ke kau makahiki- makahiki season
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The Makahiki season, marked by the rising of the star cluster Makaliʻi (Pleiades) in the eastern sky as the sun sets in the west, signals the start of the Hawaiian new year—a time of renewal, gratitude, and preparation. This celestial event ushers in the rainy season, a period vital for agriculture, and aligns with global traditions where the Pleiades mark shifts in agricultural cycles and seasonal transitions. The Pleiades, revered across cultures—from the Maori in New Zealand to the Quechua in the Andes—unite humanity in shared understandings of time, cycles, and the connections between the living and the departed. In Hawaiʻi, as in other cultures, the Makahiki season becomes a time to honor ancestors, cultivate abundance, and align with the rhythms of the natural world.
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Nature plays a vital role in Makahiki, with rain, thunder, and lightning signaling the vibrancy of the season. Large ocean birds such as the Kaʻupu come ashore to nest, mullet begin to spawn, koholā (humpback whales) return to Hawaiian waters to give birth, and migratory birds arrive, feeding on insects and ocean life that flourish during this time. These natural phenomena are closely observed as signs and warnings for the year ahead, emphasizing respect for the elements that sustain life.
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Central to the Makahiki season is the reverence for Lono, the Hawaiian deity of peace, agriculture, fertility, and abundance. Lono is celebrated as the provider of rain and the sustainer of crops, the elements essential for life. During this season, the people of Hawaiʻi honored Lono with thanksgiving for the past year's bountiful harvests, the preparation of new tools and clothing, and the offering of pule (prayers) and hoʻokupu (gifts) to ensure continued prosperity. Peace was paramount, as conflicts and warfare were forbidden in this sacred time dedicated to Lono, fostering unity and harmony across the islands.
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Lono’s traditions, brought to Hawaiʻi from Tahiti by Laʻamaikahiki in the 14th century, intertwine with farming, healing, and the spiritual connection to the land. On Kahoʻolawe, where Laʻamaikahiki established a center for these traditions, Lono also became a patron of healing practices, particularly the use of medicinal herbs such as pōpolo to treat illnesses brought on by the wet season.
Paʻani Makahiki- Games
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The Makahiki season has long been associated with games and friendly competition, honoring the legacy of Lonoikamakahiki, a 15th-century aliʻi and son of Keawenuiaʻumi. Lonoikamakahiki, remembered for popularizing the Makahiki games and festivities in memory of his wife, became a celebrated figure during this season. His contributions ensured that games became an enduring feature of Makahiki celebrations, fostering both entertainment and preparation for the challenges of the year ahead.
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On Molokaʻi, aliʻi in the Kālaʻeloa/Nāʻiwa region embraced the Makahiki spirit by constructing ʻulumaika and hōlua sled courses in districts such as Kaʻakēkē, Kaunakahakai, Maunaloa, Kaluakoʻi, Kalaupapa, and Nāʻiwa. These aliʻi showed their deep aloha for the people by hosting annual gatherings in a longhouse called Hālauloha, where games, hula, and festivities carried on for weeks, rain or shine. Makahiki games served a dual purpose: they were a celebration of peace and camaraderie while also providing opportunities to practice strategic thinking, physical fitness, and skill development. Competitions such as spear throwing, wrestling, and racing sharpened the abilities that would be crucial during the season of war that followed Makahiki.
This time of peace also blurred the boundaries between aliʻi and makaʻāinana, as the games provided a rare opportunity for the ruling class to mingle with the common people in a spirit of unity. Families and neighbors within each ahupuaʻa competed against one another, with the winners representing their communities in larger, island-wide competitions. These events strengthened bonds within and across communities, fostering a sense of shared identity and purpose.
Although these traditions ended on Molokaʻi in 1919 due to significant societal changes, 63 years later they were revived in 1982 during the Hawaiian Renaissance. Inspired by kūpuna like Harriet Ne, who had observed the Makahiki festivities as a child, Molokaʻi leaders recognized the value of reestablishing the games as a way to honor their heritage.
This time of peace also blurred the boundaries between aliʻi and makaʻāinana, as the games provided a rare opportunity for the ruling class to mingle with the common people in a spirit of unity. Families and neighbors within each ahupuaʻa competed against one another, with the winners representing their communities in larger, island-wide competitions. These events strengthened bonds within and across communities, fostering a sense of shared identity and purpose.
