Ka Ho‘ola‘a o Na Ali‘i, the ceremony of investiture for Hawai‘i’s Royal Court, took place last Saturday at the summit of Kilauea volcano. The annual event marks the beginning of Aloha Festivals, a six island celebration of music, dance, and history intended to preserve Hawaiian culture.
The investiture rightly occurs at high noon, a time when the sun is directly overhead and no shadows are cast. The ali‘i nui (royalty) and their entourage gather on the rim of Halema‘u ma‘u crater, home of Pele-honua-mea, Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes.
Here, the king, queen, prince, and princess don their symbols of chiefly status— ahu‘ula (feather cloak), amahi‘ole (feather-covered helmet), and lei hulu manu (feather lei). Traditionally, the yellow and red feathers of the islands’ forest birds were especially prized.
The color and pageantry of the investiture contrast sharply with the harsh volcanic surroundings. Sulfurous fumes envelop onlookers and hula dancers in bare feet step lightly over lava rock that is 50% silica, or glass.
The sound of the pu (spiral sea shell) resonates as the royal procession passes. Its echo proclaims the start of another season of aloha.
