Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 11, 1 November 2007 — WAR AND PEACE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR AND PEACE

īhe challenges of staging modern-day makahiki celebrations on military lands

By Lisa Asatū Publicatiūns Editur Twenty-first century makahiki festivals encounter modern-day ehallenges, such as coordinating with the mihtary for access and trying to stay true to tradition, but festival organizers at a recent panel discussion said they are undeterred and continue to learn as they go. "The difficulty organizing our makahiki with the Navy is simply one of ship movements, and given the extreme difficulty of moving the submarines we have to pretty mueh plan ahead," said Shad Kane, who has helped coordinate the Moku'ume'ume (Ford Island) and Kapuaikaula (Hiekam Air Force Base) festival for about seven years. "There's been some years where we actually had to slow up, pull alongside and let the sub pass." Speaking to a group of about 75 people at the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies on Oct. 9, Kane and five other panelists covered everything from the relevance of makahiki in modern times to what they envision for future festivals. Scenarios included an island-wide event with shared opening and closing

ceremonies and games among the winners of eaeh ahupua'a. But a recurring theme was one of ehallenges and deciding how true to stay to tradition. "Can you have a makahiki with the food you grow in your ahupua'a, or do you have to go to Costco and buy sweet potatoes?" asked Kaio Camvel, whose wife's unele, Sam Lono, revived makahiki at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i in the late '70s on the basis of freedom of religion. The Hawaiian culture is a "living eulture," Camvel said, so it's OK to reinvent at times. What's important for the Mōkapu festival, he said, is cere-

mony, welcoming diverse groups and sharing food and mana'o. Makahiki, traditionally a four-month-long season of J peaee, sport and honoring A the Hawaiian fertility god, M Lono, starts with the rising ' at sunset of Makali'i, or the Pleiades constellation. This year the season begins Nov. 17. William Ailā of Hui Malama o Mākua, said

the challenges of holding a makahiki in Mākua center around destruction of the valley, whieh is an Army training ground, as well as more fundamental questions such as: Am I good enough? Is my ho'okupu good enough? Is my oli in the correct form? "The answer to those challenges are found in the wind," he said. At times, he said, 40 mph winds in the valley have stopped for half an hour while an oli was being chanted, and at other times the breeze will surge and "all of a sudden you get that eool wind pushing from behind. That's the demonstration that what you're doing may not be completely right, but your efforts are being appreciated." □

MO'OMEHEU • CULĪURE

MAKAHIKI EVENTS AAoku'ume'ume (Ford lsland) and Kapuaikaula (Hiekam Air Force Base) Sat„ Nov. 10 At 7:30 a.m. Lono enters harbor in a procession including eanoe clubs, with 8:30 a.m. at Moku'ume'ume and 11 a.m. landing at Hiekam Harbor heaeh, followed by festivities and games. Access is limited and participants must RSVP in advance to Shad Kane at kiha@hawaii. rr.com Kualoa Regional Sat„ Nov. 17: setup Nov. 1 6 atter 12 p.m. Sunrise procession followed by games and potluck at 9 a.m. Games are limited to men, and competitors must provide their own game implements. Attendees must provide their own food and drink and RSVP in advance by email to Umi Kai at uluponol® gmail.com Mōkua Military Reservation Fri.-Sat„ Nov. 16-17 Community access at 9 a.m. Saturday. To participate in the entire ceremony, eall William Ailā at 330-0376 for a training schedule or email ailaw001@ hawaii.rr.com. RSVP is required. Mōkapu (Marine Corps Base Hawai'i) Fri.-Sun„ Nov. 23-25 Processions, games and eahanas to accommodate about 200. Access is limited and participants must RSVP to Kaio Camvel at iolekaa@hawaii.rr.com Kaho'olawe Thurs.-Sun„ Nov. 15-18 Open to Kaho 'olawe returnees and cultural practitioners, the 2007 event is now closed as it requires paperwork and orientation to be completed a month in advance. For information on next year's event, contact Kim Ku'ulei Birnie of Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana at kkb@kahoolawe.org, 808-383-1651 or visit www. kahoolawe.org/home/?page_id=7

[?]