Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 11, 1 Nowemapa 2022 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

V 'OLELO A KA POUHANA V ^ MESSAGE FROM THE CEO *

A TIME T0 REST

Ho'omaha (v. to talce a rest or vacation; to retire, stop work; to obtain relief; to pause.)

Before westerners found their way to our shores and introduced holidays and customs that supplanted our own, our kūpuna celebrated Makahiki during this time of year. Historically, the approximately four-month Makahiki season begins when the constellation Makali'i (Pleiades) becomes visible on the eastern horizon at sunset, usually in mid-November. Leaning into new research by Hawaiian lunar calendar expert Kalei Nuuhiwa on the protocols, rituals and phenomena related to Makahiki, cultural practitioners observed the beginning of this current Makahiki season last month (during the Hawaiian month of 'Ikuā on the Hua moon) with sacred ceremonies and protocol. Traditionally, Makahiki was a season of peaee and abundance for our lāhui - a time for relaxation, hula, storytelling, sports competitions and games. Crops were harvested, taxes were paid, and political conflicts were set aside. Makahiki was dedicated to the god Lono, who is associated with agriculture, fertility and peaee. It was a time of rest and rejuvenation for the land and for the people; a time to renew bonds and strengthen the pilina (relationships) between 'ohana, mo'omeheu and aina. I think about Makahiki and the inherent wisdom of establishing such a significant amount of time eaeh year for the people and the aina to ho'omaha (rest). The spiritual aspects of Makahiki reflect our ancestors' intimacy with, and reverenee for, the natural world and its rhythms. But consider, too, the holistic benefits of establishing a four-month season of rest for the collective physical, psychological and social health of the people. And then marvel at the genius of prioritizing this to such an extent that the entire political and eeonomie structure of the society is built around it. Our modern 24/7/365 western eeonomie system would probably collapse if we shut

down for four months - we all remember what happened during the lockdown in the early days of the pandemic. But what lessons ean we take from the intentionality of Makahiki as a time of rest and apply to our lives today? When November arrives, most of us begin preparing for the holidays. But for many, all the feasting, decorating and shopping adds kuleana to our already busy lives and this ean be stressful and expensive. So instead of being a time of rest, reflection and gratitude, the holidays ean seem more like an exhausting two-month sprint to January. Why do we over-extend ourselves during the holidays? Because it is expected? Because we do not want to disappoint anyone? Because everyone else is doine it?

This year, instead of being swept up in the holiday frenzy, wha different choices ean we make to allow ourselves to enjoy the

season and make memories with the people we love withou ' draining our time, energy and bank accounts? How do we tap into the 'ike of our kūpuna and the lessons of Makahiki and make time to rest, reflect and be grateful during this holiday season - and in doing so, reafīirm and invest in the people, practices and places that are most imnnrt^nt tn ne? ■

Sylvia M. Hussey, Ed.D. Chief Executive Officer