Did you know that the games associated with the makahiki are a part of a love story?
\nIt begins with Lono coming to earth and meeting a chiefess, Kaikilani.\u00a0 They were married and lived in Kealakekua on Hawai\u2018i mokupuni.\u00a0 The other chiefs of the land were also enthralled by Kaikilani\u2019s beauty.\u00a0 One of these chiefs would chant love songs to Kaikilani.\u00a0 This caused Lono to question her fidelity to him and in a fit of rage and he killed her.\u00a0 Kaikilani being innocent proclaimed her love to Lono as she died and assured him that she was in fact faithful throughout their marriage.\u00a0 This caused great grief in Lono and to honor Kaikilani, he initiated the makahiki.
\nTo help relieve his grief he traveled around the island challenging each man to different athletic matches of mokomoko and h\u00e4k\u00f6k\u00f6.\u00a0 These would sometimes become hard fought challenges for Lono and helped him to relieve the grief of losing his wife.\u00a0 Thus began the sports of the makahiki.\u00a0 Because the initial games were begun in grief over the loss of his wife, Lono declared that during this time war be banned.\u00a0 When the time came to end the athletic challenges, Lono built a canoe and sailed to Kahiki.\u00a0 The people brought him food for his journey and he started his journey.\u00a0 He promised to return not on a canoe, but an island.
\nWith the ban on warring the warriors began challenging each other\u2019s skills in the art of war in a competitive non-war setting.\u00a0 Of these challenges were; ku\u2018iku\u2018i, mokokmoko, h\u00e4k\u00f6k\u00f6, k\u00fckini, k\u00e4k\u00e4 l\u00e4\u2018au, \u2018\u00f6\u2018\u00f6 ihe, and haka moa.\u00a0 These were sports were the art of war was obvious in the way the game was played.\u00a0 Other games help to sharpen the skill of the warrior like the \u2018ulu maika, ihe p\u00e4he\u2018e and moa p\u00e4he\u2018e.\u00a0 The only team activity during this time was hukihuki.\u00a0 As the victors were determined, tournaments were organized to find the champion of an island.
\nThere were also activities that built dexterity.\u00a0 There was k\u00f6nane, hei, kimo, h\u00fc, and pala\u2018ie.\u00a0 To test one\u2019s intellect games of nane and \u2018\u00f6lelo no\u2018eau were played.\u00a0 These were riddles and proverbs taken from what was seen in nature and the interactions of people.
\nHula was also a favorite activity during Makahiki.\u00a0 This was done like the games for the pleasure and enjoyment of both the participant and the audience.\u00a0 During the Makahiki chants and dances that honored Lono and the themes of significance were performed.\u00a0 These were mele about rain the fertility.\u00a0 One final activity of the Makahiki was ha\u2018i mo\u2018olelo.\u00a0 This would take place during meals and men and women ate separately.\u00a0 The stories would be of great heroes and legends, of family histories and of place.\u00a0 This was not only entertaining but also education, especially for the keiki.\u00a0 Many of the stories were told and retold for generations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Did you know that the games associated with the makahiki are a part of a love story? It begins with Lono coming to earth and meeting a chiefess, Kaikilani.\u00a0 They were married and lived in Kealakekua on Hawai\u2018i mokupuni.\u00a0 The … Continue reading