Deborah Kapule Kekaihaûakà «lou (c. 1798âÂÂ1853) was the last Queen of Kauaûi (as wife to Kaumualiûi) before the establishment of the Kingdom of Hawaiûi by King Kamehameha I.
She was born around 1798; the location of her birth is not known for certain but, since she lived around Waimea and since she received property there from her father in later life, it is assumed that this was her birthplace. Her genealogy is not well documented. According to one source, her father was a High Chief HÃÂûupu of Waimea, who was one of the chiefs whom King Kaumualiûi sent to Oahu in 1810.
But according to Hawaiian historian Samuel Kamakau, her (or at least Kekaihaûakà «lou's) parents were Kaiûawa and HÃÂwea. Kaiûawa was a counselor to Kaumualiûi's father KÃÂûeokà «lani and was connected to KÃÂneikaheilani, a chiefess from Kaua'i who was the grandmother of Haûalou, the maternal grandmother of Queen Kaûahumanu, and also to KaweloamaihunÃÂliûi, an early King of Kauaûi. HÃÂwea was a relative of Queen Kaûahumanu from a Maui line of descent.
During her early life, she was called Haûakà «lou, which was short for Kekaihaûakà «lou, or Kapule; she was also called Tepoora or Tapoola, early Western renditions of her name. Deborah Kapule is often identified with Kepola, a name that was given to the last Queen of Kauaûi.
One source claims that Kekaihaûakà «lou and Kapule were distinct individuals who were both wives of Kaumuali'i. This would mean that the woman that accompanied him to the island of Oahu in 1810 to surrender to King Kamehameha I and was later given to King Liholiho Kamehameha II as his sixth wife was not Kapule.
Her first husband was a chief on Kauaûi. Her second husband was King Kaumualiûi (married around 1817) and, after which, she was proclaimed Queen of Kauaûi. Her home was near PÃÂâÂÂulaâÂÂula, literally âÂÂred enclosure,â formerly called the Russian Fort Elizabeth. Kaûahumanu married Kaumualiûi to dissolve any claims to power. Deborah Kapule then married Abner Keliûiahonui, who was KaumualiûiâÂÂs son by Kaûapuwai Kapuaûamohu. But Kaûahumanu married Keliûiahonui. In spite of the fact that the monarchy had taken her two husbands (metaphorically speaking, Kaûahumanu was the Head of State at the time), Deborah remained faithful to the Kingdom of Hawaiûi. When HumehumeâÂÂs (another of KaumualiûiâÂÂs sons) men arrived at the Russian Fort to try and reinstate the Kingdom of Kauaûi, Deborah fought against them.
Deborah then married Simeon Kaûiu. Her husband was a devout Christian, and she converted in 1825. They produced her only child, a son they name Josiah Kaumualiûi, names they both respected. She later was excommunicated from the church for having an affair with a married man, Oliver Chapin. She was later reinstated in the 1840s. In 1835, Deborah and Simeon moved to Wailua with 16 others and founded a new church, though Simeon died shortly after on September 11, 1835.
Around 1836, Governor Kaikioûewa of Kauaûi became jealous of her popularity, and she was arrested and taken to Oûahu. It was not until 1838, when Kamehameha III granted an appeal, that Deborah was returned to Kauaûi by Reverend William Richards.
In the latter part of her life, Deborah Kapule lived in Waimea, where she assisted in the construction of the Waimea Stone Church and helped convert the Malae heiau into a cattle corral.
Deborah Kapule died in Waimea on August 26, 1853; the location of her burial place is unknown.