Battle of Kepaniwai - Uniting the Islands

Battle of Kepaniwai - Uniting the Islands. . , Kamehameha I from the island of Hawai'i began waging battles to unite all the islands under waging battles to unite all the islands under his rule in the late 1780s. In 1790, he landed along Kahului Bay with a large fleet of canoes. At Wailuku, Kamehameha's forces met the Maui forces under Kalanikúpule. Kalanikupule was placed in charge while his father, ruling chief Kahekili, was living on O'ahu after defeating the O'ahu forces in 1783., This battle for Maul is said to be one of the most bitter battles ever fought on Hawaiian soil. As the warriors reached Iao, their shouts of defiance echoed throughout the valley., Women and children on the mountain sides were witnesses to the clashing of wooden spears, the firing of muskets, and the roar of the cannon. There were so many slain from both armies that their bodies clogged the stream. Thus, the battle was named Kepaniwal or "damming of the waters"., The guns and cannon were the winning advantage for Kamehameha. But he and Kalaniküpule were destined to meet again in the battle of Nu'uanu Pali on O'ahu in 1795. With Kamehameha's defeat of the forces on Maui and O'ahu, and agreement with Chief Kaumuali'i on Kaua'i, he became the first moi (king) of the Hawaiian Islands.