There is an old legend in Hawaii, a legend about a grand and wise king who would fuse the separated islands of Hawaii together. Kahunas foretold that the people would know it was him when a comet blossomed in the sky. Indeed, the kahuna were correct. Halley’s Comet did in fact soar above the Hawaiian firmament in 1758. And one of the island’s greatest kings was born on that day in Paiea. His name was Kamehameha, or the lonely one. His grandfather was Keaweikekahialiiokamoku, another great king, presiding over a big part of Hawaii during his time.
There is yet another old legend that the kahuna tell of associated with King Kamehameha. Whoever could budge a gigantic rock known as the Naha Stone, a stone that weighed 7,000 pounds, would be the supreme king of Hawaii, putting previous and subsequent royalty to shame. And in fact, Kamehameha did allegedly move the stone. According to the story, he flipped it over after heaving it up in that air.
Like all great lineages of kings and queens and courts, Kamehameha confronted opposition before he could transform into the great ruler he was supposed to be. After his uncle died, authority split. Kamehameha and his uncle’s son, Kiwalao, fought it out for who would get to rule Hawaii. There was civil war for a while but Kiwalao won eventually. After organizing matters on his island, Kamehameha went out to gain control of the other islands, employing military technology from United States and various European countries.
Maui, then Molokai then Oahu all fell under his command, but is was in Oahu that the king faced one of his most gruesome battles ever. On the Pali cliffs of Oahu, numerous numbers of warriors were killed, forced to plunge to their deaths on the rocks below. The subsequent island came into the fold more peacefully thanks to the king who surrendered. At long last, Kamehameha had lived up the destiny that the kahunas had prophesized of him. A time of great prosperity ensued thanks to his usage of a tax system and trade with other Western countries.
His mystique as a great king does not end there with his past battles and wars. His bones have been missing ever since he died in 1819. A kahuna buried them in a secret place that still is unknown today, despite many searches to find them. It is this legendary king that helps make Hawaii such a fantastic place to visit and learn about.
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