Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 1, 1 January 2014 — MAKAHIKI CEREMONY INSTILLS SENSE OF PEACE, FORGIVENESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MAKAHIKI CEREMONY INSTILLS SENSE OF PEACE, FORGIVENESS

About 25 pa'ahao (prisoners) at Hālawa Correctional Facility recently observed the start of the Makahiki season. Ceremonies, held twice a year, attract a growing number of participants and are a result of years of litigation by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. on the exercise of Native Hawaiian religion in correctional facilities. OHA has been working with the state Department of Public Safety, Pacific Justice and Reconeiliahon Center and Native Hawaiian Church to conduct ceremonies in the medium-se-curity facility with inmates desiring to practice their culture. The recent Nov. 26 observance included participation by Joseph Loko'olu Quintero, who teaches ceremonial protocol to the prisoners; Kumu Hula Vanessa Helsham, who teaches hula at the facility; Kahu Kaleo Patterson and Ha'aheo Guanson of PJRC; Gary Kaplan of DPS; and OHA Trustee Dan Ahuna and Kamaile Maldonado of OHA's Advocacy Line of Business, who participated in the 'awa ceremony. The makahiki ceremonies, whieh instill a sense of peaee, healing and forgiveness, are as powerful for inmates as they are for correctional staff .-Photo:KaiMaikell