Kepelino, like native Hawaiian historians Malo, Kamakau, and Papa I'i, worked in the mid-19th century to record Hawaiian historical, cultural, and religious knowledge for future generations. Born around 1830 to Kanekapolei, a daughter of Kamehameha, and Namiki, a descendant of the priestly lineage of Pa'ao, he received a Catholic education and was actively engaged in writing for the Catholic press during his youth.

Like his contemporaries, he wrote during a time of great intellectual ferment among native Hawaiians, creating the bulk of his work between 1860 and 1870. It was in 1868 that Kepelino produced the text, "Mo'olelo Hawai'i", what we now refer to as Kepelino's Traditions of Hawai'i. In 1874, he was caught in the power struggle between dowager Queen Emma and David Kalakaua. He was charged with treason, serving almost two years in prison until he received a full pardon on September 23, 1876. He died soon after in 1878.

Kepelino's Traditions of Hawai'i was originally published in 1932. (Source)