Hoʻolauleʻa ʻo Kāna Lui me ka Aha Makahiki

Saint Louis celebrates Makahiki

Kelso Coloma and Thor Mersberg

January 6, 2024

Saint Louis celebrates Makahiki

To celebrate the Hawaiian New Year, also known as Makahiki, the Saint Louis Hawaiian Department came together in Hula and Oli (chant) to commemorate the ancient Hawaiian deity, Lono, who brings forth rain, agriculture, and peace.

In ancient times, Hawaiians saw Makahiki as a sign of rain, agriculture, and peace, as it came with the rainy season. Now, modern-day Hawaiians such as Kumu Kawika Mersberg and Kumu Kaipo Leopoldino are trying to bring back that ancient style of Makahiki at Saint Louis through classes such as Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. For the past 4 years, Makahiki has been celebrated by Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, where they perform Hula in Kahiko (ancient) style, and they also perform Oli (chants) under the direction of Mersberg.

To be able to participate in the Makahiki event, students must go through a large amount of preparation. This includes examples such as Lei making, learning multiple hula dances, performing several types of Oli (chant), and tying their Malo (loincloth). The ceremony typically starts with Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio students marching down the campus roads while performing Oli until they get to the front of Bertram Hall’s lawn. However, due to the heavy rain, the entire ceremony was forced to move to the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Center, where Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio and ʻŌlelo Hawaii performed their ceremony. “It was a good challenge for us… it taught us how to adapt to things thrown our way last minute,” says Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio dancer Kalaʻi Kealoha when asked about the harsh weather conditions during the ceremony.

While at the Athletic Center, the entire school could attend the Makahiki ceremony and witness the Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio dancers perform along with a group of young women from Sacred Hearts School. The Hui O Na ʻŌpio classes, varying from grades 7-12, danced a plethora of dances such as Maikaʻi Ke Anu O Waimea, Auʻa ʻia, Kawika, and many more to showcase what they have learned throughout the school year. “Learning Hulihia was cool too because it talks about the eruption of a volcano and Pele’s relationship with her sister and her boyfriend,” says Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio dancer Kaipo Kaalekahi-Aikau.

Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi then joined together to recite chants such as “Kahekahe E Ka Wai,” which ended the ceremony. Hui O Nā ‘Ōpio and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi students were then able to meet with family and loved ones to take pictures and receive leis.

Over the years, Makahiki has gained much attention from the school family. Across the island, Mersberg hopes to gain even more attention so that he can spread Hawaiian culture to the world in a positive way that can enlighten others on what hula entails.

Hāpai ka ‘Oihana Ha’awina Hawai’i iā Makahiki

Ua hoʻohanohano ia ʻo Kanalui i ka makahiki hou no na poʻe Hawaiʻi me ka hula a me na oli nō ke akua Lono, nō ka ua a me ka mahiaʻi.

I ka wā kahiko, ua ʻike ia ka wā makahiki me kekahi wā maluhia no ka hana mahiaʻi, a me ka ua. I kēia mau lā, ua hoʻohui hou na Kumu ʻo Kanalui e like me Kumu Kawika a me Kumu Kaipo i ka wā makahiki ma na papa e like me ka papa Hui a me ka papa ʻōlelo hawaiʻi. Nō na makahiki 4 i hala ai ua hoʻohanohano ia mai ʻo Kanalui me Hui O na ʻŌpio, ka Halau o ke kula a me ka papa ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi no ka hōʻike ana i ka hula a me oli malalo o Kumu Kawika.

No ka hui pū ana o nā haumana ma ka aha makahiki pono ia iā lākou e hana i ka lei, ʻaʻo ana i ka hula a me na oli a me ka hume ana o kā lākou malo ponoʻi.

Hoʻomaka ʻia ka Aha Makahiki me nā haumana o ka papa Hui naue ana ma ka alahele ma ka poʻo o ke kula a oli ana a hiki lākou i ka mua ʻo Bertram Hall Lawn.

Aka i kēia makahiki ua nui ka ua a ua koho nā kumu e hana ai ka aha makahiki ma Clarence T.C.Ching Athletic Center a akahi i hui pū ka papa Hui me ka papa ʻōlelo hawaiʻi. Haʻi mai ʻo Kalai Kealoha “he mea maikaʻi kēia ua no ka mea ua ʻaʻo ʻia mai mākou pehea e maʻa aku i ka pilikia.”

Ma ka hale ʻālapa ua hui pū ke kula apau no ka aha makahiki e nana i na haumana o ka papa Hui e hula pū me kekahi mau wahine mai ke kula ʻo Sacred Hearts. Loaʻa ʻia ka papa Hui i nā haumana mai ka papa 7 a i ka papa 12, a ua hula lākou i na hula e like ma Maikaʻi Ke Anu ʻO Waimea,Auʻa ʻia,Kawika a pela aku e hōʻike aku i nā hula i ʻao ai i kela makahiki. Ua hoʻihoʻi ke ʻao ana i Hulihia no ka mea ua ʻao ʻia iā mākou ka hana a Pele mai ka hana a kana ipo mai ka hoʻolohe ʻole ana mai Pele kaikaina, haʻi mai ʻo Kaipo Kaalekahi-Aikau.

Mahope o ka hula ana ʻo Hui O Nā ʻŌpio ua hui pū ka papa ʻōlelo hawaiʻi me lākou e oli ai “Kahekahe E ka Wai” no ka hoʻopau ana i ka aha makahiki. Mahope o ka aha makahiki ua ae ʻia iā lākou e hui pū me ka lākou kumu,mākua a me hoa e paikiʻi me lākou mamua o ka hoʻi ana i ka papa e hoʻomaʻemaʻe.

Mai na makahiki i hala ua loaʻa ka aha makahiki i ka maliu mai na kula,ʻohana a me na mokupuni lokeʻole. Makemake ʻo kumu Kawika e loaʻa hou i kēia maliu no ke aʻo ana a hōike ana i nā poʻe apau ka manaʻo o ka loina hawaiʻi a me ka hula.

About the Contributor

Thor Mersberg, Staff Writer

Thor Mersberg has been at Saint Louis since the fifth grade and is a Staff Writer for The Collegian. Mersberg enjoyed his eighth grade year at Saint Louis, despite the Covid-19 Pandemic, because he had a lot of character development in Zoom and learned how to deal with life’s challenges. He loves to dance hula, and performs at the Ala Moana Center Stage every day. He is looking forward to his future after graduation and added, “for the first two years,” “I would like to attend a community college then transfer to a college on the West Coast, preferably UCLA or Stanford.”