“The tradition of the ships with white wings may have been the progenitor of the Hawaiians’ symbol for Lono during the Makahiki. … With so many ships with white sails coming to Hawaii at that time, how would he know which ship would bring the knowledge of the true God of Peace?”
“He could not have known that, although the missionaries set sail on October 23rd, one day before the Makahiki began, they would take six months to arrive. Therefore, it was quite prophetic that, when he saw the missionaries’ ship off in the distance, he announced ‘The new God is coming.’ One must wonder how Hewahewa knew that this was the ship.” (Kikawa)
“Hewahewa knew the prophesy given by Kalaikuahulu a generation before. This prophesy said that a communication would be made from heaven (the residence of Ke Akua Maoli, the God of the Hawaiians) by the real God. This communication would be entirely different from anything they had known. The prophecy also said that the kapus of the country would be overthrown.”
“Hewahewa also knew the prophesy of the prophet Kapihe, who announced near the end of Kamehameha’s conquests, ‘The islands will be united, the kapu of the gods will be brought low, and those of the earth (the common people) will be raised up.’”
“Kamehameha had already unified the islands, therefore, when the kapus were overthrown, Hewahewa knew a communication from God was imminent.” (Kikawa)
After the overthrow of the kapu system, Hewahewa retired to Kawaihae, to wait confidently for the coming of a “new and greater God.” (Kikawa)
“Kailua Harbor, April 5, 1820. In the dawn of the day, as we passed near shore, several chiefs were spending their idle hours in gambling, we were favored with an interview with Hewahewa, the late High Priest.”
“He received us kindly and on his introduction to Brother Bingham he expressed much satisfaction in meeting with a brother priest from America, still pleasantly claiming that distinction for himself.”
“He assures us that he will be our friend.”
“Who could have expected that such would have been our first interview with the man whose influence we had been accustomed to dread more than any other in the islands; whom we had regarded and could now hardly help regarding as a deceiver of his fellow men. But he seemed much pleased in speaking of the destruction of the heiau and idols.”
“About five months ago the young king consulted him with respect to the expediency of breaking taboo and asked him to tell him frankly and plainly whether it would be good or bad, assuring him at the same time that he would be guided by his view.”
“Hewahewa speedily replied, maikai it would be good, adding that he knew there is but one “Akoohah” (Akua) who is in heaven, and that their wooden gods could not save them nor do them any good.”
“He publicly renounced idolatry and with his own hand set fire to the heiau. The king no more observed their superstitious taboos.”
“Thus the heads of the civil and religious departments of the nation agreed in demolishing that forbidding and tottering taboo system which had been founded in ignorance, cemented with blood, and supported for ages by the basest of human passion.”
“They had, indeed, heard of the Christian’s God, but gave little evidence that they understood His laws, or loved His character, or feared His Holy Name. Whether they conceived him as worthy of their homage or not, they were convinced of the vanity of idols and the folly of idol worship.” (Extracts from a journal supposed to have been written By Mr Loomis; Gulick)
“Hewahewa … expressed most unexpectedly his gratification on meeting us … On our being introduced to (Liholiho,) he, with a smile, gave us the customary ‘Aloha.’”
“As ambassadors of the King of Heaven … we made to him the offer of the Gospel of eternal life, and proposed to teach him and his people the written, life-giving Word of the God of Heaven. … and asked permission to settle in his country, for the purpose of teaching the nation Christianity, literature and the arts.” (Bingham)
Hewahewa later retired to Oʻahu and became one of the first members of the church established there. This church is located in Haleiwa and is called the Liliʻuokalani Protestant Church. (Kikawa) “He lived in the valley of Waimea, a faithful, consistent follower of the new light.” (The Friend, March 1, 1914)
“In the days of Kamehameha I, Hewahewa was the highest priest in the land. A direct descendant of Pā‘ao, the priest who came from Tahiti and established the kapu system in Hawaiʻi, he performed his religious duties at the famous Puʻukoholā heiau at Kawaihae, a heiau built by Kamehameha I for the worship of the war god, Kukaʻilimoku.”
“But in the days between Kamehameha’s wars of conquest and the time of the Conqueror’s death in May, 1919, Hewahewa developed doubts about Hawaiʻi’s pagan system and the gods – Kane, Ku, Lono, and Kanaloa – who ruled over it.”
“He observed foreign traders who ignored or even scoffed at the sacred kapus yet suffered no ill. As the death of Kamehameha approached, he heard the great king forbid the human sacrifices that many loyal followers thought would save his life, saying that the men should be spared to serve the next generation.”
“Thus it was not strange that when Liholiho (Kamehameha II) asked Hewahewa’s advice about breaking the eating-kapu, the priest in a few words indicated that he would not oppose such a move.”
“Well aware of the young king’s intentions in November 1819, when a feast was prepared at Kailua, Kona, Hewahewa had his torch ready; and as soon as Liholiho sat down with the aliʻi women and began to eat, the priest went to a nearby heiau and set fire to its contents, destroying everything but the stone platform.”
“These flames spread – if not literally, at least figuratively – the change had been defeated in battle at Kuamoʻo, Hewahewa retired to Kawaihae to await confidently the coming of a new and greater god.”
“In about five months occurred the event he expected. At the end of March, 1820, a foreign ship brought visitors who could tell Hawaiʻi about the One Great God, who ruled the universe.”
“Apparently Hewahewa did not meet the newcomers until they reached Kailua, Kona, but he doubtless heard that they had called at the presence of the prime minister at Kawaihae, and that Kalanimoku had taken his whole household on board the foreign brig to sail to Kailua, where the king was.”
“Hewahewa hastened southward overland and told those at the king’s court, ‘The new god is coming. He is going to land right here.’”
“And, sure enough, on the morning of April 4, two of the missionaries came ashore, seeking permission from Liholiho to settle in Hawaiʻi and teach about their God. At the first opportunity Hewahewa went out to the Thaddeus to welcome the missionaries. (Loomis; Kawaiaha‘o)
Hewahewa is noted as saying, “I knew the wooden images of deities, carved by our own hands, could not supply our wants, but worshiped them because it was a custom of our fathers. My thoughts have always been, there is only one great God, dwelling in the heavens.” (Ohana Church)
On July 27 1830, Hewahewa wrote a letter to Levi Chamberlain, the superintendent of secular affairs for the mission and a missionary teacher. At the time of this letter, Hewahewa had converted to Christianity and was living in Lahaina, Maui.
“Greetings to you, Mr. Chamberlain, and Mrs. Chamberlain, This is my short message to you. I again testify to you about the grace God bestows upon me as I go on.”
“I walk in fear and awe of God for the wrongs of my heart, for he is the one who knows me. The love of the son of God is true indeed. It is of my own volition that I tell this to you. Regards to all the church members there.” (Hewahewa to Chamberlain, July 27, 1830; Ali‘i Letters Collection, Mission Houses)
Click HERE for a link to the original letter, its transcription, translation and annotation.
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