The Hawaiian word for taboo or forbidden is kapu.
Kapu describes a restriction, prohibition, or sacred rule in Hawaiian culture. Depending on context, it can mean “forbidden,” “keep out,” “no trespassing,” “sacred,” or “holy.” The word therefore carries a broader meaning than an ordinary ban: something kapu may be dangerous to approach because it is connected with spiritual power, rank, or ritual sanctity.
The traditional kapu system regulated many areas of life, including religion, politics, food, gender roles, and interactions with chiefs. Breaking a serious kapu could bring severe punishment, sometimes death. Its opposite was noa, meaning ordinary, unrestricted, or free from ritual prohibition.
The system was formally abolished in 1819 under Kamehameha II, in a symbolic act that included sharing forbidden foods with women of the royal court. Kapu is related to Polynesian words such as tapu and tabu; the latter helped give English the word “taboo.” Kahuna means a ritual expert or specialist, while mana refers to spiritual power, so neither is a synonym for kapu.