Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, born December 19th, 1831, died on October 16, 1884 of breast cancer.
She is described by Kamehameha Schools (founded by her will after her death) as; "last royal descendant of the Kamehameha line". Bernice was the granddaughter of Pauli Kaōleiokū who was the natural born son of Kānekapōlei and the supreme monarch of the Island of Hawaii at the time of Captain Cooks arrival, Kalaniʻōpuʻu. Kaōleiokū was mentioned by Cooks crew as one of the kings children from his favorite wife named Kānekapōlei.
During the unification wars of the islands, Pauli Kaōleiokū and his older brother, Keōua Kūʻahuʻula were the last surviving sons of Kalaniʻōpuʻu. Kamehameha had challenged and defeated Kīwalaʻō (Kalaniʻōpuʻu's first born son with his highest ranking wife, Kalola Pupuka). In order to bring the bloodshed to a close Kamehameha tricked Keōua (who was named after Kamehameha's father Keōua) into meeting with him under the guise of peace. He had, in fact, ordered his brother to spear Keōua when he landed his canoe on the beach, which he did, killing everyone onboard the outrigger canoe. It is said that Keōua purposely took the lead canoe which was not protocol, knowing he was going to his death. This act may have actually saved his younger brother Kaōleiokū, who's canoe pulled up shortly after the massacre. Seeing the young boy about to be slain, Kamehameha yelled out an order to stop, saving everyone on board.
Kamehameha took Pauli Kaōleiokū into his court and protection but would eventually be poisoned by the chiefs who feared he would try and overthrow Kamehameha. He died a year before Kamehameha I in 1818.
Pauli Kaōleiokū had several wives and children including marrying (co-habituating with) Kahailiopua Luahine. From this union came Kōnia, the mother of Bernice Pauahi (who was named after Kalanipauahi, another daughter of Pauli Kaōleiokū). My grandmother Annie Maikai Miller (1910-1983) was the daughter of Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller and his wife Daisy Amoe Miller (née Ai). Sam was the grandson of Kānekapōlei from her last husband, an Irish mason/bricklayer who was one of the first foreign settlers in Hawaii, became an advisor to Kamehameha and died/poisoned (we think) in 1810 just before Isaac Davis (another foreign advisor) was poisoned. Samuel's wife, Daisy Amoe was the granddaughter of Kilinahe (k) who's grandmother was the sister of Kanaina I, the grandmother of Kahailiopua Luahine.
Phew...if you've kept up this far more power to you.
At any rate, the short of that is, Bernice is my second Cousin, twice removed through her mother Kōnia, who it apears to have lived on the same lands as my great, great grandfather Alika Mela, who was the land steward or konohiki for the Maui lands of Pauli Kaōleiokū and Kānekapōlei. Kānekapōlei actually survived her son for many years, She interred him in the great royal tomb on Hawaii island, Hale O Keawe known for holding the bones of monarchs going back to Liloa and his Son Umi (google it, it's interesting). Pauli would be the last one buried there and would be moved within a few years along with the rest of the bodies to Oahu at the command of Kaahumanu who outlawed the Hawaiian religion.
Through my 5th great uncle Kanaina (the brother of my 5x great grandmother - one might think that a rather obscure relationship to mention but this is how we are connected on paper in a formal way) Bernice is something like a 4th cousin twice remove (I know I'm screwing that up) but, was listed as one of the 8 adjudicated heirs of HH Charles Kanaina along with her cousin Ruth and her cousin Kilinahe, his wife and his children (he died during the probate). While Charles Kanaina and his son King Williiam Charles Lunalilo had amassed the largest amount of lands in Hawaii...it was all sold off and the monies paid to the heirs. Some of the heirs like Ruth, Bernice and my ggg grandmother and gg grandmother, would purchase back as much of the land as they could. Between Ruth and Bernice, much of that land was re-purchased and my family built a small estate near what today is Kamehameha Schools from what small amount they could afford as the only money they had came from the inheritance.
At any rate, she was and still is one of the most important figures in Hawaiian history even if her relationship to the Kamehamehas was through hanai adoption and the idea that Kaōleiokū was a son of Kamehameha was foreign invention and one of the main reasons I think much of Hawaiian history is in need of Kanaka input. Even the Hawaiian Historical Society in 1936 was easily able to trace all of the foreign sources began the error or misinformation and determine that Pauli was the natural born son of Kalaniʻōpuʻu. The Native Hawaiian genealogies show she was descended from Kalaniʻōpuʻu, her biography states she was descended from Kalaniʻōpuʻu and I believe her birth chant even demonstrates the same but still...it is not a myth that she was the great granddaughter of Kamehameha I as she was adopted by the daughter of Kamehameha I even if Kīnaʻu changed her mind and returned Bernice to her natural parents when she gave birth to her own daughter.
