Kaulana Mahina
2017
T
he days that are good for going to sea to fish are the three Lā‘au days for the fish take the bait continuously in all kinds of fishing; Akua too for the fish had voracious appetites. They ate like akua, supernatural beings. On the day named Mohalu the fish open their mouths wide for food; on Māhealani the fish eat one after the other and on ‘Ole Pau, the fish consume all, pau¸ taking, ho‘olawe, like Kaho‘olawe, which has been fished all around by your writer; that was with my parents and grandparents. On the three Ku nights the fish ate greedily. This my grandfolks taught me, it is useless to go fishing on any other time, fish are caught, but very few and not like on the days of the lunar month that brings fish (it is not the particular named night of the lunar month that brings the fish, but on those days the sea currents are good), so said my grandfolks and I’ve proven it.
Source: Daniel Kaha`ulelio. Ka `Oihana Lawai`a (Hawaiian Fishing Traditions). Translated by Mary Kawena Pukui (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press), 67–69.
Janoah Tugaoen • Helemano Elementary School • First Place, Grades K–2 (Art teacher: Mrs. Chun; Homeroom teacher: Mrs. Kawamura)
Ho‘olio (Wet Season)
A
griculture was one of the principal occupations of the ancient Hawaiians and, like almost everything they did, was accomplished by a set of more or less elaborate religious ceremonies. They were particular to plant in the proper time of the moon, and prayers were said, and offerings made and tabus kept during various stages of the growth of the plant. When necessary, prayers were made for rain or to allay the wind or to stop the ravages of insects, and at last when the crop was ripe, prayers of thanksgiving were said and appropriate offerings were made to the family gods. Source: William Alanson Bryan. The Natural History of Hawaii. (Honolulu: The Hawaiian Gazette Company, 1915), 63.
Waipūlama Hosea • Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Kaiolohia Masaoka)
Ho‘olio (Wet Season)
M
iss Minnie Reed has also made extensive collections of the algae of the islands in connection with her especially interesting investigation of the economic seaweeds of Hawai‘i and their food value—for limu, as the fresh and salt-water varieties are called by the natives, has always had an important place in the native bill-of-fare. As many as seventy-five species of edible algae were known to the Hawaiians by name. As this list of edible species is referred to by botanists to thirty-eight genera, some idea of the variety of forms of the useful species can be gathered. Almost every day at low tide native women and children may be seen on the reef gathering the daily supply; at least a dozen species are offered for sale in the markets, along with other Hawaiian delicacies, as the favorite species being limu kohu, limu eleele, limu oolu and limu lipeepee. Seaweed has also had an important place among the native medicinal plants. But Europeans, as a rule, seldom regard this product of the sea as a marketable or an edible commodity. Nevertheless, thousands of dollars’ worth of Hawaiian limu is consumed by the natives, and even a greater quantity is imported by the oriental population.
Haili Kim • Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Kaiolohia Masaoka)
Source: William Alanson Bryan. The Natural History of Hawaii. (Honolulu: The Hawaiian Gazette Company, 1915), 502.
Ho‘olio (Wet Season)
T
he seasons and months of the year were appropriately divided and designated by the ancients. The year was divided into two seasons Kau and Hoo-ilo. Kau was the season when the sun was directly overhead, when daylight was prolonged, when the tradewind, makani noae, prevailed, when days and nights alike were warm and the vegetation put forth fresh leaves. Hoo-ilo was the season when the sun declined towards the south, when the nights lengthened, when days and nights were cool, when herbage (literally, vines) died away. David Malo. Hawaiian Antiquities. Translated by Nathaniel B. Emerson (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 30.
Eimi Kim • Jefferson Elementary School • Third Place, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Keo Genus)
Ho‘olio (Wet Season)
T
here were six months in Kau and six in Hoo-ilo.
The months in Kau were Ikiiki, answering to May, at which time the constellation of Pleiades, huihui hoku, set at sunrise. Kaa-ona answering to June, in ancient times this was the month in which fisherman got their a-ei nets in readiness for catching the opelu, procuring in advance the sticks to use in keeping its mouth open; Hina-ia-eleele, answering to July, the month in which the ohia fruit began to ripen; Mahoe-mua, answering to August, this was the season when the ohia fruit ripened abundantly; Mahoe-hope, answering to September, the time when the plume of the sugar cane began to unsheathe itself; Ikuwa responding to October, which was the sixth and last month of the season of Kau. Source: David Malo. Hawaiian Antiquities. Translated by Nathaniel B. Emerson (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 30.
