Introduction:

The Halau DAO, a community-driven decentralized autonomous organization, is making a significant announcement in the NFT world. The organization plans to issue its founders phase, inaugural NFT collection called “TO THE MOON! Phase Birth Portal”, which will include 30 limited Hawaiian moon phase collectibles paying tribute to the 30 names for the moon in Hawaiian culture.

The collection offers lifetime membership access to the Halau DAO's digital and physical learning experiences, as well as several other perks and opportunities to join this rootsy community of regenerative agroforestry, nature-infused holistic wellness, and sustainable business practices, all with a web3 decentralized flavor.

The first artwork of this collection was created on April 5th, 2023 (shown below), under the light of the full "Hoku" moon, marking two weeks of potent content releases and a vast horizon of development and offerings for the Aquarian age. This announcement is a significant one for the greater NFT community, as it introduces a new way to bring people into a deep connection with nature while offering digital community membership and a range of other opportunities through blockchain technology.

For more details: Enter your information at the bottom of this page to be notified of important news and more details about this NFT collection.

"With the minting of the first NFT collection, TO THE MOON - Phase Birth Portal, the Halau DAO is offering a unique opportunity for individuals to participate in a special community" 👊

The Halau DAO's focus on regenerative agroforestry, holistic wellness, and sustainable business practices is a refreshing offering for a web3 project, as these values are often overlooked in the tech and blockchain spaces. The organization is committed to creating a community that values and practices sustainable living, and this is evident in the way they have approached this launch.

With the “TO THE MOON - Phase Birth Portal” collection, the Halau DAO is offering a unique opportunity for individuals to participate in a community that values regenerative agroforestry, nature-infused holistic wellness, and sustainable business practices. The collection offers more than just a digital asset, as it provides access to a range of other opportunities and experiences.

The NFT community has been growing rapidly, and this announcement by the Halau DAO is a significant development. It is a clear sign that there is a growing interest in using blockchain technology to create communities that value sustainability and holistic wellness. The Halau DAO is leading the way in this space, and we can't wait to see what other offerings they have in store for the future.

In conclusion, the TO THE MOON Phase Birth Portal collection is an exciting development for the NFT world, and it reflects a growing interest in creating sustainable communities through blockchain technology. The Halau DAO's focus on regenerative agroforestry, holistic wellness, and sustainable business practices is a refreshing change, and we hope that other organizations will follow their lead. We look forward to seeing how this community grows and evolves in the future.

#theAI content team

Hawaiian Lunar Month

Some History of the Hawaiian Moon Calendar

The Hawaiian word for Moon is Mahina*. It is derived from the name of the Goddess of the Moon. She presides over all other Goddesses. Yes, she is a big deal! To understand the Hawaiian Moon phases and the calendar created by Hawaiians many years ago, we must begin with the Goddess Hina ̒aikamalama*.

Hina is THE strong female force in Hawaiian creation and mythology.

This is indicative of how Hawaiians respected, supported, and revered women, and feminine energy. She is also one of the oldest goddesses in Hawai’i. Hina represents strength and standing up for what you believe. Her partner is Kū*, the God of Strength, War, and Healing. Quite a pair! Women and men, gods and goddesses, held equally important roles.

The Moon is where Hina resides. Hawaiians have prayed, whispered, and admired her in the Moon, night after night since their memory began.

Do you remember the old saying “As Above, So Below”?

That old saying takes on another meaning when we see the phases of the Moon calendar created by these intuitive and acutely aware islanders.  The Hawaiians understood and moved with the Moon and it proved to them that everything is connected. They followed the Moon phases to plant certain crops and to fish in particular ways or at particular times, to prevent overfishing.

They thrived as island people under the guidance of the Moon’s harmony with the rest of nature and existence. As the Moon waxed, it was derived that certain activities would flourish, and as the Moon waned, it was time for restraint, for rest.  It was the Moon’s guidelines and seasons that they became attuned to.

There are 29.5 Moon phases in the Hawaiian Moon calendar. Moving through each of these phases contributed to their lives in a myriad of ways. Their survival linked them to the earth, the sky, and the sea.

Westerners counted days. Hawaiians counted nights.

They studied the natural rhythms of life, and they structured their lives and the moon calendar to be in harmony with the natural world around them.

