Kamehameha I's two symbols of power were his war god Kuka`ilimoku and his ahu`ula, or feathered cape. Kaka`ilimoku was the deity worshipped by Kamehameha I during his successful unification of the Hawaiian islands. His feathered cape, made almost entirely of mamo bird feathers was used as a battle cloak. Later it was passed on to his royal successors. Both objects are now preserved in the Ethnology Collections of Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.Established by Kamehameha I in 1795, the Kamehameha Dynasty's five kings ruled the Hawaiian islands until the death of Kamehameha V in 1872. Within this period of time Hawai`i went from a series of chiefdoms to a kingdom under the rule of a single sovereign. The traditional taboo system fell in 1819, making way for a strong westernizing force that changed all aspects of Hawaiian life from religious worship to land tenure.
In 1822, just a few years after the arrival of the first missionaries to Hawai`i, an orthography was developed making it possible to record in writing the Hawaiian language. By 1853, the minister of public instruction under Kamehameha III boasted of a literacy rate of 75 percent.
Hawaiians have always held a reverence for the spoken and later the written word, which was believed to contain mana or power. This respect is reflected in the saying, "I ka `olelo no ke ola, I ka `olelo no ka make (In the word is life, in the word is death)." In Hawaiian newspapers and during special events, Hawaiian composers expressed their feelings for their rulers and recorded history in chants. Chant types varied according to their intended use. The following selection reflect the people and events of this period through the minds of the Hawaiians.
Kamehameha I's greatest achievement was his unification of all the chiefdoms of Hawai`i into one kingdom under his rule. He was a chief who possessed a powerful physique and an astute mind. It was his own initiative and drive that permitted him to reach this position of prominence. These virtues are praised in the following mele inoa, name chant. Such chants of formal praise were considered sacred by the Hawaiians. In this section, Kamehameha's powers are compared to the forces of nature.
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ka`eu ke ano kapu, `O ka haku manawa kapu ali`i kena He ali`i no ka mu`o lani kapu o Lono Lu ka ola`i, naue ka honua `Oni ke kai, naueue ka moku, `Ike i ka lepa koa a ka lani, He inoa He inoa na ka lani Kamehameha kapu ali`i, he inoa |
for him the profound taboo A lord indeed, a sacred chief is he, A chief from the highest and most sacred realm of Lono The earth quakes, it is set atremble The sea is disturbed, the land is moved, And these are the signs of a mighty warrior We chant his praise We praise the King, Kamehameha, a noble chief, we praise him |
excerpt from introduction
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