Nā Kapu Ali'i: A Reconsideration

This article presents new information concerning the kapu ali'i held by Hawaiian ali'i of high rank, the kapu moe, kapu noho, and kapu wohi, information derived from an anonymous mo'olelo (narrative) held at the Hawai'i State Archives. The kapu ali'i have long been regarded as providing political support for the ruling ali'i, demonstrating their mana (religious power) and inspiring awe among their subjects, but also providing potential support for high-ranking rebels. Heretofore, our understanding of the kapu ali'i, how they were carried out and obtained, has been patchy, limited by our reliance on three standard sources: the writings of John Papa 'Ī'ī, Davida Malo, and Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau. We first summarize the information from these standard sources and then point to differences between what is found in the anonymous mo'olelo and what is found in the standard sources. Finally, we discuss the use of the mo'olelo by the Papa Kū'auhau o nā Ali'i Hawai'i (Board of Genealogy of Hawaiian Chiefs) to support King Kalākaua's claim to high rank. We offer three main conclusions: (1) a kapu ali'i had to be bestowed by an ali'i who currently held the kapu; (2) the kapu was transmitted by clothing the recipient in a kapa kapu (taboo cloth) at a ceremony held some years after the recipient's birth to sever a symbolic piko (navel cord); (3) 'Ī'ī and the anonymous mo'olelo offer different versions for the transmission of the kapu moe and the kapu wohi to the sons of Keawe, perhaps created to support ali'i of different descent lines.