Kaila Hawai'i » makahiki

Lonoikamakahiki! | Celebrating a new season with Kealopiko

Kaila Hawai`i — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:52:07 +0000

HE UA E HIKI MAI | Kealopiko's Nāulu tee for kāne, Makahiki 2011/2012

Head to any hula event, pā‘ina, or even the beach, and you’re likely to run into a vividly colored top or dress with intricate designs, often intertwined with ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i. Undoubtedly, you’ve come across the gorgeous handiwork of Kealopiko. Founded in 2006, the company was born from the vision of three inspiring wāhine: Jamie Makasobe, Ane Bakutis, and Hina Kneubuhl, who help to carry the mana‘o of our kūpuna into the modern day. While the Western calendar is coming to a close, we’re still in the beginning of the Hawaiian Makahiki season—often marked by the arrival of the rains (which has been difficult to miss this season!). With Makahiki here and 2012 right around the corner, it was the perfect time for Kaila Hawai‘i to learn more Kealopiko—now five years strong!—and their mana‘o behind some of the designs from their new collection. Lonoikamakahiki!

When it comes to clothes, we usually hear about about fall or spring collections. Kealopiko, though, features Makahiki and Kū collections. For those people who aren’t yet familiar with Makahiki and Kū, what do they mean for you? Why do you find it important to use these distinctively maoli concepts when it comes to showing your work?
Acknowledging these two important times of the year for us is an opportunity to learn about and reconnect with the knowledge of our kūpuna. The division of the year into times for both Lono and Kū provided our ancestors with a larger organization for things that we wanted to explore in a modern way. Both these akua have myriad manifestations in the natural world – plants, animals, weather phenomenon, and so on. We often choose plants or animals that are fruiting, breeding, or spawning during the two seasons. Designing for rains, clouds, and winds is another way to acknowledge time and place.

KA WAI A KA NĀULU | Kealopiko's Nāulu skirt for wāhine

Speaking of Makahiki, Kealopiko debuted five Makahiki seasons ago. How does it feel to see Kealopiko going to grow five years later?
It is awesome to see that what started as just an idea is now a fully running company with support from so much of our community. I think none of us really anticipated that it would turn into what it has, but looking back after five years it all feels right. And it still feels exciting and alive with potential. We are very thankful to be doing what we do and are deeply grateful to the ‘āina, the kai, our kūpuna, and all the kānaka out there.

And with that anniversary, there are few new additions to the Kealopiko ‘ohana… could you introduce the two new members of the ‘ohana?
This is Manawanui, born to Hina and Kingi on September 20th, and Poohiwi born to Ane and Kekama on October 19th.

HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN | Kealopiko's Nāulu tee for wāhine, Makahiki 2011/2012

I notice there are some beautiful, new designs with this Makahiki collection. What was the inspiration behind the Nāulu?
We had been wanting to do a cloud design for ages. We had the main design meeting for this line on Maui and while throwing around ideas about what kind of cloud we could do, the nāulu cloud came up. It is such a prominent feature of Haleakalā and an example of something in our immediate environment that we might not realize has a name and such an interesting story. We also thought it would be timely, as this year is the 25th anniversary of the end of the bombing on Kaho‘olawe.

KAULANA NĀ PUA | Kealopiko's Pua collared tea for kāne, Makahiki 2011/2012

There are so many meanings to the word pua. What is the mo‘olelo behind the Pua design?
Pua is a beautiful word and one that many people are familiar with. One of the ideas was to highlight another meaning of the word besides flower – the one most people know. But the main inspiration behind the design came from Jamie’s work at He‘eia fishpond. The fishpond is a place where pua, baby fish of several species, are nurtured. As descendants of our kūpuna, we also need places where we can grow and be nurtured. And like our fish friends, we are challenged to maintain harmony in the pull of the “tide,” or the many challenges of life.

Five years down, what do you see in Kealopiko’s plans in the year to come?
We will, of course, continue to put out two lines a year, but also hope to expand the scope of products we offer. We have been dabbling in re-purposing old garments to produce things like bags, so you might see more in terms of that. As far as design directions, that one will have to remain a surprise.

MA HEA E KŪ‘AI MAI AI? (WHERE TO BUY)

Kealopiko’s pieces are available at fine retailers throughout nā kai ‘ewalu as well as a few spots on the ‘Āina ‘Ē, even the Big Apple. For more information, visit kealopiko.com.

