Makahiki
makahiki season ancient hawaiian new year festival honor god lono hawaiian religion holiday covering four consecutive lunar month approximately october november february march focus season time men woman chief rest strengthen body great feast commemoration ʻahaʻaina hoʻomanaʻo makahiki season labor prohibited day resting feasting hawaiian gave thanks god lonoikamakahiki care brought life blessing peace victory land also prayed god death enemy makaʻainana commoner prayed land aliʻi chief may increased physical health along health chief fullest antiquity many religious ceremony occurred period commoner stopped work made offering chief aliʻi spent time practicing sport feasting dancing renewing communal bond four lunar month makahiki season warfare forbidden used ritually inscribed mean assure nothing would adversely affect new crop today aloha festival originally aloha week celebrate makahiki tradition makahiki festival celebrated three phase first phase time spiritual cleansing making hoʻokupu offering god konohiki class chief managed land provided service tax collector collected agricultural aquacultural product pig taro sweet potato dry fish kapa mat offering form forest product feather hawaiian people money similar medium exchange offered altar lono heiau temple district around island offering also made ahu stone altar set boundary line community war outlawed allow unimpeded passage image lono festival proceeded clockwise circle around island image lono akua loa long pole strip tapa embellishment attached carried priest ahupuaʻa community also called ahupuaʻa caretaker community presented hoʻokupu image lono fertility god caused thing grow gave plenty prosperity island akua loa adorned white kapa streamer king placed niho palaoa necklace deity certain time deity couldnt upright therefore laid put horizontally “sign homage king second phase time celebration hula dancing sport boxing wrestling sliding sled javelin marksmanship bowling surfing canoe race relay swimming singing feasting game played physical sport game played mind however contestant judged family name also line one best preserved lava sled course keauhou holua national historic landmark kanaka maoli also passionate game mind game consisted riddle recitation genealogy proverb knowledge hidden meaning ancestor cherished game held dear naʻau also placed bet favorite champion common practice traditional time daring bet life well makahiki game still practiced today many organization enrichment program younger generation learn ancestor third phase waʻa ʻauhau — tax canoe — loaded hoʻokupu taken sea set adrift gift lono end makahiki festival chief would go shore canoe came back stepped shore group warrior threw spear deflect parry spear prove worthiness continue rule royal birth season sometimes given name lono ka makahiki sail mast captain james cook ship resembled lonos akua loa captain cook arrived kealakekua bay near large heiau lono makahiki season ancient hawaiian split year two season first called makahiki season period four lunar month second lasted eight lunar month ritual kū practiced hawaiian language word makahiki mean year well change harvest time beginning agricultural season probably came makaliʻi hiki rising pleiades known hawaii makaliʻi occurred time might also come kahiki meaning roughly tahiti since legend lono associated voyage tahiti origin linked return lono one early migration form mortal man beginning makahiki generally fixed year astronomical observation island hawaiʻi makaliʻi pleiades star cluster rise shortly sunset usually november rising following first crescent moon mark beginning season oʻahu may begin makaliʻi rise puʻu mahuka heiau seen kaena point star ʻaʻa sirius appears conjunction particular land form high cliff matariki native hawaiian cuisine handy e c ancient hawaiian civilization honolulu hi mutual publishing handy edward smith craighill handy elizabeth green pukui mary kawena native planter old hawaii life lore environment honolulu bishop museum press rev ed isbn rebirth makahiki article past current makahiki activity maui ka oi magazine vol september makahiki hawaiian new year online article makahiki tradition photo various aspect makahiki wikipedia common