Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 2010 — Makahiki comes to correctional facilities [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Makahiki comes to correctional facilities

By Liza Simon Public Affairs Specialist n the pre-dawn ehill at Waiawa Correetional Faeility in Waipahu, Whitney Jamila was one of three inmates who departed from his usual early morning routine to praetiee eultural protoeols of the makahila opening eeremony. Along with Miehael Femandez and James Luhia, Jamila spent three weeks eompleting elasses to prepare him for the moment that marks the season defined by traditional Hawaiians as a time of harmony, when wars eeased for four lunar eyeles in homage to the deity Lono. "I always had the knowledge that Ke Akua is

all around us, but learning about makahiki reminds me of the Hawaiian point of view that if I earry a better attitude in life, I will get someplaee," said Jamila, who is Native Hawaiian as are an estimated 40 pereent of prisoners at Waiawa and eorreetional institutions throughout the state. Support for the idea of bringing the makahiki eeremonies into Hawai'i's prisons has gained ground sinee it was first begun six years ago. At that time, Native Hawaiian inmates in several mainland prisons went to eourt to win the right to praetiee makahiki eeremonies under the lahel of Native Hawaiian spirituality as a religion, proteeted See MAKAHIKI on pagE 20

nūhou IBWS

www.oha.org/kwo

At Waiawa Correcfional Facility on 0'ahu, pa'ahao Whitney Jamila and James Luhia perform ceremonial rites for makahiki as Kumu Hinaleimoana Falemei and Kahu Kaleo Patterson add oli and pule. - Photo: Liza Simon

MAKAHIKI Continued from page 03 by the same laws that govern the practices of Christianity and other major faiths in jail. But the group of cultural practitioners, who this year prepped inmates in makahiki observance at Waiawa, a minimum-security prison in Leeward O'ahu, say that aside from any legal ramifications, there are common-sense reasons to support Hawaiian eulture as a form of rehabilitation in the state's facilities. "From my standpoint as a practitioner, Hawaiian spirituality and the acknowledgment of protocol is part of everything from paddling to harvest to everything we do in life as a Hawaiian," said Kumu Hinaleimoana Falemei, who worked as a volunteer for the Paeihe Justice and Reconciliation Center, the organization that brought makahiki to the men in prison this year. "The high number of Native Hawaiian prisoners in Hawai'i puts the whole Hawaiian eommunity at a disadvantage," added Falemei. She said the makahiki preparation classes in prison

include lessons in Hawaiian values and language and provide a foundation upon whieh pris- - oners ean begin to rebuild their self-esteem. The Nov. 30 Waiawa makahiki ceremony, held on prison grounds, included traditional Hawaiian prayers as well as selected readings on Hawaiian culture and history from David Malo, Samuel Kamakau and John Papa 'Ī'I. Protocol included presentation of ho'okupu by representatives of community organizations, including Community Action Allianee Project, Life of the Land and OHA. Similar makahiki ceremonies were coordinated by the Paeihe Justice and Reconciliation Center during the last week of November at the Federal Detention Center and the O'ahu Community Correctional Center. "The ceremonies are open to prisoners of all religious and ethnic backgrounds, but we especially encourage Native Hawaiian participation," said Falemei, who teaches at a Hawaiian-focused charter school on O'ahu. "Part of what brings so many Hawaiians to the prison system is that disconnect that we all experience as Native Hawaiians, being iso-

lated and disenfranchised in our own home from our language and cultural practices and so we are hoping to expand classes islandwide in prison facilities to offer culture as an anchor for life," said Falemei. Waiawa warden Jodie Mae-saka-Hirata agreed that makahiki is good for many inmates. "It helps themto reconnect with their heritage," she said. In addition to allowing trio of inmates to undergo makahiki training this year, the Waiawa facility invited the remaining population of the facility to attend the ceremony as observers. But there are no observers at a makahiki festival, Falemei quickly announced to the gathering of the more than 100. Falemai said that in the old days makahiki meant that the traditional "divisions between ali'i and maka'āinana disappeared" and everyone joined in. And so it happened that the men in the red Waiawa uniforms added their voices and hand-clapping to the oli and pule, as Falemei directed. As a light rain fell just as the sun began to rise, Falemei said, "The long white cloud tells us that this is a season of cleansing and forgiveness." ■