Mataio Kekuanaoa
Encyclopedia
Mataio Kekūanāoa was descended from the high chiefs of the island of Oahu
. His name Mataio was the Hawaiian form of Matthew
, although the former remain the most common form used to referred to him.
He was born in 1791 or 1793. His mother was High Chiefess Inaina, daughter of Pupuka, an Oahu chief who joined with Elani of Ewa
in revolt against Kahekili II
. His father was either Nāhiōlea, an Oahu chief descended from Kalehunapaikua
, or High Chief Kiilaweau, the grandson of the Hawaii Island Chief Alapa'inui, who was nephew of Keaweikekahiali`iokamoku who was son of Princess Kalanikauleleiaiwi
who ruled alongside her brother Keaweikekahiali`iokamoku. He was the aikāne, or intimate companion of King Kamehameha II
in his youth, and followed him to England where the King and Queen Kamāmalu
died of measles in 1824. He was able to escape the sickness and return to Hawaii, stabilizing himself in the court by marrying two wives of his late sovereign.
His first marriage to the High Chiefess Kalehua lasted from 1822 to 1825, and the product of this marriage was a son named Paaula. He married again to the widow of Kamehameha II
, Princess Kalanipauahi. Their marriage lasted from 1825 to her death in 1826, and he was probably the father of her daughter Princess Ruth Keelikōlani
. He remarried Elizabeth Kīnau, another Kamehameha II widow, who ruled as the Kuhina Nui
at the time under the name Kaahumanu II. From her he fathered David Kamehameha
, Moses Kekūāiwa
, Lot Kapuāiwa, Alexander Liholiho, and Victoria Kamāmalu. His sons Alexander and Lot would become King Kamehameha IV and King Kamehameha V. His daughter would become the fifth Kuhina Nui as Kaahumanu IV. The third marriage lasted from 1827 until Kīnau's death in 1839. After 6 years as a widower he remarried again in 1845, to the High Chiefess Kaloloahilani. Their marriage, lasting to his death, was issueless.
He was the Royal Governor of Oahu 1839–1864. On December 21, 1863 he was made the sixth Kuhina Nui, replacing his daughter who became Crown Princess and heir apparent to the throne. For most of his reign as Kuhina Nui he supported his son Kamehameha V's view of abolishing the position. He held the position until 1864 when the Constitution of 1864
abolished it. He also served as a member of the House of Nobles
from 1841–1868, Privy Council 1845–1869, and as President of the Board of Education from 1860. In 1866, Mark Twain
praised Mataio Kekūanāoa as "a man of noble presence... seemingly natural and fitted to the place as if he had been born to it...."
The Territorial Building
in the Hawaii Capital Historic District
was named for him.
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. His name Mataio was the Hawaiian form of Matthew
Matthew (name)
Matthew is a given name that ultimately comes from the Hebrew name Matityahu. It was first named to Saint Matthew, who was one of the twelve disciples and credited with the authorship of the Gospel of Matthew...
, although the former remain the most common form used to referred to him.
He was born in 1791 or 1793. His mother was High Chiefess Inaina, daughter of Pupuka, an Oahu chief who joined with Elani of Ewa
Elani of Ewa
Elani was a High Chief of the Ewa district on the Island of Oahu and father of the last independent Sovereign of Oahu. In an uprising to regain the autonomy of the Kingdom of Oahu, he fought Kahekili II and died...
in revolt against Kahekili II
Kahekili II
Kahekili II, full name Kahekilinuiahumanu, was the twenty fifth King of Maui. His name was short for Kāne-Hekili after the Hawaiian god of thunder. Because Kāne-Hekili was believed to be black on one side, Kahekili tattooed one side of his body from head to foot.-Family:He was born about...
. His father was either Nāhiōlea, an Oahu chief descended from Kalehunapaikua
Kalehunapaikua
Kalehunapaikua was the Prince of Oahu. He was the son of Kakuhihewa, brother of Kanekapu, uncle of Kahoowaha. He was the only son of Kakuhihewa not to bear his name....
