Makahiki
Encyclopedia
The Makahiki season was the ancient Hawaii
an New Year festival, in honor of the god Lono
of the Hawaiian religion
.
It was a holiday covering four consecutive lunar months, approximately from October or November through February or March. Thus it might be thought of as including the equivalent of modern Thanksgiving
and Christmas
traditions. Many religious ceremonies happened during this period. The people stopped work, made offerings to the chief or alii, and then spent their time practicing sports, feasting, dancing and having a good time. War during those four months was forbidden (kapu
).
Today, the Aloha Festivals
(originally Aloha Week) celebrate the Makahiki tradition.
s, taro
, sweet potatoes, dry fish, kapa
and mats. Some offerings were in the form of forest products such as feathers. The Hawaiian people had no money or other similar medium of exchange. These were offered on the altars of Lono at heiau
- temples - in each district around the island. Offerings also were made at the ahupuaa, stone altars set up at the boundary lines of each community.
All war was outlawed to allow unimpeded passage of the image of Lono. The festival proceeded in a clockwise circle around the island as the image of Lono (Akua Loa, a long pole with a strip of tapa and other embellishments attached) was carried by the priests. At each ahupuaa (each community also is called an ahupuaa) the caretakers of that community presented hookupu to the Lono image, a fertility god who caused things to grow and who gave plenty and prosperity to the islands.
The second phase was a time of celebration: of hula
dancing, of sports (boxing, wrestling, sliding on sleds
, javelin marksmanship, bowling, surfing
, canoe races, relays, and swimming), of singing and of feasting. One of the best preserved lava sled courses is the Keauhou Holua
National Historic Landmark.
In the third phase, the waa auhau — tax canoe — was loaded with hookupu and taken out to sea where it was set adrift as a gift to Lono. At the end of the Makahiki festival, the chief would go off shore in a canoe
. When he came back in he stepped on shore and a group of warriors threw spears at him. He had to deflect or parry the spears to prove his worthiness to continue to rule.
The sails and masts of Captain James Cook
's ship resembled Lono's Akua Loa. Captain Cook arrived at Kealakekua Bay
, near a large heiau to Lono, during the Makahiki season in 1778.
, the word Makahiki means "year" as well as the change from harvest time to the beginning of the agricultural season. This is probably came from Makalii hiki the rising of the Pleiades
which occurred about this time. It might also come from ma Kahiki, meaning roughly "as in Tahiti", since the legend of Lono is associated with voyages to and from Tahiti
.Its origins are linked to the "return" of Lono, during one of the early migrations, in the form of a mortal man.
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
an New Year festival, in honor of the god Lono
Lono
In Hawaiian mythology, the deity Lono is associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, and music. In one of the many Hawaiian legends of Lono, he is a fertility and music god who descended to Earth on a rainbow to marry Laka. In agricultural and planting traditions, Lono was identified with...
of the Hawaiian religion
Hawaiian religion
Hawaiian religion is the term used to describe the folk religious beliefs and practises of the Hawaiian people. It is unrelated to, though commonly confused with, the philosophy of Huna....
.
It was a holiday covering four consecutive lunar months, approximately from October or November through February or March. Thus it might be thought of as including the equivalent of modern Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
and Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
traditions. Many religious ceremonies happened during this period. The people stopped work, made offerings to the chief or alii, and then spent their time practicing sports, feasting, dancing and having a good time. War during those four months was forbidden (kapu
Kapu
Kapu refers to the ancient Hawaiian code of conduct of laws and regulations. The kapu system was universal in lifestyle, gender roles, politics, religion, etc. An offense that was kapu was often a corporal offense, but also often denoted a threat to spiritual power, or theft of mana. Kapus were...
).
Today, the Aloha Festivals
Aloha Festivals
The Aloha Festivals are an annual series of free cultural celebrations observed in the state of Hawaii in the United States. It is the only statewide cultural festival in the nation. It features concerts, parades, street parties called ho‘olaule‘a as well as various other special events planned...
(originally Aloha Week) celebrate the Makahiki tradition.
