User:KAVEBEAR/Kūihelani

Kūihelani (died 1815/1816) was an early politician of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He served as Governor of Oahu from around 1796 to 1816.

Starting from relatively humble beginnings, he was regarded as commoner rather than a chief. John Papa ʻĪʻī, a later chief of minor descent and historian, regarded Kūihelani as high-born chief. He was a relative of ʻĪʻī's mother who descended from the Luluka branch of the Luahine line of hereditary kahu (caretaker) to the chiefs of Hawaii.

Through his mother, ʻĪʻī also claimed kinship with Kūihelani, whom he identified as a highborn aliʻi with many wives, attendants, and bodyguards. Kūihelani was a favorite of Kamehameha, who made him konohiki of some of his lands, and at one point, the co-governor, along with Kahānaumaikaʻi, of Oʻahu. Wanaoʻa took ʻĪʻī with her when she went to visit Kūihelani, her hoahānau (8, 22 Jan. 1870). Another source states that ʻĪʻī’s family was related to Kaulunaʻe, Nāʻaiokala, and Kamoʻonohu, and that by Kalanihōʻā, ʻĪʻī was a direct descendent of Kauakahiakua (“Fragment”). If so, ʻĪʻī descended from Kekaulike as well (Ahlo, Walker, and Johnson 121).

he gained the favor of King Kamehameha I with a feat of strength.

Ku-i-helani, Kamehameha's steward, 173; places ban on Barber's ship, 174; feats of strength, 183; his warehouse Kaʻaloa, 271; husband of Ka-ʻoʻo, involved in incident with Kuakini over wife, 389