Makali'i Rains and wind scour Hawaii Island and Makali'i rises in the east at sunset. Lono is afoot. The Makahiki season, a time for connection and rejuvenation, has arrived. In its third year, the Ka Makahiki Pule ʽĀina Holo, a circle island prayer run, will take place from Wednesday evening, Nov. 9 through Sun. Nov. 13. On Wed. Oct 20, an orientation for the run was held at Kanu o ka ʽĀina gym.
Ku'ulei Keakealani Ku‛ulei Keakealani began the session by sharing the story of Makaiole and Kamiki, heroic brothers who travel from Kohanaiki to Lanimaumau (Lakeland), Mahiki (Mud Lane), Waipio and Lake Waiau, performing astonishing physical feats, orienting the group to the historical significance of places that will be traversed during the run. “I want to try and find or make connections to what will occur in a few weeks. Make connections to some place names, perhaps some pu'u, some lakes, hopefully there will be familiarity.”
Lanakila Mangauil and Lono staff Ka Makahiki Pule ʽĀina Holo emerged from the experiences of Hāmākua cultural practitioner, Lanakila Mangauil as a way to create a contemporary connection with life-sustaining ancestral practices. While astonishing physical feats are very much a part of Hawaiian cultural history, many great accomplishments were achieved through the combined efforts of everyone. This was highlighted by Mangauil through a story of drought and famine in Hāmākua, where it was only when all the people stopped complaining and joined in the ceremony that the rains finally came.
“Don't wait for superman, when we see something that needs to be done, we just get up and do it,” says Mangauil, which was something he experienced during a 2004 cultural exchange program with the Pit River and Hopi tribes.
“The ancestral run was created by the elders of the Pit River Tribe in the 90's as a ceremony to address the situation of their people. A lot of drug, alcohol abuse was happening in their community. They needed something to bring the people together, traditions, stories, blessings,” says Mangauil.
Mangauil continued to run with the tribes for another five years until one year he gave voice to the idea of holding a prayer run in Hawai'i. “I literally went to the fire and said, 'I want to do one like this in Hawai'i'.”
The seed was planted and in a few months the shoots began to appear. “That first year, back in 2014 was our first Makahiki run, it was literally two weeks before. Just putting out the prayer, putting out the thought and let's just see what we come up with. It was raw,” said Mangauil.
Mangauil could find no traditions of prayer runs in Hawai'i but when he asked himself, “What other tradition do we have about circling the island?” The answer was, “Makahiki. The traditional practice of the circuit of the high chiefs and the kahuna.”
The Makahiki procession was always done clockwise beginning in Kealakekua. “They always walked clockwise to cleanse the land. Right hand you receive, left hand you give so it passes in and goes out this side. They were hooking any hana ino (negativity) from the land and casting it out that (ocean) side,” says Mangauil.
“Don't wait for superman, when we see something that needs to be done, we just get up and do it,” says Mangauil, which was something he experienced during a 2004 cultural exchange program with the Pit River and Hopi tribes.
“The ancestral run was created by the elders of the Pit River Tribe in the 90's as a ceremony to address the situation of their people. A lot of drug, alcohol abuse was happening in their community. They needed something to bring the people together, traditions, stories, blessings,” says Mangauil.
Mangauil continued to run with the tribes for another five years until one year he gave voice to the idea of holding a prayer run in Hawai'i. “I literally went to the fire and said, 'I want to do one like this in Hawai'i'.”
The seed was planted and in a few months the shoots began to appear. “That first year, back in 2014 was our first Makahiki run, it was literally two weeks before. Just putting out the prayer, putting out the thought and let's just see what we come up with. It was raw,” said Mangauil.
Mangauil could find no traditions of prayer runs in Hawai'i but when he asked himself, “What other tradition do we have about circling the island?” The answer was, “Makahiki. The traditional practice of the circuit of the high chiefs and the kahuna.”
The Makahiki procession was always done clockwise beginning in Kealakekua. “They always walked clockwise to cleanse the land. Right hand you receive, left hand you give so it passes in and goes out this side. They were hooking any hana ino (negativity) from the land and casting it out that (ocean) side,” says Mangauil.
