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Naihe (died 1831) was the chief
orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14 ...
and councilor during the founding of the
Kingdom of Hawaii The Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian:
ɛ ɐwˈpuni həˈvɐjʔi Latin epsilon or open E (majuscule: Ɛ, minuscule: ɛ) is a letter of the extended Latin alphabet, based on the lowercase of the Greek letter epsilon (ε). It was introduced in the 16th century by Gian Giorgio Trissino to represent the pronunc ...
, was an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country from 1795 to 1893, which eventually encompassed all of the inhabited Hawaii ...
. A champion athlete in his youth, he negotiated for peace at several critical times and helped preserve the remains of several ancient leaders.


Early life

His father was
Keawe-a-Heulu Keaweaheulu Kaluaʻapana (sometimes Keawe-a-Heulu, died 1804) was a Hawaiian high chief and maternal great-grandfather of Kalākaua, King Kalākaua and Liliʻuokalani, Queen Liliʻuokalani. He was among Kamehameha I's council of chiefs and was on ...
, chief legal counselor of Kamehameha I. His mother was High Chiefess
Ululani Ululani was a Hawaiian chiefess, 7th ''Aliʻi Nui'' (ruler) of Hilo. She is also known as Ululani Nui ("Ululani the Great") and was the most celebrated woman poet of her day. Biography She was a daughter and successor of the chief Mokulani an ...
of Hilo. His sister
Keohohiwa Keohohiwa (fl. 19th century) was a Hawaiian chiefess during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Life Her father was Keawe-a-Heulu, the chief warrior and councillor of Kamehameha I, who assisted him to overthrow his cousin Kiwalao and unite ...
would be great grandmother of two future monarchs. Literally ''nā ihe'' can mean "many spears" in the
Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a critically endangered Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family, originating in and native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the native language of the Hawaiian people. Hawaiian, along with English, is an offi ...
, or "to have authority with a calm and quieted spear". His authority came because he could settle conflicts with appeals to justice that were sharper than physical weapons. Some early writers spell his name "Nahi", or call him "Naihe-Haiha" or "Naihenui". Naihe was known as a champion athlete and surfer in his early life. Historical chants and stories describe his surfing skill at Kahaluu Bay and
Holualoa Bay Hōlualoa Bay is a historic area between Kailua-Kona and Keauhou Bay in the Kona District of the Big Island of Hawaii. The community now called Hōlualoa is uphill (''mauka'' in the Hawaiian Language) from this bay. The name means "long sli ...
, and of a contest in
Hilo Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...
when the other chiefs were envious of his abilities. He took
Kamehameha I Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; to May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii ...
to his mother's district of Hilo to move the '' Pōhaku Naha'', an enormous sacred stone that demonstrated Kamheameha's strength and power. He probably traveled along with Kamehameha during his conquest of the other islands, learning from his father how to give inspiring speeches to the troops.


Kingdom established

After the successful campaign to establish the Kingdom by the beginning of the 19th century, he settled down to what he hoped would be a quiet life with his wife
Chiefess Kapiolani 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 boat ...
at Kaawaloa, at the north end of
Kealakekua Bay Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona. Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples ( heiaus) an ...
starting about 1809. He served as
magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...
of the south
Kona district Kona is a ''moku'' or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii, known for its Kona coffee and the Ironman World Championship Triathlon. In the administration of Hawaii County, the ''moku'' of Kona is divided into North Kon ...
. The quiet was going to be interrupted with a year of great change in 1819 when King Kamehameha I died. Queen Kaahumanu declared the old traditions known as kapu were no longer in effect. In November 1819
Keaoua Kekuaokalani Keaoua Kekua-o-kalani (sometimes known as Kaiwi-kuamoo Kekua-o-kalani) was a nephew of the king Kamehameha I, the chief from Hawaii Island who unified the Hawaiian islands. Family He was the son of Kamehameha's younger brother Keliimaikai an ...
gathered followers of the old ways to Kaawaloa and threatened a rebellion.
Hoapili Ulumāheihei Hoapili ( – January 3, 1840) was a member of the nobility during the formation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a trusted military and political advisor to King Kamehameha I, known as "Kamehameha the Great". Although trusted with on ...
and Naihe were sent to negotiate. Although Naihe respected the old traditions, he urged peace. At first, Keaoua sounded convinced, but the next morning the troops met in the battle of Kuamoo, and the rebellion was violently put down.


