Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 9, 1 September 1988 — Waimea Falls Park Re-enacts Old Rite [ARTICLE]

Waimea Falls Park Re-enacts Old Rite

Waimea Falls Park celebrates its llth Annual Makahiki Festival Oct. 1 and 2 with a first time presentation of an ancient ritual known as "kapu kuapola." This will be reenacted on the eve of the Makahiki, Friday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m. Rudy Leikaimana Mitchell, park historian and archaeologist, said it will be the first time this ceremony has ever been reenacted. The kapu kuapola will be reenacted by the men of Halau O Waimea at the park's recently renovated Hale O Lono. "I have been doing extensive research into its history to prepare for our event and the latest reference to kapū kuapola I have found was in the log of Captain George Vancouver in 1975," Mitchell explained.

"The kapu kuapola of ancient Hawai'i occurred when the skies of the western heavens began to change from their deep blue hue to the orange of the setting sun as it set below the horizon and the a'o (light of day) began to transform to the po (darkness of night)," he added. It involved the observation of a series of constellations whieh symbolized the start of the new year and a time for the festival of the harvest known as the makahiki. The ali'i nui (ruling chief), kahuna nui (high priest) and the kahuna kilokilo (astronomer), would gather at a Hale O Lono or temple of the god of agricultural growth. The three would wait as the astronomfer observed stars within the consteIlations uliuli, melemele, kamahana and a iki kau e Lono, better known today as Taurus, Orion, Gemini and Canis Major.

As eaeh was observed, the priest would chant and perform an act designed to give life and fertility to the land and purify the temple. At the end of the ritual, when the entire series of constellations had been observed, the new year was proclaimed throughout the land. Call 638-8511 for more information on the reenactment program or the makahiki festival.