Waikaua

He Puke Kākuni - Nā Waihoʻoluʻu Piha | Graphic Novel - Full Color
128 ʻaoʻao | 128 pages

Ua mākaukau ʻo Awaiaulu e hoʻopuka i kāna puke hou loa, he puke kākuni mōʻaukala Hawaiʻi i kapa ʻia ʻo Waikaua. He kōkoʻolua kēia puke i kekahi puke aku a Awaiaulu, ʻo Ke Kumu Aupuni, ʻo ia hoʻi kā Samuel Kamakau moʻolelo no Kamehameha i kākau ʻia ma nā makahiki 1860. I mea e ake ai nā ʻōpio o Hawaiʻi i ka moʻolelo o Hawaiʻi nei, na nā mea kākau ʻo Pāʻani Kelson lāua me Keawe Goodhue, me ke alu like ʻana mai o ke kahakiʻi alakaʻi ʻo Solomon Enos, na lākou i haku i kēia moʻolelo hoʻoniua puʻuwai ma luna o ke kahua kūʻiʻo o ka moʻolelo Hawaiʻi.

Awaiaulu presents the historical graphic novel entitled, Waikaua - Spoils of War. This graphic novel is a project in tandem with their recent publishing of Ke Kumu Aupuni, the story of Kamehameha originally written by Samuel Kamakau in the 1860’s. In an effort to deliver the history of Hawaiʻi in a way that is palatable for Hawaiʻi’s youth, the authors, Pā’ani Kelson and Keawe Goodhue, in collaboration with artists Solomon Enos and Alika Spahn Naihe, have crafted an illustration of this compelling story while remaining firmly rooted in historical fact.

Hoʻokūkū ʻia ko Kamehameha kaulana ʻakahi ʻana ma ke kahua kaua a me ko Kīwalaʻō kapu ʻihiʻihi ma nā pōʻai kālaiʻāina. Ma muli o ka piʻi ʻana o kēia mau kama aliʻi ʻelua, ala mai nā ʻāʻumeʻume ma waena o lāua ma nā makahiki hope o ke au iā Kalaniʻōpuʻu. Ma hope pono mai o ka hala ʻana o Kalaniʻōpuʻu, hoʻouka ʻia ke kaua, a na ka mana ikaika e kū i ka moku. Ke ʻimi nei ʻo Waikaua e mōakāka aʻe ia mau makahiki ʻōpio o Kamehameha ma waena o nā lehulehu o Hawaiʻi nei, a no laila, e like nō hoʻi me ka hoʻoilina hakuhia o nā kūpuna ma mua aku nei, ua kiʻi ʻia kēia puke kākuni he haka hou e kau ai kēia moʻolelo i ka hanohano a poina ʻole ʻia.

Kamehameha’s initial rise to prominence on the battlefields are contrasted with Kīwalaʻō’s heavy influence on the sacred politics of Hawaiʻi. The rise of these two princes of Hawaiʻi island eventually leads to conflict in the twilight of Kalaniʻōpuʻu’s reign. Immediately after Kalaniʻōpuʻu’s death, war breaks out, and to the victor goes the spoils. Waikaua aims to bring a clearer awareness of these early years of Kamehameha’s life into the social consciousness of Hawaiʻi, and so, in the tradition of Hawaiian innovation, this graphic novel presents a story which may have otherwise faded into the distant past in a strikingly vivid and unforgettable format.

“Waikaua is incredible! As a child I had “kupuna story time” as my only access to stories of old Hawaii. But now with Awaiaulu and projects like this, my children will have access to heavily researched stories that come to life in fun visuals and exciting storylines. As a native Hawaiian filmmaker I can’t help but feel Awaiaulu will be inspiring the next generation of great Hawaiian storytellers with this and their upcoming projects.”

-Paʻakai Sibbet - Writer & Executive Producer of Chief of War

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Watch YouTube Short 
↓ An Introduction to Waikaua ↓