Great changes

At the end of 1820 he and Kapiolani followed the royal court to Lahaina and Honolulu. In Honolulu they learned to read and write with the system invented by missionaries. Previously Hawaiian only been an oral language, of which Naihe was an expert, so he quickly picked up the new skill. Naihe and Kapiolani happened to be on board a small boat that
Kamehameha II Kamehameha II (November 1797 – July 14, 1824) was the second king of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kingdom of Hawaii from 1819 to 1824. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu ʻIolani. It was lengthened to Kala ...
suddenly ordered across the open sea to Kauai July 21, 1821. By spring of 1823 they moved back to Kaawaloa, along with the first missionaries to the island,
Asa Asa may refer to: People and fictional characters * Asa (given name), a given name, including a list of people and fictional characters so named * Asa people, an ethnic group based in Tanzania * Aṣa, Nigerian-French singer, songwriter, and reco ...
and
Lucy Goodale Thurston Lucy Goodale Thurston (October 29, 1795October 13, 1876) was a Protestant missionary and author. She was the wife of Asa Thurston and was one of the first American Christian missionaries to Hawaii. She is noted for her letters documenting her ...
. By 1824 they would send a boat to
Kailua Kailua () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It lies in the Koolaupoko District of the island of Oahu on the windward coast at Kailua Bay. It is in the judicial district and the ahupua'a named Ko'ol ...
for a preacher to hold Sunday services in a thatched house they built near their home. In June 1823 British missionary William Ellis toured the island to survey for potential church sites. He was hosted by Naihe, and Kaawaloa was listed as one of the first places to establish a church. Naihe had an advisor or assistant named Kamakau (not to be confused with
Samuel Kamakau Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau (October 29, 1815 – September 5, 1876) was a Hawaiian historian and scholar. His work appeared in local newspapers and was later compiled into books, becoming an invaluable resource on the Hawaiian people, Hawaiian ...
who was younger) who told the story of the death of
Captain James Cook Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 1768 and 1779. He complet ...
at Kaawaloa when he was a young boy in 1779.
Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...
returned in 1825 on with the bodies of Kamehameha II and his
Queen Kamāmalu Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
who had died on a state visit to
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. Naihe traveled to Honolulu for the royal funeral; this was the first Hawaiian King to have a Christian memorial service. Naihe helped convene a national convention to agree on succession and discuss updating the laws. Chief Boki advocating quickly moving to the
Parliamentary system A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their Election, democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of t ...
he had seen in England. Naihe argued for a more moderate course; ensure stability by keeping existing laws, but adopt the more democratic system over time. Naihe lived among the people and knew the costs of social change. The official legislative body of the Kingdom was not defined until the 1840 Constitution. Byron called Naihe's district "one of the most civilized of the Sandwich Islands." In July 1825 Naihe led the British to the ancient religious site called Puuhonua o Hōnaunau and let them remove most of the wooden carvings and other relics at the Hale o Keawe burial site. Byron considered them "pagan symbols". When the ''Blonde'' left Hawaii for the last time on July 18, 1825, Naihe and his wife were there to say goodbye, being called "hospitable friends". On September 27, 1826, Naihe gave a speech at the dedication of the first wood-framed
Mokuaikaua Church Mokuaikaua Church, located on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, is the oldest Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands. The congregation dates to 1820 and the building was completed in 1837. History The congregation was first founded in 1820 by As ...
in Kailua-Kona. In 1827 he decreed that all marriages in his district should be done by a minister. When the missionary Samuel Ruggles in 1828 wanted to move to a cooler higher elevation, Naihe allowed the missionaries to build on some of his farm land, which would eventually become a prime
Kona coffee Kona coffee is the market name for coffee (''Coffea arabica'') cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Only coff ...
area. In 1829 Mrs. Gerit Judd visited the ruins of Hale o Keawe with Kapiolani and Naihe. After seeing the destruction, the remaining bones were put into two large coffins and hidden in a cave, until moved in 1858 to the
Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, ...
known as ''Mauna 'Ala''. In November 1829 the arrived, on the first trip around the world by a ship of the U.S. Navy. The ship chaplain was Samuel Stewart, a former missionary to Hawaii. Naihe and Kapiolani welcomed them and served the officers tea in their home. On April 1, 1831, Naihe was appointed Governor of Hawaii island while
John Adams Kuakini John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini (1789–1844) was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for contributing to the infrastructure among other changes in the Kona District during this era ...
restored order on Oahu island after a rumored rebellion by
Kuini Liliha Kuini Liliha (–1839) was a High Chiefess (aliʻi) and noblewoman who served the Kingdom of Hawaii as royal governor of Oʻahu island. She administered the island from 1829 to 1831 following the death of her husband Boki. Early life She wa ...
. Naihe died in November or December 29, 1831, after a stroke of
paralysis Paralysis (: paralyses; also known as plegia) is a loss of Motor skill, motor function in one or more Skeletal muscle, muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory d ...
forty-four hours before.
Lucy Goodale Thurston Lucy Goodale Thurston (October 29, 1795October 13, 1876) was a Protestant missionary and author. She was the wife of Asa Thurston and was one of the first American Christian missionaries to Hawaii. She is noted for her letters documenting her ...
described Naihe as:
"He was of commanding stature, and distinguished for refinement and polish of mind and manners. Such was his fluency and eloquence in speech that he was styled the national orator. ...As a magistrate he was as firm as he was affectionate, and in passing sentence upon offenders, the tears were often down his cheek seen chasing each other in quick succession down his cheeks."


