Hawaiʻiloa is the hero of an ancient Hawaiian legend about the settling of the Hawaiian Islands. After having accidentally stumbled upon the islands, he returned to his homeland which he called Ka ʻāina kai melemele a Kane, "the land of the yellow sea of Kane". He then organized a colonizing expedition that included his family and eight other skilled navigators. They settled on what is now the Island of Hawaiʻi, named in his honor. The legend contains reference to his children: Kauaʻi (son), Oʻahu (daughter), and Maui (oldest son), who settled on the islands that bear their names.