Makahiki (part 1)

Did you know that Makahiki is more than just the games we’ve come to associate with this time of year?
Makahiki is a four-month season of celebration, games and thanksgiving.
The word makahiki can be translated as year and began with the rising of Nähuihuiamakali‘i or Pleiades in the night sky during the month of ‘Ikuä.  When the makahiki season started it marked the new year. Makahiki was also a time of thanksgiving.  It was during this time that Lono, the god of agriculture was honored and given thanks for the bounties of the previous year. Coincidentally, makahiki also occurs around the same time of year as the western Thanksgiving and New Year holidays.
Preparations for Makahiki began well before the rising of Makali‘i.  Once the makahiki celebrations were begun all work ceased and it was a time to enjoy.  Because no work was allowed during this time, in the weeks and month prior to makahiki, the maka‘äinana harvested and gathered food to last the four-month long celebration. Some of the food included mai‘a, kalo, ‘uala, niu, and ‘ulu.  Also the lawai‘a repaired nets and fishing lines to prepare to take from the bounty of the ocean as well. The women prepared by making new kapa garments for their families.
The rising of Nähuihuiamakali‘i also marked the change in seasons.   Here in Hawai‘i there are two season, Kau and Ho‘oilo.  Kau is the warm and dry season most associated to summer and Ho‘oilo the cool and rainy winter season.  When the kahuna saw Makali‘i in the sky he announce the change from Kau to Ho‘oilo and the beginning of the Makahiki.
When this announcement was made, everyone made his or her way to the ocean at midnight for a hi‘uwai.  This was a cleansing and purification ceremony to clean off the ‘ino of the previous year and start the new year ma‘ema‘e.  When they returned they made ready the ho‘okupu to Lono.  All of the ho‘okupu were taken to the ahu and the boundary of the ahupua‘a.  This ahu of stone would be cleaned or rebuilt in preparation and the image of a pig head made of wood was placed upon it.  The ali‘i nui of the island would make his clockwise circuit around the island to accept the ho‘okupu at each ahupua‘a as Lono representative here on earth.
Among his entourage the ali‘i nui had the image known as Lonoikamakahiki.  This twelve foot carved pole made of Kauila was the image to which the offerings were made.  A cross piece was placed at on the Lonoikamakahiki, also known as Lono Makua.  This crosspiece, ke‘a, was clothed with new white kapa, a lei pala, and other signs of Lono like ka‘upu skins.