On Feburary 3, Kamehameha Maui joined at Kahekili field to celebrate their Hawaiian ancestry and their cultural heritage. Each campus gathered on the field creating a sea of red that waited in anticipation for the Makahiki games to begin.

Kāhili waved in the air representing the presence of the Hawaiian god Lono and instilled a sense of pride in native history.

Kumu Ekela Kaniaupio-Crozier, Hawaiian Protocol Facilitator, was a driving force behind the production of the 2012 spring Red Friday.

“We thought it would be nice to include all the divisions [elementary, middle, and high school] so no one would have to compete against each other. It’s [Red Friday] a chance for the haumāna to stand up and be proud to be Hawaiian,” she said.

The unified atmosphere was present throughout the event. The different campuses teamed up in competitions like huki huki (tug of war), haka moa (chicken fighting), and kūkiʻi (foot race). Vice Principal Leo Delatori was pleased with the recent turn the event has taken.

“It’s different. I like how everyone’s so involved and how it’s kind of mixed. Before, elementary would compete against themselves, same for middle and high school. Now everyone’s involved, it’s unity, and the whole campus is doing the activities together,” Mr. Delatori said.

Senior Ciara Kahahane was one of the high school students who volunteered for the tug-of-war event.

“I like that they do the Makahiki games. It brings back lots of nostalgia because we’ve been doing it for a long time, and [it] reminds us of our cultural heritage,” she said.

Fourth grader Izac Morton competed in haka moa. “I practiced at home mostly. It was really fun!” he said.

The student spectators enjoyed popsicles to cool them off in the sun while male faculty members competed against female faculty members in a tug-of-war, the last event of the day.

As another successful Red Friday came to a close, the students came away being reminded of the life of their ancestors and the importance of keeping their culture alive.