A chief is a chief because of the people who serve him (Pukui 1983:125, verse 1150))
McGregor and MacKenzie (2014:96-105) provide a general description of governance at the Island, moku (district), ahupuaʻa and family scale.
“Although the ruling chiefs and their land stewards enjoyed certain appropriation rights over the land and the people, … this was a system of mutual obligation and benefit between the chiefs and the people.”
“The aliʻi nui (paramount chief) and aliʻi ʻai moku (district chiefs) controlled the land that was distributed among the makaʻāinana (common people).”
“The aliʻi nui (paramount chiefs) and aliʻi ʻai moku (district chiefs) were obligated to manage and oversee the production on the land in a manner that provided for the well-being of all the people through pono or balanced and judicious rule.”
“They regulated the use of scarce resources; apportioned these resources among the people according to principles of fair usage; regulated the use of water, which was the most valued resource of the land …”
“… assured that the irrigation systems were properly maintained; conducted proper rituals to the gods who embodied nature; and conserved the resources of the land through restriction and replacement policies.”
“In return, the families of commoners were obliged to provide labor service and products of the land to the aliʻi (chiefs) and konohiki (land stewards).”
“Functionally, the stratified structure for land utilization and stewardship followed this following basic hierarchy:
• aliʻi nui (paramount chief) of the island
• aliʻi ʻai moku (district chiefs) to oversee each moku
• aliʻi ʻai ahupuaʻa (land division chiefs) overseeing the ahupuaʻa
• konohiki (land chief, headman) who resided in the ahupuaʻa
• luna (and stewards) who assisted with specific issues (i.e. luna wai was responsible for the fresh water flow and irrigation system)
• makaʻāinana (common people) never owned or ruled land”
“While Native Hawaiian oral traditions record cases of arbitrary, irresponsible, and self-serving ruling chiefs who abused the people, they were clearly exceptional cases and such chiefs were quickly replaced with responsible chiefs who cared for the well-being of the people.”
The Hawaiian proverb (‘ōlelo no‘eau), “I aliʻi no ke aliʻi i ke kānaka,” “A chief is a chief because of the people who serve him,” reflects the Hawaiian attitude that the greatness of a chief was judged according to the welfare of the people under him. (McGregor 2007:29)
The Hawaiian historian David Malo wrote, “In former times, before Kamehameha, the chiefs took great care of their people. That was their appropriate business, to seek the comfort and welfare of the people, for a chief was called great in proportion to the number of his people”.
As the Native Hawaiian society became more stratified, kapu (sacred restrictions) were employed to elevate and separate the aliʻi nui (paramount chiefs) from the lesser aliʻi (chiefs) and the makaʻāinana (commoners). (Art by Herb Kane.)
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