'Aliki

Term to denote social rank in Polynesian culture Aliki (disambiguation) Ariki alt=Black and white photograph showing seated people. The queen is in the second row.|thumb|Queen Amélia (center, second row) in 1887 with young wls 'aliki girls in front of the Royal Palace of Wallis. wls 'Aliki is a term in the Wallisian and Futunan Polynesian languages that refers to a category of people related to the chieftaincy of Wallis and Futuna and its members. In English, it is often translated as "noble" or "nobility," though this is an imperfect translation. Terminology The term wls 'aliki has several meanings. Generally, it means "of a higher order" or "above the common people". It refers to a title of nobility, the descendants of customary kings, and the aristocratic order formed by these individuals. The translation of wls 'aliki into English can only be approximate, as there is no equivalent status in the Western world. While it is similar to a title of nobility, there are still differences compared to the Western context.Sophie Chave-Dartoen Introduction Royauté, chefferie et monde socio-cosmique à Wallis ('Uvea) : Dynamiques sociales et pérennité des institutions pacific-credo Publications Monographies 2018-09-24 978-2-9563981-7-2 http://books.openedition.org/pacific/102 2024-06-30 Anthropologist Sophie Chave-Dartoen defines it as follows:Chave-Dartoen Sophie 2002-12-01 Le paradoxe wallisien : une royauté dans la République Ethnologie française 637–645 10.3917/ethn.024.0637 0046-2616 4 a title that, inherited from a prestigious ancestor, grants authority, responsibilities, and privileges to its holder [...] The title is given by the "elders" of the descent group to the one who is considered the most worthy and capable of serving the community. While the genealogical link to a founding ancestor of a lineage is very important, the personal abilities of an wls 'aliki are also taken into account; in cases of unrest causing dissatisfaction among the population with the person, they can be deposed. Depending on the role one holds in this social organization, the term wls 'aliki may be accompanied by different particles, such as wls 'aliki hau for the customary king or wls 'aliki fau to refer to the king's advisors. This allows distinctions to be made regarding the social scale.Dictionnaire PRATIQUE Français – Wallisien https://www.ac-wf.wf/IMG/pdf/dico_francais_wallisien_au_20_juin_2017-2.pdf Among the wls 'aliki, some people are designated by the royal families to be customary kings: the Lavelua in Uvea, the Tu'i Sigave and the Tuiagaifo in Futuna. Wallisian and Futunan society is divided between the wls 'aliki category and the wls tua (which could be translated as "commoners"), the latter being at the bottom of the social scale.Angleviel Frédéric 2006-12-01 Wallis-et-Futuna (1942-1961) ou comment le fait migratoire transforma le protectorat en TOM https://journals.openedition.org/jso/541 Journal de la Société des Océanistes 122–123 61–76 10.4000/jso.541 2024-06-30 fr Since the Christianization of Wallis and Futuna in the 1840s, the term wls 'Aliki (with a capital A) also refers to God; it is translated as "Lord" in English. History History of Wallis and Futuna Before the Christianization of the islands in the 1840s, the wls 'aliki were a true aristocratic order above the rest of the population. Men were called wls tama‘aliki and women wls fine‘aliki. They married among themselves and did not mix with the rest of the population. These customary chiefs wls 'aliki were often in competition or even in conflict with each other. Upon the arrival of the Marist Fathers in 1837 in Wallis, the Lavelua (customary king) Soane Patita Vaimua relied on the Catholic clergy to strengthen his authority. The bishop (Pierre Bataillon) became second after the Lavelua, and gradually, the wls 'aliki lost their prerogatives (notably polygamy). Mixed marriages were allowed to weaken the local aristocracy and level social differences, as many Wallisians could now claim royal ancestry. The Bataillon Code, enacted in 1871, formalized the organization of the chieftaincy following the model of the French monarchy and established Christian-inspired rules. Hierarchy thumb|The seating position during the katoaga ceremony depends on the hierarchy as an wls 'aliki. The customary kings of Wallis and Futuna (wls 'aliki hau), at the top of the hierarchy, are surrounded by a court including counselors, ministers, wls 'aliki or nobles, and the king's family.Anthropologist Françoise Douaire-Marsaudon considers "noble" an improper translation of the word wls aliki. This group of people holds an important place in the customary hierarchy. The wls 'aliki can be customary ministers (wls kau ’aliki), former kings, district and village chiefs, and also members of the territorial assembly.Douaire‑Marsaudon Françoise 2018 Droit coutumier et loi républicaine dans une collectivité d'outre‑mer française (Wallis‑et‑Futuna) http://www.cairn.info/revue-ethnologie-francaise-2018-1-page-81.htm Ethnologie française 169 1 81–92 10.3917/ethn.181.0081 0046-2616 2024-06-30 fr subscription . In Futuna, one attains the title of wls 'aliki through a rite called the Kava rite in reference to this plant, symbolic in the customary world.Adriano Favole La royauté oscillante. Ethnographie et histoire de la cérémonie d'investiture du Tu'i Agaifo d'Alo (Futuna) Journal de la Société des Océanistes 111 2 2000 10.3406/jso.2000.2134 https://www.persee.fr/doc/jso_0300-953x_2000_num_111_2_2134 2024-06-30 195–218. This group advises the king in his decisions and keeps him informed of the kingdom's affairs. The wls 'aliki do not retain this status for life because kings change, and courts are then renewed. Only former customary kings retain this title until their death. These titles are also found in the family names of some former kings, such as Amelia Tokagahahau Aliki. Royal families also have a specific status. A family is called wls Fono Aliki, meaning "important family" or "royal family," if one of its members has previously held the royal crown.Sophie Chave-Dartoen Le paradoxe wallisien : une royauté dans la République 4 Presses universitaires de France 2002 These families are present in the three kingdoms (Uvea, Alo, and Sigave), and each king belongs to one or two families comparable to clans. It is among these powerful clans that the royal throne or the kingdom's most important tasks are shared. Being part of a wls Fono Aliki grants a respected status throughout the kingdom, leading to significant competition to have a family member elected as a customary king. The royal family, whose member is currently king, is part of his court. For example, King Tomasi Kulimoetoke was part of the Takumasiva clan, and his family held the throne for 48 years.fr Allison Lotti Le statut de 1961 à Wallis et Futuna: Genèse de trois monarchies républicaines (1961-1991) 47–50 Editions L'Harmattan 2011-02-01 978-2-296-45111-7 https://books.google.com/books?id=apo02cIODmIC&q=statut+de+Wallis+et+Futuna 2024-06-30. Notes References Category:Noble titles Category:Polynesian titles Category:Languages of Wallis and Futuna