Final answer:
Chiefs often assembled a tribute from each family's agricultural surplus, using this wealth to manage land and trade, supporting government functions and the community's well-being.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tribute a chief collects is often a percentage of each family's agricultural surplus or produced goods. This is a common practice in hierarchical societies where chiefs control economic resources, such as land and trade, and distribute this wealth to support the functioning of their communities. Tributes support various facets of government at all levels, which include royal courts, political advisers, priests, and military personnel, and facilitate public works like the construction of fishponds, water channels, and temples. Redistribution of wealth, as evidenced in chiefdoms, is instrumental in providing communities with essential services and maintaining social order. Chiefs also regulate trade, organize labor, and manage the production and distribution of prestige goods.