The rising of Makaliʻi — the Pleiades constellation — at sunset signals the start of the Hawaiian new year, a season called Makahiki that typically runs from mid-November through late January or February. Unlike a single-day festival, this roughly three-month period aligns with the rainy season and was historically set aside for harvest, tribute, sport, and rest. For the makaʻāinana (commoners), it brought both excitement around the games and ceremonies and genuine apprehension about whether their offerings to the aliʻi nui would be accepted. This article covers what Makahiki actually involved — the rituals, the games, the obligations — and why it matters for anyone interested in how traditional Hawaiian religious practice structured the year.
Makahiki is a season of peace, reflection, and abundance, honoring Lono, the Hawaiian god of agriculture, fertility, and rain.
What many visitors to Hawaiʻi don’t realise is that Makahiki wasn’t a vacation from responsibility — it was a period of intensified obligation. The practice of giving hoʻokupu (offerings) was considered essential to encourage the continued growth and fertility of the land. One ceremony involved ke Kōkō o Maoloha i ka lani, or “the net of Maoloha in the heavens,” a concept tied to a traditional moʻolelo about an aliʻi who hoarded food in a giant net and hung it in the highest heavens, forcing a brave mouse to retrieve it. The season also included a ritualised survey of each district’s wealth, during which an image of Lono called Akua Loa travelled across the moku, with a smaller twin image — Akua Poko — remaining in each area.
Makahiki is best understood as a structured season of renewal, not a single celebration. The games, offerings, and ceremonies all served a practical purpose: resetting the agricultural calendar, reinforcing social bonds, and ensuring the land’s productivity. If you’re visiting during these months, you won’t see a single unified festival — you’ll find scattered community events, school tournaments, and cultural demonstrations that vary by island and organiser.
Understanding the Makahiki Season: Geography, Timing, and Structure
Kau Makaliʻi — the season of the Makahiki ritual — falls on the lunar months of ʻIkuwā, Welehu, and Makaliʻi, roughly November through January. Kahuna (priest-seers) reset the lunar calendar during this time each year by observing celestial and environmental phenomena. The season functions as both the beginning and end of the annual cycle of rituals performed at heiau (temples). It is dedicated to Lono, a deified personification of oxygen and the atmospheric forces of nature, who brings rains and releases nutrients necessary for growth and collective abundance.
Across the islands today, images of the Lono Makua walk their traditional routes, carried by men and women garbed in white as ancient prayers are spoken. At Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park on the Big Island, local school children compete in an annual games tournament to celebrate and learn about Hawaiian tradition. The season is observed as a joyous time where games and competitions draw in crowds, but the depth of the ritual — the genealogical chants, the precise offerings, the movement of the Akua Loa — is often simplified in tourist-facing materials.
Where to Experience Makahiki Traditions
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
This National Park Service site on the Big Island’s Kona coast hosts an annual Makahiki games tournament where local school children compete in events like ʻulu maika (stone disk rolling), moa paheʻe (sliding darts), and kōnane (a strategy game similar to checkers). The park itself — a former place of refuge for those who broke kapu — provides the most accessible setting for visitors to observe these traditions in context. The games tournament is not a daily occurrence; it happens once a year, typically in January, and the park’s regular interpretive programs focus more on the site’s history as a puʻuhonua than on Makahiki specifically. Check the NPS calendar before planning a trip around this.
Community-Led Celebrations and School Events
Across the pae ʻāina, public and private schools have revived traditional Makahiki games as part of physical education and cultural curriculum. Events like the one sponsored by KS Kaiāulu bring together communities for three-day celebrations featuring lomilomi, hei, ulana lauhala, and kuʻi kalo demonstrations alongside competitive games. These are not tourist attractions — they are community gatherings, and attendance requires awareness of local protocols. The games themselves — ʻōʻō ihe (spear throwing), kukini (foot races), moa paheʻe, alo ʻia (dodgeball) — were originally designed to develop physical, mental, and spiritual strength, reflecting the training once practiced by ancient warriors during this peaceful season.
The flawless recital of moʻokūʻauhau (genealogical chants) was considered the most impressive and celebrated feat of mind during Makahiki — more prestigious than any physical competition. These chants are rarely performed in public settings today, and when they are, they follow strict protocols around who may speak them and where.
Practical Planning for the Makahiki Season
If you want to observe or participate in Makahiki-related events, timing and location matter more than most visitors assume. The season spans roughly three months, but public events cluster in specific windows.
| Event Type | Typical Timing | Best Location |
|---|---|---|
| School games tournaments | January–February | Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, various school campuses |
| Community cultural festivals | November–December | Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island (check local calendars) |
| Lono Makua processions | Variable, announced locally | Across multiple islands, often rural districts |
Getting There
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau is a 30-minute drive south of Kailua-Kona on Highway 11. The park opens at 8:15 a.m. and the annual games tournament typically runs from mid-morning to early afternoon. For community events on other islands, local Hawaiian cultural organisations and groups like Hālau Kū Māna post schedules that are not always widely advertised outside the community.