Their calendar provided guidelines. It clearly designated the timing of most of their essential activities like planting, fishing, hunting, and life in general, based on the rotation of the Moon around the earth.  Not the earth around the sun.

The Hawaiian Moon Calendar Organized Daily Life

The Hawaiians were remarkable navigators.  Perhaps some of the best in the world. They had a deep understanding of the ocean, and its currents, and a similar knowledge of the stars and the movement of the Moon, which enabled them to find their way through the vast spaces of the Pacific Ocean without any western instruments.

A-poe-kahiko* (people of old Hawai’i) tracked the Moon through the seasons, months, and days. They would follow the rising and setting of the sun and the traveling of the stars across the heavens.

Each phase of the Moon has a Hawaiian name and some of the things they are associated with are:

• Planting of certain crops

• Fishing for certain types of seafood

• Gathering of seaweed or other staples

• Kapu*

• Times for reflection

• Marriage

Some Phases of the Hawaiian Moon and What They Mean

As we mentioned previously, the Hawaiian Moon calendar has 29.5 phases. These moon phases still continue to guide fishermen to this day.

Let’s look at a few examples of these phases of the Moon.  We can see how they support and enhance the Hawaiian people as people of the land and the sea.

It starts with the first Moon or as we call it today, the New Moon. This first Moon is called Hilo*. It’s a time to braid new things into our lives. The darkness builds the anticipation of the moonlight that is on its way. This night Hilo often had men and women spending the night at the seashore, hand-fishing or fishing with their homemade nets, as the tides were low in the evening and the calm nights had little wind to disturb the fish.

During Ho’aka, the second Moon, preparation was made for the 4 Kū Moons* coming next.  It was a time of rising energy. A time to plan and organize for securing the materials necessary for the vital needs of all the people and villages.

During the 4 Kū Moons, fishing and planting were a priority. Staple crops were planted. Fishing was known to be at its best during this time before the rough tides which, would surely come with the next 4 ‘Ole Moons*.

The 4 ‘Ole Moons were a time of reflection.  The 4 FULL Moons will be here soon and that will be a time of extreme energy, performance and action. The time leading up to the 4 Full Moons, was taken to return to self and build inner resources.

Ah yes – the 4 FULL Moons: known as Akua, Hoku, Māhealani and Kulu.

We all have our Full Moon experiences. Scary stories. Waking up in the night to see the moon setting over the water, or the most romantic night ever!  How do we know when the full Moon is? Usually, we guess, OR we ask Siri or Alexa!

The Hawaiians did not need to ask anyone. For them, there were 4 FULL Moons.  Great news for us!

After the Full Moon

The moon cycles were a way of life.  It prepared and readied the people for the next Hawaiian moon cycle.

Of course, it is too much to go through 29.5 Moon cycles, but we know this:

The last day is Muku.*  It means to cut. We can now stop or cut anything from our life that isn’t serving us well.

Today it could be eating too many desserts or releasing a negative experience.

It was not so different back in the days of early island life.  There were many things recorded that showed us just how important it was for these early Hawaiians to have health, happiness, and harmony in their lives and in the lives of their families and villagers. Muku, the last day of the Moon, the day before Hilo meant that they could start fresh.

How Do We Put This All Together for the Western Mind?

For the Hawaiians, without satellites or western instruments, they had to become ultra-sensitive and attuned to the cues offered by nature, to know what was the best time to fish or stop fishing for a particular fish.

They understood sustainability much better than many scientists today. They could figure these complex rhythms out by following things like the Phases of the Moon, the rising and setting of the stars, the direction of the setting sun, and other natural cycles around them. The wisdom was passed down through the generations through stories and chants.

They observed things like the Phases of the Moon with such regularity and intimacy they could tell you without even looking, what phase the Moon was in. Without any scientific instruments, they became the instrument themselves. They merged themselves with the natural world.

We want to encourage you to take some time to look at the moon. On a quiet, cloudless night, breathe in her beauty for a moment. Close your eyes and feel her energy, her presence. You are sharing this moment with not only the first Hawaiians but the ancient peoples all around the globe.

