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.

Hei Workshop on Maui

11/27/10 - Spent the day working with Keala'iliahi Paredes on hei for children. Here he makes 'Opae (Shrimp) which will be part of the story "'Öpae E". We also learned puhi (eel), honu (turtle), nenue (rudder fish).

Later that day Keali'i Reischel and Hulali joined us to learn "Kuhau Pi'o ka La". We began with "Kauhale o Limaloa." Keali'i is a well known composer, singer, producer, and kumu hula but is also an expert in Hawaiian knotting and netmaking. He found the skill to make hei different from knotting and commented that he found it harder.

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.

Halehale Ke Aloha

Read this article on the string game and chant, Halehale ke Alha, by Hawaiian scholar, Kihei de Silva.

http://kaiwakiloumoku.ksbe.edu/

Four eyes - Papio Maka Liʻiliʻi

A friend of mine with a beautiful example of Papio Maka Liʻiliʻi or Small Eyed Jack/trevally. The secret to creating a beautiful design is really stretching the string with splayed fingers and he has wonderfully large hands that can separate well at the fingers. The figure, Papio Maka Liʻiliʻi, represents a disinterested suitor. An interested suitor has large eyes. That figure is Papio Maka Nui or Large Eyed Jack and is two eyes. The Hawaiian method for creating two eyes is unique to the islands and not found elsewhere.

Maori Master of Whai (Hei/string figure creation)

Mäori Master of Whai, Toby Rikihana, demonstrates some Maori string igures onQuicktime video . See link. His "Te Rua Kümara" or Sweet Potato Pit is made the same way in Hawai'i but it is called "Ka Lua o Pele" or "The Pit of Pele" and his "Whare Kehua" is our "Mauna" or "Hale Lehua". He demonstrates how to make "Tohorä" which is "Koholä" in Hawaiian, however, the same figure is called "Palaoa" which are beaked whales. Koholä refers to the Humpback whale. What was also intriguing is some of the openings and construction techniques which are also very similar in Hawaiian yet we derive different images. For example, we begin 'Te Pae Tūī' me 'Te Pae Kākā' opening moves create sweet potatoe, a canoe, a sled, and a lasso. Very interesting stuff for string figure nerds. Koro Rikihana narrates in both Mäori and English.

The other link features an article on Kwatkiutl Native American string figures. The Kwatkiutl live along the Northwest coast of North America and are well known for their totem poles, elaborate wooden masks, and grand Potlatches. One of the authors, Julia Ayerkieva, says that "The Kwatkiutl string figures also bear resemblance to those of Hawai'i."

Muscle Memory and Hei

How is it that after many years he could remember the string figure? I was amazed because he let his fingers take control and in no time he performed 7-eyes the Hawaiian way. In talking later about the phenomenon, he said that his Chinese grandmother taught him while they sat on the länai/porch having no t.v. or other kind of modern detractor in those days. He also learned knife techniques! Who is this person?

Turtle Surfaces at Hula Conference

Honu iki, honu iki, lu'u ia, lu'u ia a ea mai me ka poho pa'akai.

Hana Hei at World Conference on Hula

Californian, Makaki'i Kalama, says this about hei (string figure making): "As an instructor to nä keiki all things that engage and involve them in hula are very valuable to me. It can also make me more popular on camping trips. :)" Here she is very happy upon getting "Nenue" (rudder fish), the Hawaiian version of One-eye.

Hana Hei at Hälauaola Conference

Julie Moana Boyd is exuberant at her first attempt at Hawaiian string figure making in my presentation at Hälauaola 2009. Here she makes 7 -eyes or "Nä Hiku o Makali'i". Julie is attending the 'Aha Hula o Hälauaola 2009: Worldwide Conference on Hula held this week of July at the Kamehameha Schools, Kapälama Campus. It is held every four years and features performances, cultural field trips, and presentations by noted composers, hula exponents, and Hawaiian cultural practitioners.

Keiki Hula Winners Learn Hei

Check out pictures (at bottom of page) of students of Hälau Kekuaokalä'au'iliahi (Maui) learning hei (string figures) from Kumu Miki'ala Kanekoa and her helpers. Looks like they're having a lot of fun. I also liked Master Keiki Hula's honest reflection on being on stage . Go to Shutterfly to read it! http://halaukekuaokalaaualailiahi.shutterfly.com/

Canadian String Figure Educator in Hawaii

String Figure educator, expert, and enthusiast, Anne Glover, spoke and taught at the National Storytelling Networks Conference in Hawai'i. I liked her preliminary remarks stating that string figure making is more than child’s play. Her revelation that string has the ability to connect one person to another was also very important to me as I attempt to revitalize hei or Hawaiian string figure making and storytelling here in Hawai'i. Anne discovered, while attempting to “blend” two diverse populations of students together before their meeting at a local, Canadian middle school, that string figures has an almost therapeutic effect on people. Check out her website to learn more about that. http://www.anneglover.ca/
I appreciated her acknowledgement of the native peoples of the world and especially her story about the Kwatkiutl natives of Canada, especially the men, going about after supper and challenging each other to string figure making contests. She linked string figure making to storytelling and also to ritual –both aspects are key to Hawaiian string figure making. Anne also shared the very famous and complicated Inuit figure of the “dog” seen in the photo.