Festivities
The Makahiki festival was celebrated in three phases. The first phase was a time of spiritual cleansing and making hookupu, offerings to the gods. The Konohiki, a class of royalty that at this time of year provided the service of tax collector, collected agricultural and aquacultural products such as pigPig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s, taro
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
, sweet potatoes, dry fish, kapa
Kapa
Kapa is a fabric that was made by Native Hawaiians from the bast fibres of certain species of trees and shrubs in the orders Rosales and Malvales. It is similar to tapa found elsewhere in Polynesia but differs in the methods used in its creation...
and mats. Some offerings were in the form of forest products such as feathers. The Hawaiian people had no money or other similar medium of exchange. These were offered on the altars of Lono at heiau
Heiau
A heiau is a Hawaiian temple. Many types of heiau existed, including heiau to treat the sick , offer first fruits, offer first catch, start rain, stop rain, increase the population, ensure health of the nation, achieve success in distant voyaging, reach peace, and achieve success in war . Only the...
- temples - in each district around the island. Offerings also were made at the ahupuaa, stone altars set up at the boundary lines of each community.
All war was outlawed to allow unimpeded passage of the image of Lono. The festival proceeded in a clockwise circle around the island as the image of Lono (Akua Loa, a long pole with a strip of tapa and other embellishments attached) was carried by the priests. At each ahupuaa (each community also is called an ahupuaa) the caretakers of that community presented hookupu to the Lono image, a fertility god who caused things to grow and who gave plenty and prosperity to the islands.
The second phase was a time of celebration: of hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
dancing, of sports (boxing, wrestling, sliding on sleds
Hawaiian lava sledding
Hawaiian lava sledding is a traditional sport of the Native Hawaiians. Similar to wave surfing, hee hōlua involves the use of a narrow wooden sled . The sled is used standing up, lying down, or kneeling, to ride down man-made or naturally occurring courses of rock, often reaching speeds of ...
, javelin marksmanship, bowling, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, canoe races, relays, and swimming), of singing and of feasting. One of the best preserved lava sled courses is the Keauhou Holua
Keauhou Holua Slide
The Keauhou Hōlua Slide is located in Keauhou on the island of Hawaii. It is the largest and best-preserved hōlua course, used in the extremely dangerous toboggan-like activity restricted to the alii class of men, the nobility of ancient Hawaii. The remains are about long, of the original that...
National Historic Landmark.
In the third phase, the waa auhau — tax canoe — was loaded with hookupu and taken out to sea where it was set adrift as a gift to Lono. At the end of the Makahiki festival, the chief would go off shore in a canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
. When he came back in he stepped on shore and a group of warriors threw spears at him. He had to deflect or parry the spears to prove his worthiness to continue to rule.
Arrivals during the season
A royal birth during the season was sometimes given the name Lono i ka makahiki.The sails and masts of Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
's ship resembled Lono's Akua Loa. Captain Cook arrived at Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona.Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples, and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places listings on...
, near a large heiau to Lono, during the Makahiki season in 1778.
Origin
In the Hawaiian languageHawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, the word Makahiki means "year" as well as the change from harvest time to the beginning of the agricultural season. This is probably came from Makalii hiki the rising of the Pleiades
Pleiades (star cluster)
In astronomy, the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters , is an open star cluster containing middle-aged hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky...
which occurred about this time. It might also come from ma Kahiki, meaning roughly "as in Tahiti", since the legend of Lono is associated with voyages to and from Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
.Its origins are linked to the "return" of Lono, during one of the early migrations, in the form of a mortal man.
Further reading
- Handy, E. S. C. Ancient Hawaiian Civilization. Honolulu, HI: Mutual Publishing, 1999.
- Handy & Handy "Native Hawaiian Planters" B.P. Bishop Museum
- "The Rebirth of Makahiki" Article about past and current Makahiki activities. Maui No Ka 'Oi MagazineMaui No Ka 'Oi MagazineMaui Nō Ka Oi Magazine is a bi-monthly regional magazine published by the Haynes Publishing Group in Wailuku, Hawaii.The phrase Maui nō ka ʻoi means "Maui is unparallel" in the Hawaiian language. Maui Nō Ka Oi Magazine features stories relating to the culture, art, dining, environmental issues,...
Vol.10 No.4 (September 2006) - "Makahiki - The Hawaiian New Year" On-line article on Makahiki traditions.