Ali'i
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ali'i refers to the hereditary chiefly or noble rank (class, caste) in traditional Hawaiian society. The ali'i were the highest class, ranking above both kahuna (priests) and maka'ainana (commoners). Chief is the most conventional translation of the term, although "lord" and "lady" are also in use. Propositions to use "Prince" and "Princess" have not received broad support. The ali'i class consisted of the high and lesser chiefs of the various realms in the islands. They governed with divine power called mana.
All these ali'i Hawaiian dynasties of those several islands were interrelated, and apparently forbidden to marry beneath, from other classes.
Ali'i are full of mana and can place and remove kapu (curse or taboo) on objects. Ali'i continued to rule the Hawaiian islands until 1893 when Queen Lili'uokalani was deposed in a coup arranged by filibusters.
The term is also used in Samoa to refer to the highest leaders in traditional society, sometimes called "High Chiefs" or "Chiefs" in English. A Samoan Ali'i would traditionally have a tulafale or "Talking Chief" or "Orator" who would act as his spokesman. It is most likely that the Hawaiian and Samoan terms are related. In the Cook Islands, an ariki is a high chief, and the House of Ariki is a parliamentary house with very limited power, while in New Zealand a Māori ariki held a rank of nobility. In Tokelau, the term aliki denotes a chief.
Ali'i Nui is a ruling chief (Hawaiian Nui: grand; great; supreme).
Ali'i Aimoku is a high chief, or king. The four biggest Hawaiian islands: Hawaii proper, Maui, Kauai and Oahu, were usually ruled each by their own Ali'i aimoku. Under them, subordinate district ali'i controlled their petty fiefs.
Mo'i was a special Hawaiian title of the highest chief of the island of Maui, otherwise also known as Ali'i Aimoku of Maui.
Internecine warfare between heirs of rulers was common in ancient Hawaii. Warfare between chiefs was also common.
The caste organization facilitated a feudal system (that resembles any other feudal society, e.g feudal systems found in Europe c 1000 CE, in feudal Japan, Ethiopia, etc). Highest ali'i gave lesser ali'i parcels of land who would in turn govern over them. The lesser ali'i divided the land into plots to be farmed and cultivated by maka'ainana (commoner folk) families. Harvests were returned to the lesser ali'i, each taking a portion before being sent to the supreme ali'i.
Both the reigning dynasties of the united Kingdom of Hawaii (1810-93) were of Ali'i class. As each relative of those dynasties was entitled to the title Ali'i, they have later, posthumously, been popularly labeled (mostly erroneously) princesses and princes, although only a limited number of royal relatives ever received the princely title from the monarch.
