many stars,salt cave,six diamonds tutorials string figures

This little boy demonstrates a Hawaiian string figure which he calls Salt Cave.

Navajo String Games by Grandma Margaret

Hei Workshop with Kahuawaiola Teacher Candidates

On October 21st I met with several teacher candidates in the Kahuawaiola program out of the University of Hawai'i at Hilo. This workshop was conducted in Hawaiian. We learned "Nenue" (one-eye) and "Na Hiki o Makali'i" (seven eyes) which I learned from kupuna (elder) 'Aina Keawe. We also read a Hawaiian language story about Makali'i and learned "Koko a Makali'i/Net of Makali'i". In this story the god-chief Makali'i gathers all the food and plant life and binds them in a net in the heavens. The rat people volunteer to climb up to retrieve the foodstuff so life could continue on earth. They travel upon the back of a rainbow and nibble at the cordage thus releasing the food to earth. A part of that rope can be found impressed in rocks at South Point, Island of Hawai'i and the place where the rats landed is named for them, 'Iole.

Hei Workshop with Hawaiian Immersion Teachers

I met with several kula kaiapuni (Hawaiian language immersion) teachers of Waiau Elementary School at Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center at Mu'olaulani to learn hei. We began learning Kauhale a Limaloa then learned the chant accompanying it. Then we read a story about the naughtly 'elepaio and other versions/derivations later on. We then learned how to make Huewai and Kanukuokamanu (the beak of the bird) to accompany the song, 'Io E. In the story of the naughty 'elepaio, he pecks on the water gourd of a man causing the well-sought out water to flow out. The man throws a rock at the 'elepaio bird and he then flies to his bird kin seeking redress. However, each of the birds see 'Elepaio's fault.