Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 8, 1 August 2009 — Ages of challenge [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ages of challenge

Over many generations, mueh of Hawaiian traditional practice has faded. Some of it is gone, completely forgotten. Sadly, the losses go unnoticed. Spending time with kūpuna ean renew and refresh our memories. Remember the adages about child behavior that they taught? These were

heard often and had meaning and purpose. Not long ago, families were committed to preserving the family name. In old Hawai'i, there was zero tolerance for dishonesty or criminal behavior. Dishonoring the family with criminal behavior was met with permanent banishment from the family. And, without family support, life was extremely difficult. Family cohesiveness meant survival. David Malo was born in 1795 and was raised by his maternal grandfather, who taught him traditional ways. About right and wrong, Malo wrote.

"There were many kinds of hewa (wrongs, crimes, misbehavior, offenses) that people committed and there were many kinds of hewa to be accounted for, but, there was only one source from whenee all hewa were born from and that was from the heart (na'au), whieh is the parent by whom are born

the multitudes of hewa." Malo also wrote, "There were also many thoughts considered to be pono maoli (truly pono), but misfortune could quickly eome about. It was pono when one's eyes saw something and one's heart desired it, but one was ho'omanawanui (patient) and did not go to take it, but quickly left forgetting about it without even touching it. This was pono." In 1860s and 1 870s. Samuel Kamakau wrote many details about traditions of our kūpuna. "Perhaps because there were not many people.

family quarrels did not grow up. The parents were masters over their own family groups. For the 28 generations from Hulihonua to Wākea, no man was made chief over another. During the 26 generations from Wākea to Kapawa, various noted deeds were mentioned in the traditions and wellknown stories. Kapawa was the first chief to be set up as a ruling chief. This was at Waialua, O'ahu; and from then on, the group of Hawaiian

islands became established as chiefruled kingdoms - Maui from the time of Heleipawa, son of Kapawa, and Kaua'i from the time of Luanu'u." In the mid-1930s, Mary Kawena Pukui began to chronicle traditions, customs and behaviors of our ancestors, that give us guidance for Hawaiian living. She wrote about social dislocation and change, "The valley of Wai'ōhinu, according to early foreign observers, was the heart

of the cultivated area of Ka'ū. Verdant and blossoming, watered by a stream and by 'never-failing springs,' it was the centre of wet cultivation for the district. ... This indicated both an abundance of water (considering the needs of the two or three thousand people estimated to be dwelhng within the valley) and an intensive use of it in conjunction with fertile soil. In upland areas, away from flowing water, other varieties of taro were grown by dry cultivation methods. Along the gulches of Pākini and in areas of deep soil on the Kamā'oa plain a special variety of taro known as paua was extensively planted." The early visitors saw the fertile sections of this now largely barren lower land as "one continuous garden." Pukui eontinued, "As we have seen, this pichire soon began to deteriorate, due first to the sullenness of the kama'āina under alien govemors and next to the inactivation of the one cooperative society, after the old ceremonies and kapu had been cast aside..." And, in the mid-1980s, George Kanahele wrote, "The causes for division and competition among Hawaiian people grow out of far more complex phenomena of differences in heredity, family background, upbringing, educational opportunities, career patterns, ineome, social interaction, religion and numerous other socioeconomic and political factors that affect all individuals and groups. Decades of intermarriage and intercultural contact have diluted not only our blood but also most of the characteristics that onee distinguished Hawaiians as a homogeneous people. In the process of westernization or assimilation to 'the American Way,' homogeneity has yielded to heterogeneity." Kanahele went on, "Our proposal for developing a new strategy for Hawaiian leadership, based on the realities of Hawaiian society today, is aimed at strengthening the existing leadership structure by uniting its disjoined parts into a force capable of dealing effectively with the important problems that Hawaiians face, and leading them to higher levels of social and eeonomie achievement. Ultimately, it ean be a means of restoring an even greater sense of lōkahi, or unity and harmony, to a people revitalized by a renewed awareness of their identity." ■

MO'OLELO ■ H I STŪ RY KA WAI OLA ĪHE LIVING WAĪER 0F OHA

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D.

In the 1 930s Mary Kawena Pukui began to chronicle traditions, customs and behaviors of Hawaiians' ancestors, providing guidance for future generations. - Photo: KWOArchive