Writing and graphic creation by Sugandha Ferro Black

GLOSSARY of Hawaiian Words*

4 Kū Moons – Kū Kahi,  Kū Lua, Kū Lua,  Kū Pau

4 ‘Ole Moons – ‘Ole Kū Kahi, ‘Ole Kū Lua, ‘Ole Kū Lua, ‘Ole Kū Pau

A poe kahiko – the people of old Hawai‘i

Hina ̒aikamalama – Goddess of the Moon, translates as Hina the light

Kapu – refrain from doing something or going some place that is “off limits”

Kū – Kūka’ilimoku –  God of Strength, War and Healing. One of the four Great Gods in Hawaiian Mythology

Mahina – Hawaiian for Moon

• Please keep in mind that all Hawaiian Words have many meanings. The meanings we share here are the specific translations for the words as they pertain to this particular blog’s subject matter.

In the traditional Hawaiian calendar, the lunar month was determined by the 29.5-day cycles of mahina, the moon, and the passage of days were marked by the phases of the moon. The approximately 30 days of the moon cycle were divided into three 10-day periods known as anahulu.

The first 10-day period was called “ho‘onui,” “growing bigger,” beginning on the first crescent (Samuel M. Kamakau, Works of the People of Old / Na Hana a ka ka Po‘e Kahiko 17; David Malo, Hawaiian Antiquities 31-32).

1. Hilo (faint thread; cf. puahilo, “faint, wispy”). The month began with “the first appearance of the new [crescent] moon in the west at evening,” just after sunset, as the moon moved out from behind the sun (David Malo, Hawaiian Antiquities 31).

2. Hoaka (crescent; arch over the door; Handy and Handy say the name means “faint light” or “casting a shadow.”)

3-4-5-6. Kūkahi, Kūlua, Kūkolu, Kūpau (The four Kū days, literally, First, Second, Third, and Last Kū)

7-8-9-10. ‘Ole Kūkahi, ‘Ole Kūlua, ‘Ole Kūkolu, ‘Ole Kūpau (The four ‘Ole days, literally, First, Second, Third, and Last ‘Ole Kū. ‘Ole Kūlua was the first quarter of the moon; the names for days 7-10 match the names of days 21-24 of the last quarter moon. Days 7-10 mark the transition from less than half-lit moon to the more than half-lit moon.)

The second 10-day period was called “poepoe,” “round” or “full,” as the moon became full and round.

11. Huna (“to hide”; when the moon hides its “horns” and appears more rounded)

12. Mōhalu (“to unfold like a flower,” “to blossom”)

13. Hua (fruit, egg)

14. Akua (god; the first night of fullness)

15. Hoku (the second night of fullness; if the moon is still out at sunrise, it is called Hoku ili, “Stranded moon”; if it has set just before sunrise, it is called Hoku palemo, “Sunken moon.”)

16. Māhealani (the third night of fullness; “māhea” means “hazy, as moonlight”)

The nights of the bright moon – Akua, Hoku, and Mahealani – were referred to as “nā pō mahina kōnane,” kōnane meaning “bright moonlight.”

17. Kulua (E.S. Craighill Handy, with Mary Kawena Pukui, gives this day name as “Kulu,” which could mean “to drop” or “to pass, as time does.”)

18-19-20. Lā‘au Kūkahi; Lā‘au Kūlua; Lā‘au Kūpau (Literally, First, Second, and Last Lā‘au Kū. During this sequence, the sharp “horns” of the moon begin to appear again.)

Notes on the Full Moon

The moon appears full on three days, the 14th (Akua), the 15th (Hoku), and the 16th day (Māhealani).

Kamakau (Works of the People of Old / Nā Hana a ka Po‘e Kahiko) writes: “The night when the moon was full was the night of Akua; the second night of the full moon was Hoku, when it began to crumble (puehu) and peel; the second night of this peeling was Māhealani” (p. 17).

Lorrin Andrews, Dictionary of the Hawaiian Language (1865), gives the following definitions:

• Akua: “The name of the night when the moon was perfectly full.”

• Hoku: “The name of the fifteenth day of the month.”

• Māhealani: “The name of the sixteenth day of the month; the day when the full moon began to lose its roundness.”

Pukui-Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary (1986), gives the following definitions:

• Akua: “Name of the 14th night of the full moon.”

• Hoku: “Night of the full moon.”

• Māhealani: “Sixteenth day of the lunar month; night of the full moon.”

David Malo (Hawaiian Antiquities) writes: “... and the fourteenth night, by which time the shape of the moon had become distinctly round, was called Akua, this being the second night in which the circular form of the moon was evident” (pp. 31-32).

