| Henua Government |
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| The 1808 Agreement put the role of King within a more constitutional framework than traditional Polynesian rulers. Succession is determined not by lineage, but by all the leaders of the island's clans. When a king dies or abdicates, his successor must be the head of a different clan. The six surviving 'Ariki choose a successor from among themselves. The choice is made by consensus, not by vote, so it is an informal and often Machiavellian process of give and take. The clan heads submit their choice to the Council, who must vote to approve it. The old king's clan does not participate in this decision, because presumably it is busy with its own lengthy process of selecting a new clan chief. The 'Ariki have one year to make their decision. If they cannot do this, the Council chooses a king from among the 'Ariki by majority vote. During the interregnum, the Chief Advisor acts as head of state. During an interregnum the CA does not have to run for reelection, but the Council may choose a new CA after a new king is enthroned. The current king is Nga'Ara III, elected and enthoned in 1995. In Polynesia he is styled Te Ariki Henua, te Tangata Manu, te Hopu Hotu, which means, "Chief of the Earth, Birdman, Servant of the Ancestors." French missionaries in the Nineteenth Century styled the king "His Majesty," and the kings have unpretentiously kept this style for Western contexts since then. |
| Last updated 7 June 2008 by Ben Karnell |
| Spnsored by the Tourism Advisorate, Council of Te Pito O Te Henua, in cooperation with the Commission for Offshore Preservation, Ecotopic Republic of Oregon. |
| This website is a work of fiction, part of the collaborative constructed world of Ill Bethisad. It is not intended to reflect reality or the creator's opinions on current issues. |
| Henua is an elective monarchy that combines traditional and constitutional elements. Power is shared between the seven 'Ariki, or clan chiefs; the 'Ariki Henua, "Chief of the Land" or king; and the elected Council of 21 Advisors, or 'Atua Hatu. This system, in which the clans share power and are constitutionally equal, differs from most Polynesian islands, in which one royal clan has a higher status than the others. The current system was introduced in 1808 after many years of civil war. It put an end to competition for power among the various clans and lineages. |
| Political Theory |
| The theoretical basis of political power on Henua is mana, a Polynesian concept implying both spiritual potency and a right to rule. In traditional Henua society, everyone has a certain amount of mana based on their station in life. Men traditionally have more mana than women; older sons more than younger sons; certain mohingo and ure (clans and lineages) more than others; and the Miru clan once held more mana than the other clans. The position of ariki henua, king, was therefore reserved for the eldest sons in the chefly family of the Honga ure in the Miru clan. The king's power is manifested through a system of tapu ("taboo"), which governs the right to use various resources. From the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, the tapu system grew more and ,pre harsh as the kings tried to manage depleting resources. The harsh tapu ultimately saved Henua society, but the heads of other clans grew more and more resentful. They began to assert their own authority apart from that of the king. Wars began to occur sporadically. The ravages of European diseases after 1722 made the situation worse. By the mid-eighteenth century. clan chiefs were constantly competing for power and influence. For the first time, the concept of ao, temporal power, became separated from the concept of mana. Ultimately, the Cult of Make-Make, or the Birdman Cult, became the primary way to assert clan dominance and distribute political power. At the beginning of spring, each clan sponsored a swimmer to make the dangerous swim to the offshore islet of Motu Nui and find the first egg of the season. This competition was seen as a true test of spiritual potency-- mana. The swimmer who arrived back first with an egg would present it to his chief, who would rule the island for a year. In 1808, the seven clan chiefs made an Agreement to share power. The Miru clan was forever stripped of its exclusive right to the kingship. All chiefly families are now understood to possess equal mana and have equal right to rule. The development of Rongorongo writing led to a class of people whose mana derived from their skills and learning rather than birthright. The tuhunga ta, writing experts, formed a class of people just below the chiefs. When Rongorongo was reformed in the 1930s and taught to everyone, the entire population in effect became tuhunga ta. The reform opened the door for Henua's unique brand of democracy, solidly rooted in the ancient concept of mana. This was exactly the point. |
| Council |
| The kings of Henua have always been assisted by a Council consisting of tuhunga, educated people . By the nineteenth century, the highest-ranked and most influential tuhumga were those who could read and write Rongorongo. In 1931 King Hakapuna urged a reform of the script to make it teachable to the general public. It was taught to the general populace, making everybody elligible for the Council. This made the government much more democratic. The unicameral Council is elected at large by the people. It consists of 21 members, called Advisors or 'Atua Hatu, elected for three-year terms, with seven seats up for election each year. Originally, each clan chose one member per year, but now Advisers are elected regardless of clan membership. Every year the Council elects a chairman called the Chief Adviser, who acts as Head of Government. The current CA is Kupenga Tuki. In June 2008 he replaced Rano'oka Pa'oa, the first woman to serve in that post. She was first elected in 2002 and was reelected five times. |
| King and Chiefs |
| Henua has a written constitution, the 1808 Agreement of the Seven Ariki plus more recent amendments. In practice, however, the division of power among King, Chiefs, and Council is informal and often depends on the personalities of individuals. For example, Nga'ara has recently been much more assertive in matters of foreign policy than his recent predecessors, which is causing conflict with many in the Council. The six 'Ariki besides Nga'ara, on the other hand, are content to take a backgrond role and manage their individual clans. The Council has recently been occupied with issues relating to immigration and tourism. There are no political parties in the formal sense, but some 'Atua Hatu do identify with recognizable ideologies. In particular, Ecotopism, a strident form of environmentalism, has become a visible force on the island. Nga'ara himself is an avowed Ecotopian, which has caused conflict with nativist or nationalist Council members, including Chief Adviser Rano'ika. Suffrage is extended to all citizens age 16 and up. Citizenship is available to residents after two years and requires a knowledge of spoken Arero Henua and written Rongorongo, participation in certain civic rituals, and an oath of loyalty. |
| Constitution |
| henua.tk |