Hiram Kahanawai was born on September 1837, at Luaʻehu, Lahaina, on the island of Maui, to Kaʻaha and Kamaile. His paternal grandmother Kahikaheana was a trusted kahu who served the family of Kalaʻimamahū, a brother of King Kamehameha I, and his daughter Kekāuluohi. He was also a relative of Queen Emma of Hawaiʻi, by a junior line of descent, and distant relative of the family of Kalākaua and Liliuokalani. During the Great Māhele of 1848, his father received the land allotments on the islands of Oʻahu, Maui and Kauaʻi, including half of the ʻili of Kawananakoa in Honolulu, the ahupuaʻa of Kaulalo near Lahaina, and the ʻili of Kuiloa near Hanapepe. Kaʻaha died before 1852 and left all his landholding to his son. On May 29, 1852, Kahanawai was placed under the guardianship of his brother-in-law William Luther Moehonua, the husband of his sister Lucy Muolo. During his youth, he continued his family kuleana in serving the Hawaiian royal family. On October 15, 1853, Kahanawai was appointed as First Lieutenant of the Infantry in the Royal Hawaiian army by Prince Alexander Liholiho during reign of King Kamehameha III. Kahanawai also served as the chief steward and butler in the royal household under King Kamehameha IV and his wife Queen Emma from 1855 to 1863. After Kamehameha IV's death, he continued to serve the household of the Queen Dowager Emma during her widowhood. On March 20, 1855, he married Virginia Kapoʻoloku Poʻomaikelani, a trusted lady-in-waiting and household attendant of Queen Emma. The couple did not have any children of their own but adopted and raised Edward Abnel Keliʻiahonui, the nephew of Poʻomaikelani. Some time prior to 1873, Kahanawai and Poʻomaikelani left the service of Emma to join the factions loyal to Kalākaua. In the election of 1874 Kalākaua defeated Queen Dowager Emma to succeed Lunalilo as the monarch of Hawaii. Besides his own distant family ties to the new dynasty, Poʻomaikelani's elder sister was Queen Kapiolani, the wife and consort of the new king. After Kalākaua restored the Hawaiian army which had been disbanded by his predecessor, he appointed Kahanawai to the rank of Captain and in the capacity of Commander of the Household Troops.
Death
Kahanawai, who had been in poor health for some time, died suddenly of a heart attack, on August 7, 1874 while in an audience with the King. His obituary reported his sudden death: On September 17, 1873, Queen Emma had noted in a letter to her cousin Peter Kaʻeo that Kahanawai was suffering from "Anurism" and, although still resenting his betrayal, prayed for the recovery of her former servant for the sake of her dead husband and son. According to a later letter from Kaʻeo to Emma, he told her that both he and Jonatana Napela suspected that Kahanawai had been poisoned and the death had been covered up by the government. According to historian Alfons L. Korn, "No criminal charges were ever brought against anyone for being implicated in the death of Hiram Kahanawai." He was buried at the Oʻahu Cemetery in Honolulu. His widow continued to be known as Mrs. Kapoʻoloku Kahanawai until she was created a Princess of the Kingdom by Letter Patent in 1883.
