Feast and Celebration

noelani anderson / KA LAMAKUA

Makahiki hula in Waimea Valley mark the uniquely

Hawaiian celebrations of this Thanksgiving season.

by Noelani Anderson

Thanksgiving is, as we all know, a day of feasting. Every year when that last Thursday in November comes around we gravitate amongst our friends and family  to celebrate the company of loved ones by cooking our favorite dishes, carrying on kitchen traditions and eating all weekend long. The foods are rich, the flavors are familiar and the atmosphere is a comfortable, cozy one, warming us up to the holiday season.

Hawaii is unique when it comes to the holidays. Many mainlanders would argue that there is no sign in Hawaii that the holidays have begun because the weather remains sunny and the days only get shorter by about an hour. Islanders, however, celebrate in style, and by that I mean there is always pleny food, drink, laughter, games and holo holo. The truth is that Hawaii has long been home to a tradition of rest, play and feasting between the months of november and febuary, which is known as the time of the makahiki. The word 'makahiki' means "year", "new year", and also refers to the four month period during which thanksgiving, christmas and the new year coincidentially take place. Before missionary influence and the influx of Western culture this four month period was Makahiki - Christian holidays were still foreign.

During the Makahiki season war was kapu (forbidden), offerings were made to the god Lono, who is the deity of agriculture and fertility, games such as Hawaiian sledding and javelin throwing took place as well as competition in surfing,canoe paddling, swimming, wrestling and boxing. Feast, dance, and song along with spiritual ceremony and dedications to Lono were fundamental in the time of Makahiki and many types of work such as farming and fishing were kapu (outlawed) except for specific days designated by the ali'i (chiefs).

Makahiki is a complex and essential part of Hawaiian culture (kalamai (excuse me) for the breif explanation), but long story short, Hawaii knows how to eat, drink and be merry, living aloha all the while. The weekend before thankgiving many modern day makahiki festivals are held throughout the islands, offering hula, hawaiian music, laulau and poi as well as other cultural activites. Makahiki is a time of play as much as it is a time of gratitude and offering, a time to enjoy the beauty of the people around us and the place we live. Likewise, every time thanksgiving comes around we remember what we sometimes forget...our blessings. We give thanks and enjoy the life we're giving thanks for.

This thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season embrace fun, peace, family and love. Forget the commercial aspects of the season and get back to the roots, celbrate makahiki style, giving plenty mahalos to akua (the gods), surfing, swimming and enjoying the beauty of our island home and of course...support Hawaii farmers and kau kau (eat) local foods!