Lonoikamakahiki

​

Makahiki - a season of peace, gratitude and excellence.

Manulani Aluli Meyer

Friday October 8, 2021

​

Nā Huihui o Makali`i

Our mythic origins

​

Ho`oilo

Marks the beginning

of winter + a new year

in the month of Welehu (October/November)

​

4 month long period

• Peace
• Gratitude
• Excellence

nā huihui o Makalii

(Pleiades)

Lonomakua

Deity of peace, the harvest, crops,

agriculture, rains, fertility, and

our human orifices

Bishop Museum image approved 4/15/2012

Akua loa

�In the dark cloud of Lono�Lono's water gourd takes form�Grant us Lono’s gourd of many winds�Let Lono's rains come�Increase the life�Increase the plant growth�Increase life in man

(child of Ho‘ohokulani)

�from a Makahiki chant by Nalani Kanaka‘ole�

I ke ao ‘eka ‘eka o Lono�Kukulu ka ipu ‘eka ‘eka o Lono�Ho mai ka ipu lau makani o Lono�Ia hiki mai ka ua o Lono�Ho‘oulu ke ea�Ho‘oulu ke kupu�Ho‘oulu ka wai nape i ke kama o Ho‘ohokulani�

Kau ke po’o i ka uluna o Welehu ka malama

Rest the head on the pillow; Welehu is the month

Said of one whose work is done and who is able to rest.

Welehu is a stormy month when little can be done except remain at home & sleep.

Ka ua kani lehua: Hilo

Welehu is an extremely active time. Welehu is the rainiest of all the wet months. We can expect active Kona storms, northern storms, thunder, lightening, heavy rain, flooding, rough seas, and snow on high mountain peaks, excessive dew on the grass and leaves, sea squalls, gusting wind, rainbows, waterspouts, marine birds, koholā, and thick pua`a clouds. Little can be done except remain at home and sleep. Source: Kalei Nu`uhiwa

Makahiki celebrated the harvest and was a time of personal rest for spiritual and cultural renewal. All wars + battles ceased, tributes and gifts/taxes were given to the ruling chief, and a wide choice of sporting competitions/festive events commenced. It was the start of winter/new year. Peace, Gratitude, Excellence marked this time.

Peace

No war

Modern Hawai`i

​

Peace as the practice of our Makahiki is no longer about

the absence of war - it is about the presence of consciousness

with each other.

No harmful thinking,

no gossip, and no negative exchanges. This is how we bring Lono and peace into our lives today.

Questions

​

• How do you cultivate and practice peaceful intentions?

​

• How is the Makahiki Season a time to discipline yourself, your team, your ʻohana?

Gratitude

Makahiki marked a time of harvest, abundance,

and the showing of gratitude to ali`i and all elemental forms.

Modern Hawai`i

We practice this sense of gratitude through conscious meals, heightened pule, collective work, ritual events of meaning, and a million small ways that amplifies and expands by its own accord.

Questions:

​

• How do you show your gratitude to others, and to yourself?

​

• How do you nourish this sense of grateful awareness in the world?

Excellence

NiU NOW! cultural agroforestry movement at UH West Oahu in Niu Nursery. NiU NOW! feeding MAʻO Farms gang (90+ Interns) with creative/homemade grinds.

Our

Village of Palehua celebrating the Makahiki.

Questions

​

• How do you express your own unique excellence?

​

• How does the Makahiki Season offer you space to expand your excellence with your ʻohana, your organization, your community?

Hahai no ka ua i ka ululaʻau.

Plant a forest and the rains will come.

Share purpose with others and live a life of meaning.

Mahalo nui e kuu mau hoa!

Mahalo for allowing us this time.

​

Ma ka hana ka ʻike.

By my actions, teach my mind.

​

Ulu ka pono,

Manu

Gathering puha to make stew @ MAO Farms in Lualualei Valley, Waianae