Posted on: Friday, April 26, 2002

Kamehameha victory at Pali to be marked in ceremonies

Advertiser Staff

Kamehameha the Great's victory in the Battle of Nu'uanu 207 years ago will be commemorated at a 5:30 a.m. ceremony tomorrow under the leadership of Kahuna Nui John Keola Lake.

The event, open to the public, will take place at the Pali Lookout.

Members of Na Papa Kanaka o Pu'ukohola Heiau of South Kohala will take part in the event. The heiau near Kawaihae is where Kamehameha began his rise to power.

After the ceremony, there will be three discussions of Hawaiian culture under a tent on the lawn. "Hawaiian Courtship and Marriage Customs" will be discussed at 8:30 a.m., "Hawaiian Land Issues and the Ahupua'a" at 9:30 a.m., and "Lineage of O'ahu Chiefs" at 11 a.m.

Lake said the Battle of Nu'uanu "has fascinated many historians and military strategists." Kamehameha's foe, Kalanikupule, who was the king of O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i, had western guns and the advantage of the defection of longtime Kamehameha ally Kaiana. Kalanikupele had tried to invade the Big Island, and after his defeat at Nu'uanu, he escaped and wandered for months before his capture and sacrifice to the war god, Kuka'ilimoku.