Kaua‘i Museum Executive Director Chucky Boy Chock is seen here with a painting of Kaua‘i Chiefess Kamakahelei by Evelyn Ritter, in exhibit at the museum. Historically, women have held powerful positions in old Hawai‘i. Kamakahelei, mother of King Kaumuali‘i, continued to be feared by Kamehameha, the Great even after her death. Her feared death-praying skills are believed to have stopped Kamehameha from trying to conquer Kaua‘i by force after two failed attempts. After Kamehameha died in 1819, his favorite wife, Queen Kaahumanu, became kuhina nui to Kamehameha II (Liholiho), and influenced many changes, including the fall of the kapu system. With Kamehameha II’s untimely death from a Western disease in England in 1823, Kaahumanu ruled the Islands until her death in 1832. Hawai‘i’s last reigning ruler was a woman, Queen Lili‘uokalani. Even in Hawaiian religion, when we think of deities, one of the first ones that comes to mind is usually a female, Goddess Pele. Photo by Léo Azambuja
E pale lauʻī i ko akua ke hiki aku i Kona.
“Place a shield of ti leaves before your god when you arrive in Kona.”
A message sent by Kaʻahumanu to Liholiho requesting him to free the kapu of his god Kūkaʻilimoku. Kaʻahumanu was at that time striving to abolish the kapu system
Source: ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, by Mary Kawena Pukui.
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