Makahiki runners through Kona As often when a clear intention is sent out, the universe conspires to manifest it. “It came so quickly, I couldn't ignore. For the staff I thought of a ki'i and low and behold, Uncle Kanani Kaulu Kukui from Kona carved the ki'i,” says Mangauil. And the kapa for the Lono staff appeared from a serendipitous encounter. “I met Dalani Tanahy, a kapa maker from Maui, at the Merry Monarch and she made the kapa for the Lono staff,” says Mangauil.
As the runners travel the Island it’s an opportunity for communities to share their best. “We encourage the communities in the evening, to come out and kanikapila and share food, stories, dance. It’s not necessarily mea (things) Hawai'i, but people being able to come out and show what they worked on, be thankful for what they’ve been able to produce,” says Mangauil.
The Makahiki run is in its third year and the first shoots have grown deeper roots and extended branches. That first year 20 Pit River tribal members came to join the run and this year there will be 50 guests from various tribes, coming to add their prayers to the growing number of Island runners.
“We would like to have entire communities represented. We would like to have cross country teams from different schools involved,” says Pua Case, who will be providing orientation sessions leading up to the event, including a special chant and hula. “This is about prayer and purpose and culture and that has to be in everybody's mind when they’re running, footsteps on the ground, Lono on the ground running. Prayers high,” says Case.
Waimea runners will include the Keakealani family, represented by Ku‛ulei and her daughters Kamehana, Nahenani and Ka‛io, who will receive the Lono staff from the Kohala runners at Lanikepu (upper H.P.A. campus); Kanu o ka ‛Āina middle and high school students, coordinated by Kanoa Castro, Pomai Bertelmann and Chelsey Dickson; and Punanaleo and Alo Kehau Hawaiian emersion schools, who will also provide lunch.
Ka Makahiki Pule Aina Holo is a budding tradition with old roots. “Every tradition was created by a person at a time and it only became tradition because it was practiced over and over and over again and it worked. As we create traditions that work that are pono, it will become the traditions for our children's, children's children,” says Manguail. It is an opportunity, “To bring the whole Island into a consciousness of gratitude. When we run we are also giving something. We're offering ourselves, a sacrifice of our best,” he adds.
As the runners travel the Island it’s an opportunity for communities to share their best. “We encourage the communities in the evening, to come out and kanikapila and share food, stories, dance. It’s not necessarily mea (things) Hawai'i, but people being able to come out and show what they worked on, be thankful for what they’ve been able to produce,” says Mangauil.
The Makahiki run is in its third year and the first shoots have grown deeper roots and extended branches. That first year 20 Pit River tribal members came to join the run and this year there will be 50 guests from various tribes, coming to add their prayers to the growing number of Island runners.
“We would like to have entire communities represented. We would like to have cross country teams from different schools involved,” says Pua Case, who will be providing orientation sessions leading up to the event, including a special chant and hula. “This is about prayer and purpose and culture and that has to be in everybody's mind when they’re running, footsteps on the ground, Lono on the ground running. Prayers high,” says Case.
Waimea runners will include the Keakealani family, represented by Ku‛ulei and her daughters Kamehana, Nahenani and Ka‛io, who will receive the Lono staff from the Kohala runners at Lanikepu (upper H.P.A. campus); Kanu o ka ‛Āina middle and high school students, coordinated by Kanoa Castro, Pomai Bertelmann and Chelsey Dickson; and Punanaleo and Alo Kehau Hawaiian emersion schools, who will also provide lunch.
Ka Makahiki Pule Aina Holo is a budding tradition with old roots. “Every tradition was created by a person at a time and it only became tradition because it was practiced over and over and over again and it worked. As we create traditions that work that are pono, it will become the traditions for our children's, children's children,” says Manguail. It is an opportunity, “To bring the whole Island into a consciousness of gratitude. When we run we are also giving something. We're offering ourselves, a sacrifice of our best,” he adds.
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