Keōua

Keōua Kalanikupuapaʻīkalaninui Ahilapalapa, sometimes called Keōua Nui ("Keōua the Great") (died c. 1750s–1760s) was an Ancient Hawaiian noble and the father of Kamehameha I, the first King of united Hawaiʻi. He was progenitor of the House of Keōua Nui. His first name Keoua, or Ke-ao-ua means "the rain cloud" and was given to him by his subjects because of his generosity and his sacred kapu of the heavenly rains.

Life Keōua Nui's father was the High Chief Keeaumoku Nui, the second son of Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku, Aliʻi ʻAimoku of Hawaiʻi island, and his second wife, Queen Kalanikauleleiaiwi. His mother, High Chiefess Kamakaʻimoku, was from the noble family of ʻI of Hilo. Keōua was a half-brother of King Kalaniʻōpuʻu of the island of Hawaiʻi through his mother who also married Kalaninuiamamao, Kalaniʻōpuʻu's father.

His name Keoua, or Ke-ao-ua means "the rain cloud" and was given to him by his subjects because of his generosity and because of the formation of the rain clouds which was his sacred kapu that alerted him and his people of danger as well as the dissipation of clouds which was a sign of safety . The different rains also guided him and his people, such as a downpour of rain, this was the highest blessing for which his firstborn Kalokuokamaile His grandson, King Kamehameha III was given the name Kauikeaouli that also puts this sacred kapu upon him as the importance of the name Keaouli of Keoua, which has the meaning of the dark, black, thick, esteemed cloud (a rain cloud). According to the prophet, Kapihe, upon the birth of Kamehameha III, he saw a bank of dark clouds high in the heavens, alerting him of trouble for the newborn. Upon arrival at Keopuolani’s birth of the young prince where he was placed lifeless and not breathing, the prophet and kahuna offered a prayer, bringing life back into the body of Kamehameha III. The great-grandson of Keoua was King Kamehameha V, he was also named after this sacred kapu which was placed upon him by carrying the name of Kalanikupuapa`ikalaninui.

Keōua Nui was raised as royalty due to his royal birth. His father was a Piʻo chief which was considered among the highest rank in Hawaiʻian society. Through his mother and father he was descended from Kings ʻUmi-a-Liloa and Liloa and related to chiefs of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai. He was chief of the Kohala district and Kona district of the island. Although he was a non-ruling chief; the ruling chief of Kona and Kohala was his brother Kalaniʻōpuʻu. However, the ruler Kalaniopu'u gave his war god Kuka'ilimoku to Keoua Nui's son Kamehameha and he became King of all Hawai'i.

During his youth he spent his time at the royal court on Maui where he sought his first wife the High Chiefess Kahikikala-o-kalani, daughter of High Chief Kalahumoku, the Alii of Hana, Kaupo and Kipahulu.

His bones were deposited in the cliffs above Kealakekua Bay, which to this day are still called pali kapu o Keōua, "the forbidden cliffs of Keōua". His remaining descendants are generally considered those of his eldest son Kalokuokamaile, and are considered by some the legitimate heirs of the Kamehameha dynasty.

In 1920, High Chiefess Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau Laʻanui Pratt wrote a book, Keoua Nui: Father of Kings, as a tribute to her great-great grandfather. It was republished in 1999 by his descendant, David Castro. The first use of the name "House of Keōua Nui" dates to a press release by descendant Owana Salazar.

Ancestry