Extraordinary Kamehameha I
Cover Image: Masthead of Ka Hoku o Hawaii published on June 24, 1909.
Image: “Tammeamea,” Portrait of King Kamehameha I. Lithograph by Langlume after painting by Louis Choris. Bishop Museum Archives, SP 224263
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The following three stories highlighting the wisdom of Kamehameha I are not available online yet, but we are working on it.
Image: “Hana Naauao a na Alii.” Ka Hoku o Hawaii, June 24, 1909, p. 3.
WISE ACTIONS OF THE ALIʻI
Pertaining to Kamehameha I of Hawaiʻi. When a person was brought before him and his council for an offense punishable by death, he would order his council to think very carefully lest he die without cause or be spared without cause. As for himself, as dusk fell and the skin of man was concealed, that was when he would fetch a ti leaf and strip it to shreds, and he would run as fast as he could so as to cover as many hamlets in one night as he could; at the gable of the houses he would listen to what was being spoken of inside.
If he heard it being said that such and such should die, he would tie a knot and call that knot a death knot; but if someone said that such and such should not die, but he should be spared, then he would make a knot and call the knot a life knot. He would continue this until daybreak was near, he would get back to the house. Then he would begin to count the number of knots, and if the knots for life were greater, then such would be his decision.
Image: Puʻukoholā Heiau, Kawaihae, Hawaiʻi. Bishop Museum Archives, SP 1465
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Image: “Hana Naauao a na Alii.” Ka Hoku o Hawaii, June 24, 1909, p. 3.
WISE ACTIONS OF THE ALIʻI
Here is one more: When Kamehameha I traveled to the Kohala districts from Kawaihae to eavesdrop on the thoughts of his people, just as it was shown above, and turning back, as he sped along with all his might to reach the seaside of Kawaihae before daybreak, he met up with a woman, and he asked of the woman, “Where are you going in the dark?” “I am going to Kawaihae,” replied the woman.” “Aren’t you afraid of people who ambush in the night in which you travel this desolate plane all by yourself?” Kamehameha continued his questioning. “I have no fear, for this plane is under the protection of our aliʻi, Paiʻea.
“Let the old men go, let the old women go, and let the children go and sleep on these roadways; there is absolutely no one who will bother them; that is the strict law proclaimed by our aliʻi. A person who breaks the law of our chief, that person will die and will not live,” responded the woman without knowing that this was the very Paiʻea himself who she was speaking with.
When Kamehameha I heard the fine words of the woman, he asked further of the woman, “How is life among the chief and his people? Is it perhaps good sometimes and bad other times?”
The woman responded without fear before her late night traveling companion, “Not at all. There has been no time that our chief acted badly, but he is good at all times. And it is due to our chief being good that puts fear in mischief makers; and thus I dare to walk this desolate plain all alone,” the woman answered.
When Kamehameha heard once more the explanation by the woman of why he is good, he said, “My actions towards my people are good indeed, and the proof of this goodness, that is this woman daring to walk this desolate plain by herself. Therefore,
{See page 4.}1
Image: “Pakele ma ke Mele Oli.” Ka Hoku o Hawaii, July 1, 1909, p. 3
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SAVED BY CHANTING
During the reign of Kamehameha I, he appointed before his royal court a man very skilled at chanting and composing mele as a favorite of his. And one day when Kamehameha left, that man stayed with one of Kamehameha’s wives, and that woman lept upon the man to force herself on him, but the man fended her off.
Due to her being rebuffed, the chiefess was embarrassed, and she therefore tore up her clothes. When Kamehameha returned, he asked the chiefess, “Why is your clothes torn up?” The chiefess replied, “I was attacked by your chanter.” When Kamehameha heard this, he ordered his men to bring this favorite of his before him at once. When the man arrived, Kamehameha spoke, “Listen here, today you are a dead man; what do you have to say before you die?” When the chanter heard that he was to die for being attacked by the chiefess, he bowed his head. When he raised his head, he began to chant, and when he was through chanting, Kamehameha turned and said to the chiefess, “My dear man is not at fault in the least, for it was you who jumped on and attacked him, and when he warded you off, you were ashamed and you tore up your clothes. Therefore my man shall live, for he has done no wrong.
Kamehameha was very wise in understanding the hidden meanings of mele.
1The article appears to come to an abrupt end here, regardless of the instruction to look on page 4.
This post is part of He Aupuni Palapala: Preserving and Digitizing the Hawaiian Language Newspapers, a partnership between Bishop Museum and Awaiaulu with assistance from Kamehameha Schools. Mahalo nui loa to Hawaii Tourism Authority for their support. Learn more about this project here.