Keli'i Mocilio • Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Kaiolohia Masaoka)
Kauwela (Dry Season)
T
he definition of this word ocean is the blue sea, the deep sea, ten or more fathoms in depth. There were two kinds of deep-sea fishing, called kaka line fishing and the kukaula line fishing. These ocean techniques were done only when the fishing grounds are found. The landmarks of all the fishing grounds that Lahaina's fishermen observe are the tops of the mountains of Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, West Maui, Haleakala on East Maui and the island of Kaho‘olawe. There were also landmarks on the lowlands because the writer thinks that when the mountaintops were hidden away by the mist and clouds, the fishermen would be at a loss and give up. Therefore I also sought out landmarks in the lowlands to avoid difficulty or misdirection at sea which would result in coming back without fish. From the cape of Hawea at Ka‘anapali running directly to the south point of Lana‘i, close to Maunalei, then to the cape of Kamaiki on Lana‘i again, thence directly to the cape of Paki (the same as the cape of Kealaikahiki) on Kaho‘olawe; thence to the cape of Kukui on Kaho‘olawe, then straight on to the cape of Papawai in the middle of these places; these are the places that are well known and have been fished in by your writer, in sunshine, in rain and in the winds that rage and blow into a terrific gale.
Makalani Tanner • King Kamehameha III Elementary School • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Mrs. Moye)
Source: Daniel Kaha‘ulelio. Ka `Oihana Lawai`a (Hawaiian Fishing Traditions). Translated by Mary Kawena Pukui. (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 2006), 43.
Kauwela (Dry Season)
T
here were thirty nights and days in each month; seventeen of these days had compound names (inoa huhui) and thirteen had simple names (inoa pakahi) given to them. These names were given to the different nights to correspond to the phases of the moon. There were three phases—ano—marking the moon’s increases and decrease of size, namely, (1) the first appearance of the new moon in the west at evening; (2) the time of full moon when it stood directly overhead (literally, over the island) at mid night; (3) the period when the moon was waning, when it showed itself in the east late at night. It was with reference to these three phases of the moon that names were given to the nights that made up the month. Source: David Malo. Hawaiian Antiquities. Translated by Nathaniel B. Emerson (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 31.
Sapphira Minugh • Jefferson Elementary School • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Keo Genus)
Kauwela (Dry Season)
H
ere is the way some people divided the year into seasons, that is, the po‘e kilo hoku (astronomers) of Oahu and Kauai, who were very skilled in reckoning the months of the year and in discerning the ways of the sun, the moon and the stars, as well as knowing the configurations of the earth (papa hulihonua). They were known as po‘e kuhikuhi pu‘uone (site experts) and as po‘e kilo hoku holo moana (navigators), and as the people who went to stay at Waimea, on Kauai [to make their observations]. When the sun reached the equator and moved on [northward] it set—kau—right over the islet of Ka‘ula and then moved on until it set over Kawaihoa on Niihau. For the setting—kau ana—of the sun from Ka‘ula to Kawaihoa, the Makali‘i season was called Kau for Kaulana-a-Kane, the resting place of Kane [on Ka‘ula]. When the sun set at Ka‘ula and moved to the south, the season was called Ho‘oilo. (The equations of the seasons are Kamakau’s. The landmarks and apparent positions of the sun are as seen from Waimea, Kauai).
Kawelo Hayashida • Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki • First Place, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Kaiolohia Masaoka)
Source: Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau. The Works of the People of Old—Na Hana a ka Po`e Kahiko. Translated by Mary Kawena Pukui from the newspaper Ke Au`Oko`a. (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 14.
Kauwela (Dry Season)
W
ithin the thirty days and nights of the month, periods (la kapu Sabati, literally, Sabbath tabu days) were set aside, thus the Ku tabu period (literally, the Ku Sabbath), the Hua, the Kaloa, and the Kane. The Ku tabu period comprised three nights and two days. The tabu was imposed (e kapu ai) on the night of Hilo and was lifted (e noa ai) on the day of Kulua. There were two nights and one day in the Hua period, kapu Hua: it was imposed on the night of Mohalu and lifted on the day of Akua. The kapu Kaloa was imposed on the night of ‘Olepau and lifted on the day of Kaloakulua: and the kapu Kane also of two nights and one day was imposed on the night of Kane and lifted on the day of Mauli There were four tabu periods in the month that were made sacred and treated with great reverence. Thus ka po‘e kahiko [people of old] observed tabu periods in each month throughout the year.
