Kealiiahonui (1800-1849) was the son of Kauai’s King Kaumualii and Kapuaamohu, a Kaua‘i princess of the highest rank. Well-proportioned, athletic and tall at six feet six inches, he was regarded as the handsomest chief in all Hawai‘i. In 1821 he
Kealiiahonui (1800-1849) was the son of Kauai’s King Kaumualii and Kapuaamohu, a Kaua‘i princess of the highest rank. Well-proportioned, athletic and tall at six feet six inches, he was regarded as the handsomest chief in all Hawai‘i.
In 1821 he married the Queen Regent, Kaahumanu, and after her death in 1832, he married Kekauonohi, Governess of Kauai from 1840 to 1845. He died in Honolulu on June 23, 1849, and his public funeral was held on June 30th.
His wife, Kekauonohi, then ordered the coffin containing his remains temporarily removed to a cavern at Pu‘uloa, ‘Ewa and planned to have it buried at sea shortly thereafter.
But Kealiiahonui’s niece and kahu, Kapule, was against burial at sea, and to spite Kekauonohi, she and her assistants stole Kealiiahonui’s outer coffin — while leaving the inner coffin containing his remains behind — and buried it near Pu‘uloa. Kapule had also removed a ring and an earring from the remains and the unihi pili — sacred bones buried with the corpse.
Nevertheless, Kekauonohi’s burial plans were carried out a couple of days later, when six Kaua‘i brothers, all kahus of Kealiiahonui, placed the inner coffin containing Kealiiahonui’s remains in a canoe and paddled to the deep outside Pearl Harbor.
Also with them was Kanepio, one of two men to be put to death and sunk with Kealiiahonui so as to accompanying him into the afterlife. The second man, Opiopio, had run off.
On board, Kanepio pleaded for his life, saying “either both or neither” should be put to death, and having won the brothers over, his life was spared.
When the coffin was heaved overboard, it would not sink. One of the brothers then smashed the glass case over the face of Kealiiahonui and the coffin finally filled with water and sank.
