Moses Kekūāiwa

Prince Moses Kekūāiwa (July 20, 1829 – November 24, 1848) was a significant figure in the Hawaiian Kingdom, a prince of the House of Kamehameha, and the eldest surviving son of High Chief Kekūanaōʻa and Princess Kīnaʻu. His life, though tragically cut short at the age of nineteen, was marked by a unique upbringing that blended traditional Hawaiian customs with the strict influences of American missionaries, ultimately shaping his brief but notable presence in Hawaiian history. He was designated as a potential future governor of Kauaʻi and was considered eligible to succeed to the Hawaiian throne, placing him at the heart of the kingdom's political and social dynamics during a period of immense change. Kekūāiwa's experiences at the Chiefs' Children's School, his conflicts with his missionary teachers, and his eventual expulsion highlight the profound cultural clashes that characterized the mid-19th century Hawaiian society. His story offers a poignant glimpse into the challenges faced by the aliʻi as they navigated the complex interplay between their ancient heritage and the encroaching Western influences.

Born on July 20, 1829, in Honolulu, Oʻahu, Moses Kekūāiwa was named after his maternal aunt, Queen Kamāmalu, who was also known as Kamehamalu Kekūāiwaokalani. His birth was meticulously recorded by American missionary Levi Chamberlain and merchant Stephen Reynolds. Kekūāiwa's lineage was impeccable; he was the second son of Mataio Kekūanaōʻa, a powerful chief and later Governor of Oʻahu, and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu, who served as Kuhina Nui (co-ruler) and was a daughter of Kamehameha I. Through his mother, he was a grandson of Kamehameha I, the unifier of the Hawaiian Islands, and his maternal grandmother, Kalākua Kaheiheimālie, was a wife of Kamehameha I and sister to Queen Kaʻahumanu, another influential Kuhina Nui. This prestigious ancestry placed Kekūāiwa at the pinnacle of Hawaiian royalty. In accordance with traditional Hawaiian custom, known as _hānai_, Kekūāiwa was adopted shortly after his birth by High Chief Kaikioʻewa, the Governor of Kauaʻi, and his wife Emilia Keaweamahi. This adoption was not merely ceremonial; it carried the expectation that he would eventually succeed Kaikioʻewa as governor of Kauaʻi, a role he was referred to as the "prospective Governor of Kauaʻi" throughout his life [26].

Kekūāiwa's education began in January 1839 when he was returned to his biological parents to attend the Chiefs' Children's School in Honolulu. This institution, later renamed the Royal School, was established by King Kamehameha III specifically for young aliʻi who were considered eligible for the Hawaiian throne [18] [19]. The school was run by American missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke, who imposed a strict moral and academic discipline that often clashed with traditional Hawaiian practices. Kekūāiwa, along with his brothers Lot Kapuāiwa (later Kamehameha V) and Alexander Liholiho (later Kamehameha IV), were among the most spirited students, frequently challenging the Cookes' authority. The missionaries often resorted to corporal punishment, a practice deeply humiliating for the aliʻi, whose bodies were considered sacred (_kapu_) [30] [31]. A notable incident occurred when Cooke struck Alexander, and Kekūāiwa retorted, "_he keiki a ke ali'i oia nei_" ("He is the son of the chief"), to which Cooke famously replied, "I am the King of this school" [29].

The conflicts escalated with incidents of the boys leaving school grounds at night, smoking cigars, and drinking alcohol [37] [38]. In 1845, a coded letter from Kekūāiwa was discovered, revealing his desire to flee to Tahiti with his brothers, expressing a longing for liberty and a rejection of the strictures imposed upon them [39] [40]. This led to a stern reprimand from King Kamehameha III himself, who reminded them of their lineage and their expected future roles [43] [44]. The culmination of these tensions came on December 26, 1846, when Kekūāiwa was caught attempting to visit Queen Kalama at night. This act, interpreted by the missionaries as a moral transgression, was possibly a traditional Hawaiian practice of an older chiefess instructing a young chief in sexual education, which was anathema to the Cookes' beliefs [45] [48]. Consequently, on February 1, 1847, King Kamehameha III and the Privy Council formally expelled Kekūāiwa from the Royal School, citing his “constantly falling into bad vices, drinking intoxicating liquors, going out nights and of being disobedient to the teachers” [49]. His property was temporarily relinquished to his father until he reached majority, and John Papa ʻĪʻī was appointed his _kahu_ (caretaker) [50] [48].

After his expulsion, Kekūāiwa resided with his father, Kekūanaōʻa, at the Honolulu Fort [51] [52]. Despite his disciplinary issues, he continued to perform some duties related to the Foreign Office, acting as an intermediary and translator for his father in communications with foreign consuls [53]. However, he also faced financial difficulties, being described as a spendthrift. His father even published a notice in _The Polynesian_ newspaper in 1847, disclaiming responsibility for his son’s debts [54] [55].