Best Time to Visit for Makahiki Events
Mid-January offers the highest concentration of public programming, as many schools schedule their games tournaments after winter break. November events tend to be smaller and more community-focused. February events are rarer but do occur. The rainy season is in full effect during these months — expect afternoon showers and occasional road closures on the windward sides of the islands.
Many Makahiki events listed on tourism websites are commercial luʻau marketed as “Makahiki celebrations” but bearing little resemblance to the actual season’s rituals. Look for events sponsored by Hawaiian cultural organisations, schools, or the National Park Service rather than resort properties.
On the Ground: What to Know Before You Go
Cultural Protocols and Participation
Makahiki events organised by and for the Hawaiian community follow protocols that visitors should respect. Donning traditional garments, when done by cultural practitioners, perpetuates cultural identity and enables native thought and practice — it is not a costume opportunity. If an event includes hoʻokupu (offerings), observe quietly unless explicitly invited to participate. The practice of giving was an integral phase of the harvest season’s ceremonies, believed to encourage the continued growth and fertility of lands and resources. Understanding the deeper meaning of Hawaiian hospitality helps contextualise why these protocols matter.
Games You Might See
ʻUlu maika involves rolling a stone disk between two stakes — a favourite game of ancient Hawaiians that tests accuracy and control. Moa paheʻe is a sliding dart game requiring focus and skill. Kōnane, sometimes called “Hawaiian checkers,” is a strategy game played on a flat stone board, though much of its depth and complexity has been lost over the years. ʻŌʻō ihe is spear throwing, a test of precision. Kukini are foot races showcasing speed and endurance. Alo ʻia is a lively dodgeball game. These games are currently being revived across the islands in schools and communities as exercises that develop physical, mental, and spiritual strength.
- Makahiki is a three-month season, not a single festival — plan around specific community or school events rather than expecting a unified celebration.
- Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau hosts the most accessible public games tournament, but it occurs once a year in January and fills quickly.
- Commercial luʻau marketed as “Makahiki” are rarely authentic — seek events sponsored by Hawaiian cultural organisations or the National Park Service.
Makahiki Season: Your Questions Answered
What does Makahiki celebrate?
Makahiki marks the Hawaiian new year and honours Lono, the god of agriculture, fertility, and rain. It is a season of peace, harvest, and renewal, historically set aside for tribute, sport, and rest. The rising of Makaliʻi (the Pleiades) at sunset signals its start.
When does Makahiki take place?
It usually begins in mid-November and ends in late January or February, aligning with the rainy season and the lunar months of ʻIkuwā, Welehu, and Makaliʻi. The exact timing varies slightly each year based on celestial observations.
Can visitors attend Makahiki celebrations?
Yes, but most public events are school tournaments or community gatherings, not tourist-oriented festivals. The annual games tournament at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is the most accessible option. Our full guide to the Makahiki season includes a calendar of known events.
What games were played during Makahiki?
Traditional games include ʻulu maika (stone disk rolling), moa paheʻe (sliding darts), ʻōʻō ihe (spear throwing), kōnane (strategy game), kukini (foot races), and alo ʻia (dodgeball). These games were designed to develop physical, mental, and spiritual strength and are being revived in schools across the islands.
Is Makahiki still observed today?
Yes, though not as a single unified festival. Across the islands, images of the Lono Makua walk their traditional routes, school children compete in games tournaments, and communities hold three-day celebrations featuring traditional practices like lomilomi and kuʻi kalo. The season remains a living tradition, not a historical reenactment.
Closing
What makes Makahiki difficult to package for a visitor is exactly what makes it worth understanding: it resists simplification into a single event, a single location, or a single meaning. The season operates on multiple levels — agricultural, spiritual, social, athletic — and the tension between those layers is the point. If you time a trip to catch a school tournament at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau or a community gathering on Maui, you will see something that functions as both a revival and a continuation, not a performance for outsiders. Understanding the sacred spaces where these traditions are practiced adds another layer of context to what you witness.
Sources and further reading
Lonoikamakahiki: Celebrating the Season of Makahiki. Kamehameha Schools, 2023.
Makahiki Magic: A Three-Day Celebration of Hawaiian Culture, Unity, and Tradition. Hālau Kū Māna, 2024.
Kau Makaliʻi: The Season of the Makahiki Ritual. National Park Service, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.
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