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The Kaʻahele is an ancient Makahiki tradition that embodies unity, celebration, and the honoring of ancestors across the island of Molokaʻi. In centuries past, the Kaʻahele began with the winners of each ahupuaʻa traveling clockwise around the island, starting from the lush Koʻolau valleys, moving through Hālawa, along the southern shores to Lāʻau Point, then north to ʻĪlio Point, and back east along the northern cliffs, passing through Mōʻomomi, and culminating at the Nāʻiwa Makahiki Grounds. As the procession moved through each district, the winning participants from each ahupuaʻa joined the Kaʻahele, creating a growing caravan of athletes, families, and cultural representatives. The journey culminated at Nāʻiwa with a grand celebration of games, where district champions competed to determine the island-wide winners for each sport.
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Throughout the Kaʻahele, familial guardians and ancestors of each ahupuaʻa were honored and acknowledged. At Nāʻiwa, this reverence was reflected in a dramatic contest where athletes recited personal oli moʻokūʻauhau (genealogical chants) to call upon their ancestors and then performed cliff jumps, trusting that their ancestors, embodied as winds, would guide them safely to the ground. While this sport is no longer practiced for safety reasons, it symbolizes the deep spiritual connection to one’s lineage and the land.
Each ahupuaʻa also presented hoʻokupu (offerings) to the carrier of the Lonomakua banner and their company, with specific gifts representing their ʻaumākua (ancestral guardians) and community. Examples included ʻohā from Waialua, manini fish from Kainalu, ʻōʻō ihe (spears) from ʻAhaʻino, and kōkea sugarcane from Pūkoʻo. Edible offerings such as ʻai (starches), iʻa (fish), and salt, gathered throughout the journey, were consumed by the contestants during the culminating games at Nāʻiwa.
Throughout the Kaʻahele, familial guardians and ancestors of each ahupuaʻa were honored and acknowledged. At Nāʻiwa, this reverence was reflected in a dramatic contest where athletes recited personal oli moʻokūʻauhau (genealogical chants) to call upon their ancestors and then performed cliff jumps, trusting that their ancestors, embodied as winds, would guide them safely to the ground. While this sport is no longer practiced for safety reasons, it symbolizes the deep spiritual connection to one’s lineage and the land.
Each ahupuaʻa also presented hoʻokupu (offerings) to the carrier of the Lonomakua banner and their company, with specific gifts representing their ʻaumākua (ancestral guardians) and community. Examples included ʻohā from Waialua, manini fish from Kainalu, ʻōʻō ihe (spears) from ʻAhaʻino, and kōkea sugarcane from Pūkoʻo. Edible offerings such as ʻai (starches), iʻa (fish), and salt, gathered throughout the journey, were consumed by the contestants during the culminating games at Nāʻiwa.
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In January 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in partnership with Moʻolono o Molokai, the kaʻahele was reintorduced in our community to ensure the continuation of our cherished traditions. Spearheaded by Moʻolono Keoki and Mikiala Pescaia, the Kaʻahele i Molokai brought Makahiki back to its kahiko (ancient) roots, carrying the Lonomakua banner on foot across the island. The journey began at the easternmost point of Molokaʻi in Hālawa Valley and ended at Hale-o-Lono in Kaluakoʻi, traversing every ahupuaʻa over 5 days. Along the way, schools were visited, moʻolelo (stories) were shared with keiki, and hoʻokupu (offerings) were presented by community members, uniting the island in gratitude and reverence.
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Since its inception in 2021, the Kaʻahele i Molokai has become and continues to be a powerful tradition celebrated on Molokaʻi. More than a ceremonial journey, it is a profound connection to our ʻāina, our kūpuna, and our cultural identity. This sacred trek honors the enduring spirit of Makahiki while uniting the Molokaʻi community in the same spirit of peace, renewal, and abundance that Lono represents. The Kaʻahele i Molokai has solidified its place as a living tradition that inspires current and future generations to walk in the footsteps of their kūpuna, ensuring that the essence of Makahiki thrives for years to come.
For more information about the Kaʻahele i Molokai, contact Waipilihoa at 808-445-5787.
For more information about the Kaʻahele i Molokai, contact Waipilihoa at 808-445-5787.