Final answer:
Kokuas in leper settlements provided support and aid to those with leprosy, which might have included spiritual support, but they were not specifically religious leaders. Clerics or religious workers traditionally provided spiritual support in historical leper colonies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of Kokuas in leper settlements was critical, particularly in the context of historical leper colonies like those in Hawaii. While Kokuas are not explicitly religious leaders, the term "Kokua" in Hawaiian culture refers to a helper or a person who provides support. In the broad sense of the term, Kokuas played a supportive role for people suffering from leprosy in colonies by providing various forms of assistance, which could have included spiritual support alongside day-to-day care and aid.
This is reflective of the ethos found in many religious and ethical systems, including those of the Christian missionaries who often played roles in aid and education in colonies worldwide. However, the specific designation of Kokuas as religious leaders like priests or officials within the Church who would have provided spiritual support is not aligned with the traditional understanding of the term within the leper settlements. In historical leper colonies, the role of providing spiritual support would have more commonly been filled by assigned clerics or religious workers, rather than lay helpers identified as Kokuas.