kapu wohi, exempting them from kapu moe (prostration taboo). Kaukaualiʻi were lesser chiefs who served the aliʻi nui. It is a relative term and not a fixed level of aliʻi nobility. The expression is elastic in terms of how it is used. In general, it means a relative who is born from a lesser ranking parent. A kaukaualiʻi son's own children, if born of a lesser ranking aliʻi mother, would descend to a lower rank. Eventually the line descends, leading to makaʻāinana (commoner). Kaukaualiʻi gain rank through marriage with higher-ranking aliʻi. One kaukaualiʻi line descended from Moana Kāne, son of Keākealanikāne, became secondary aliʻi to the Kamehameha rulers of the kingdom and were responsible for various hana lawelawe (service tasks). Members of this line married into the Kamehamehas, including Charles Kanaʻina and Kekūanāoʻa. Some bore Kāhili, royal standards made of feathers, and were attendants of the higher-ranking aliʻi. During the monarchy some of these chiefs were elevated to positions within the primary political bodies of the Hawaiian legislature and the king's Privy Council. All Hawaiian monarchs after Kamehameha III were the children of Kaukaualiʻi fathers who married higher ranking wives. See also Ruling chiefs of Hawaiʻi Ancient Hawaiʻi Kingdom of Hawaiʻi Aliʻi nui of Hawaiʻi Aliʻi nui of Maui Aliʻi nui of Oʻahu Aliʻi nui of Kauaʻi List of monarchs of Tonga List of monarchs of Tahiti List of monarchs of Huahine List of monarchs of Mangareva References Further reading Hawaiiana Hawaii culture Hawaiian nobility Noble titles Samoan words and phrases Society of Samoa Polynesian culture Polynesian titles Nobility of the Americas