Legacy

Residents of the Kona district tell stories of ''Kai mimiki o Naihe'', the "roiling sea of Naihe", which was probably the
tsunami A tsunami ( ; from , ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, ...
after the
1868 Hawaii earthquake The 1868 Hawaiʻi earthquake was the largest recorded in the history of Hawaii island, with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). The earthquake occurred at 4 p.m. local time on April 2, 1868, and ...
, or another about this time, which caused damage to the area. Various monuments to Captain Cook were constructed in front of Naihe's former home at the edge of the bay. The first was by Lord Byron in 1825, and a more permanent one in 1874. The village was abandoned, and the area is now on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
as the Kealakekua Bay Historic District and a state historic park.
Stephanie N. Naihe Laxton of Kohala is said to be a direct descendant of Naihe. Her net worth is said to be over $6.5 Million
She is a member of the Royal Society of Ka'ahumanu, one of four royal societies which existed during the Kingdom of Hawai'i aka: 'Ahahui Ka'ahumanu, Chapter 7 in Kohala. She founded a non-profit group called
'Maika'i Kamakani 'O Kohala'
("fine winds of
Kohala, Hawaii image:HawaiiIslandDistrict-NorthKohala.svg, The districts of the Hawaii (island), Big Island. From Northernmost, clockwise; North Kohala (highlighted), Hāmākua, North Hilo, Hawaii, Hilo, South Hilo, Hawaii, Hilo, Puna, Hawaii, Puna, Kau, Hawaii, ...
") to protect and preserve traditions and customs of the Hawaiian community. "John W. Naihe" was a member of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom from 1856 to 1873. This "Naihe of Kohala", a descendant of the ancient priest Paao is said be connected with "Naihe of Kaawaloa". The contemporary naval commander and pilot Naihe Kukui Kapihe, father of
Kalama Kalama Hakaleleponi Kapakuhaili (1817 – September 20, 1870) was a Queen consort of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi alongside her husband, Kauikeaouli, who reigned as King Kamehameha III. She chose the baptismal name Hakaleleponi after the Biblical f ...
the bride of 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 was Keaweaweula Kīwalaō Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula K ...
, also shared his name. There are also several people with the "Naihe" surname that live in the Kona area where this Naihe lived. Naihe's estates and the magistrate position were inherited by Chiefess Kapiolani, who donated some of the land for the
Kahikolu Church Kahikolu Church is one of only two stone churches from the 19th century on the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii. It was built from 1852 to 1855 on the site of an earlier building known as Kealakekua Church that was built around 1833 in the Kona ...
. On her death, many lands passed to Naihe's grand-niece Analea Keohokālole, matriarch of the
Kalākaua Dynasty Kalākaua (David Laʻamea Kamanakapuʻu Māhinulani Nālaʻiaʻehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua; November 16, 1836 – January 20, 1891), was the last king and penultimate monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, reigning from February 12, 1874, un ...
.


References

{{Authority control 18th-century births 1831 deaths Royalty of the Hawaiian Kingdom Hawaiian Kingdom judges Converts to Christianity from Hawaiian religion History of Hawaii (island) Native Hawaiian surfers Burials at the Royal Mausoleum (Mauna ʻAla)