Stephen L. Desha

Softcover, 696 pp.

From 1920-24 Rev. Desha published a series on Kamehameha and Kekuhaupiʻo in his weekly Hawaiian language newspaper Ka Hoku o Hawai'i. Kekuhaupiʻo, a master of Hawaiian martial arts, first served as Kamehameha's instructor in the skills of combat before becoming his stalwart bodyguard, fearless warrior, and trusted advisor. Desha uses the character of Kekuhaupiʻo to largely retell the story of Kamehameha. Lovingly translated, the text retains much of the eloquence that place Desha among the foremost Hawaiian writers of his time.