Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 1, 1 October 1980 — THE RICH MEANING OF ʻOHA [ARTICLE]

THE RICH MEANING OF ʻOHA

(Reprinted with permission) Article first appeared; Friday, Sept. 19, 1980 Honolulu Star-Bulletin • — Many a Hawaiian mother has uncovered the poi when a family quarrel was about to erupt. ^ And what does taro in any form represent? Taro represents the eldest brother of the Hawaiian people, a first-born of the founding Polynesian gods. Haloa-nuku must not hear his earthly family quarrel or talk about unpleasant subjects. Precedence in birth, even 3 ,000 or more years ago, determined for all time the senior and junior family lines. Hawaiians are descended from the second-bom of the founding Polynesian gods. Taro comes from the first-bom. Wakea, the Polynesian founding god, married his daughter Ho'ohokuka-lani, child of his goddess wife Papa. Their first-bom, according to one version of this Hawaiian creation story, arrived in the shape of a root — in another version as a premature fetus. In both versions, this first-bom was a male, and named Haloa-nuku. Haloa-nuku was discarded, perhaps buried, in the east end of Wakea's house. He grew up to be the first taro. The second-bom of Wakea and Ho'ohoku-ka-lani was also named Haloa. This Haloa is the ancestor of all Hawaiian chiefs and all other Hawaiians. King Kalakaua traced his ancestry directly back to the Polynesian god through this second son, Haloa. Kalakaua's jewelled crown displayed a gold taro leaf. Taro-leaf symbolism continues today. The logo of the Volunteers for OHA, the group that among other things is registering Hawaiians for the election of OHA trustees, is a taro leaf with human figures that represent the 'ohana-ship of,all Hawaiians: •••. v.v •/ ■ • *