Relations Between Hawaii and Tahiti

One distinct feature of the Pacific island agricultural societies were the important role of the mariners between the central and western islands. Maintaining regional trade, these mariners traded axes, pottery, shells, and yams, allowing for friendly relations For example, the mariners linked the mling elites for alliances, while long distance trade between Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji islands traded mats and canoes along with intermarriage to create political and social relationships. in the western Pacific islands, mariners also played a key role, especially because they brought the cultivation of sweet potatoes from South America to the Polynesia, leading to the emergence of a staple crop throughout the islands.

Furthermore, these mariners facilitated relations between Hawai’i and Tahiti, which are reflected in Hawaiian adoption of the Tahiti fishhook and language.

Another distinctive feature of the societies was the productive agricultural and fishing practices. Pacific islanders cultivated taro, yarns, sweet potatoes, bananas, breadfruit, and coconuts, and domesticated pigs and dogs. They also caught fish by spear, net, and hook, until the development of Hawaiian fishponds which caught mature fish.

This development allowed the islanders to catch large amounts of fish, this, fueling population growth. Although some islands, such as Easter island, depleted their resources and disintegrated as a result of overpopulation, most pacific islands formed social organizations Social and political organization was another distinctive feature of the Pacific islands.

Increased specialized labor led to classes of ruling elites (high chiefs and lesser chiefs), priests, skilled artisans, and commoners Administering affairs in their island, high chiefs allocated land, organized labor for construction projects, and organized military forces.

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There were strict class divisions, so the high chiefs, ali’i‘nui, lived a lavish lifestyle with rich foods that were kapu (taboo) to commoners, had the restricted rich to wear magnificent cloaks, and could not be approached by commoners. Working closely with the rulers, priests linked human communities with gods. Polynesian religion was polytheistic and varied in each region, with gods of war and agriculture being the most common. With terraced floors and carved rock or coral walls, marae were sacred temples that served as places of worship, sacrifice, and communication with the gods.