“The famous battles of conquest were fought by that Great Lonely One (Kamehameha I) and his war instructor (Kekūhaupi‘o)”. Of note is the Battle of Nuʻuanu.
“(C)hiefesses accompanied their husbands on this war expedition, as well as the young male and female aliʻi. Most of these chiefesses who went with their husbands were adept at shooting a musket …”
“Four ships joined Kamehameha’s expedition. They were well armed and filled with his various armies which, perhaps by the counting of this time, numbered eight thousand warriors.”
“There were sixty-five ali‘i in the chiefly corps who were in command over the various armies. The ali‘i wahine who accompanied Kamehameha on this expedition and the young male and female ali‘i numbered two hundred or more. It is said that the total count of those on this expedition came to 8,624.”
“(T)here were a total of sixteen haole on this expedition. Most of them were fugitives from ships, and included those foreigners who had taken the ships from Kalanikūpule and given them to Kamehameha.”
“Kalanikūpule’s armies were in the upland above Honolulu, and Kamehameha’s forces were on the seaward side. Kamehameha’s men were well supplied with muskets and cannons”
“Kalanikūpule’s men were also supplied with these foreign weapons, however, not as well because they had lost those foreign weapons on board Captain Brown’s ships which the foreigners had taken at that time Kalanikūpule had first thought of attacking Kamehameha.” …
“In the beginning of this battle, the female aliʻi on Kamehameha’s side used their muskets, firing their bullets amongst the warriors on Kalanikūpule’s side.”
“Those on Kamehameha’s side were better skilled with the muskets, and perhaps these warriors furnished with the foreign weapons were electrified (ho‘ouwila ‘ia paha) by seeing the fearlessness of these aliʻi wahine.”
“As Kalanikūpule’s warriors were moving in a group, it was extremely easy for those aliʻi wahine to shoot at them. This battle, which was not hand-to-hand, was in the morning. Because so many deaths were inflicted on Kalanikūpule’s warriors, terror began to grow in many of them.”
“While Kamehameha was standing proudly at the Nuʻuanu Gap, he was surrounded by the various aliʻi wahine who had assisted in his victory. They held their muskets which they had been taught to use by Kaʻiana, yet here at the hands of these chiefly pupils, death on the battlefield had been meted out to him.”
“It can be declared that Hawai‘i did not lack for fearless-hearted chiefesses, and it is appropriate that we proudly preserve the memory of their support of Kamehameha in those victorious battles.” (Desha)
A woman warrior of note was Manono; she fought side-by-side with her husband, Kekuaokalani, in the battle following the fall of the kapu, initiated by Kaʻahumanu and Keōpūolani, and supported by Liholiho, son of Kamehameha I (he rose to be King Kamehameha II following the death of his father.)
“No characters in Hawaiian history stand forth with a sadder prominence, or add a richer tint to the vanishing chivalry of the race, than Kekuaokalani and his courageous and devoted wife, Manono, the last defenders in arms of the Hawaiian gods.” (Kalākaua)
“Kekuaokalani is referred to by tradition as one of the most imposing chiefs of his day. He was more than six and a half feet in height, perfect in form, handsome in feature and noble in bearing. Brave, sagacious and magnetic, he possessed the requirements of a successful military leader”. (Kalākaua)
Kekuaokalani, having earlier received a wound, fainted and fell and, unable to stand, “sat on a fragment of lava, and twice loaded and fired a musket on the advancing party. He now received a ball in his left breast, and, immediately covering his face with his feathered cloak”. (Ellis)
“In the midst of these scenes of blood the eye rests with relief upon numerous episodes of love, friendship and self-sacrifice touching with a softening color the ruddy canvas of the past.” (Kalākaua)
“Manono, during the day, fought by his side, with steady and dauntless courage.” (Ellis)
“He finally fell with a musket-ball through his heart. With a wild scream of despair Manono sprang to his assistance”. (Kalākaua)
“But the words had scarcely escaped from her lips, when she received a ball in the left temple – fell upon the lifeless body of her husband, and expired.” (Ellis)
“Thus died the last great defenders of the Hawaiian gods. They died as nobly as they had lived, and were buried together where they fell on the field of Kuamoʻo.” (Kalākaua)
“It is painful to contemplate the death of Kekuaokalani, of Manono a wife who seems to have been unusually affectionate, and of the many friends and adherents who fought with acknowledged steadfastness and courage and fell on the field of battle.” (Dibble)
“Manono is said to have been an interesting woman, and she certainly gave evidence of attachment and affection. … Not even the horrors of savage fight could prevent her from following the fortune and sharing the dangers of her husband.” (Dibble) (Artwork of Manono and Kekuaokalani is by Brook Parker.)
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