---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the high-priest Paao arrived with…"
description: "\"“When the high-priest Paao arrived with Pili he introduced some new gods while recognizing the old, strengthened and enlarged the scope of the tabu, an..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/king-david-kalakaua-35546_quote_when-the-high-priest-paao-arrived-with-p_762611.jpg"
---

#  When the high-priest Paao arrived with Pili he introduced…

![“When the high-priest Paao arrived with Pili he introduced some new gods while recognizing the old, strengthened and enlarged the scope of the tabu, and established an hereditary priest-hood independent of, and second only in authority to, the supreme political head. Different grades of priests…” quote by King David Kalakaua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/king-david-kalakaua-35546_quote_when-the-high-priest-paao-arrived-with-p_762611.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/king-david-kalakaua-35546_quote_when-the-high-priest-paao-arrived-with-p_762611.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/king-david-kalakaua-35546_quote_when-the-high-priest-paao-arrived-with-p_762611.jpg)

> ““When the high-priest Paao arrived with Pili he introduced some new gods while recognizing the old, strengthened and enlarged the scope of the tabu, and established an hereditary priest-hood independent of, and second only in authority to, the supreme political head. Different grades of priests also came into existence, such as seers, prophets, astrologers and kahunas of various function, including the power of healing and destroying. In fact, the priesthood embraced ten distinct grades or colleges, each possessing and exercising powers peculiar to it, and the mastery of all of them was one of the qualifications of the high-priesthood. The tutelar deity of the entire body was Uli.””

[King David Kalakaua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-david-kalakaua/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The priesthood was expanded, creating new deities, ranks, and powers, while keeping older traditions, centralizing religious authority under the high priest and the deity Uli.

**In simple terms:** Priests added new gods and ranks, preserving old ones, and centralized power.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how institutions evolve by integrating new ideas with tradition.

Themes

religion authority cultural change hierarchy ritual

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

historical anthropological

When to use this quote

- colonial encounters
- modern religious reform
- cultural preservation
- community leadership

Key Concepts

theocracy social stratification ritual power

Questions to Reflect On

- How do societies balance new beliefs with old customs?
- What risks arise when religious authority becomes too centralized?

A Different Perspective

New layers can cause tension between innovation and tradition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Priesthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priesthood/)

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