Permalink Reply by Kalani Kalima on Love and lust, women's greatest weapons. These have crumbled empires, overturned governments, and wiped out religions, some overnight. Wahine warriors other than the ones found in mo`olelo like Pele, Poli`ahu, Hina, Hi`iaka and Wahine`oma`o what about Kalanikupule vs. Kamehameha, where Kekupuohi fights in the battle of Nu`uanu against her kane Ka`iana? Or of the battle at Kuamo`o between Liholiho and Kekuaokalani where Manono continues the charge wearing the mahiole and ahu ula of her kane after he fell, leading the remaining warriors to become martyrs. And as for hand held weapons anything light like a dagger, hair pick, even a gun like those women who fought for Kamehameha, trained by Ka`iana to shoot the guns that they had.
Permalink Reply by Tane on - You are closer to the truth than you think. LOL... Growing up, I used to hear stories of the wahine warriors. One of them was how they used the lua through hula to mesmerize their adversary than quickly strike at the pressure points of his body to disable him, then go in for the kill. Auwe no ho'i e! They were also ruthless fighters akin to the men and fought alongside of their huapala. Lovers fight with a fierceness to save one another from harm. Tane
Permalink Reply by HALE O KEAWE-A-HEULU aka: NAIHE on - Kupuna Marie Solomon of Kohala, who was also married to my paternal grandmother's half-brother Robert "Sonny" Somon told me of a female warrior. She didn't tell me of this by asking...something had to occur first to allow me to hear and now share this story. So here's what happened in the district of Kohala, birthplace of Kamehameha I, town of Kapaau named after what occurred during the birth of Kamehameha - the kapa or tapa cloth (Kapaau) which wrapped Kamehameha for his journey to flee Alapa'i. [Please note that our Historic towns in Kohala has significant meaning of this journey]. Back in 2001-2002, a mainlander said to be from New York purchased an abandoned building which was first home to Kapaau US Post Office - two buildings west is now home to Sammy D's eatery. Sammy D is Aunty Mary Ann Lim's son-in-law of The Lim Family, known musicians of Kohala. Anyway, this New Yorker was cocky but he had a very pleasant asian wife who was an artist. He purchased the building to open an art gallery for her and named it "Ua Koko". When this happened it stirred a lot of the old timers in town who then would question why he named the building "Ua Koko" he would give an explanation and the old timers would just say to him, "You gotta change da name, no good." The New Yorker didn't understand this and focused only on "nobody's gonna tell me what I can and can not do". As civic club president I sent my Sgt of Arms over there to reason with the New Yorker and explain why it was "no good". His wife understood and was very open to the information provided, but her husband was stubborn. He said he named it Ua Koko because it focused on the red of the rainbown as his wife loved the color red and connected with it. We told him he had to change the name of the building because: 1). He didn't have permission of the family to call it Ua Koko and 2). It means "Bloody Rain". HIs wife and her culture understood the need of the change but the husband was defiant. He spent time in the community instead talking "stink" of the civic club and how he felt terrorized. Terrorized? There is still record of this pleasant letter I sent him on file with the club today. But well, this only caused tension with him and his wife and it was said that his wife "saw things" in the gallery. Said to be "spooks" and she couldn't work there no longer and moved back to New York; whether with or without her husband, we don't know. Since that day, the building remains empty. About a year ago I told the new realtor he wasn't going to sell or rent the place out unless he cleared the energy first and then bless it. However, it isn't easy to find someone to clear energy in there which brings to story about the female warrior..... In 1989 when I returned home permanently, Oceanside 1250 aka: Hokulia in Kealakekua started permit filing of the area and after moving earth followed by heavy rains, it unearned what looked liked hundreds of skulls all tossed in what was a pit grave for they were warrriors from the last battle that took place there. The battle was where this female warrior fought along side her husband. It was a rainy night and a hard battle that was exhausting to this female warrior. She knew she was going to die in the battle as she fought long and hard through the night. In her exhaustion drenced with cold rain and blood, she ran back home to her mother who was caring for her only child still an infant and she said, "You will rename this child Ua Koko for I will not return." This is how the family name of "Koko" in Kona actually started. Now, since then there are still issues going on in that area of Hokulia as they continue to remedy other burials found along the years. I believe now that the developers or investors may or have filed bankruptycy of some sort. To what level I do not know, for I don't keep track of that area of development as I continue to protect Kohala with many sites that are even likened to Hokulia. It is said that what happens in Kona usually reflects back to Kohala so says the ancient days of old before Kamehameha. It's like we mirror each other with battles of the past and the present. Here it is 2008 and the building still empty with remants of missing letters against the building, I believe in 2007 there was another burial counsel meeting of another burial of many found at Oceanside 1250 aka: Hokulia. Lilinoe who is a member on my page could tell you more of this as she has been a part of this issue. I can not recall at this time the name of the female warrior as I'm drawing a senior moment here but it is a true story. And hope that you enjoyed this as was told to me by Kupuna Solomon. May she and uncle rest in peace....
