Here is the story of the Battle of Hōkū‘ula, a turning point in the history of the nation of Hawai‘i:
Lonoikamakahiki (Lono), the Mo‘i (King) of Hawai‘i, was playing kōnane (Hawaiian checkers) with his wife, Kaikilani-Ali‘i-Wahine-o-Puna (Kaikilani) at Kalaupapa on Moloka‘i when he overheard a message from his wife’s lover being called down from the cliffs above. Lono became enraged, and struck his wife on the head with the stone kōnane board, vowing never to live with her again. Upon hearing that Kaikilani had almost been killed, all of Lono’s brothers and all the district chiefs of Hawai‘i except one half brother, Pupuakea, joined Lono’s oldest brother, Kanaloakua‘ana, who had been Lono’s regent when Lono was young, in a revolt.
Kaikilani traveled to O‘ahu where Lono was visiting its king to warn Lono of the revolt. There she sat outside the walls of the king’s dwelling and chanted Lono’s mele inoa (name chant), causing Lono to forgive her. They returned to Hawai‘i and joining with his half brother, Pupuakea, put down the revolt in battles at Wailea, at the pu‘u called Puupā on the plains of Waimea (a few miles to the west of the present-day airport), at Kahuā (the battle of Kai‘ōpae), at Halelua in Kohala (the battle of Kai‘opihi) and at Pu‘umaneo above Pololū. Three of Lono’s half brothers were slain and sacrificed, but two other half-brothers Kanaloakua‘ana and ‘Umiokalani escaped. Within a few years, Lono had reconciled with his half brothers and they returned to his service.
With the family reunited, Lono visited to the Mo‘i of Maui, Kamalālāwalu, in Hana where he held court. Lono was sumptuously entertained by Kamalālāwalu, who was very advanced in years. Not long after Lono’s return to Hawai‘i, however, Kamalālāwalu, driven by ambition, decided to invade and conquer the nation of Hawai‘i. When Lanikaula, a high priest from Moloka‘i, warned Kamalālāwalu of the dangers of the enterprise (in a prophesy that survives today), an irate Kama replied “when I return, I will burn you alive.”
Kamalālāwalu’s fleet landed in Puakō and met no opposition. Lono’s oldest brother, Kanaloakua‘ana, was in residence Waimea at the time, and, upon hearing of the invasion, marched toward Puakō with what forces he had at hand. A battle ensued at Kauno‘oa (Kauna‘oa, near the present-day Mauna Kea Resort?), and Kanaloakua‘ana’s forces were utterly defeated, with Kanaloakua‘ana himself being taken prisoner. In what was considered an act of wanton cruelty that was memorialized in a famous mele (chant), Kanaloakua‘ana’s eyes were burned out and he was killed.
After this initial success, Kamalālāwalu and his Maui warriors marched boldly inland and took up a position above Waimea on top of the pu‘u called Hōkū‘ula and Pu‘uoaoaka (spelled Puu Owaowaka on USGS maps), following false advice given by Lono’s agents. During the night, Lono’s warriors from Kona arrived and occupied a position extending from Pu‘upā to Haleapala. His warriors from Ka‘u (led by its high chief and Lono’s half brother, Pupuakea) and Puna were stationed from the pu‘u called Holoholoku (located a few miles southeast of the airport) to Waikoloa, those from Hilo and Hāmākua were stationed from Mahiki to the pu‘u called Pu‘ukanikanihia, and those from Kohala were stationed from Momoualoa to Waihaka.
That morning, from his position atop Hōkū‘ula, Kamalālāwalu could see that the lowlands were literally covered with the countless warriors of Lono, and realized that he was outnumbered. For three days the armies skirmished, with the actions of the Maui warriors being dominated by Kamalālāwalu’s nephew and general, Makakuikalani. Then, the battle began with Makakuikalani “positioning his warriors at the front below Hōkū‘ula and Pu‘uoaoaka” where they were confronted by Pupuakea and his men. Initially, the two high chiefs battled alone, using war clubs, and Makakuikalani was slain. After Makakuikalani fell, the Maui forces were rapidly routed and Kamalālāwalu, the Moi of Maui, was also slain. The killing lasted for three days and ended in Puakō. “So ended the first of the major wars between the nations of Maui and Hawai‘i.”
Notes: The above events occurred during the period A.D. 1640-1660. The story is paraphrased from versions presented in the following books: Ancient History of the Hawaiian People to the Times of Kamehameha by Abraham Fornander, Exalted Sits the Chief: The Ancient History of Hawai‘i Island by Ross Cordy and Place Names of Hawai‘i by Mary Pukui, Samuel Elbert & Ester Mookini.