Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 9, 1 September 2020 — Shine On - The Legacy of the Hawaiian Moon Calendar [ARTICLE]

Shine On - The Legacy of the Hawaiian Moon Calendar

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By Kuni Agard Culture and business - the two ean be partners in a way that is authentic, lucrative and pono. Nānā i ke kumu (look to the source)! From the inception of man, as told in the Kumulipo, kānaka maoli have relied on the experience of their kūpuna to guide them with ancient knowledge that has been dutifully passed down over generations. One of the stewards of this 'ike kūpuna is the Prince Kūhiō Hawaiian Civic Club (PKHCC), who was gifted an ancient Hawaiian moon calendar by long-time member and patron Barbara "Bobbee" Mills-Diaz, who sadly passed away on May 8, 2020. During a visit to her Punalu'u home by fisherman and family friend, Jimmy Pu'uohao of Keaukaha, Mills-Diaz inquired about the exasperation he had regarding the condition of the water that day saying it was, "'ole days." When she was told there would be nothing from the oeean on 'ole days, she fixated on that and thus began her deep dive into all the material she could get her hands on about what 'ole meant and how it was significant to the moon calendar. In the early 60s, after extensive research and assistance by Spencer Tinkerer of the Waikīkī Aquarium over a two year period, the first moon calendar was printed by Edward Enterprises, the same vendor that prints it today. Mills-Diaz presented PKHCC with the moon calendar as a means to raise funds for preschool scholarships, selling them for $1.50 eaeh; the calendar has gained renown since that time and is featured in many book stores

and fishing shops, and ean be seen adorning the walls of many offices all around Hawai'i - updated eaeh year. Currently, PKHCC sells the Ancient Hawaiian Moon Calendar to support club activities and to fund scholarships for those who have opted for advanced degrees with a commitment to join and grow the outreach of the organization. Honoring the legacy of Aunty Bobbee Mills-Diaz, Kalei Nu'uhiwa has painstakingly updated the calendar every year since 2005. In 2018, moon calendar committee chairs Charmain and Bruce Wong traveled to the University of Hawai'i Maui Campus to present a video featuring Mills-Diaz discussing the creation of her Kaulana Mahina (Hawaiian Lunar Calendar) at the ' Aimalama: A Mauliauhonua Experience Conference on Hawaiian moon calendars. The Prince Kūhiō Hawaiian Civic Club scholarship program, started by PKHCC founder Lili'uokalani Kawānanakoa Morris, has raised thousands of dollars in scholarships since it was established. We have eome full circle as this ancestral awareness of Earth's moon still guides the fishing and farming activities of modern-day Hawaiians and helps to fund the higher education for 'ōiwi leaders of tomorrow. Mahalo nui Aunty Bobbee! Watch a video of Bobbee Mills-Diaz at: http://pkhcc.org/mooncalendar ■ Kuni Agard is the grandson of Buzzy Agard. He is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and the University ofHawai 'i at Mānoa, and an entrepreneur focused on technology and heahh.