Aha Makahiki ma Maui Hikina

The season of Makahiki commemorates the seasonal shift from fall to winter in Hawaiʻi and officially begins when the constellation Pleiades, or Makaliʻi in Hawaiian, rises at sunset. This time is characterized by increased rainfall, high winds, and rough seas, which our ancestors recognized as a fertile period to focus on agriculture, music, and peace.

In November of each year, Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke collaborates with multiple community partners, including Ala Kukui, Holani Hale, Hale Hulu Mamo, Hāna School, Kahanu Garden (of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens), and the Hui ʻAha Awa, to host the annual East Maui opening ceremony of Makahiki at the foot of Piʻilanihale heiau, the largest in Polynesia.

For over 10 years, MKHKI has joined the East Maui community in celebrating Lono in the plants and animals that sustain us. The ceremony includes an opening procession and presentation of hoʻokupu on the lele, awa ceremony, hula, and ʻāi māmā. Each hui stewards an essential element of the day. Last year, the MKHKI Kahu ʻAi Pono culinary team prepared the ʻai māmā for over 400 participants.

In the weeks leading up to and following the ceremony, the MKHKI Mālama Hāloa team trains students in various Makahiki traditional games, culminating in an annual competition.