Hawaiian Caste Structure and Governance
Hawaiian Caste Structure and Governance
Dating back from around AD 1400 to European contact, Hawaiian governance was established on a descent-based ancestral society. There was a strictly enforced caste system that divided Native Hawaiians into a social pyramid, similar to those found in ancient Mediterranean or Asian civilizations.
Ancient Hawaii upheld the caste structure composed of the following levels: Aliʻi, Kahuna, Makaʻainana, and Kauwa. The elitist class was the Aliʻi, the ruling chiefs, who were believed to be descendants of gods. Their innate merit allowed them to govern outlined territories as “managers” of land. Beneath the nobility were the respected Kahuna, consisting of religious officials, craftsmen, and professionals. Their expertise in religious ceremonies, herbal medicine, healing, technology, and natural resources earned them their position in the second-highest rank of the caste. The commoners, or the Makaʻainana, were laborers who worked diligently to buttress not only their families, but especially the chiefs. Makaʻainana were allocated their rights and responsibilities by the Aliʻi to manufacture resources for their society. At the bottom of the pyramid was the Kauwa, also referred to as the “untouchables”. These social outcasts, or slaves, were deemed filthy and sometimes even barred from contact with others.
Religion heavily interrelated with governance, or the system of laws, in Ancient Hawaii. Kanawai enforced social order through kapu, or religious taboos, essential to maintaining social stability. Kapu regulated all aspects of life, from people and places to objects and times, while reinforcing the caste system. For example, the kapu restricted women from eating certain foods like pork, coconuts, bananas, and certain fish. Moreover, if the Makaʻainana’s shadow landed on Aliʻi’s house or their belongings, they would be punished by death. There was no warning, no probation, and no trial if the kapu were to be broken.
The strict kapu system protected the caste system and gave the Aliʻi supreme authority and control over the majority. Kapu and the chiefs were seen as living proof of the gods’ omnipotence and unlimited power.
Reading Test
1.Which of the following best describes the organization of the second paragraph of the passage?
A. Categorical
B. Hierarchical
C. Chronological
D. Comparative
2. What can correctly replace the following phrase “innate merit” (P2)?
A. Learned skill
B. Hereditary right
C. God’s power
D. Unnatural power
3. What would the Makaʻainana mostly do?
A. Farming and fishing
B. Leading and directing
C. Teaching and learning
D. Crafting and building
4. What is the closest definition of “manufacture” (P2) as it is used in the passage?
A. To take without permission
B. To produce on a bigger scale with machinery
C. To produce naturally
D. To build corporations
5. Why were the Kauwa referred to as the untouchables?
A. Because they were unaccepted and avoided by society
B. Because their skills were exemplary
C. Because they were feared for their power and knowledge
D. Because they had a lack of hygiene
6. Based on the context provided in paragraph 3, what does “interrelated” mean?
A. Connected
B. Independent
C. Homogeneous
D. Interrupted
7. According to this line, “For example, the kapu restricted women from eating certain foods like pork, coconuts, bananas, and certain fish”, what best describes the kapu?
A.Tenderhearted
B. Humanitarian
C. Isolating
D. Oppressive
8. What best describes the effect of the repetition of “no” at the end of paragraph 3?
A. Emphasizes the lack of compassion and leniency of the kapu system
B. Highlights solutions to the problem
C. Provides additional details, helping the readers understand better about the kapu system
D. Grabs the readers’ attention by creating a rhythm
9. Based on the context clues in the sentence, what does the prefix “omni-” mean as used in the word “omnipotence” (P4)?
A. More than
B. All
C. Unity
D. Together
10. What is the prime focus of the final paragraph?
A. To show the historic purpose and strength of the kapu system
B. To prove how unfair the caste system was for Native Hawaiians
C. To antagonize the Aliʻi
D. To persuade the readers that the kapu and caste systems must be abolished