In honor of Hawaiian History Month: The Lasting Impact of Queen Ka‘ahumanu

September is Hawaiian History Month. This year, we’re honoring the legacy of one of Hawaii’s most influential figures: Queen Ka‘ahumanu. As audiences tune into modern stories like Apple TV+’s Chief of War and develop a renewed curiosity about the leaders who shaped these islands, it’s the perfect time to celebrate this trailblazing wahine alii. From boldly challenging tradition to ushering in a new era of political and cultural change, Ka‘ahumanu left a lasting impact on Hawaii’s history. Her influence goes beyond the history books; it shapes the very foundation of the Hawaii we know today.

Born about the year 1768 in Puu Kauiki, in a seaside cave near Hana Bay on Maui, Ka‘ahumanu was raised in the traditions of royalty and responsibility. Her mother, Nāmāhana, was the daughter of King Kekaulike and widow of Maui’s ruling chief Kamehamehanui. Her father was Kona chief Ke‘eaumoku, who would later become a trusted ally of Kamehameha.

As a young girl, Ka‘ahumanu was known for her sharp intellect and presence, qualities that caught the attention of Kamehameha. She was betrothed to him at just 13 years old, not only as a union of affection but as a strategic alliance between powerful families across the Hawaiian Islands. Ka‘ahumanu’s early years in Kamehameha’s court were marked by her growing influence. She listened, learned, and spoke with boldness.

Ka‘ahumanu’s political ascent was intertwined with the rise of King Kamehameha I, who united the Hawaiian Islands into a single kingdom by 1810 after decades of warfare and shifting alliances. She quickly became the most favored of Kamehameha’s wives. As the only woman on Kamehameha’s council of chiefs, she wielded exceptional power. She commanded deep respect among the alii, and her decisions were followed without question.

“Any condemned person could be saved if [Ka‘ahumanu] said the word,” wrote 19th-century Hawaiian historian Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau in Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, illustrating the prominent position Ka‘ahumanu held at court. “Kamehameha cherished her as if she were a goddess or an ivory-tooth necklace to adorn his neck. She was carefully protected as if she were living in the sacred place of a heiau.”

After the death of Kamehameha I in 1819, Ka‘ahumanu emerged as a central figure in the transition of power. At Kailua-Kona on Hawaii Island (then the capital of the Kingdom), it was she who publicly addressed the king’s heir, 21-year-old Liholiho, who was to be crowned Kamehameha II. Standing before the assembled chiefs and citizens, Ka‘ahumanu delivered Kamehameha’s final instructions, as well as a bold declaration of her own:

“O heavenly one! I speak to you the commands of your grandfather [Kamehameha],” she proclaimed, according to Kamakau. “Here are your chiefs, here are the people of your ancestors; here are your guns; here are your lands. But we two shall share the rule over the land.”

Liholiho accepted her terms. In that moment, Ka‘ahumanu assumed the unprecedented role of Kuhina Nui, or co-regent, alongside King Kamehameha II (Liholiho). This position functioned as a powerful combination of both prime minister and queen regent, making Ka‘ahumanu one of the most powerful rulers in the Kingdom of Hawaii. As Kuhina Nui, she wielded extraordinary authority over Hawaii’s political, social, and religious future.

One of Ka‘ahumanu’s first acts as Kuhina Nui was ending the kapu system, a centuries-old code of religious laws that governed every aspect of Hawaiian life, from gender roles to daily behavior. Under the kapu, even minor transgressions could be punishable by death; stepping in the shadow of the alii, letting one’s head rise above theirs, or a woman eating sacred foods including bananas or pork could all result in execution.

“For me and my people, we intend to be free from the [taboos],” Ka‘ahumanu told Kamehameha II, according to educator and linguist William DeWitt Alexander. “We intend that the husband’s food and the wife’s food shall be cooked in the same oven, and that they shall be permitted to eat out of the same calabash. We intend to eat pork and bananas and [coconuts] … we are resolved to be free.”

Alongside Keōpūolani, who was another high-ranking queen and wife of Kamehameha I, and with the support of Kamehameha II, Ka‘ahumanu deliberately broke religious taboo by eating with men, a previously forbidden act. This symbolic defiance ignited what became known as Ai Noa, or “free eating,” which marked the beginning of a cultural revolution: sacred heiau were dismantled, religious wooden idols destroyed, and the kapu system was formally abolished. In a matter of months, Ka‘ahumanu helped bring down the spiritual and political framework that had shaped life in the pae aina (archipelago) for generations, opening the door to sweeping change.

Not long after, Christian missionaries from New England arrived in Hawaii in 1820 and found a kingdom in flux. Ka‘ahumanu, initially cautious, soon recognized the potential of Christianity as a foundation for governance and social reform. She championed the creation of a written legal system, promoted literacy and education through missionary-led schools, and outlawed practices deemed immoral, such as alcohol use, adultery, and prostitution. These reforms, while controversial, reshaped society and set into motion Hawaii’s transformation into a literate, law-based Christian monarchy.

Beyond her cultural reforms, Ka‘ahumanu was also a skilled diplomat who understood how to elevate Hawaii’s status amid growing Western influence. In 1826, she helped negotiate a “Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation” with U.S. naval captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones, which established formal trade relations and asserted Hawaii’s position as an independent nation. While the agreement was never formally ratified by the U.S. Senate, it became the first official accord between Hawaii and a foreign power. What would become known as the Jones Treaty signaled the kingdom’s early steps toward international recognition.

Through Ka‘ahumanu’s efforts, Hawaii was not merely a remote island chain, but an emerging nation with a voice in global affairs. She fostered alliances both abroad and at home, among competing chiefs and successive monarchs, ensuring relative stability during a time of sweeping change. Despite her remarkable achievements, Ka‘ahumanu experienced a gradual decline in health during her later years. Nevertheless, she remained a commanding presence in the royal court, continuing to wield her authority as Kuhina Nui until her passing.

Ka‘ahumanu died in June 1832 at the age of approximately 64. Her death marked the end of a monumental chapter in Hawaiian history. Her role in helping Hawaii transition from a fragmented archipelago of warring chiefs to a unified nation engaged with the wider world would shape the Kingdom of Hawaii for generations to come.

Today, Ka‘ahumanu’s legacy resonates throughout Hawaii. She is remembered as a queen regent and mother as well as a visionary leader who boldly challenged tradition to build a new future for her people. As Hawaii continues to navigate its identity in the modern era, Ka‘ahumanu’s life stands as a tribute to the strength and resilience of wahine alii, the women leaders who continue to shape Hawaii nei.

This story is presented in partnership with Na Oiwi Aloha, an employee resource group of Native Hawaiians and allies at Bank of Hawaii committed to advocacy, education, and community engagement.

Queen Ka‘ahumanu’s legacy lives on in the strength and resilience of Hawaii’s people. To learn how Bank of Hawaii is continuing to honor and uplift our local communities, visit https://www.boh.com/community.

Photo credit: Hawaii State Archives, Photograph Collection, PP-96-6-002