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Most historians estimate that Pa‘ao came from Havai‘i around A.D. 1300. He arrived with his warriors, priests (kahunas) and new rulers (ali‘i). Havai‘i was the ancient name of Ra‘iatea of the Society Group. This group of islands is more commonly known by the main island of that group, Tahiti. (The author has elected to call these islands Tahiti in this book.) It seems that the earlier voyagers from Tahiti integrated more peacefully with the Menehune. Apparently, there was intermarriage with the Menehune inhabitants and the diminishing of class distinction between the Tahitian ali‘i and the commoners. The legends say that when Pa‘ao arrived, he regarded the high chief of Hawai‘i, Kapawa, a degenerate. The priests and ali‘i were not performing the rituals they had formerly performed in Tahiti to retain mana (divine power). They did not build the necessary heiaus (temples), perform the necessary human sacrifices, or wear the red feather malo (loincloth - the symbol of royalty in Ra‘iatea) of kings.
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Daniel Kikawa (Perpetuated In Righteousness: The Journey of the Hawaiian People from Eden (Kalana I Hauola) to the Present Time (The True God of Hawaiʻi Series))