[From: “Ka Moolelo o Kaahumanu”]

Kaahumanu was one of them who made a circuit of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai with Liholiho. When Kaahumanu arrived on Kauai, she took Kaumualii, the alii of Kauai, as a kane [husband] for herself. When Liholiho returned to Oahu, it was with Haakulou, the woman of Kaumualii; because Liholiho took Haakulou as a wahine [wife] for himself, along with his other wahine.

Kaahumanu lived on Kauai along with Kaumualii in the year 1822. Perhaps in the month of August.

Kaahumanu wanted to seek out Nihoa. It was the very first time that Nihoa was found, that tiny island to the North-West of Niihau.

It was heard of in kaao and mele and in the feats of Kawelo. Therefore, Kaahumanu wanted to see it for herself, and it was found by her and Kaumualii; boats travelled along with the two of them. That was when the island began being considered part of the Hawaiian archipelago. Kaahumanu wanted to take her kane, Kaumualii, around Oahu, Maui and Hawaii.

The alii, the kaukau alii, and the makaainana saw her kane, the alii of Kauai, Kaumualii. It was at Waialua, Oahu where Kaahumanu arrived first with Kaumualii. And it was there that praise was first given for her kane, Kaumualii.

In that same way, she took her kane all around Oahu, and then they went to Maui, and all the way to Hawaii…

[It is interesting that this is all that is written about Kaumualii leaving Kauai in this moolelo about Kaahumanu written by famed historian, S. M. Kamakau. This series is run in the newspaper Kuokoa from 12/25/1880 to 1/15/1881, many years after he passed away. In an untitled article written from Kolikowailehua, Manua, appearing in the Kuokoa on 8/25/1866, p. 4, Kamakau announces that he is writing moolelo wanted by H. H. Parker [H. H. Pareka] about Kaahumanu, Keopuolani Kalanikauikaalaneo, Kalanimoku, Hoapilikane, and Kapiolani.

This is presumably the Kaahumanu moolelo he speaks of, and the Keopuolani moolelo appears in the Kuokoa on 2/26/1881, p. 4. Although unsigned, the Kalanimoku moolelo appearing in the same paper on 4/2/1881, p. 4 is also most likely S. M. K.]

(Kuokoa, 12/25/1880, p. 1)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XIX, Helu 52, Aoao 1. Dekemaba 25, 1880.