Images courtesy of Kealopiko
Models: Rosalyn and Austin Kino

Makahiki Journal – Day One

Kaila Hawai`i — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:24:36 +0000

I’m not certain if anyone has kept a journal relating to Makahiki, the traditional Hawaiian New Year, but as the clouds started to sweep in over Mānoa Valley, darkening the sky. It somehow felt appropriate to do so.

A few years ago, when I was living in New York, I had almost entirely forgotten what Makahiki even was until I came across its Māori cousin, Matariki. After having finally purchased my first laptop and joining the modern age, I began to devour everything online that had to do with Polynesia. I had been living in New York for four years during the post-9/11 era and was feeling burnt out. Seeing what my Polynesian cousins were doing with new technology was uplifting and inspiring, making me feel connected to a long genealogy that stretched across the oceans. One particular site of inspiration was Māori Television, all the way from Aotearoa/New Zealand. Seeing a full-fledged, professional Polynesian news broadcast, streamed from thousands of miles away, was amazing.

Around the early summer, the word Matariki appeared on the Māori Television website along with a haunting image of the Pleiades. Also included was a song about Matariki sung in Māori. Matariki is the Māori equivalent of the Hawaiian word Makali‘i, our name for the constellation widely known as the Pleiades. Again, it was powerful to know that a shared tradition was still being maintained and celebration in the Pacific to the point of being a television event.

After I had returned to Hawai‘i in 2007, I had my first direct taste of Makahiki when I was fortunate enough to participate in Hawaiian-langage theatre production. Throughout the play the names of our akua (gods) and kupua (demi-gods) were invoked. Interestingly enough, the evening of our debut in Honolulu was in conjunction with Makahiki. Following that evening’s performance, it was as if the heavens themselves opened with claps of thunder, flashes of lightening, and downpour that made it nearly impossible for me to get home. The presence of the kūpuna, our ancestors, was palpable that evening, perhaps even more so because of their invocation in a space of performance.

As Makahiki had slipped past me in 2008—too many things to do at university, etc., etc.—it feels therefore even more important that I honor it this year. While I may know very little of the cultural protocol and practices, I believe that it is most important to start with the right mindset and ask for the appropriate guidance from the kūpuna. That said, I have no idea how this particular passage of Makahiki will turn out. In any case, it will certainly be a turning point and the beginning of many celebrations for years to come.

Kauwela, the Hawaiian summer

Kaila Hawai`i — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:10:39 +0000

Many in Hawai‘i are already familiar with makahiki, the period of time that lasts from roughly late October to the end of April. In pre-contact times, makahiki was a time of peace and tranquility, filled with festivities dedicated to the god Lono. But many are not entirely familiar with the other traditional Hawaiian season, kauwela-the word that also corresponds to the Western summer.

A few weeks ago, I attended a ceremony to mark the traditional beginning of Hawaiian summer, kauwela. Directed by the students of the late kumu hula John Lake (his hālau and Nā Wa‘a Lālani Kāhuna o Pu‘u Koholā), the ceremony took place right next to the Waikīkī Aquarium, which was the site of the astronomical heiau Kūpalaha. Here, kāhuna (priests or cultural experts) watched for the setting at the southern end of the Wai‘anae mountains,over Pu‘u Pāla‘ila‘i and Pu‘uokapolei, the sign that summer had begun. After a series of hula and oli, the ceremony closed with a final chant in timing with the setting of the sun .

According to Sam ʻOhukaniʻōhiʻa Gon III, who led the ceremony, kauwela is the season of Kū, widely known as the god of war. Kū, however, was more multi-faceted and epresented several other functions necessary in life. While warfare did take place during kauwela, the season was also time for governance, taking action, making critical decisions. Interestingly enough, after a cool, rainy, and often cloudy April, in my observations, the season of Kū started off with a remarkable flash of heat. For the first few days after the ceremony, I noticed the sun set a stunning blood red.

For any of us who live on the leeward side of the islands of Hawai‘i, we are particularly know how hot and uncomfortable kauwela can be. Though it may not compare to the steaming East Coast summers I used to endure – steaming asphalt in the day, 86 degrees at 10 o’clock at night – I can feel the distinct personality of kauwela and the presence of Kū . While I’m accustomed to the Western idea of summer–a time to relax and, metaphorically, check out–I’m coming to appreciate the idea of taking things head on in the midst of the blaze of heat.