Mahiʻole and ʻAhuʻula of Kaumualiʻi

O Kauaʻi nui moku lehua, ʻāina nui mekekau.

Great Kauaʻi, isle of warriors and land of men ever on the defense.*

With the death of the powerful Māui warrior, Kahekili, and the later victories of Kamehameha over Kahekili’s son Kalanikūpule, the kingdoms of Māui and Oʻahu fell to Kamehameha. Having earlier managed to unite Hawaiʻi island under his rule, all that was left to complete the unification of the islands was the acquisition of Kauaʻi. This island however, would prove very difficult to obtain.

Kaumualiʻi had become ruling chief of Kauaʻi upon the death in battle of his father Kāʻeokūlani. Although this famous Kauaʻi chief had been defeated by Kalanikūpule, the battle had taken place on the plains of ʻEwa on Oʻahu. This meant that Kaumualiʻi was able to retain power at home on Kauaʻi.

There are several versions of the troubles that Kamehameha and his chiefs had in bringing the island of Kauaʻi under his rule. Famous moʻolelo speak of his massive Peleleu fleet of double-hulled war canoes being turned back mid-channel by a violent storm. Accounts also speak of Kamehameha’s later war plans being set aside by an onslaught of ʻŌkuʻu (perhaps dysentery) that sickened him and killed many of his high chiefs and counselors. Several years passed without this final victory for Kamehameha.

Eventually negotiations succeeded where warfare had failed and an agreement was reached between the two powerful rulers. Kamehameha called for a meeting of the two aliʻi nui. Kaumualiʻi was unsure at first, having remembered Keoua’s fateful death upon going to met his brother Kamehameha at Puʻukoholā. He did relent however, and finally met face-to-face with Kamehameha; union was achieved. Kaumualiʻi was gifted with war canoes, ʻahuʻula, and other symbols of goodwill. After the death of Kamehameha I, Kaumualiʻi would be brought into the court at Lāhainā and in 1822 was taken by Kamehameha’s wahine Kaʻahumanu as a husband. He was buried at the sacred mausoleum at Mokuʻula .

This mahiʻole and ʻahuʻula held in the collection of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum are believed to be a gift from Kamehameha I to Kaumualiʻi. The mahiʻole was preserved in the home of the Reverend Samuel Whitney of Kauaʻi and eventually acquired by the museum. It is the only feather helmet whose former ownership is definitely known.*