"Kahuna Kalai Ki'i"
(the carver of images)
Collection of the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture & the Arts

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As leading experts, kahuna were cultural counterparts of the guildmasters and priests of Mediaeval Europe. Beyond serving as the leading practitioner of his craft or profession, each acted as an interface between his guild and its patron spirits. As the guildmaster represented his colleagues at the cathedral, praying to their patron saint for spiritual assistance, so did the kahuna perform rituals at temple or shrine to solicit mana from the patron spirits of his guild. As in Europe, a guild was often dominated by an extended family, but exceptionally talented novices from other families might gain admittance.