Ali'i
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Aliʻi is the hereditary chiefly or noble rank (class, caste) in traditional Hawaiian society. The aliʻi were the highest class, ranking above both kahuna (priests) and makaʻainana (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 aliʻi class consisted of the high and lesser chiefs of the various realms in the islands. They governed with divine power called mana.
All the aliʻi Hawaiian dynasties of the several islands were interrelated, and apparently forbidden to intermarry with other classes.
Aliʻi are full of mana and can place and remove kapu (curse or taboo) on objects. Aliʻi continued to rule the Hawaiian islands until 1893 when Queen Liliʻuokalani was deposed in a coup arranged by filibusters.
Aliʻi Nui is a ruling chief (Hawaiian Nui: grand; great; supreme) must claim parentage at least of a mother of the highest rank.
Aliʻi Aimoku is a high chief, or king. The four biggest Hawaiian islands: Hawaiʻi proper, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Oʻahu, were usually ruled each by their own aliʻi aimoku. Under them, subordinate district aliʻi controlled their petty fiefs.
Moʻi was a special Hawaiian title of the highest chief of the island of Maui, otherwise also known as Aliʻi Aimoku of Maui.
Kaukaualiʻi was a chief of inferior rank being nobles only on their father's side and having a inferior ranking mother. They usually gain rank through marriage with the higher ranking aliʻi or were kahili bearer, attendants and retainer of the higher ranking aliʻi. During the monarchy these chief served as the main political figures in the Hawaiian legislature and the king's Privy Council.
Ranks of the Aliʻi First were the Aliʻ Pio who were product of full blood sibling unions famous, Pio chiefs were the royal twins, Kameeiamoku and Kamanawa. Next were the Aliʻi Naha who were product of half blood sibling unions, famouse Naha chiefs include Keopuolani. After that was the Aliʻi Wohi who were product of marriage of close relatives other than siblings. Last came the inferior chiefs.
Internecine warfare between heirs of rulers was common in ancient Hawaiʻi. Warfare between chiefs was also common.
Commoner or lesser Aliʻiserved the Higher ranking Aliʻi but served not for pay but due to their duty to allegiance to the nation.
The caste organization facilitated a feudal system (that resembles other feudal societies, e.g feudal systems found in Europe c 1000 CE, in feudal Japan, Ethiopia, etc). Higher aliʻi gave lesser aliʻi parcels of land who would in turn govern over them. The lesser aliʻi divided the land into plots to be farmed and cultivated by makaʻainana families. Harvests were returned to the lesser aliʻi, each taking a portion before being sent to the supreme aliʻi.
Both the reigning dynasties of the united Kingdom of Hawaiʻi (1810–1893) were of aliʻi class. As each relative of those dynasties was entitled to the title aliʻi, 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.
The last full-blooded Native Hawaiian Aliʻi of rank, was the Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. Prince Kuhio had married Princess Elizabeth, a pure-blood lesser chiefess of Maui descent, and if they had parented any children, their blood would also be pure.
To the present day the Kawananakoa Dynasty and the Laanui Dynasty are the highest ranking ali'i in Hawaii. And they are Hapa-Haole. In ancient time the throne was always given to the highest ali'i.
[edit] Other
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 aliʻi 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; on Easter Island a noble was ‘aliki.