Permalink Reply by Ululani on - Hello e Ikaika. I don't study lua and never have but have studied shuri te for about nine years. It seems as though hula is a martial art based on the angles and other factors. Personally I don't know of any female Hawaiian warriors who were involved in any battles of the old yet but I am sure there have been a few. I'm still researching that because I could swear there are some. Of course I married Haole so I get some flack about that but marrying Haole and being an enemy of the Hawaiian people are not mutually exclusive. That annoys me a lot btw and I hesitated joining this group partly because of it. I notice there are mostly kane here but being judged based on the national origin of who one marries but some oiwi women marry outsiders and are still oiwi warriors. A few have to fight some of their own people. To me oiwi women are very strong though... despite having to fight some of our oppressors and some of our own people. To me oiwi women are an asset or can be depending on their motive(s) because some wanna help while some wanna hurt. Nowadays I know of some oiwi women out there who are proficient in defending and protecting themselves. In many cases Hawaiian women use whatever tools they have available but pre-contact I have not discovered any oiwi women in the battle lines. Nowadays it's different maybe because some of our kane cousins are in OCC. Women though can use a lot of their attributes in war. I think we are in a huge war and some oiwi women have taken the initiative to be in the battle lines. Some oiwi men attack them though which seems odd to me because oiwi women have piko that breeds more piko. Or in some cases they do not welcome some oiwi women who have warrior in their jeans/genes. Aloha, Lana
- Permalink Reply by Ululani on
- P.S. I think we pick and choose our own battles irrelevant of gender. We also have a huge war going on for our land and for our natural resources (like our water) which compounds a lot.
Permalink Reply by Ikaika on - Hi'iaka I Ka Poli O Pele was a great female warrior. There are many others. Let me know if you learn of others.
Permalink Reply by Kalani Kalima on - Aloha brah, I kinda remember a story that my aunty shared with me. She told me that she had an aunty and uncle that knew lua and at a party there was a fight that broke out. The group fighting were young and drunk and didnʻt notice them. The "lua"hine and her brother walked through the crowd and each person that they touched dropped to the ground in pain. What happened to them no one knows. This happened on Hawai`i island, where? I donʻt know. I donʻt know when either but the `ohana name Kamaka comes to mind.
Permalink Reply by Maika on - Aloha Kalani, I think your first post pretty much covered all the infamous ones. The one that immediately came to mind (after legends Pele and Hiiaka) was the one that fought at the battle of Kuamoo alongside her Husband Kalanimoku, whom if I remember correctly inherited one of the two kingdoms along with Liholiho's. I think he got the spiritual one. The significance of the retelling of the story is the way Kalanimoku's wife, Manono, is told almost in passing how she fought alongside and wasn't spared at the imminent defeat. It's as if the author's are saying "Women Warriors? Yea no big deal, dime a dozen." Of course, the accuracy of that battle itself should be subject to better scrutiny. I have wondered about one historically mythic wahine in Hawaiian history. Her name was Makaweliweli. I've read about this person here and there, but nothing substantial. There is nothing at length about her. Perhaps, Kalani, you may have heard something about this female 'warrior'? i alohaahaa, Maika.
Permalink Reply by Kalekuikeakuhkamkek on - Ko'u tutuwahine 'ohana are lineal descendants of the warriors alongside King Kamehameha 'ekahi, their names are alongside Kekuhaupi'o- ko'u 'ohana are the Kalalakoa's. ko'u gggtutu wahine was Meleana Kalalakoa who married Iakoba, she by oralistory and genealogy was also a warrior.
Permalink Reply by chris sigouin on - My great, great grandmothers name was Meleana Kalalakoa, also sometimes listed as Maryanne Kalalakoa Hanoa, I believe she was originally from Punalu'u or Pahala area in the Ka'u district of Hawaii. I'm trying to research that side of the family and anything you know and would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated. Mahalo.
- Permalink Reply by Kalani Kalima on
- Aloha Maika, In the battle of Kuamo`o, in S. Kona it was Kekuaokalani and his wahine Manono. Kalanimoku was sent by Ka`ahumanu to kill Kekuaokalani who was next in line right under Hewahewa as Kahunanui. Kekuaokalani was given or rightfully took the kuleana of kahuna when Hewahewa went over to the "kapu breaking" side with Ka`ahumanu, Keopuolani and a somewhat hesitant but obedient son Liholiho. As you may know that Kekuaokalani vs. Liholiho is somewhat similar to Hakau and `Umi and Kamehameha vs. Kiwala`o where one was given the kingdom (because of kapu) and the other given the gods (because of pono). But unlike the rest, Kekuaokalani was not successful and died a martyr alongside Manono and all of the rest. And as for Makaweliweli sounds like Machiavelli and Makaweli. I do not know about this person and would welcome any in put and where this info may be found. When dissecting the name a character from the movie, "Shinobi," comes to mind. Let me know what you think. Mahalo, Kalan
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