Life in Early Hawai'i

Vocabulary flashcards covering land divisions and leadership roles in early Hawaiian society based on lecture notes.

Mokupuni

The entire island (e.g., Maui, O‘ahu).

Moku (or Moku o loko)

Large districts within an island (e.g., Kona, Ewa).

Ahupua'a

Self-sustaining wedges of land running from the mountains to the sea (mai ka uka a i ka moana).

‘Ili

Smaller land sections within an ahupua'a worked by specific families.

Mō'ī (Supreme Monarch)

Held absolute executive power over an entire island or multiple islands, overseeing all laws, religious ceremonies, and land management.

Ali'i Nui (High Chief)

Ruled large territories, managed lesser chiefs, and held ultimate responsibility for the welfare, stability, and resource distribution of the kingdom.

Ali'i 'Ai Moku (District Ruling Chief)

Governed a specific moku (large district) and supervised regional tax collection, economic production, and community stability.

Ali'i 'Ai Ahupua'a (Land Section Chief)

Managed an ahupua'a (mountain-to-sea land division), organizing daily agricultural labor, fishing rights, and local resource sustainability.

Ali'i Koa (Military Commander)

Led the warrior forces, developed battle strategies, trained soldiers, and defended the territory from rival invasions.

Kālaimoku (Chief Advisor / Prime Minister)

Handled state finances, planned political alliances, and advised the supreme ruler on war and the redistribution of conquered lands.