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Hawaiian Culture

Hawaiian culture stories from Molokai

Competing for Lono

Thursday, February 1st, 2018

Competing for Lono

Kaunakakai Ball Field thundered with cheers and the roar of an enthusiastic crowd as hundreds of residents and visitors gathered to compete in or support their favorite competitors at Ka Molokai Makahiki last Saturday morning.

Each year, Ka Molokai Makahiki is celebrated to mark the end of the Makahiki season from October to January, traditionally observed as a period of peace and harvest in honor of the god Lono. Today, hundreds of students gather annually on Molokai from around the state to participate in carrying on its cultural significance. During the opening ceremonies, the banner of Lono is carried high, while representatives from each district bear offerings to place on the stone ahu in keeping with protocol.…

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Making Ma`a (Hawaiian Slingshot)

Friday, September 8th, 2017

MAC News Release

The Hawaiian Arts Program at Molokai Arts Center (MAC) will be hosting a series of workshops this month on the making and skills of ma’a, or the “Hawaiian slingshot.”  The ma`a was the long range weapon of choice in ancient Hawaii, being easily portable and renewable, as well as accurate and effective. While relatively simple in concept, the ma`a requires some special skills to make and much practice to master. Hawaiian weapons maker Kini Burke will be the instructor.

All Hawaiian Arts Classes are free of charge, but space is very limited, so register early. To register, contact molokainuiahina@gmail.com…

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Ka Molokai Makahiki 2016

Thursday, February 4th, 2016

Ka Molokai Makahiki 2016

Each year, youth and adults from all over Hawaii gather to celebrate Ka Molokai Makahiki in a place where cultural traditions remain strong and friendly athletic competition is celebrated. During Makahiki, the ancient Hawaiian four-month season of peace, war was kapu, or forbidden, and every district gathered to appreciate the harvest and challenge each other’s athletic prowess.The historic tradition has been revived for more than 30 years on Molokai.

Cultural events began Thursday, with an evening lecture about Kaho`olawe, where the Makahiki season begins each year. Adult games kicked off Friday night, and student competitions followed on Saturday, with a ho`olaulea afterward.…

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Hawaiian Election Halted, Convention Scheduled

Monday, December 21st, 2015

Following a U.S. Supreme Court order that prohibited the counting of votes in a contested Native Hawaiian election, Na`i Aupuni – the nonprofit running the election – has announced it has terminated the election process. Rather than registered voters picking 40 delegates for a convention, or `Aha, that will be held in February, Na`i Aupuni officials have said all 196 candidates will be offered a seat at the `Aha.

In late November, a Supreme Court justice issued a temporary hold on ballot counting in response to a legal challenge filed by a group that claimed it is unconstitutional to hold a racially exclusive election.…

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Hawaiian Election Continues Amid Concerns

Wednesday, November 25th, 2015

A Native Hawaiian election due to close Nov. 30 is heating up as kanaka ma`oli debate the direction of self-determination and the future of over half a million Hawaiians nationwide.

Starting Nov. 1 for 30 days, nearly 90,000 Hawaiians registered with the Kana`iolowalu Native Hawaiian Roll Commission can cast their ballot for candidates in their district who would represent them at an upcoming constitutional convention of 40 delegates. The Molokai ballot has three candidates who are among more than 200 candidates statewide: Noa Emmett Aluli, Lori Buchanan and Walter Ritte. One of them will represent both Molokai and Lanai at the convention, to be held between February and April of 2016.…

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Tutu’s Corner: Ho`omaika`i (Gratitude)

Friday, November 20th, 2015

Tutu and Me News Release

The Hawaiian value ho`omaika`i, is to have a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness. Gratitude is a learned behavior, and we can teach keiki about ho`omaika`i by our good examples and the examples of others around them. Developing an attitude of gratitude can take patience and practice. Help keiki to notice the many things around us that we can be thankful for: family and friends, a healthy body, a place to live, food for our table, the beautiful sky and ocean, and so much more. Talk about thankfulness and why it’s important. Children who learn gratitude become more sensitive to the feelings of others and develop empathy and other life skills as they grow.…

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Elections for Hawaiian Convention Underway

Wednesday, November 18th, 2015

A historic and contested election is taking place this month for Natives Hawaiians that could help determine the direction of self-determination. Starting Nov. 1 for 30 days, about 100,000 Hawaiians registered with the Kana`iolowalu Native Hawaiian Roll Commission can cast their ballot for candidates in their district who would represent them at an upcoming constitutional convention of 40 delegates.

The Molokai ballot has three candidates who are among more than 200 candidates statewide. One of them will represent both Molokai and Lanai at the convention, to be held between February and April of 2016. According to the Roll Commission, just under 3,000 Molokai residents are registered.…

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‘Sons of Halawa’ World Premiere

Friday, November 13th, 2015

‘Sons of Halawa’ World Premiere

Quazifilms News Release

On Monday, Nov. 16 in Honolulu, “Sons of Halawa,” a locally produced 60-minute documentary, will have its World Premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF). The Molokai Premiere is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. under the tent at Hotel Molokai.

The story takes place in Molokai’s Halawa Valley and revolves around the life of Pilipo Solatorio. Now in his 70s, Pilipo is the last of his generation living in the isolated valley. The film follows him for two years as he searches for a successor to replace him as the carrier of Halawa’s cultural practices.…

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$88K for Cultural and Environmental Education

Friday, November 13th, 2015

$88K for Cultural and Environmental Education

MMS News Release

Molokai Middle School, `O Hina I Ka Malama, Ke Kula Waena, Hawaiian Language Immersion Program received a $88,213 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for a project titled “Promoting Cultural Based Knowledge and Practices through Environmental Stewardship and Preservation.” The grant’s duration, August 2015 through August 2016, is being lead by Molokai Middle School Hawaiian Language Immersion Program Teacher and Principal Investigator, `Iolani Ku`oha.

“Our goal, through meaningful science-based outdoor experiences for students, is to instill the need for engaging in culture based knowledge that reflects community efforts on Molokai,” said Ku`oha. “In addition, we hope that increased science investigations that are relevant to students will help to increase their achievement on the Hawaii State Science Assessment.”…

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Homesteaders Remember their Roots

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Homesteaders Remember their Roots

When homesteaders first took up residence on Molokai lands, they had to start from the ground up. Families worked hard together to put in roads and set up large wooden tanks to catch the rainwater for drinking and farming. They combined labor and resources to sow crops and purchase farming equipment.

Ninety years later, Ho`olehua’s fertile lands are inhabited by their thriving descendants, who own homes, grow crops and use the infrastructure put in place by their ancestors.

Last week, the Ho`olehua Homestead Association remembered its history at the homestead’s 90th anniversary celebration. For three days at the Lanikeha Community Center, hundreds of homesteaders gathered to share generations of stories and snapshots of the first families who got the chance to restore both the land and their people.…

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