Explaining the Evolution of Regional Centralization in the Hawaiian Chiefdom: A Systems Approach

Abstract

An explanation of the evolution of regional centralization in Hawaiian chiefdoms, is offered based on the systems approach of Blanton, Kowaleski, Feinman and Appel (1981, 1982). Their approach focuses on certain "core features" of cultural evolution -- namely complexity, integration, and scale. Changes in these three variables are seen as the result of the particular strategies that individuals adopt for coping with new or extreme situations or for achieving specific personal goals. The paper, therefore, begins with an examination of the changes in complexity, integration, and scale between early Hawaiian society, as represented by the proto-Polynesian society reconstructed by Kirch (1984), and historic Hawaiian society. These changes are then related to possible strategies both for coping with the challenges of initial colonization and for maximizing personal prestige and power within the chiefly hierarchy. Finally, the types of archaeological evidence that are available or are needed to support such an explanation are considered.