1995 KUAPAPA MO'I 200TH ANNIVERARY SILVER DALA

For every nation, there is a pivotal event that changes the course of its history. The defeat of the Spanish Armada was the beginning of the solidification of the British empire. The end of the Civil War was the watershed event that led to America's ascendancy to a global power. For the Hawaiian people, it was the unification of the islands by King Kamehameha I. In 1795, Kamehameha met the combined fleets of Oahu and Kauai in a showdown naval engagement in Lahaina Bay. The cannon of the Fair American devastated the enemy fleet in what became known as "The Battle of the Red-Mouthed Gun". In the Spring of 1795, he landed a force of 8,000 to 12,000 men in 800 Koa canoes that stretched from Waikiki Beach to what is now Pearl Harbor. The warriors of Oahu fought with the grim determination of men striving to save their hearths and homes from an invader, but Kamehameha's forces were irresistible. They pushed the army of Oahu to the head of the Nuuanu Valley, just behind present-day Honolulu. By force of arms, Kamehameha gathered the people of the islands into a single Kingdom. For this, he is remembered. He held the colonial powers of Europe at bay. For this, he is honored. He imported Western products and techniques to raise his people's standard of living. For this he is loved. His enlightened leadership transformed ancient traditions into a modern code of just laws. For this, he is called "The Great". His victory at Nuuana Pali in 1795 effectively marked the end of Kamehameha's 13 year struggle to unify the Hawaiian people. As wise in peace as he was ruthless in war, he increased the production of food and established a code of justice. He maintained a conservative respect for the old traditions, yet welcomed every civilized innovation that would advance the welfare of his people. His plan was to amass so much power that he would never have to use it. He succeeded. RE:MINTLINE MARCH, 1995