Source: Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau. The Works of the People of Old—Na Hana a ka Po`e Kahiko. Translated by Mary Kawena Pukui from the newspaper Ke Au`Oko`a. (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 18.
Māpuana Wong • Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Kaiolohia Masaoka)
Kauwela (Dry Season)
T
hese tabu seasons were observed during eight months of the year, and in each year 32 days were devoted to the idolatrous worship of the gods. There were now four moths devoted to the observances of the Makahiki, during which time the ordinary religious ceremonies were omitted, the only ones that were observed being those connected with the Makahiki festival. The prescribed rites and ceremonies of the people at large were concluded in the month of Mahoe-hope. The keepers of the idols, however, kept up their prayers and ceremonies throughout the year. In the month of Ikuwa the signal was given for the observance of Makahiki, at which time the people rested from their prescribed prayers and ceremonies to resume them in the month of Kau-lua. Then the chiefs and some people took up again their prayers and incantation, and so it was during every period of the year. Source: David Malo. Hawaiian Antiquities. Translated by Nathaniel B. Emerson. (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 33.
Malisa Lo • Kapolei Middle School • Second Place, Grades 6–8 (Teacher: Daryle Mishina)
Kauwela (Dry Season)
Translated by Nathaniel B. Emerson
T
he months of Hoo-ilo were Weleehu, answering to November, which was the season when people, for sport, darted arrows made of the flower stalk of sugar cane; Makalii, corresponding to December, at which time trailing plants died down and the south wind, the Kona, prevailed; Kaelo, corresponding to January, the time when appeared the enuhe, when also the vines began to put forth fresh leaves; Kaulua, answering to February, the time when the mullet, anae, spawned; Nana, corresponding to March, the season when flying fish, the malolo, swarmed in the ocean; Welo answering to April, which was the last of the six months belonging to Hoo-ilo. Source: David Malo. Hawaiian Antiquities. Translated by Nathaniel B. Emerson (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 30–31.
Serafina Sparrell • Jefferson Elementary School • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Keo Genus)
Ho‘olio (Wet Season)
T
he Makahiki festival was a time to rest, and a time to make great feasts of commemoration (‘aha‘aina ho‘omana‘o) for the life and health of the body, and for the help received from the god. All manual labor was prohibited and there were whole days of resting and feasting. Chiefs and people made many joyful Makahiki feasts at the end of each year. The custom (malama) of feasting came from very ancient times; and from the time that chiefs became rulers of the kingdom, yearly feasts (‘aha‘aina makahiki) were held in commemoration. This perhaps was the main reason for the observance of the feasts. [They gave thanks] to the god for his care, and for his help, from him came life, blessings, peace, and victory. They made kapu the last three months of the year. The Makahiki began (e kauwelu ai) in the month of Hilina, and at this time pork, coconut, and fish were placed under kapu; the eating of flesh foods (‘i‘o) was kapu during these months Source: Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau. The Works of the People of Old— Na Hana a ka Po`e Kahiko. Translated by Mary Kawena Pukui from the newspaper Ke Au`Oko`a. (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 19.
Kai Shively • King Kamehameha III Elementary School • Honorable Mention, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Mrs. Moye)
Ho‘olio (Wet Season)
O
n the kapu day of Kane,
the 27th day, in the month of Ikuwa, the ruler of the kingdom who had first prohibited the kapu things would free from kapu (noa) the things that had bene prohibited, and would also free his luakini heiau which had been consecrated to the god of the Makahiki. Then the chiefs and people observed their own kapus; and when they were through, it became noa, or free, to eat the flesh of the pig, the coconut, and the ulua and other fishes that had been made kapu. At the beginning of the new year the people rested and feasted joyfully and took part in amusements and in sports that strengthened the body. The way in which the Makahiki was observed in the time of Kamehameha I was in some ways different in the ancient days. For one thing, the months of the year of the people of ancient times were not the same as when he ruled; they were changed to be according to the counting of the Hawaii island people perhaps. The months of the Makali‘i season became those of Ho‘oilo. Also, the Makahiki gods made a circuit of the island to ask for and to seize the wealth of the people. These were new practices and were not observed by ka po‘e kahiko.
