HILO » This weekend marks the 28th annual makahiki games in Hilo, but the celebration of the beginning of the traditional peaceful season got underway more than a week ago on Hawaii island.
Participants are gathering through Sunday at Puhi Bay in Hilo for live music, games, food, cultural demonstrations and fishing competitions.
Makahiki — the ancient Hawaiian New Year festival — consists of a four-month observance dedicated to Lono, the deity of agriculture, rain and fertility. Traditionally, it was a time when war was forbidden.
The season starts in November on the first new moon after the constellation Makalii, the Pleaides, becomes visible on the horizon. It is a time to celebrate harvest and play competitive games, and is a period of peace.
Last week Hawaii island resident and cultural advocate Mikahala Roy led a star-rising ceremony at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park as part of the tradition. The rising of the stars begins the season of hooilo, Hawaiian winter, Roy said, and the setting of the stars in the west at the rising of the sun in the east begins the season of kau, summer.
"There are the two seasons for us," she explained.
Roy said she’s been participating in the ceremony for at least 30 years and describes it as the beginning of a "great sacred time of the year" and an opportunity to educate others about Hawaiians and their culture.
"I believe, deep inside, the people from Hawaii and the Pacific know the elements of living in harmony. It is a life that calls people to live by their naau (deep heart) in aloha kekahi i kekahi (love one for another)," she said. "The world may learn the best things about Hawaiian culture in the makahiki period of peace. The world may discover valued spiritual practices. The world may discover ancient healing practices that have identified Hawaii and the Pacific as a healing place for the world. The world may discover how the Hawaiian people could live on islands yet strive to keep harmony their priority."
This year’s star-rising ceremony was similar and different from the original ceremonies, Roy said. It was similar in that the heart of the ceremony was rooted in gratitude for life by source or "supreme creator" and that it was carried out with sacred intention. Roy said it differed in some ways in that the ceremony was spoken in English and that it was celebrated in one evening at one location.
"The original celebrations were recognized everywhere as the beginning of a revered, restorative long period of peace, of prayer and cultivation of spirit and nurturing of the arts," she said.
Native Hawaiian Ku Ching, 78, said he enjoys participating in any event that celebrates his culture.
"I’m always interested in Hawaiian activities," he said.
Along with the ceremony, Ching participated in the Makahiki Pule Aina Holo, a four-day ceremonial relay run that ended Sunday and covered 252.3 miles.
Ching said the event was a first of its kind.
"It was total jubilation, elation, all of those kinds of things," he said. "It was so exciting watching all these people high-five each other while they’re running down the road."
This weekend’s makahiki events at Puhi Bay are free and open to the public and end at 10 p.m. Sunday.
