Mataiapo

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A mataiapo is a traditional chief in the Cook Islands. The equivalent of a king or queen is an ariki, whom the mataiapo in ancient times answered to. Today they still accord the ariki respect and assist in matters concerning land, traditional ceremonies and so forth. In pre-Christian times, the mataiapo were traditionally appointed by the ariki and given their titles in recognition of bravery in warfare or service to the ariki. With their titles came land and respect. They are invested by the ariki in huge ceremonies that still take place today. A significant act in the ceremony is when the mataiapo bites the ear of a whole roasted pig (usually the largest to be found in the village) which immediately indicates that the person has become a mataiapo. Women also hold the titles of ariki, mataiapo and rangatira. The latter is a sub-chief, and in ancient times were usually the brothers or sisters of the ariki.