Kanaka Thinking: Man as a Steward of the Land

He Ali'i ka 'aina; he kauwa ke kanaka.

The land is a chief; man is its servant. Pukui 531

Land has no need for man, but man needs the land and works it for a livelihood.

It seems as though we have forgotten our responsibility to the land, the ocean, and the sky. Much of our concentration is on technology and we are forgetting the foundation upon which our lives are built. Getting a close understanding of our relationship between the land, the ocean, and the sky is important in building a lifestyle which can be sustained unto itself.

For many of our children, food comes in plastic bags or is placed on foam trays wrapped with plastic wrap. Ask a teenager to kill and clean a chicken and I can almost guarantee that that youngster would have a quizzical look on his or her face. Ask that youngster's mom to take on the task and most mothers who are in their 30s or 40s would not know how to kill and clean a chicken either.

Relying on growing, gathering, or raising our own food is not a step backwards. Rather, it is a step into the future to protect food sources for our families.

Kanaka Thinking: Thorough Education begins with the Little Things

E kuhikuhi pono i na au iki a me na au nui o ka 'ike.

Instruct well in the little and large currents of knowledge.  Pukui 325

In teaching, do it well; the small details are as important as the large ones.

'Ulu - breadfruit,.  Ulu also a word that means to grow, increase,

spread, protect.  

When going to visit a school to see how good it is, check out the little things that compose the campus. Are the campus grounds clean, beautiful, and well cared for?  Do you see teachers, administrators, or students picking up litter and putting it in the trash cans?  As you walk by, do people smile at you?

These are the little things that tell you that people take pride in their school.  If the campus is neat and clean, you know that the maintenance staff is working hard to present a beautiful, safe, and clean environment for the students.  If the teachers know that this is true, they try to keep their rooms neat and clean to avoid the scowls of the room cleaner if the room is messy and dirty.  If the rooms are neat and organized, you can guess that the teacher is working hard to present lessons that are orderly and well planned.  Well executed lessons make for engaged students.  Thus if you are a stranger and students smile, they may not necessarily be smiling only at you but also at their state of affairs.

Pay attention to the little things that contribute to the big picture.

Kanaka Thinking: Wisdom from our Makua

Na wai ho'i ka 'ole o ke akamai, he alanui i ma'a i ka hele iia e o'u mau makua.

Why shouldn't I know, when it is a road often traveled by my parents?  Pukui 2301.  A reply of Liholiho when someone praised his wisdom.

Observing and absorbing the wisdom of our kupuna are ways to improve the quality of our own lives and futures.  Sometimes, all it takes is to follow in the footsteps of our parents in little things that mean a lot like eating meals together, saying grace, saying "Good morning" and meaning it.  Sometimes, we need to tweak a good practice to suit our way of life...instead of letters, we might send emails or text messages to our loved ones just to check on how they are.  And then, there are times when we need to improve a practice through change.  

Of importance is understanding why things were done in a certain way.  Being observant of the social interactions and ramifications are very much the Hawaiian way of learning.  Checking things out and then filling in the blanks to create our own sense of meaning are approaches that need to be used more often in our busy lives.  Taking time to talk and listen are more ways to gather data.  Communication from the mouth and the heart needs to be shared.

Kanaka Thinking: Cling Fiercely to Love

Kama 'ia ke aloha a pa'a i loko.

Bind love that it may remain fast within.  Pukui 1452.
Be a person who knows love.

Love takes work.  If you find love, bind it, nurture it, grow it...so that it remain steadfast within.
Love between people takes work.  We are all with our imperfections and loving fiercely means looking beyond the minor faults and flaws and loving each other as a wholistic entity.  Love is a two way street...as you share love, love is shared with you.

Those who think they "deserve" love will never get what they think they should get.  It is because too much time is focused on what THEY want rather than what OTHERS need.  The more love you give, the more love you receive.  Love can be demonstrated through a smile, a look of empathy, a kind word, a deed done, a time to listen, and sometimes even a tear.

