Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 3, 1 March 1989 — Makaku [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Makaku

By Rocky Ka'iouliokahihikolo 'Ehu Jensen ®

Methods of Control

Lao Tsu, a 6th century B.C. Chinese philosopher, wrote in the 70th chapter of his "Tao Te Ching" that: "My i uords have ancient beginnings. My actions are disciplined. Because men do not understand, they haue no knowledge of me. Those that know me are few; Those that abuse me are honored. Therefore the sage wears rough clothing and holds the jewel in his heart." Although I realize that critics are doing their

job. . ,their chosen profession. . . how ean anyone willingly prey on the accomplishments of others in their chosen professions? 1 am one person. . ,and years ago, I innocently set myself up to take the abuse and criticism from those who "thought that they had knowledge of me." 1 didn't realize then that it was unique for a native Hawaiian to create contemporary works. . .or perhaps show in "white men's" arenas. . .or for a native Hawaiian to create a successful persona. What I didn't know then was that, "that form of presentation ("contemporary art") was unique to the white race." Or so they thought and still think. So, I've been on the front line for over 15 years thinking that I was aiding our own, encouraging our young, helping launeh careers, educating those about our native art. . . establishing a foundation for progressive native Hawaiian expression. Well, it seems that after that 15 years, there are still some who continue to resent our "escaping the reservation." Or, as one respected fellow artist put it, "Rocky, you are playing in their ball park and they don't mueh like it because you don't play ball with them." Funny, I don't remember anyone offering a ehanee to play in any ball game? I cannot turn aside from that whieh makes me angry. . .and there is mueh that makes me angry. . .probably I have too mueh of Kunuiakea in me? I don't mind people having their own opinions. . .but when those opinions are wrong, I see red. Since my exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Museum (See Makaku, Ka Wai Ola O OHA January and February 1989), I have had hundreds of correspondances with loeal and mainland people from all walks of life. I am grateful and appreciative that they received my exhibit as it was intended. . ,with pureness of heart and mind. There are those, however, from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the premier critic from the Star Bulletin, who think otherwise. It must be understood here that they have

always thought otherwise when it eame to native "attempts" at doing "white" things. As if art ean be defined from the white perspective alone. They think so! I have also received phone calls from other Hawaiian artists. . .other very goodartists. . .older then myself. . .masters at their work. . .who told me that they have never attempted a solo exhibit, because they feared that they would never survive the critique. I hurt for them and for myself. What wonderful things are lost to the world because some "critic" sees fit to categorize everything that is created. . ,and also to intellectualize a conjuring of "the flaw?" It is particularly harmful when those artists are native Hawaiians. It is also painful when one realizes that the intimidation ean reach levels that could paralyze the very hands and eyes needed for creative expression. It is especially incredible, when the 'uhane ino comes from a faction of people who are a minority amongst their own — the shunned, the outcast, the odd, the unfriendly, the alone. . .the mediocre. I like to tell the ka po'e akea that our people had no critics. We did not believe in critiques. Our creation, that is "the act ofdoing" was the ho'okupu to Akua. . .therefore all was accepted. What I fear most is that the "critics" will eontinue to prevent our people from flourishing. Those people who insist that we live in grass huts, and display our goods on lau hala mats. . .those peopie who still portray us, to the world, as trained and homogenized "heathens". . .those people who still feel uncomfortable when we frequent their social habitats. . ,those people who patronize us, "Oh, I know a Hawaiian." I fear those people will continue to intimidate us into oblivion. 1 make a pact with my fellow native artists. . .1 will never give up ground. . .don't you either! Mai ka po mai 'o'ia'i'o! Before the existence of this world. . ,this dimension. . .this universe. . .there existed truth. . .it was that truth that created the all!

"Ka 'Olohe" by Frank Jensen (pen and ink).