Kapus were strictly enforced. Breaking one, even unintentionally, often meant immediate death,[1] Koʻo kapu. The concept is related to taboo and the tapu or tabu found in other Polynesian cultures. The Hawaiian word kapu is usually translated to English as "forbidden", though it also carries the meanings of "keep out", "no trespassing", "sacred", "consecrated", or "holy".
The opposite of kapu is noa, meaning "common" or "free".
The social structure of ancient Rome was based on heredity, property, wealth, their patroni, and the number of these greeters helped determine social status.
