Makahiki, the ancient Hawaiian season known as the Hawaiian New Year, is a four-lunar-month period from October or November to February or March, depending on the year. The rising of Makaliʻi (the constellation also known as the Pleiades) at sunset marks the beginning of Makahiki, and the season is recognized as a time of harmony, plenty, relaxation, and Hawaiian-style games. It is also a time to honor the Hawaiian god Lono, who represents fertility, agriculture, and peace. Native Hawaiians have a unique relationship with land and culture deeply rooted in the concept of kuleana, a responsibility and privilege to care for and protect the land and the community to which they belong. 

At family-run Nohoʻana Farm, situated on two acres of kuleana land (traditional ahupuaʻa management), Makahiki gratitude is observed as a way of life. “It is a time of reflection to hone our farming practice and to honor the bounty of what the ‘āina offers us,” said Hōkūao Pellegrino, owner and manager of Nohoʻana Farm. “Knowing the ‘āina provides all year long, we need to have a level of consciousness that shows gratitude for what Lono gives to us. Makahiki is about sharing and bringing the community together both for education and for fun events.”   

Vincent Mina, co-owner of Kahanu ‘Āina Greens, also walks the talk and has boldly stepped into numerous leadership roles that allow him to teach residents how to transform food systems in Hawaiʻi. His longtime mission has been to promote life-nurturing practices for good health through education and outreach.  

“Makahiki, a new year to share love, is a time of appreciation and gratefulness,” Mina reflected. “My vision is to bring the latest scientific research and Hawaiian regenerative agriculture practices for wellness and soil cultivation to the Maui farming community, and to raise awareness of the relationship between our bodies and the soil from which our food is grown.” 

Today, the spirit of Makahiki is also celebrated through yearly events and traditions such as Festivals of Aloha. One of the next events, Wailuku First Friday on November 7 from 6pm to 9pm, will usher in a vibrant evening dedicated to community, culture, and connection to the land.