, or High Chief Kiilaweau, the grandson of the Hawaii Island Chief Alapa'inui, who was nephew of Keaweikekahiali`iokamoku who was son of Princess Kalanikauleleiaiwi
Kalanikauleleiaiwi
Kalanikauleleiaiwi was a Chiefess on the island of Hawaii in the late 17th century and early 18th century. She was considered to be the co-ruler of the island of Hawaii with her half-brother Keawe ikekahialiiokamoku, the 21st Alii Aimoku of Hawaii island. Their shared mother was Keakealani-wahine,...
who ruled alongside her brother Keaweikekahiali`iokamoku. He was the aikāne, or intimate companion of King Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu Iolani...
in his youth, and followed him to England where the King and Queen Kamāmalu
Kamamalu
Kamāmalu Kalani-Kuaana-o-Kamehamalu-Kekuaiwa-o-kalani-Kealii-Hoopili-a-Walu was Queen consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii as the wife of King Kamehameha II. She is not to be confused with Princess Victoria Kamāmalu who was her niece...
died of measles in 1824. He was able to escape the sickness and return to Hawaii, stabilizing himself in the court by marrying two wives of his late sovereign.
His first marriage to the High Chiefess Kalehua lasted from 1822 to 1825, and the product of this marriage was a son named Paaula. He married again to the widow of Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II was the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu Iolani...
, Princess Kalanipauahi. Their marriage lasted from 1825 to her death in 1826, and he was probably the father of her daughter Princess Ruth Keelikōlani
Keelikolani
Princess Ruth Luka Keanolani Kauanahoahoa Keelikōlani , was a member of the Kamehameha family, the founding dynasty of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She served as Royal Governor of the Island of Hawaii. As primary heir to the Kamehameha family, Ruth became a landholder of what would become the Bernice...
. He remarried Elizabeth Kīnau, another Kamehameha II widow, who ruled as the Kuhina Nui
Kuhina Nui
Kuhina Nui was a powerful office in the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1819 to 1864. It was usually held by a relative of the king and was the rough equivalent of the 19th century European office of Prime Minister or sometimes Regent.- Origin of the office :...
at the time under the name Kaahumanu II. From her he fathered David Kamehameha
David Kamehameha
David Kamehameha was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Biography:Born May 20th, 1828, he was the firstborn and eldest son of Mataio Kekūanāoʻa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of King Kamehameha I through his mother and was named in his grandfather's honor and after the...
, Moses Kekūāiwa
Moses Kekuaiwa
Moses Kekūāiwa Keawenui was a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii.He was the second son of Mataio Kekūanāoa and Elizabeth Kīnaʻu. He was a grandson of Kamehameha I through his mother who was known as Kaahumanu II when she was regent...
, Lot Kapuāiwa, Alexander Liholiho, and Victoria Kamāmalu. His sons Alexander and Lot would become King Kamehameha IV and King Kamehameha V. His daughter would become the fifth Kuhina Nui as Kaahumanu IV. The third marriage lasted from 1827 until Kīnau's death in 1839. After 6 years as a widower he remarried again in 1845, to the High Chiefess Kaloloahilani. Their marriage, lasting to his death, was issueless.
He was the Royal Governor of Oahu 1839–1864. On December 21, 1863 he was made the sixth Kuhina Nui, replacing his daughter who became Crown Princess and heir apparent to the throne. For most of his reign as Kuhina Nui he supported his son Kamehameha V's view of abolishing the position. He held the position until 1864 when the Constitution of 1864
1864 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The Constitution of 1864 of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a rewrite of the 1852 constitution issued by King Kamehameha III. It dramatically changed the way Hawaii's government worked by increasing the power of the king and changing the way the kingdom's legislature worked...
abolished it. He also served as a member of the House of Nobles
Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
The Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom was the bicameral legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. A royal legislature was first provided by the 1840 Constitution and the 1852 Constitution was the first to use the term "Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom", and the first to subject the monarch to...
from 1841–1868, Privy Council 1845–1869, and as President of the Board of Education from 1860. In 1866, Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
praised Mataio Kekūanāoa as "a man of noble presence... seemingly natural and fitted to the place as if he had been born to it...."
The Territorial Building
Territorial Building
The Territorial Building is a government building of the Territory of Hawaii.-Description:The building is located at 425 South King Street in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii....
in the Hawaii Capital Historic District
Hawaii Capital Historic District
The Hawaii Capital Historic District in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been the center of government ever since the earliest days of the unified Hawaiian Kingdom.-Location:...
was named for him.