Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 1, 1 January 2000 — Pain and healing [ARTICLE]

Pain and healing

I grew up with hurt, pain, turmoil and insanity, words that best describe kanaka maoli stuck in the sand. I was asked by a friend what a day in prison is like for me. I answered to stay sane enough to make through another day. So many injustices are going on in this system and they are 10 times greater in these human warehouses built for us. Some of us are barely holding on. Will our blood eome and intervene? We were never given a fair ehanee to be indigenous to our homeland. The Western world has swallowed us up for the tormenting of our souls. Their system has no intention of rehabilitating us. Some of us have been here most of our lives. Our own court system, our own facility would be the only reparation to heal the illegal overthrow, poverty and prison we have lived through. Mana Kekahuna 'Aiea OHA reserves the right to ed.it all letters for length, defamatory and libelous material, and other objectionable content, and reserves the right to print on a space available basis. Letters are authorized for publication on a one-letter, per subject, per year basis. The inclusion ofa letter author's title is a courtesy extended by Ka Wai Ola and does not constitute validation or recognition ofthe writer as such. All letters must be typed, signed and not exceed 200 words. Send letters to Ka Wai Ola o OHA, 711 Kapi'olani Blvd., Suite 500, Honolulu, H1 96813. Readers ean also e-mail their letters to oha@aloha.net. ■