She is described by Kamehameha Schools (founded by her will after her death) as; "last royal descendant of the Kamehameha line". Bernice was the granddaughter of Pauli Kaōleiokū who was the natural born son of Kānekapōlei and the supreme monarch of the Island of Hawaii at the time of Captain Cooks arrival, Kalaniʻōpuʻu. Kaōleiokū was mentioned by Cooks crew as one of the kings children from his favorite wife named Kānekapōlei.
During the unification wars of the islands, Pauli Kaōleiokū and his older brother, Keōua Kūʻahuʻula were the last surviving sons of Kalaniʻōpuʻu. Kamehameha had challenged and defeated Kīwalaʻō (Kalaniʻōpuʻu's first born son with his highest ranking wife, Kalola Pupuka). In order to bring the bloodshed to a close Kamehameha tricked Keōua (who was named after Kamehameha's father Keōua) into meeting with him under the guise of peace. He had, in fact, ordered his brother to spear Keōua when he landed his canoe on the beach, which he did, killing everyone onboard the outrigger canoe. It is said that Keōua purposely took the lead canoe which was not protocol, knowing he was going to his death. This act may have actually saved his younger brother Kaōleiokū, who's canoe pulled up shortly after the massacre. Seeing the young boy about to be slain, Kamehameha yelled out an order to stop, saving everyone on board.
Kamehameha took Pauli Kaōleiokū into his court and protection but would eventually be poisoned by the chiefs who feared he would try and overthrow Kamehameha. He died a year before Kamehameha I in 1818.
Pauli Kaōleiokū had several wives and children including marrying (co-habituating with) Kahailiopua Luahine. From this union came Kōnia, the mother of Bernice Pauahi (who was named after Kalanipauahi, another daughter of Pauli Kaōleiokū). My grandmother Annie Maikai Miller (1910-1983) was the daughter of Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller and his wife Daisy Amoe Miller (née Ai). Sam was the grandson of Kānekapōlei from her last husband, an Irish mason/bricklayer who was one of the first foreign settlers in Hawaii, became an advisor to Kamehameha and died/poisoned (we think) in 1810 just before Isaac Davis (another foreign advisor) was poisoned. Samuel's wife, Daisy Amoe was the granddaughter of Kilinahe (k) who's grandmother was the sister of Kanaina I, the grandmother of Kahailiopua Luahine.
Phew...if you've kept up this far more power to you.
At any rate, the short of that is, Bernice is my second Cousin, twice removed through her mother Kōnia, who it apears to have lived on the same lands as my great, great grandfather Alika Mela, who was the land steward or konohiki for the Maui lands of Pauli Kaōleiokū and Kānekapōlei. Kānekapōlei actually survived her son for many years, She interred him in the great royal tomb on Hawaii island, Hale O Keawe known for holding the bones of monarchs going back to Liloa and his Son Umi (google it, it's interesting). Pauli would be the last one buried there and would be moved within a few years along with the rest of the bodies to Oahu at the command of Kaahumanu who outlawed the Hawaiian religion.Through my 5th great uncle Kanaina (the brother of my 5x great grandmother - one might think that a rather obscure relationship to mention but this is how we are connected on paper in a formal way) Bernice is something like a 4th cousin twice remove (I know I'm screwing that up) but, was listed as one of the 8 adjudicated heirs of HH Charles Kanaina along with her cousin Ruth and her cousin Kilinahe, his wife and his children (he died during the probate). While Charles Kanaina and his son King Williiam Charles Lunalilo had amassed the largest amount of lands in Hawaii...it was all sold off and the monies paid to the heirs. Some of the heirs like Ruth, Bernice and my ggg grandmother and gg grandmother, would purchase back as much of the land as they could. Between Ruth and Bernice, much of that land was re-purchased and my family built a small estate near what today is Kamehameha Schools from what small amount they could afford as the only money they had came from the inheritance.
At any rate, she was and still is one of the most important figures in Hawaiian history even if her relationship to the Kamehamehas was through hanai adoption and the idea that Kaōleiokū was a son of Kamehameha was foreign invention and one of the main reasons I think much of Hawaiian history is in need of Kanaka input. Even the Hawaiian Historical Society in 1936 was easily able to trace all of the foreign sources began the error or misinformation and determine that Pauli was the natural born son of Kalaniʻōpuʻu. The Native Hawaiian genealogies show she was descended from Kalaniʻōpuʻu, her biography states she was descended from Kalaniʻōpuʻu and I believe her birth chant even demonstrates the same but still...it is not a myth that she was the great granddaughter of Kamehameha I as she was adopted by the daughter of Kamehameha I even if Kīnaʻu changed her mind and returned Bernice to her natural parents when she gave birth to her own daughter.
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