Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 2007 — Paʻahao Makahiki [ARTICLE]

Paʻahao Makahiki

On Nov. 10, 42 members of the Native Hawaiian SpirituaPCultural Group at Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility celebrated the Makahiki for the first time in Mississippi. Not only was it a first for our state, it was a first for many of our haumana. Later, the celebrants and supplicants spent the evening eating poi, laulau and poke sent by our supporters in Hawai'i. All pa'ahao shared testimony of what they had seen and experienced

during the "Pīkai," "E ala ē" and "Klhāpai" tributes. Some shared life-changing thoughts; others shared their visions of Mauna Loa, Tūtū Pele and the ancestors. For a short period of time, the 20-foot fences, razor wire and concrete cells disappeared, and "e ho'i ka mo le iā mākou." It was a huge success. Our mahalo and thank yous go out to: Andrew Sprenger and Keala Ede, attorneys for the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp.; Kalei Kamau'u, director of Kō Kākou Pu'uhonua; Shari Kimoto, director of the mainland branch of the state Department of Puhlie Safety; and the members Native Hawaiian Spiritual/Cultural Group. We'd also like to thank from the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility: Warden I. Parker, Assistant Warden I. Bradley, Chief of Security C. Wille, Chaplain J.S. Watson. Mahalo ke Akua, e Lono i ka Makahiki. John "Deeja/' Dias Tutwiler, Mississippi