Punakea Masaoka • Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki • Second Place, Grades 3–5 (Teacher: Kaiolohia Masaoka)
Source: Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau. The Works of the People of Old—Na Hana a ka Po`e Kahiko. Translated by Mary Kawena Pukui from the newspaper Ke Au `Oko`a. (Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1976), 19.
Ho‘olio (Wet Season)
About This Calendar This 2017 Kaulana Mahina (Hawaiian lunar calendar) features information on traditional native Hawaiian fishing and farming practices associated with the lunar cycles. A special mahalo to Helemano Elementary School, Wahiawa, O‘ahu; Jefferson Elementary School, Honolulu, O‘ahu; Kapolei Middle School, Kapolei, O‘ahu; Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki, Kea‘au, Moku o Keawe; and King Kamehameha III Elementary School, Lahaina, Maui, for participating in this year’s student art contest on the theme of “Fishing and Farming to the Cycles of the Moon and Seasons.” The winning art from the contest graces these pages. In the kaulana mahina, each malama (month) has 30 pō mahina (moon phases), which are divided into three anahulu (“weeks”): ho‘onui (waxing), poepoe (full moon) and ho‘emi (waning). Each malama begins with the first visible crescent moon. The moon phases in this calendar are for Honolulu as calculated by the HM Nautical Almanac (astro.ukho.gov.uk/websurf). The tide charts with moon rise and set times were provided by OceanFun Publishing, NZ. Since 2006, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has provided traditional lunar calendars to lawai‘a (fishermen) and schools as a means to explore the use of the lunar calendar as a tool to observe and manage natural resources. Just as fishermen recognize spawning seasons associated with lunar cycles as a time to limit harvesting of some species, farmers recognize the cycles of wet and dry seasons in their agricultural practices. This 2017 calendar delves into lunar information that may help both lawai‘a (fishermen) and mahi‘ai (farmers) manage their time and make efficient use of resources as well as help ‘opio (youth) understand natural cycles and the practices associated with them.
Historically, each Hawaiian island had a different calendar, with different names of the month and possibly different ordering of months and seasons. Kamakau named some of the ancient experts of O‘ahu and Kaua‘i: Luahaukapawa, Maihea, Na‘ula, Nu‘akea and Mo‘i. Kamehameha I may have influenced the island calendars by imposing the Hawai‘i island calendar on all of the islands and changing the Makahiki season into an opportunity for the collection of tribute as the gods made their island circuit. Traditionally, the kilo hoku (astronomers) of each island set down the lunar calendar for their island. Fortunately, Hawaiian scholars left much information about the lunar calendar from which we can learn. There may be a need today for a Komike Kilo Hoku to direct research and to certify the various traditional lunar calendars being developed, something like the Komike Hua‘olelo (Hawaiian Lexicon Committee) that addressed modern Hawaiian language vocabulary. Such an endeavor could help Hawai‘i revive the enjoyment of living within the natural cycles of the seasons, improve the monitoring of natural occurrences and better manage our island resources.
About the Council
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has worked with communities in Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands since 2006 to produce traditional lunar calendars to promote ecosystem-based fisheries management and support indigenous fishing and management practices. In Hawai‘i, the Council strongly supports the traditional ‘aha moku system of natural resource management, which recognizes the traditional moku (districts) as a basis for cultural and community consultation, adaptive management, education, general knowledge and a code of conduct. More information and the ‘aha moku system can be found at www.wpcouncil.org and www.ahamoku.org. If your moku is interested in working with the Council on a future calendar, please send an email to info@wpcouncil.org.
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Phone: (808) 522-8220 Fax: (808) 522-8226 Email: info@wpcouncil.org Web: www.wpcouncil.org Front cover art: Julia Samson, Kapolei Middle School, First Place, Grades 6-8 (Teacher: Daryle Mishina) Back cover graphic depicting the Hawaiian lunar cycle, © 2010, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council A publication of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council pursuant to NOAA Award NA14NMF4520236. © 2017, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council ISBN 978-1-944827-00-7