Makahiki Games: The Hawaiian Olympics
For Native Hawaiians, it wasn’t the lighting of a torch but the appearance of a star that signified the opening of the games. The appearance of the Makalii, also known as the Pleiades, in the eastern sky would mark the Hawaiian New Year and the start of the Makahiki (pronounced mah-kah-hee-kee) season. Makahiki was a…
Hawaiian Hula Dance 101
There’s a lot of hoopla on hula, the art form is known around the world – from little fishing villages in Japan to dance troupes in New York City. You probably grew up seeing hula performed on TV, with tanned girls in grass skirts against a backdrop of swaying palms. Or it was the routine…