A religious image, probably of Kamapua'a, a pig demigod, found in a Maui burial cave in 1963. The god of clouds and rain, Kamapua'a's domain stetched over the verdant windward coast
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The Hawaiian society that evolved was both sophisticated and successful. Food flourished in valleys, as well as on mountainous slopes, with the use of efficient irrigation dams, canals, terraces and erosion prevention methods. Excellent fishermen, innovative aquaculturists, and expert navigators, Hawaiians also exhibited skill in the crafting of kapa, canoes, carvings, mats and rock structures.
Hawaiian tradition taught that people and their aina, or land, were one - thus spiritual parents Papa, the earth, and Wakea, the sky, gave birth to the island of Maui, as well as the high chiefs who ruled it. A complex feudal social system overseen by chiefs differing in degrees of divinity and authority competed for power through marriage, war and diplomacy.
Maui was divided into several chiefdoms prior to the sixteenth century. Domains periodically shifed, sometimes stretching beyond Maui's shores. West Maui chief Kaka'alaneo, along with his brother Kaka'e, also ruled over Lana'i from a court in Lahaina. One of the most admired early chiefs, Kaka'alaneo was known for his thrift, energy, and a reign free from strife and want.
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