Kekūāiwa inherited significant landholdings, primarily from his _hānai_ father Kaikioʻewa, making him and his siblings among the largest landowners in the islands [15]. During the Great Māhele of 1848, a land redistribution act, he relinquished 12 of his 21 ʻāina (lands) to the King and received 9 back, including properties on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, and Maui [45] [56] [57]. After his death, these lands were inherited by his father and siblings, eventually passing to his cousin Bernice Pauahi Bishop, whose estate now funds the Kamehameha Schools [59] [60].

As the eldest male of his generation and a direct descendant of Kamehameha I, Kekūāiwa was expected to marry a high-ranking chiefess to continue the royal line. He was initially betrothed to his classmate Jane Loeau, but after his expulsion, the Cookes encouraged her to marry an American lawyer [61] [62]. In July 1848, Queen Pōmare IV of Tahiti proposed a union between Kekūāiwa and her relative, Princess Ninito Teraʻiapo. Kekūāiwa became engaged to Teraʻiapo in what was part of a series of attempts to forge marriage alliances between the Hawaiian and Tahitian royal families [63] [64]. However, Ninito arrived in Hawaii only to learn of his untimely death [65] [66] [67]. There were also suspicions, recorded by historian Albert Pierce Taylor, that Kekūāiwa had military ambitions, possibly planning a conquest of Tahiti or even a seizure of the Hawaiian throne [68].

Tragically, Moses Kekūāiwa died on November 24, 1848, in Honolulu, at the age of 19, during the devastating measles epidemic of 1848–49, which claimed the lives of thousands of Native Hawaiians [69] [70] [71]. He had developed whooping cough symptoms in October, which worsened his condition [71]. American merchant Gorham D. Gilman described him as looking feeble shortly before his death, noting that his health would not allow him to take on the governorship of Kauaʻi even if other objections were removed [52]. His former teachers, Mr. Cooke and John Papa ʻĪʻī, visited him on his deathbed, where he expressed hope in Jesus Christ [71]. He died unmarried and without children, with his two brothers by his side [71] [72].

Kekūāiwa’s funeral was a significant event, held on December 30, 1848, alongside those of William Pitt Leleiohoku I and the young Kaʻiminaʻauao, who also succumbed to the epidemic [69] [73] [75]. The bodies of the deceased aliʻi were embalmed and placed in lead and then wooden coffins. The funeral procession was grand, involving the king and queen, members of the royal family, government officials, and foreign representatives, reflecting his high status despite his youth and recent expulsion from school [76] [77]. He was initially interred in the Pohukaina Tomb on the grounds of ʻIolani Palace. Later, in a solemn midnight torchlight procession on October 30, 1865, his remains, along with those of other Kamehameha royals, were reinterred in the newly constructed Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla in the Nuʻuanu Valley [80] [81] [82] [83]. His name, "Kekuaiwa," is inscribed on the ʻewa (western) side of the Kamehameha Tomb within the mausoleum, marking his final resting place [84].

Despite the Cookes' negative assessments of Kekūāiwa, who viewed him as a “disappointment” and a warning to his brothers [85] [86], his life holds significant historical importance. His experiences at the Royal School exemplify the cultural clashes between traditional Hawaiian values and the imposed Western missionary ethics. The attempts to control his behavior and his resistance to these controls illustrate the broader struggle of the Hawaiian aliʻi to maintain their identity and sovereignty in the face of increasing foreign influence. His early death, alongside many others, underscores the devastating impact of introduced diseases on the Native Hawaiian population, a critical factor in the demographic and political changes of the era [69] [70].

Kekūāiwa’s legacy is intertwined with the fate of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Although he did not live to assume a major political role, his position as a grandson of Kamehameha I and a potential heir to the throne made him a symbol of the future of the Kamehameha Dynasty. The fact that his name was placed first among the sixteen students commemorated on the Cooke Memorial Tablet at Kawaiahaʻo Church in 1912, officiated by Queen Liliʻuokalani and Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau, highlights his enduring recognition within Hawaiian royal circles, despite the earlier missionary criticisms [88]. His landholdings, which eventually contributed to the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, continue to support the Kamehameha Schools, an institution dedicated to the education of Native Hawaiian children, thus indirectly contributing to the preservation of Hawaiian culture and heritage [59] [60]. His story serves as a reminder of the complex challenges faced by the Hawaiian monarchy during a pivotal period of its history, caught between tradition and modernity, sovereignty and foreign encroachment. He represents a generation of aliʻi who, despite their personal struggles, were central to the identity and future of the Hawaiian nation. His life, though brief, reflects the broader narrative of Hawaiian resilience and the enduring spirit of its people.