Kapu

Kapu is a Hawaiian term referring to sacred prohibitions and rules that governed conduct, access, and ritual in ancient Hawaii. The word, meaning sacred or forbidden, underpinned a comprehensive system that shaped religion, politics, and daily life. Kapu determined what could be eaten, who could touch whom or what objects, where people could travel, and when certain activities were allowed. Enforcement rested with priests (kahuna) and the chiefly class (ali‘i), and violations could invite ritual penalties, ostracism, or death.

The kapu system organized society into hierarchical ranks and roles. It defined separation between men and women in certain contexts, reserved particular foods and privileges for the ali‘i, and protected sacred places such as heiau (temples) and fishponds. Many practices were believed to be commanded by kapu to maintain the balance between the divine and human realms. The system was deeply intertwined with Hawaiian religion and governance, shaping social order for centuries.

In the early 19th century, the kapu system underwent a dramatic transformation. In 1819, King Kamehameha II (Liholiho) and Queen Ka‘ahumanu publicly abolished the kapu, signaling a rapid shift in religious practice and social life. The abolition contributed to broad cultural changes and the modernization of Hawaiian institutions, though it also sparked disruption for those who had depended on the old order.

Today, kapu persists as a historical concept and in Hawaiian language as taboo or sacred prohibition. It remains a central topic in the study of pre-contact Hawaiian culture and continues to be referenced in discussions of tradition, religion, and cultural revival.