268 McJiioirs Dcniicc P. Disliop Miisciiiii 



At the head of the trihe stood the chief, hut lie ajjpears to have heeu a 

 different functionary from the Hawaiian or Tahitian ruler. The concei)ts of 

 divine descent and absolute power were lacking- among the INIarquesans, and there 

 was no sharp line of deniarkatiou between the ruled and ruling classes. As in 

 all other parts of Polynesia, the office was hereditary, but the chiefs frequently 

 sought to strengthen their position by alliance with infltiential families of com- 

 moners. Such alliances were formed princii)ally through adojjtion, and the 

 chieftainship might in this way pass tint (if the line of actual blood descent. The 

 chief was looked upon as the director of grotip activities, and in some places at 

 least, as the owner of the tribal lands. His power was by no means absolute, 

 however, and in case of oppression his followers might desert and pass into the 

 service of another chief. Jt is an interesting fact that the chief does not seem to 

 have been expected to expose his person in war. Battles were directed bv war leaders 

 {too) who were men of proved valor. Within many of the fortifications visited, 

 small enclosures were pointed out as the place where the chief took refuge with 

 a body-guard of picked men, during an attack. 



Second to the chief, and with power almost equal to his, was the inspira- 

 tional ])riest [Ian' a ). This personage was l)elieved to be the mouthpiece of the god, 

 and as stich had nuich influence in secular as well as religious matters. The re- 

 lative power of the chief and tau'a in any community no doubt depended largely 

 upon their personalities, but on the whole the power of the tau'a appears to have 

 been inferior, final decision in most matters resting with the chief. 



Next in importance below the chief and tau'a ranked the heads of large 

 families. Below these in turn seem to have been classed the master craftsmen of 

 various trades, tuliuiui. Such men appear to have been regularly instructed and 

 were extremely jealous of their trade secrets. They were employed and well paid 

 by chiefs and rich commoners, who fed and housed them while the work was going 

 on. It is an interesting commentary on the position of the skilled workman in 

 the social scale that even chiefs did not consider it below their dignity to make 

 and sell objects. Gracia {2S. p. I4<j) mentions a chief who derived most of his 

 revenue from carving pipes. 



In sjiite of the difficulties of land commtmication, the lack of centralized 

 atithority, and the almost constant inter-tribal wars, the isolation of the various 

 valleys was more apparent than real. Due to the involved native relationships, 

 and especially to the practice of adojitiiin. nianv individuals were under the ])ro- 

 tection of more than one tribe and could serve as go-betweens. Tuliuna of im- 

 portant trades also a]ipear to have been able to travel with considerable safety 

 as their services were much in demand. Great fetes given by one tribe were often 

 attended by contingents from other tribes with whom the givers were tempo- 



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