{"id":17798,"date":"2025-12-29T08:33:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T18:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/?p=17798"},"modified":"2026-01-09T13:27:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T23:27:53","slug":"2025-mural-mo%ca%bbolelo-molokai-high-intermediate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiipublicschools.org\/haw\/2025-mural-mo%ca%bbolelo-molokai-high-intermediate\/","title":{"rendered":"Mural Mo\u02bbolelo: Molokai High"},"content":{"rendered":"

Warrior-athletes, with game faces on, populate an expansive ceramic tile mural wrapping the entry of the Molokai High School gym. Presented Dec. 12, 1975, by artist Mataumu Toelupe Alisa, the mural depicts men in fierce competition. In ancient times, Molokai was the training ground for top makahiki contenders and the gathering place to crown the champion of all islands.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alisa, a Kahuku High & Intermediate graduate, was one of the first Hawai\u02bbi muralists of Polynesian descent to represent cultural themes \u2014 such as hula, imu preparation, and Hawaiian legends \u2014 for perpetuity. \u201cMakahiki – Pa\u02bbani Ho\u02bboikaika O Moloka\u02bbi\u201d was one of his first solo works and took three years to complete.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rainy season ushers in makahiki \u2014 a time of giving thanks to the god Lono for bountiful harvests, feasting and games of athleticism. The mural serves as a snapshot in time showcasing traditional games and honored traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the largest section, a white flowing banner known as Lono Makua, billows in an unseen wind. The kapa banner was carried from village to village, signaling the start of makahiki season and tax collection. Against the backdrop of \u2018\u0101ina and kai, athletes compete in he\u02bbe nalu (surfing), heihei wa\u02bba (canoe racing), hukihuki (tug-of-war), mokomoko (boxing) and k\u0101k\u0101 l\u0101\u02bbau (pole jousting) while chiefs and royalty look on. In total, 10 traditional land and ocean sports are represented across the three panels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifty years after Alisa\u2019s work was unveiled, a makahiki resurgence<\/a> is taking place. More than 300 students from 13 public, charter and private schools gathered for the annual Kaua\u02bbi Middle School Makahiki Championship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event\u2019s organizer, Kaina Makua is executive director of Kaua\u02bbi nonprofit Kumano I Ke Ala. He noted that makahiki training helps students build cultural grounding, work ethic and respect for others. As a staunch proponent of the games in schools, his goal is to use traditional practices to help shape confident, well-rounded leaders, or \u201cgood humans\u201d for a new generation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Makua also portrayed Kamehameha in the series \u201cChief of War.\u201d The series gave him a platform to shine a light on traditional Hawaiian games and their importance to a broad audience. He hopes to gain traction to reestablish statewide games in the coming years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half a century later, the artistic imagery captured in \u201cMakahiki – Pa\u02bbani Ho\u02bboikaika O Moloka\u02bbi\u201d is now a vision of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n