a Spaniard who became influential in the early Kingdom of Hawaii. Often called Manini, Marini or other variations, he became a confidant of Hawaiian King Kamehameha I. Marín acted as a jack-of-a ...
while American missionary Reverend
Samuel Ruggle Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bi ...
claimed the marriage took place the year before. The marriage ceremony was held at the
Kawaiahaʻo Church Kawaiahaʻo Church is a historic Congregational church located in Downtown Honolulu on the Hawaiian Island of Oʻahu. The church, along with the Mission Houses, comprise the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site, which was designated a U.S. Nati ...
and attended by the a number of chiefs and foreign residents. Kalanimoku, who chose his Western name in honor of his English contemporary
William Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a British statesman, the youngest and last prime minister of Great Britain (before the Acts of Union 1800) and then first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister of the Un ...
, was known for his political savvy and military prowess and had served as Prime Minister under the reigns of three Hawaiian kings and the regency of Kaʻahumanu. ʻAkahi became a widow for the second time when he died February 7, 1827. Her final husband was J. W. Kapaa, who outlived her and died in Honolulu on March 3, 1890. Very few details survived about ʻAkahi's life. On September 28, 1840, American Protestant missionary Reverend
Cochran Forbes ''For the history of the surname, see Cochrane (surname), Cochrane.'' Cochran is a surname of Scottish people, Scottish (and most likely of Cumbric) origin. The earliest known appearance is in Dumbartonshire (14th cent). The definition is unclear, ...
complained about her adherence to the
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
faith. Forbes wrote in his journal, "Akahi the head woman of Kealia with her husband is pleased with popery, because they do not require holiness of life as a test of communion. She will probably become a papist as she is unwilling to abandon her lusts." Her former husband Kalanimoku had also been baptized a Roman Catholic but later joined the Protestant church. In 1841, she was noted as the "chief woman" in
Kealakekua, Hawaii Kealakekua is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 2,019 at the 2010 census, up from 1,645 at the 2000 census. It was the subject of the 1933 popular song, "My Little Grass Shack in Keala ...
and in 1845, she made a deposition in the case of
Richard Charlton Richard Charlton (1791–1852) was the first diplomatic Consul from Great Britain to the Kingdom of Hawaii (1825–1843). He was surrounded by controversies that caused a military occupation known as the Paulet Affair, and real estate claims t ...
. She seemed to have resided exclusively on the island of
Hawaii 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 ...
with occasional trips to
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the islan ...
.


Landholdings

Reflective of her status as an ''aliʻi'' and her origin and upbringing in the districts of
Kona Kona or KONA may refer to: People *Kona (surname) * Dilshad Nahar Kona, Bangladeshi singer also known as Kona Television * ''Kona'' (TV series), a Kenyan telenovela that premiered in 2013 Locations * Kona, Kentucky * Kona, North Carolina * Kon ...
and Kohala, she inherited and held vast landholdings principally on the islands of
Hawaii 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 ...
and
Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O� ...
. Prior the
Great Māhele The Great Māhele ("to divide or portion") or just the Māhele was the Hawaiian land redistribution proposed by King Kamehameha III. The Māhele was one of the most important episodes of Hawaiian history, second only to the overthrow of the Haw ...
, the great Hawaiian land redistribution enacted by King
Kamehameha III Kamehameha III (born Kauikeaouli) (March 17, 1814 – December 15, 1854) was the third king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name is Keaweaweula Kīwalaō Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kī ...
in 1848, ʻAkahi held ten āina'' (land divisions) on both islands. After the land reform, she had to relinquish 46 percent of her former properties including Kahei, Kohala; Kaha, Niulii, Kohala; Haukoi, Hamakua; Kawainui, Hilo; Manana-uka Nui., Ewa; and Weloka, Manana, Ewa. Her remaining landholdings totaled at 9,557 acres at the time of her death and included 7,300 acres in Kealia, South Kona; 656 acres in Makalawena, North Kona; 1,106 acres in Keʻeiiki, North Kona; 466 acres in Puʻuwepa, Kohala; 19.49 acres in Ulupaʻalua, Kohala and 10.25 acres in Kaʻaipu,
Mānoa Mānoa (, ) is a valley and a residential neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii. The neighborhood is approximately three miles (5 km) east and inland from downtown Honolulu and less than a mile (1600 m) from Ala Moana and Waikiki at . Neighbo ...
, on Oahu. ʻAkahi became ill in 1875 and died two years later on October 8, 1877, at Haleʻākala, the home of Bernice Pauahi Bishop and her husband
Charles Reed Bishop Charles Reed Bishop (January 25, 1822 – June 7, 1915) was an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist in Hawaii. Born in Glens Falls, New York, he sailed to Hawaii in 1846 at the age of 24, and made his home there, marrying into the ...
, in Honolulu. In her will created during her final illness in May 1875, she gave her lands to her surviving husband Kapaa and to Pauahi. The Bishops were named as the executors of her will. Another cousin Keawehaku claimed that the will was forged and she had died intestate, but his case was dismissed by Judge
William Austin Whiting William Austin Whiting (August 5, 1855 – January 18, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician of the Kingdom, Republic, and Territory of Hawaii. He served as Attorney General of Hawaii and was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of ...
of the first circuit court of Honolulu in 1894.; ; ; By the time of Bernice Pauahi Bishop's death in 1884, her estate consisted of 485,563 acres of land across the
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost ...
which she had either purchased or inherited from her parents
Pākī Abner Kuhoʻoheiheipahu Pākī (c. 1808–1855) was a Hawaiian high chief during the reign of King Kamehameha III, the father of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, founder of Kamehameha Schools. Early life and family According to Hawaiian tradition, he w ...
and
Kōnia Laura Kanaholo Kōnia (c. 1808–1857) was a high chiefess of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She was the mother of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the founder of Kamehameha Schools. Life She was the youngest daughter of Pauli Kaōleiokū by his second wife, H ...
, from ʻAkahi, from her cousin
Keʻelikōlani Ruth Ke‘elikōlani, or sometimes written as Luka Ke‘elikōlani, also known as Ruth Ke‘elikōlani Keanolani Kanāhoahoa or Ruth Keanolani Kanāhoahoa Ke‘elikōlani (June 17, 1826 – May 24, 1883), was a formal member of the House of Kameha ...
and other relatives. These lands were incorporated after Pauahi's death into the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estates, a trust which funds the
Kamehameha Schools Kamehameha Schools, formerly called Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE), is a private school system in Hawaii established by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, under the terms of the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was a formal mem ...
to the present day. In her will, Pauahi also temporarily gave the ''
ahupuaʻa Ahupuaʻa () is a Hawaiian term for a large traditional socioeconomic, geologic, and climatic subdivision of land (comparable to the tapere in the Southern Cook Islands). It usually extends from the mountains to the sea and generally includes o ...
'' of Kealia, on the island of Hawaii, formerly belonging to Akahi, and Lumahai, on the island of Kauai, to Queen Liliuokalani "to have and to hold for and during the term of her natural life". Liliuokalani died in 1917 and these lands reverted to the Trustees of the Bishop Estate.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Akahi Year of birth unknown 1877 deaths Royalty of the Hawaiian Kingdom House of Keoua People from Hawaii (island)