Marriage and Family

Marriage-
In Kanaka Maoli culture the marital practices were somewhat different from what we see today. Generally, unless a marriage was between chiefs, it was unrecognized ceremoniously and hardly distinguished from cohabitation and liaisons. It was very normal for chiefs to participate in polygamy, and while allowed, this practice was infrequent among commoners. On the rare occasion that marriage was recognized, it was ideal that you married someone of higher rank and importance in society.

Mating-
For the native Hawaiians, mating with blood kin was allowed and often it was preferred over mating with others in society. Same-sex relations were also well-known with royalty and not a strange occurrence.

Family-
In ancient Hawaiian families, grandparents had very close relationships with their grandchildren. They often took over parenting duties and took care of them while they grew up. It was also common for children to be adopted freely in the tribe.

Heritage-
Family history was a very important aspect of the Kanaka Maoli life and often showed importance in society. Chiefs could trace their genealogies through bilateral links, linking themselves to particular ancestral lines. Commoners, however, could not trace their heritage back very far.