Pre- Contact
Due to the 'Aikapu system, the Native Hawaiian women were forbidden to eat pig, coconut, banana, and certain red fish. They were not able to eat these types of foods because they were considered phallic symbols which were associated with the God Lono, one of the major male Akua. The Akua Lono is a male symbol because of his association with rooting to the female earth. The system was not always about the gender role, but it was about the rank and the determined status. The Ali'i women had more privileges than the male commoners. Although high ranking women had titles, they still had to adhere to the 'Aikapu system. The women were restricted in Hawaiian society, especially before the overthrow. The women were not allowed to eat with the men. Not unless the women was the highest ranking women, ali'i, she was not allowed into the heiau where political and religious decisions were made. The men did a lot of the heavy duty labor in fishing, agriculture, and also cooked the meals. The women also made mats and barkcloth, collected shellfish, and were more closely in raising the infants.
Post- Contact
After the westerners came, the Hawaiians no longer lived by the kapu system, the gender roles began to change. Now in this present day, men and women are allowed to eat with one another. Women have no limits to what they choose to do in life and what they want to accomplish and achieve. Now women can eat pig, coconut, banana, and all the red fish they desire! Men today don't need to do the heavy duty labor. If a man wants to be a couch potato, then he can be a couch potato. Now women and men can do what they please and they do not have to follow the rules of what men and women are capable of doing.
Future
Men will become the housewives and women will be the ones working. Child population will rise due to men taking care of them at home opposed to going to work. I see that in the future, we may have a woman president because women today have an option in excelling in the career they want to do. If women's rights have improved over the decades, there will be an increase of women having higher degrees and ranks than men. There will be women positions in the Hawaiian government.