Makahiki

With minor editing, this is picked up from the Hawaii magazine site. It is from a posting by Chris Bailey, about Hawaii's ancient thanks-giving festival, the Makahiki.

"Long before the Puritans were sailing to Plymouth Rock, the native Hawaiians already had a festival of thanks... They celebrated a successful harvest for an entire season

Makahiki ran four lunar months, from November through February, in ceremonies meant to honor the god Lono. (A modern day Makahiki ceremony is pictured here.) During this time rival tribes were prohibited from fighting, and the rainy weather prevented much work from getting done. Instead, there were surfing competitions, boxing matches and, of course, eating.

Makaainana (commoners) and alii (chiefs) in each district would offer pigs, fish and vegetables at an altar, which sat on the boundary of each ahupuaa (land-division). The warlord of each district would pass through, collect the goods, and sponsor a huge feast."