Mōʻīkeha

By the time European explorers entered the Pacific in the 15th century almost all of the habitable islands had been settled for hundreds of years and oral traditions told of explorations, migrations, and travels across this immense watery world.   Born at Waipi‘o on the island of Hawai‘i, Mōʻīkeha sailed to Kahiki (Tahiti), the home of his grandfather Maweke, after a disastrous flood.

Mōʻīkeha was an aliʻi nui (high chief) from Moa‘ulanuiakea, Tahiti.  Early one morning at dawn, at the rise of the navigation star (ka hoku ho‘okelewa‘a; possibly Sirius), Mōʻīkeha boarded his double-hulled canoe with his fellow voyagers (hoa holo), and left Tahiti – he landed at Hilo, then went to Kohala, then Maui; then left for O‘ahu and sailed to Kauai and settled at Kapaʻa as ruling chief of the island.

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