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Kapu is the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations. The kapu system was universal in lifestyle, gender roles, politics and religion. An offense that was kapu was often a capital offense, but also often denoted a threat to spiritual power, or theft of mana .
Liholiho, at the urging of powerful female chiefs such as Kaʻahumanu, abolished the kapu system that had governed life in Hawaiʻi for centuries. Henceforth, men and women could eat together, women could eat formerly forbidden foods, and official worship at the stone platform temples, or heiaus , was discontinued.
Hewahewa was born in the late 18th century. In 1819, French explorer Louis de Freycinet estimated Hewahewa was born around 1774. [1] He grew up as part of the aristocracy of the pre-unified kingdom of the island of Hawaiʻi and was a descendant of Paʻao, a lineage that added to his prestige as a spiritual leader.
Influenced by powerful female chiefs such as Kaʻahumanu and his mother Keōpūolani, the young king abolished the kapu system that had governed life Hawaiian society for centuries. Henceforth, men and women could eat together, women could eat formerly forbidden foods, and official worship at the stone platform temples, or heiaus , was ...
] The abolition of the kapu system ended the use of heiau as places of worship and sacrifice. A period referred to as the 'Ai Noa or "free eating" followed. Missionaries arrived in 1820, and most of the aliʻi converted to Christianity, including Kaʻahumanu and Keōpūolani .
The complex may have been established as early as 1475 under the aliʻi nui ʻEhu-kai-malino. The nobility of Kona continued to be buried until the abolition of the kapu system. The last person buried here was a son of Kamehameha I in 1818. Radiocarbon dating has not been done extensively in the area. Testing of the nearby 'Āle'ale'a heiau ...
The usually strict rules of the Hawaiian religion and social system, known as kapu, were in abeyance during the usual mourning period. Women ate pork and bananas, people had sexual intercourse with whomever they pleased, routine life was completely overthrown. When a new high chief came to power, he usually re-imposed the kapu.
Keōpūolani played an instrumental role in the ʻAi Noa, the overthrow of the Hawaiian kapu system. She collaborated with Queen Kaʻahumanu and Kahuna-nui Hewahewa, sharing a meal of forbidden foods. At the time, men were forbidden to eat with women according to the kapu. Since they were not punished by the gods, the kapu was broken. [4]