Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 8, 1 August 2016 — ʻAimalama [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ʻAimalama

Ā 8olution Based on Ancestral Knowledge

By Hui 'Aimalama We are currently in the malama of Māhoemua, spanning Aug. 3 to Sept. 1. This is the name commonly used on Hawai'i,

but additional names for this malama on other islands include Iki'iki (Moloka'i and Maui), Ikuwa (O'ahu), and Hinaiā'ele'ele (Kaua'i). In the month of Māhoemua, many things are still ripening. Ulu trees are full but not quite ripe and pūhala are also full of intact fruit with some people sharing that hlnano currently hloom at this time. In Puna on Hawai'i, albizia begin to pop up in the brush near the large trees that were flower-

ing in Hinaiā'ele'ele and Ka'aona. Recognizing this pattern, one could plan accordingly to be sure to eheek around for these small nuisance plants such as albizia to remove them before they get too big about a month after they see the trees in hloom. During Māhoemua in 2014, Hawai'i was recovering from storm damage. On the south side in Ka'ū plenty of debris washed up, including hala fruit, coral heads, large logs, coconuts and human-produced rubbish. On the east side, the storm surge had brought sand to 1111 the beaches, along with more debris. An overall unsettledness has been noticed during this time of the year with eool breezes and all kinds of different cloud formations cluing us in on the incoming weather conditions. Keep your senses open for any of these similar clues this year. Mahalo to our kūpuna who left us with generations of knowledge and the guidance to continue the essential practice of kilo. For more information please visit www. aimalama.org. ■

VQCABULARY Kaulana mahina - The position ofthe moon. Mahina - Moon Malama - Lunar month Anahulu - A periocl of 10 moon phases

'AIMALAMA LUNAR CALENDAR

Most hala fruit are not ripe, but in some areas they are beginning to look like this.

From left to right, Hala fruit brought onto shore in Ka ū from storm surge.; Ulu not quite ready in Maku'u, Puna.; Pūhala have hlnano flowers in Keaukaha, Hawai'i.; One of the many amazing cloud formations seen during the malama of Mahoemua. - Photos: Courtesy ofHui 'Aimalama