History of King Kamehameha Day

Last Updated on: July 6, 2021

History of King Kamehameha Day

King Kamehameha Day, a pretty big deal in Hawaii, falls on June 11 and celebrates the accomplishments of “Kamehameha the Great.” He’s credited with uniting the Hawaiian Islands in 1810. A highly revered leader, Kamehameha is honored each year with numerous celebrations across the islands. Downtown Honolulu hosts one such celebration, where hundreds of leis, at least 30 feet long, are draped over the a 15-foot statue of the celebrated ruler. Other celebrations include parades, a plethora of floral arrangements and, of course, the traditional Hawaiian hula.

History of King Kamehameha Day

Kamehameha the Great was the Hawaiian conqueror and king who founded the Kamehameha dynasty and united the Hawaiian Islands under one kingdom.

Kamehameha was born in Kohala, Hawaii in 1758. After Kalaniʻōpuʻu’s death in 1782, Hawaii was divided under two ruling leaders — his son, Kīwalaʻō, and his nephew, Kamehameha.

The two went into battle for total control of the islands, with Kamehameha emerging victorious. He went on to take over most of the surrounding territories as well. Kamehameha eventually succeeded in becoming King of all the Hawaiian islands.

King Kamehameha I was born into Hawaiian royalty. There were many prophetic signs that foresaw him becoming a great king, including the fact that his birth was around the time when Hailey’s Comet shot through the Hawaiian night skies in 1758. This led to Kamehameha being hidden away for years, to protect him from opposing clans who saw him as a potential threat.

Eventually, Kamehameha returned and started his training with King Kalaniʻōpuʻu’u, his uncle and then ruler of the Hawaiian Islands. Such was Kamehameha’s strength that he could lift the Naha Stone, which weighs 2.5 tons! This incident fulfilled a prophecy that said a great man who will unite the islands will be able to lift the stone. Kamehameha’s uncle also introduced him to English explorer James Cook aboard his ship, the HMS Discovery. In 1779, Cook was killed in a battle with Kamehameha.

After King Kalaniʻōpuʻu’u died in 1782, Kamehameha inherited the island’s war god, Kuka’ilimoku, while his uncle’s own son, Kīwalaʻō, was given control of the island. The two clashed and went head-on against each other in battle, in which Kamehameha triumphed and took control over the island. He also took Keōpūolani, Kīwalaʻō’s daughter, as his wife and later had several other wives.

After coming into power, Kamehameha became acquainted with foreign allies like John Young and Isaac Davis. With their help, he attacked Maui in 1790. They also served as his advisors for many years. Using these relationships, Kamehameha traded Hawaii’s sought-after sandalwood in exchange for Western weapons. Equipped with this superior firepower, he and his army were able to take over most of the islands. By 1810, King Kamehameha became the first leader to rule over all the Hawaiian Islands.

Kamehameha remained in power until his death in 1819. Other than his conquering of the islands, his reign was a progressive one for Hawaii. His governing practice followed the ancient rules and laws of kapu. He also established new laws like ‘Kānāwai Māmalahoe,’ which protected travelers as well as those who were defenseless. A refined version of this principle also became a part of the Hawaiian state constitution in 1978.

Kamehameha’s son Liholiho was the successor to the throne and took on the title of Kamehameha II. He died five years later and was succeeded by his brother Kauikeaouli, who took the throne as Kamehameha III.