A quick aloha from Lua...

The Battle of Nuʻuanu began when Kamehameha’s forces landed on the southeastern portion of Oʻahu near Waiʻalae and Waikiki. After spending several days gathering supplies and scouting Kalanikupule’s positions, Kamehameha’s army advanced westward, encountering Kalanikupule’s first line of defense near the Punchbowl Crater. Splitting his army into two, Kamehameha sent one half in a flanking maneuver around the crater and the other straight at Kalanikupule. Pressed from both sides, the Oʻahu forces retreated to Kalanikupule’s next line of defense near Laʻimi. While Kamehameha pursued, he secretly detached a portion of his army to clear the surrounding heights of the Nuʻuanu Valley of Kalanikupule’s cannons. Kamehameha also brought up his own cannons to shell Laʻimi. During this part of the battle, both Kalanikupule and Kaiana were wounded, Kaiana fatally. With its leadership in chaos, the Oahu army slowly fell back north through the Nuʻuanu Valley to the cliffs at Nuʻuanu Pali. Caught between the Hawaiian Army and a 1000-foot drop, over 400 Oahu warriors either jumped or were pushed over the edge of the Pali.

(Source: strictly-hawaiian)

Night Fishing in Old Hawai’i- Herb Kane 

As the evening sky darkened, men prowled the shallow waters of bays and lagoons with torches and spears. Candles used for lighting homes were made by stringing dried nutmeats of oily kukui nuts on thin bamboo skewers. As each nut burned, it ignited the nut below.

Clusters of these candles were carried in a hollow bamboo to make a torch. Spears were hardwood shafts, six to seven feet long, the tips tapered to a point and fire-hardened.

The Battle at Nu’uanu Pali

In 1795 Kamehameha landed on Oahu with a huge invasion fleet and skirmished with the Oahu forces as he advanced across the plain where Honolulu now stands. The defenders made a stand but were driven up Nu’uanu valley in hard fighting. The upper valley terminates at the brink of a high cliff (pali), and here those of the Oahu army who found no escape along the ridges or down a narrow cliff-side trail were driven over the precipice. It is said that a mist or low cloud rose up against the cliff, and those who fell disappeared into it.

Both sides used firearms as well as traditional weapons and included a few foreigners in their ranks. In the narrow upper valley, Kamehameha’s well-disciplined phalanx, a tight formation carrying long pololu lances, Could not be stopped.

This was the final major battle, the dramatic climax to Kamehameha’s  conquest of the archipelago, With the capitulation of Kaua’i , all the islands were brought under the rule of Hawai’i Island as the Kingdom of Hawai’i. Many residents today don’t know that this is how their state inherited its name.

Poliahu, Snow Goddess of Mauna Kea

The eternal opposition of fire and ice is personified in the rivalry between Pele, goddess of volcanoes, and Poliahu of Mauna Kea whose mantle of snow often covers that mountain’s crest in winter.

Poliahu’s incomparable beauty entranced and seduced many handsome chiefs, including some who had attracted Pele’s romantic interest. The result was a furious battle between the two goddesses.

Pele opened the hostilities. Bringing all her force to bear on Mauna Kea, she caused the mountain to erupt in fountains of fire, melting the snows and driving Poliahu from the summit. But Poliahu counterattacked with a great blizzard, covering the mountain with deep snow. Pele was driven back to Mauna Loa, her fires on Mauna Kea quenched for all time. But the rivalry persists. Occasionally, Poliahu invades Pele’s territory, casting snow upon the summit of Mauna Loa.