HIGH CHIEFESS JULIA ALAPA'I KAUWA'A's THE MOTHER BY ADOPTION OF JANE LAHILAHI's SON PETER KA'EO

PROJECT GUTTENBERG SELF PUBLISHED WORK by JULIA ALAPAI 

Julia Alapa'i Kauwa'a lived from 1814-1849 and was a contemporary of Jane Lahilahi Young Ka'eo.

In her work, she gives an account of the lifestyle she lived as a member of Royal Hawaiian family, both parents being Chief/Chiefess rank. She also rests in death in the Royal Tomb.

EXCERPT:  (Julia) She became a close friend and attendant (similar to a European lady-in-waiting) of Princess Nahi ena ena, the youngest daughter of Kamehameha  and his most scared wife Keopuolani and the sister of King Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III. During her youth, she along with other attendants of the Princess, the Chiefesses JANE LAHILAHI, Laura Konia, Ulumahelhei Polupolu and Kapoli were punished by Queen Ka'ahumanu for breaking Christian laws and corrupting the young King Kamehameha III who had ascended the throne after his brother's untimely death in London.

She married John Kaleipalhala Young II, more commonly known as Keoni Ana, the son of Kamehameha I's most trusted advisor John Young and a childhood companion of Kamehameha III. The couple remained childless, so in 1836, they adopted in the Hawaiian tradition of hanai, their nephew PETER KA'EO, the son of Joshua Ka'eo and Jane Lahilahi, her husband's sister.

This passage gives us the feel for just how entwinned the Hawaiian Royals were nit also how powerful Queens could be.  High Chiefs and Chiefesses were already feared by common people. The commoners often lived like the serfs in Europe, not owning land and owing the land owner. The Queen had adopted Christianity.  I wonder what is meant by corrupt, but I think it means that they had not accepted Christianity if it meant giving up traditional Hawaiian culture.

Missy