Loving others takes a conscious effort.  Work hard at being a loving person.  It begins with the little things.

Kanaka Thinking: Judge Not

Keke'e ka waha, ua nahu i ka makani.
His mouth is wry (distorted) after biting the wind.  Puku'i 1745
Said of one who has found that what he said of others is true of himself.

How easy it is to judge others and yet how difficult it is to see the same fault in ourselves. 

I often wonder why it is so easy to "talk stink" about people.  More people seem to enjoy this pastime and the amount of chatter seems to be disproportionately greater.  Why is it so difficult to use words to recognize people, to cherish people, to thank people?  We should be doing this more often before we find that we end up talking to ourselves.

Say the words of love and encouragement and whisper them into the universe of understanding.

Kanaka Thinking: Oneness of Thought and Action

Pupukahi i holomua.
Unite in order to progress.  Puku'i 2758

Diversity is wonderful but when it is time for the progress of a people, oneness of thought and action is necessary to create the kind of momentum needed to affect true  and positive change.

Ho'oulu i keia mana'o.

Oneness begins with the family.  The love and admiration between the father and mother demonstrated daily in the home.  Then the love and respect of the children for their parents and vice versa.  The love between siblings becomes the glue for the next generation.

One family at a time.  Conscious and deliberate effort begins at home and spreads outward.

Kanaka Thinking: Blessings

Kahiko o ke akua.

The adornment of the gods.  A shower of rain.  The gods express their approval with rain.
Pukui #1310

How fortunate we are to live on the east side of Hawai'i where rain is so plentiful.  We are surely blessed.

Kanaka Thinking: Contentment

E 'olu'olu i ka mea i loa'a.

Be contented with what one has.  'Olelo No'eau #367

 

Even beautiful flowers have flaw and bugs crawling in them.  Be grateful for what you have.  Don't worry about the past...it is gone and no amount of worrying will change that fact.  Don't worry about the future...it is beyond our power to control.  It is better to live in today.  To enjoy it.  To be thankful.  To smile and laugh.  To do what you can.  You may never see today again so live it!

Kanaka Thinking: Hula and the Merrie Monarch Festival

'A'a i ka hula, waiho ka hilahila i ka hale.

When one wants to dance the hula, bashfulness should be left at home.  'Olelo No'eau #2

I am always impressed by people who are willing to stand up in public and spontaneously begin to dance the hula.  Although I have been a hula student since elementary school, I am quite hesitant to get up and dance.  Do I remember the moves?  What if I mess up? 

Such a focus on technique can be a hindrance to spontaneous dancing.  Rather, the driving spirit should be the message of the song, the beat, the sway, and the smile.  While one should do the hula kumu proud by remembering all the hand and feet movements, there are times when one should just dance to share the beauty of the song.  And if there is a memory lapse, make it up and carry on.

E hula kakou.

Kanaka Thinking: Gratitude to our Kupuna

I ulu no ka lala i ke kumu.
The branches grow because of the trunk.  Pukui 1261

Without our ancestors, we would not be here.

In our gadabout lives, we often forget about the trials and tribulations of our ancestors.  If we think we have it tough, let's try to re-imagine our lives without electricity, household appliances, flush toilets and indoor plumbing, automobiles, and supermarkets!!  Yet our kupuna had and raised their families, persevered, survived, and perhaps even flourised.

I wonder how our progeny will see our lives today.  Would this period be considered the "good ole days?"  One way to make it a period of fond remembrance is to work hard to create memories in our children and grandchildren.  Family adventures, good food, good conversation, and time make for lasting positive memories. 

Kanaka Thinking: Parental Support

Hele aku la a ahu, ho'i mai no e omo i ka waiu o ka makua.  Pukui 730
He goes away and, gaining nothing by it, returns to nurse at his mother's breast.

Said of a grown son or daughter who, after going away, returns home for support.

It is always sad to see our children leave the nest.  It is always a joy to have them back at home.  The key to raising independent children is to allow them to leave home, explore, knowing that there is a temporary refuge at home.