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Aliʻi
The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands. They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the noho aliʻi. There were many classes of aliʻi (or chief) and the position could be held by a man or a woman.
Cognates of the word aliʻi have a similar meaning in other Polynesian languages; in Māori it is ariki and in Tahitian ari'i.
In ancient Hawaiian society, the aliʻi were hereditary nobles (a social class or caste). The aliʻi consisted of the higher and lesser chiefs of the various levels on the islands. The noho aliʻi were the ruling chiefs. The aliʻi were believed to be descended from the deities.
There were eleven classes of aliʻi, of both men and women. These included the kahuna (priestesses and priests, experts, craftsmen, and canoe makers) as part of four professions practiced by the nobility. Each island had its own aliʻi nui, who governed their individual systems. Aliʻi continued to play a role in the governance of the Hawaiian islands until 1893, when Queen Liliʻuokalani was overthrown by a coup d'état backed by the United States government.
In Hawaiian, nui means 'grand', 'great', or 'supreme', so aliʻi nui were ruling chiefs. The nui title could be passed on by right of birth.[citation needed]
Historians David Malo, Samuel M. Kamakau and Abraham Fornander wrote extensively about the different aliʻi lines and their importance to Hawaiian history. The distinctions between the aliʻi ranks and lines comes from their writings.
One kaukaualiʻi line descended from Moana Kāne, son of Keākealanikāne, became secondary aliʻi to the Kamehameha rulers of the kingdom and were responsible for various hana lawelawe ('service tasks'). Members of this line married into the Kamehamehas, including Charles Kanaʻina and Kekūanaōʻa. Some bore kāhili, royal standards made of feathers, and were attendants of the higher-ranking aliʻi. During the monarchy some of these chiefs were elevated to positions within the primary political bodies of the Hawaiian legislature and the king's Privy Council. All Hawaiian monarchs after Kamehameha III were the children of Kaukaualiʻi fathers who married higher ranking wives.
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Aliʻi
The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands. They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the noho aliʻi. There were many classes of aliʻi (or chief) and the position could be held by a man or a woman.
Cognates of the word aliʻi have a similar meaning in other Polynesian languages; in Māori it is ariki and in Tahitian ari'i.
In ancient Hawaiian society, the aliʻi were hereditary nobles (a social class or caste). The aliʻi consisted of the higher and lesser chiefs of the various levels on the islands. The noho aliʻi were the ruling chiefs. The aliʻi were believed to be descended from the deities.
There were eleven classes of aliʻi, of both men and women. These included the kahuna (priestesses and priests, experts, craftsmen, and canoe makers) as part of four professions practiced by the nobility. Each island had its own aliʻi nui, who governed their individual systems. Aliʻi continued to play a role in the governance of the Hawaiian islands until 1893, when Queen Liliʻuokalani was overthrown by a coup d'état backed by the United States government.
In Hawaiian, nui means 'grand', 'great', or 'supreme', so aliʻi nui were ruling chiefs. The nui title could be passed on by right of birth.[citation needed]
Historians David Malo, Samuel M. Kamakau and Abraham Fornander wrote extensively about the different aliʻi lines and their importance to Hawaiian history. The distinctions between the aliʻi ranks and lines comes from their writings.
One kaukaualiʻi line descended from Moana Kāne, son of Keākealanikāne, became secondary aliʻi to the Kamehameha rulers of the kingdom and were responsible for various hana lawelawe ('service tasks'). Members of this line married into the Kamehamehas, including Charles Kanaʻina and Kekūanaōʻa. Some bore kāhili, royal standards made of feathers, and were attendants of the higher-ranking aliʻi. During the monarchy some of these chiefs were elevated to positions within the primary political bodies of the Hawaiian legislature and the king's Privy Council. All Hawaiian monarchs after Kamehameha III were the children of Kaukaualiʻi fathers who married higher ranking wives.