Although these traditions ended on Molokaʻi in 1919 due to significant societal changes, 63 years later they were revived in 1982 during the Hawaiian Renaissance. Inspired by kūpuna like Harriet Ne, who had observed the Makahiki festivities as a child, Molokaʻi leaders recognized the value of reestablishing the games as a way to honor their heritage.
Economy- Exchange & Entertainment
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The Makahiki season on Molokaʻi has long been a time of economic exchange, festivities, and community bonding. In the traditions of the Kālaʻeloa aliʻi, the finest athletes and hula dancers from across the island gathered to showcase their talents, compete, and bring home winnings for their ʻohana. These gatherings often sparked new relationships, with athletes, dancers, aliʻi, and spectators falling in love and forming unions that facilitated trade and gift-giving between districts.
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The festivities took place in locations such as Mimo Gulch at the Nāʻiwa Makahiki grounds, where a natural amphitheater hosted a pā hula and a mokomoko (boxing) ring. Aliʻi would sit on large pōhaku scattered along the sloping sides of the gulch, with the pā hula adorned by lauaʻe fern and shaded by a towering wiliwili tree. During these events, goods such as produce, poi, fish, chiefly regalia, tools, and clothing were brought to wager, alongside higher stakes such as livestock, land, and homes. These exchanges reinforced the interconnectedness of Molokaʻi’s communities and sustained the island's economy.
In modern times, the Makahiki Games continue this tradition of economic and cultural celebration. A large Hoʻolauleʻa accompanies the games, where vendors sell food and merchandise while attendees enjoy entertainment from professional performers. As schools and athletes from neighboring islands participate, they bring additional economic activity, making the season a prosperous time for Molokaʻi’s vendors and a vibrant celebration of cultural heritage and community.
makahiki in politics
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Makahiki has historically played a significant role in both politics and cultural revival. For island kings (aliʻinui/moʻi), Makahiki was an opportunity to travel through their kingdoms, assess the wellbeing of their people, and collect taxes in the form of hoʻokupu. These offerings, consisting of produce and goods, were redistributed among lesser-ranking aliʻi and konohiki as compensation for their contributions to the governance and maintenance of the kingdom.
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In the modern era, Makahiki became a powerful tool for cultural and political activism, particularly during the bombing of Kahoʻolawe by the U.S. Navy. Makahiki ceremonies were reestablished on the island as a religious practice, providing practitioners with legal access for the opening and closing of the season. Through persistent cultural and legal advocacy, these ceremonies became integral to the movement to stop the bombing, ultimately leading to the return of Kahoʻolawe for the future establishment of a "Sovereign Hawaiian Government."
Today, the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana (PKO) continues to honor Makahiki on the island with a focus on healing and regrowth. Annual pilgrimages are made to uplift prayers for the regeneration of native plants, the return of fresh water resources, and the possibility of people once again living on Kahoʻolawe year-round. These ceremonies serve to breathe life into an island once devastated by military use, transforming it into a symbol of resilience and cultural revival.
The Makahiki revival also extended to Molokaʻi, where the focus was on games and the health of the community. Some original PKO members hailed from Molokaʻi, ensuring the traditions flourished simultaneously on both islands. A younger generation of practitioners, inspired by the environmental rejuvenation witnessed on Kahoʻolawe, has since embraced the relevance of Makahiki to other islands. As a result, Makahiki celebrations have spread across Hawaiʻi, with pule and intentions aimed at sustaining healthy communities, restoring watersheds, and preserving the natural bounty that supports life throughout the islands.
Today, the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana (PKO) continues to honor Makahiki on the island with a focus on healing and regrowth. Annual pilgrimages are made to uplift prayers for the regeneration of native plants, the return of fresh water resources, and the possibility of people once again living on Kahoʻolawe year-round. These ceremonies serve to breathe life into an island once devastated by military use, transforming it into a symbol of resilience and cultural revival.
The Makahiki revival also extended to Molokaʻi, where the focus was on games and the health of the community. Some original PKO members hailed from Molokaʻi, ensuring the traditions flourished simultaneously on both islands. A younger generation of practitioners, inspired by the environmental rejuvenation witnessed on Kahoʻolawe, has since embraced the relevance of Makahiki to other islands. As a result, Makahiki celebrations have spread across Hawaiʻi, with pule and intentions aimed at sustaining healthy communities, restoring watersheds, and preserving the natural bounty that supports life throughout the islands.