Makahiki Season in Hawaii
Being a hula dancer and practioner, I wanted to incorporate Makahiki season more into my own personal journey and celebrate this change of season in Hawaii. Makahiki is a timeframe of peace, harvest and celebrating Hawaiian culture and lifestyle with friends and family. (I personally feel that this aspect of friendship and family gatherings along with personal spiritual beliefs can easily be incorporated into your own lifestyle, renewal and celebrations of the holiday season no matter what your religious beliefs are).
Hawaiians and followers are incorporating Makahiki season more into their lives and celebrating the holiday harvest season with native practices, enjoying hula and chanting or local performances, Hawaiian native games, personal renewal and gathering with friends and family to celebrate this peaceful timeframe on the islands.
Makahiki Season in Hawaii – a primer to this peaceful timeframe and how to incorporate into your own life
If you want to understand Hawaiian culture and lifestyle, here’s a primer on the Makahiki season and how it is being celebrated on the islands now. Lasting about four months starting usually from Mid-November to Mid-February, Makahiki honors the local deity of Lono who represents, harvests, fertility and peace on the islands. It is a time to be with community, celebrating family and gatherings.
What does Makahiki mean in Hawaii
Makahiki is a traditional Hawaiian season and festival that marks a time of peace, harvest, and celebration in Hawaiʻi.
The word Makahiki refers to an ancient Hawaiian four-month period, usually beginning around October or November, when warfare was forbidden and the people honored Lono, the god of fertility, agriculture, rainfall, and peace.
What Makahiki Represents
- Harvest season – a time to gather crops and give thanks for abundance
- Peace – all battles and conflicts were strictly prohibited
- Celebration and games – athletic competitions, hula, chanting, and feasting
- Religious observance – offerings and rituals dedicated to the god Lono
Cultural Importance
During Makahiki, Hawaiian chiefs collected tribute, communities gathered for festivities, and society paused from labor and war to focus on gratitude, renewal, and balance with nature.
Modern Meaning
Today, Makahiki is celebrated across Hawaiʻi—especially in schools and cultural festivals—as a way to honor Hawaiian heritage, promote community, and pass traditions to future generations.
Personally for me, Makahiki is a time of peace, reflection, personal growth and celebrating the end of season and harvests with friends and family.
Cultural practices and events
Hula celebrations
Hula and chanting are a primary aspect of celebrating culture, history, storytelling, music in Hawaiian culture and festivities. If you ever get to see any Makahiki hula or cultural events, make sure to participate and enjoy these community events because they celebrate this special time of the year. Celebrating the deity of Lono who incorporates the wind, rain and clouds, local kukui and ipu and even the local Pua’a or pig, local hulas celebrate this deity and all of the various forms of Kinolau or body forms that he is represented.
Here’s an excellent video showing chanting, hula, games and other cultural presentations of Makahiki at Waimea Falls in Oahu below.
Makahiki Games
Another important aspect of community building and gamesmanship was the Hawaiian games developed for getting the mind and body tuned and in spirit for the next upcoming season in the Hawaiian Calendar. Here’s a fantastic video introduction to the many local games that were used during ancient timeframes and being revived in various cultural events.
Community and Volunteerism
At a time of abundance and harvest, it seems natural that sharing the harvest season during Makahiki is a fantastic time to bring abundance and giving to others in need during this timeframe.
Participating in local charities and food banks is a great way to help out and also take part of Makahiki with this way of community service and sharing the abundance the islands can offer.
Donate locally
Places that you can donate food, time and resources on the islands include the various charities below that you can participate with.
Da Bux – Hawaiian grown foods
Further reading on Culture and traditions in Hawaii
Check out these other fantastic posts on traditions, growing food and living a good life in Hawaii
Eco tourism and sustainability on the islands
Staying healthy and boost your immune system
Lessons learned to living in Hawaii
Creating an Eco Friendly Kitchen in Hawaii
Conclusion on Makahiki Season in Hawaii
This is a special time to live and celebrate life on the islands and be a part of the broader community and spend more time with family gatherings. Make time to honor the seasonal changes, volunteer and even just take part with local events happening on the islands now.
Thanks for visiting This Hawaii Life, make sure to check out our other articles about travel and lifestyle here on the islands.
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