Calabash holding net of Makali'i

Accordingn to tradition. all the foods of Hawai'i were gathered up by Makali'i, placed in a calabash and held in a net hung in the heavens. The small race of rats volunteered to get food back so they travelled on the back of a rainboe and gnawed at the net releasing all food to the earth. The fallen net can be found imprinted on a rock on the south point of Hawai'i island.

The large central figure held all the major foods. The smaller sides held the minor foods. It is one of a few figues made with the assistance of a toe.

Hawaiian Language Day

October 22 - High school, immersion school, parents gather to participate in various activities like hei. One young 1st grader creates his own pyramid. Another high school couple stunble upon another (triagle)after learning "Kauhale a Limaloa"

Nana I Ke Kumu Workshops

I was privileged to share hei at Kumu Hula Vicky Takamine's Pa'i Foundation's "Nana i Ke Kumu" workshops held at the University of Hawai'i Music Department. The weeklong workshops featured oli, hula, 'ukulele and other performing arts. Hei is a performing art. Here , students marvel at one of the stages of "Kauhale a Limaloa". They form what Dickey calls "Hale 'Ilikini" (teepee). It is actually a mauna (mountain).

Na Hiku o Makali'i

April hei workshop with Moku Yoshikawa. Here he forms 7-eyes or Na Hiku o Makali'i, The Seven Stars of the Pleiades. He also learned 1-eye. A traditional way to learn hei was from parents and grandparents as I did from kupuna (elder) Aina Keawe. She taught me 1 and 7 eyes saying that one should begin with 1 eye or Nenue (rudder fish). This custom of beginning learning with an established form is similar to quilt makers who first learn the 'ulu (breadfruit) design or feather lei makers who first start out with the poepoe (rounded) style. Of course the raison d'etre lies in the meaning: 'ulu (breadfruit) is similar to ulu (grow); poepoe (rounded) implies fulness; and the One-eye represents beginnings.