Makahiki

The Makahiki is the ancient Hawaiian New Year festival. It is a holiday covering four consecutive lunar months, approximately from October or November through February or March. This is generally considered the new year because Makahiki marks a time between growing seasons when the dry season ends and the wet, short days of winter begin. Here are some interesting facts about Makahiki:

• In addition to being the Ancient Hawaiian New Year, it’s the season of rest and rejuvenation for both the land and the people.
• It was a time for the ocean to rest, too, and a very sustainable idea. The ocean is typically at its roughest during Makahiki, so fishing was also greatly reduced at this time.
• It celebrated the return of the god Lono of the Hawaiian religion. Hawaiians would honor and give thanks to Lono, a deity of peace, agriculture, and healing.
• Hawaiians celebrated by playing games like ulumaika (where a player must roll a hockey puck-shaped rock in between two sticks stuck in the ground), wrestling, tug-of-war, spear-throwing and foot races. 

Typically, Makahiki is the busiest time of the year for tourism in modern day. The waves are up and it’s prime time for snowbird visitors. How ironic that a time of rest, when labor was in fact forbidden, it has now become the busiest time of the year in the Hawaiian Islands. 

For detailed history of makahiki, please visit Ke Ola Magazine’s Makahiki The Hawaiian Winter Holiday. Also on Kumukahi.org and Ka‘iwakīloumoku.

Lāhui Kānaka Initiative

To support the Lāhui Kānaka initiative in building, caring for and strengthening pālama (sanctuary) during this global pandemic and beyond, we chose various videos with lessons from Kamehameha Publishing’s Kumukahi website to share with you each week. In addition to these informative videos, supplemental reading material, and corresponding vocabulary, a challenge for each topic (kumukahi.org) will be assigned with the hope that your ‘ohana/pālama will find inspiring and heart-warming. To learn more, check out the content found on  OHA’s website (please be sure to scroll all the way down for much more detail).

From the Hale of Kumu Kaleo Trinidad

'Okakopa (October) is National Bullying Prevention Month. As an educator, cultural leader, and father, I am committed to providing a safe and enjoyable learning atmosphere for students, families, and communities. It is a kuleana that we should share to reduce bullying and cyberbullying by emphasizing a culture of civility and respect.

A global kāhea to lōkahi(unite) by getting involved in this month-long (and beyond) campaign to take action at the local level to prevent bullying and support/promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Join us on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, by wearing and sharing ORANGE to support the end of bullying and promote increased acts of KINDNESS, ACCEPTANCE, and INCLUSION. #unityday2020.

Onolicious

Malasadas Recipe

Being a native Hawaiian and living on the continent, and especially on the east coast, we crave the kind of kau kau (food) from “back home.” Since there are very few restaurants that serve this type of cuisine in the D.C. area, it’s a constant search to find the “right recipe.” Please enjoy a mix of several recipes and a pinch of my mana`o (thoughts) for the Hawaiian doughnuts we call “malasadas.”

Ingredients

• 1 packet active dry yeast (¼ oz or 2 ¼ tsp)
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1/3 cup water (about 110 degrees)
• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups scalded milk 
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 8 large eggs, beaten

Preparation 

1. Dissolve the yeast and 1 TSBP of sugar in the warm water. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. Add the milk, butter, eggs, and yeast mixture. Beat thoroughly to form a soft and smooth dough. Cover and let rise until double in size. (See my notes below)
4. Heat oil to 350. Shape dough into flat, round discs, pulling the dough outwards and leave a small indentation in the center.
5. Fry in oil until brown. Drain on paper towels then toss in sugar.
6. Makes approximately 2 dozen.

My Mana`o (Thoughts)

You can follow the recipe as it says, BUT here are my suggested notes and modifications:

• The dough is VERY sticky and messy! I punch it down and let it rise a second time.

• After the second rise, pour the dough out onto a lightly floured silicone sheet.

• Lightly dust the top of dough with flour. Cut into evenly sized pieces. Shape or use a biscuit cutter. Let rise again.

• NOTE: The longer the dough was left to rise, the puffier it became. My goal is puffy malasadas.

• The recipe says it makes 2 dozen malasadas, but they were huge! You might want to shape them into smaller round discs to ensure that the doughnuts are fully cooked. If you do this, you might have 4 dozen doughnuts to share with everyone.

• Bring the milk up to 180 degrees (on the stovetop) and then let it cool down to 105. You can stop at 110, but I want to be sure not to kill the yeast. Any liquid too hot will kill the yeast and will not allow the dough to rise. I know this from experience!

• Personally, I think the malasadas taste better the next day – just microwave them for 8 seconds! Very ono (delicious) as we say in Hawai`i!

Community Connections

Oct. 1 - Dec. 31: Born in response to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on Hawai’i’s small and micro businesses, the Pop-Up Mākeke is a centralized online marketplace that supports over 400 Hawai’i businesses and over 12,000 unique products. In addition to serving as an online hub, the mākeke brings its products to life through weekly QVC inspired shows featured on Facebook Live. Catch these weekly shows every Sunday at 8pm HST or Monday at 2am EST, with hana hou airings playing through out the week on Facebook Live.

Oct. 1 - 29 (Thurs): Haka Entertainment Presents, The Moonlight Mele Concert Series every Thursday at 3pm HST (9pm EST). The lineup for October is: 10/1 Mike Ka'awa10/8 Bobby Moderow and Uheuhene (Double Feature)10/15 The Pandanus Club10/22 Robi Kahakalau & Kala'e Camarillo10/29 The Mākaha Sons. You can re-watch past episodes our Facebook or our  YouTube Channel.

Oct. 11 - Nov. 8 (Sun): St. Louis presents "Hoʻi I Ka Piko" a new web series about history, kuleana, and legacy. Tune in every Sunday starting October 11th, from 2pm - 3pm HST (8pm EST), with live-streaming on Facebook.

Nov. 5 (Thurs): Instead of a live in-person event, I Ulu Nō Ka Lālā I Ke Kumu, Youth blossoms from a strong foundation, the 43rd Annual The Prince Lot Hula Festival, is moving to a televised program on KHON2. The virtual festival will premiere on Thursday, November 5 from 7 to 9 pm HST, announced Moanalua Gardens Foundation (MGF), the festival’s producer. The two-hour virtual festival will also be live streamed globally and rebroadcast Saturday, November 7 from 7 to 9 pm HST on sister station KHII and Sunday, November 8 from 8 to 10 pm on KHON2. It can also be viewed later on MGF’s YouTube channel, along with additional vignettes that could not be included in the television program.

Interested in sharing something in our Newsletter? How about a special event or announcement?

Please send an email to: Marilyn@ealaehcc.org