The Kapu System of laws ruled Hawaii until 1819. This system of laws can put in place to protect what they call Mana. Mana is a person’s energy, soul and power. The more important you are the more Mana you have. You can only obtain mana through birth and war. This concept of Mana set the stage for class rank and racism.
Kapu laws were strictly followed. If you broke Kapu you were almost always sentenced to death. A Chief or king could not be looked at in the eyes, nor have his finger nail clippings touched. A very simplistic example of Mana and Kapu in pop culture is the Queen of hearts in Alice in Wonderland. The Queen has been born with a very generous amount of Mana and the cardsmen have very little. If the Kapu is broken and they look at the Queen, or do not follow the laws they are sentenced to death. Some Kapu laws were also between man and woman. Men and women were not aloud to eat together; women were not allowed to eat coconuts or bananas.
All around Honolulu, you can find sites where these ancient executions took place. You can stay in a local hotel and visit the ancient sites. One of the most famous is the “Punch Bowl” , or hill of sacrifice. People were brought here and burned as a sacrifice to the gods, or for violating Kapu.
The Kapu system was also used to protect nature. Hawaiian culture holds a severe reverence for nature, Aloha Aina , and living things. It was believed that Mana did not pertain to only humans. Objects also had Mana.
The concepts of Mana and kapu are believed to have been brought over to the island by the Tahitians. Although in practice it was not a very successful system, the theory behind it was with good intention. Respect and reverence remain a fundamental part of Hawaiian culture today.
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