What did the Makahiki Games celebrate?

Asked by: Randy Gignilliat

The appearance of the Makalii, also known as the Pleiades, in the eastern sky would mark the Hawaiian New Year and the start of the Makahiki (pronounced mah-kah-hee-kee) season. Makahiki was a time for the Hawaiians to honor Lono, the god of rain, agriculture, harvest, peace and fertility.

How did Hawaiians celebrate Makahiki?

The Makahiki was a time of joy and prayer – for the prosperity of the land, abundance of harvest and good health for family. Traditionally, Hawaiian families would come together for a luau and feast on kalua pig, a tender, shredded pork cooked in an imu, or underground pit.

Why do we celebrate Makahiki?

We still celebrate Makahiki today. Lono-i-ka-makahiki or Lono is the main god associated with the Makahiki. He brings prosperity to the land and is associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music, and peace.

Who was celebrated during Makahiki?

Lono-i-ka-makahiki, Lono as the god of agriculture and fertility was honored during the makahiki festival held annually. The Makahiki season is a four-month period of the year, beginning with the first sighting of the makali`i (the constellation Pleiades) in late October or early November on the horizon.

What is the purpose of the Makahiki ceremony on Kaho Olawe?

We wanted to be involved with ritual and ceremony to learn to acknowledge and thank Lono for our `aina and to ask Lono for assistance in the revegetation of Kaho`olawe. This was our primary goal for the reinstitution of the Makahiki, not to stop the bombing or to return the island from the U.S. military.

What does Makahiki mean?

Definition of makahiki



: a period of several months which was celebrated each fall in ancient Hawaii with athletic contests, religious rites, and payment of tribute to chiefs and during which all warfare was tabooed.

How do you pronounce Makahiki?

And happy new year there's a lot of great things going on this year here at the resort. And we can't wait to share them with you. So.

What is Makahiki in Hawaiian?

The word makahiki can refer to a time of celebration, the ceremonies and activities observed during this particular time of year, or a complete calendar year. Traditionally for Hawaiians, our calendar year is divided into two seasons, Kau (the dry season) and Hoʻoilo (the wet season).

How do Hawaiians celebrate New Years?

When the New Year does finally start in Hawaii, it will do so in island style including New Years Eve parties, fireworks, parties, food, drink, beach activities and more. Hawaii’s diverse ethnic population ensures a unique, rich New Year, a Hawaiian fusion of traditions that begin with fireworks.

How do Hawaiians say Happy New Year?

Because makahiki also means “year”, the Hawaiian phrase for “Happy New Year” became “Hau’oli (happy) Makahiki (year) Hou (new)“(how-OH-lee mah-kah-hee-kee ho).

What is Lono the god of?

Fertility, rainfall, agriculture and music god, one of four gods in Hawaiian mythology along with Kanaloa, Kāne (twin brothers) and Kū-ka-ili-moku (Ku). Lono was also the god of peace.

What is Kāne the god of?

Associated with dawn, sun and sky, Kane seems to have been the highest of the four great deities. He was the god of procreation and the ancestor of all humans, both chiefs and commoners.

What are the Kinolau of Lono?

Lono had many kinolau (body forms) including the dark kona (southern) clouds during this season that brought the nourishing rains that would continue to make the land fertile. An abundance of other procreative energies meant new growth among all the many animate creations of the universe, including man.

What does Kinolau mean?

Kinolau translates literally as many bodies. Kinolau refers to when any plant, animal, or force of nature, such as rain, flowing lava flowing and air or ocean currents are an embodiment of a particular god or goddess.

How many Hawaiian gods are there?

One breakdown of the Hawaiian pantheon consists of the following groups: the four gods (ka hā) – Kū, Kāne, Lono, and Kanaloa. the forty male gods or aspects of Kāne (ke kanahā) the four hundred gods and goddesses (ka lau)

What is Aikapu?

Aikapu: Metaphor of Separation (ordering of society) 1. men & women eating separately. a) phallic symbols & kinolau (forbidden to women)

What is the Aikapu and how did it affect traditional Hawaiian society?

Abstract. Before 1819 Hawaiian society was ruled by a system of ritual laws called kapu. One of these, the aikapu (sacred eating), required men and women to eat separately. Because eating was ritual, some food items, symbolically associated with male deities, were forbidden to women.

Why was the kapu system created?

The Kapu system was made for women and mens protection, but also their corrections or rights against each other. This law has been used until 1819 where King Liholiho, his mother Queen Keōpūolani and his father’s other queen Kaʻahumanu abolished this law.

What are the main points from the concept of Imihaku?

The main points for the ‘imihaku was the relationship the Ali’i Nui had with the Akuas as they were their intermediaries. If famine struck, the Mo’i was believed to be at fault of offending Lono because they did not placate Lono during the 4 months.

What are the Hawaiian concepts of time?

The idea of Hawaiian time is the relaxed attitude of being punctual, which people all over the country refers it as a common perception of life in Hawaii being relaxed where people don’t really care about things.

How many vowels are there in Hawaiian?

5 vowels

You sometimes hear that the Hawaiian alphabet has only 12 letters — 7 consonants and 5 vowels — which represent all the basic sounds, or phonemes, in the language.