Makahiki

Makahiki was a period set aside each Fall to pay tribute to Lono, the Hawaiian god of fertility, agriculture and peace. The observance began with the rise of Pleiades in early November, a sign that the rainy season was commencing. All the daily work of fishing and farming came to a stop and any wars were put on hold as people gave thanks for the year gone by and prayed for the year to come. Hoʻokupu from both land and sea were prepared -- fish, chickens, vegetables and handicrafts -- in the hopes that Lono would be pleased and bless the coming year with rain.

Tax collectors for the aliʻi traveled from village to village, stopping at the border of each ahupuaʻa to collect the hoʻokupu as tribute.

After everyone had paid their due, the partying began with feasting and competitive sports. Think of Makahiki as tax day, turkey day, the Olympics, new year and an armistice all rolled in to one. String those all together and you have a harvest festival that lasted up to four months. If you count shopping, prep work and sleeping in the next day, modern American Thanksgiving lasts at most... four days? Hawaiians knew how to party.

At the end of it all, the idea was that both the people and the land were refreshed and replenished for the planting season starting in early February. Any special altars erected for the festival were torn down and cleaned up, then a large basket was filled with a food and set adrift at sea as a prayer for a good crops in the coming year. Finally, the kapu against work and war were lifted. Back to work/war everyone.

This time last year, I was listing the Top Ten Reasons Thanksgiving is Better in Hawaii.

This entry was updated in November, 2009 to provide more Makahiki details.