Handy and Handy, Native Planters in Old Hawaii (1972), write that Māhealani was “the full moon” (p. 38).

Malo writes of the period of the full moon, “it sood directly overhead at midnight,” having risen at sunset on the opposite side of the sky from the sun.

The third 9-10-day period was called “‘emi,” “decreasing” or “waning,” as the moon loses its light. The last quarter moon rises around midnight and sets around noon. Muku, the new moon, is unseen between the earth and the sun.

Of this period (ano), Malo writes, the moon, as it waned, “showed itself in the east late at night,” as it was now over three-quarters of the way behind the sun along the path of the ecliptic.

21-22-23. ‘Ole Kūkahi; ‘Ole Kūlua; ‘Ole Kūpau (Literally, First, Second, and Last ‘Ole Kū; ‘Ole Kūlua was the last quarter; the names of days 21-23 match the names of 7-10 days of the first quarter moon, and mark the transition from more than half-lit moon to less than half-lit moon. );

24-25-26. Kāloa Kūkahi; Kāloa Kūlua; Kāloa Pau (Literally, First, Second, and Last Kāloa Kū. Kāloa is short for Kanaloa, a major akua, or god.)

27. Kāne. (The name of a major akua, or god.)

28. Lono. (The name of a major akua, or god.)

29. Mauli (“Ghost,” “spirit”; Malo: “fainting”; Kepelino: “last breath”)

30. Muku (“Cut-off.” The new moon; the end of the moon cycle. The moon is in front of the sun: its backside is lit, and its frontside, facing the earth, is dark.)

A chant for remembering the days of the moon:

Kamali‘i ‘ike ‘ole i ka helu pō

Kamali‘i ‘ike ‘ole i ka helu pō

[Chidren who do not know how to count the nights]

Muku nei, muku ka malama

[Here is Muku, cut off is the moon/month]

Hilo nei, kau ka Hoaka

[Here is Hilo (Faint streak of light), the Hoaka (Crescent) rises]

‘Eha Kū, ‘eha ‘Ole

[There are 4 Ku days, and 4 ‘Ole days]

Huna, Mōhalu, Hua, Akua

[Huna (Hidden), Mohala (Blooming), Hua (Fruit), Akua (God)]

Hoku, Māhealani, Kulua

[Hoku (Full Moon Night), Māhealani (Full Moon Night), Kulua (Trickling away)]

‘Ekolu Lā‘au, ‘ekolu ‘Ole

[There are 3 Lā‘au (Plant) days, and 3 ‘Ole days]

‘Ekolu Kāloa, Kāne, Lono, Mauli no.

[There are 3 Kāloa (Kanaloa) days, Kāne, Lono, and Mauli (Life-Spirit). Kanaloa, Kāne and Lono are three major gods of ancient Hawai‘i.]

The Cycle of Moon Phases

As the moon orbits the earth and changes its position in relationship to the sun and the observer on earth, the moon goes through a cycle of 29-30 “phases,” its lit surface waxing and waning from dark to fully lit, and back to dark.

These phases are determined by the position of the moon on the Celestial Sphere. (For an explanation of the moon’s position on the Celestial Sphere, see “The Celestial Sphere.”)

When the moon is on the same side of the Celestial Sphere as the sun, between the observer on earth and the sun, the observer faces the unlit side of the moon, which appears dark (New Moon); when the moon moves away from the sun and off to the side, the observer sees more and more of the portion of the lit side, as the moon waxes from crescent to gibbous. When the moon is on the opposite side of the Celestial Sphere from the sun, with the observer on earth in between, the observer sees the fully lit side of the moon (Full Moon). As the moon moves back toward the sun on the Celestial sphere, the observer sees less and less of the portion of the lit side, as the moon wanes from gibbous to crescent.

From the canoe:

1. When the sun is setting, and the moon is between it and the observer on the canoe, its backside is lit, its frontside dark (New Moon).

2. When the sun is setting, and the moon is rising on the opposite side of the sky, its frontside is lit and it appears full of light.

3. When the sun is setting and the moon is in the first quarter, the moon is near the Zenith, overhead, and its western side is lit, its eastern side dark.

4. When the sun is setting and the moon is in the last quarter, the moon will rise six hours after sunset, at around midnight, and be overhead toward sunrise, with its eastern side lit by the soon-to-rise sun and its western side dark.