PÃÂûani Hawaiûi (, also anglicized as "Paani Hawaii") or PÃÂûani for short, are Hawaiian play, games, and contests. Most pÃÂûani Hawaiûi place pertinence on language and chanting as part of the pÃÂûani, excepting only lele koali (Hawaiian: kowali), a Hawaiian swinging game based around either a koali vine or a koali hao (metal chain). Manaleo âÂÂAuntyâ Alice in her Ka Leo Hawaiûi interview stated that an exchange of words and play spans either a few days or a whole week during lele koali. During this time, everybody gathers to socialize, tell stories, play music, and share meals. PÃÂûani Hawaiûi has been compared in anthropological study to Japanese games.
Early 20th century scholars attach the decline of pÃÂûani kahiko (English: traditional games) to the decline in Hawaiian cultural practice. This is supported by evidence of Hawaiian people passing away at the turn of the century. In addition to a decline in the population of native Hawaiians, religious differences, which evolved between the early 19th and 20th centuries, may have contributed to the decline of traditional Hawaiian games. Some Hawaiians who were converting to Christianity struggled to maintain their cultural practices in the face of the new religion. The overthrow of Ka LÃÂhui Hawaiûi Kà «Ã»okoûa, and the provisional government, which outlawed Hawaiian Language as a medium of education, also distracted from pÃÂûani. Many of the pÃÂûani, which were sometimes symbols of akua, or elements (gods and goddesses) were relegated to the background.
A renewal of pÃÂûani during the 1950s is attributed to a pageantry (play) held by the Honolulu Parks and Recreation Department in 1921. At the time, President Woodrow Wilson was visiting Hawaii. He saw the play and stated that there should be more investment in PÃÂûani Hawaiûi KÃÂhiko. This led to a larger investment in this âÂÂpageantryâÂÂ, which was enacted competitively at the Kennedy Theatre in the University of Hawaiûi at MÃÂnoa.
The next resurgence occurred during the establishment of ûAha Pà «nana Leo. The ûAha Pà «nana Leo, a system of networks based around ÃȈ Âlelo Hawaiûi, (Hawaiian language) became a charter public school which enabled space for Hawaiian practices to be normal. In many Kaiapuni Schools, at least during the 1990s, students committed themselves to playing many pÃÂûani. Pala ûIe, a game similar to the kendama, but was âÂÂa flexible stick made of braided coconut leaves with a loop at one end and a tapa ball on a string attached below the loop. The object was to catch the ball in the loopâÂÂ. Peûepeûe akua, the Hawaiûi equivalent of hide âÂÂnâ seek, was done to a chant for Pele, an akua Hawaiûi. Lono, mauli, pau, (similar to rochambeau), but this pÃÂûani was meant to help players memorize moon phases. It was played along with Makahiki games that took place during ûaha wehena (opening ceremonies).
PÃÂûani Hawaiûi related to Makahiki are therefore related to Lonoikamakahiki. The number of akua at play during pÃÂûani Hawaiûi. Hawaiûi believed there to be kini akua or more than four hundred thousand akua.
Makahiki Games are the most commonplace in the islands. The time for these games to be played is marked by the rising of Makaliûi (Pleiades) during the month of Welehu. ûUlu maika is a game where the contestants bowl a rounded stone between two sticks. Mokomoko (aka kuûikuûi) is a boxing contest done with chants specific to the place. HÃÂkà Âkà  (wrestling), ÃȈ ÂÃ»à  Ã»Ihe, spear throwing into a banana stump, Honuhonu, hand pulling, Keûa Pua, dart throwing, (PÃÂ) Uma, wrist wrestling, Pà «henehene, concealing stones, KÃÂkÃÂlÃÂûau, spear fencing, Loulou, interlocked finger pulling and Kulakulaûi, a pushing contest are played then
Some moûolelo (stories) suggest that mokomoko is the opening pÃÂûani during makahiki, and requires blood to be drawn. During pÃÂûani Makahiki, the pÃÂûani champion of each ahupuaûa is allowed to circle the island with an elite company of champions. During this island circuit, the akua pÃÂûani, an idol related to play, traverses the pÃÂûani and watches over participants, sometimes watching for a specific person, other times they watch over many. The akua pÃÂûani is typically held by a court, who collect the ancestral taxes from each ahupuaûa, alongside an aliûi (a chief or chiefess) and a moûë (paramount chief or chiefess). This is an exceptional act though; it is not often that makaûainana or citizens are allowed to interact with their aliûi in this manner.
Some pÃÂûani are for the purpose of leûaleûa and hoûoipoipo. These are perhaps the most intricate of the games: Kilu is a pÃÂûani of courting that relies on hula, mele, and is specific for aliûi, which also suggests a need for establishing genealogy. ûUme is a pÃÂûani similar to Kilu. It is for the commoners and was called ûume because the participants would be drawn to each other. Pà «hene is a game of concealing a rock on the body of a person, the specific instance of Hiûiaka's experiences with Kilu, and Pà «henehene may reveal to the players the intricacy of language and movement necessary for these pÃÂûani.
Many other pÃÂûani exist in Hawaiûi. Language tends to be their biggest feature. Games such as hoûolele kë, are specific to one place (Këlauea). Various others take place only in certain regions, such as kaupua, a race done in the ocean, or keûa pua, which requires a sugar cane stock and sugar cane flower, a dirt mound, and rope. One of the most well known games, kà Ânane, is a game of wits that requires ûiliûili from the ocean region and pà Âhaku (rocks) from either the plains or mountain regions. It is possible to read English interpretations of these pÃÂûani and how to participate in them in books such as Donald D. Kilolani Mitchell's books Resource Units in Hawaiian Culture Hawaiian games for today, and Pukui's Hawaiian Dictionary.