Tapu (Polynesian culture)

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Tapu is a Polynesian traditional concept denoting something holy or sacred, with "spiritual restriction" or "implied prohibition"; it involves rules and prohibitions. The English word taboo derives from the latter meaning and dates from Captain James Cook's visit to Tonga in 1777. The concept exists in many Polynesian societies, including traditional Māori, Samoan, Kiribati, Rapanui, Tahitian, Hawaiian, and Tongan cultures, in most cases using a recognisably similar word (from Proto-Polynesian *tapu). In Hawaii, a similar concept is known as kapu; /t/ and /k/ are standard allophonic variations in Hawaiian phonology.

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