Ok 'Umi, I couldn't remember any good ali'i pets offhand, so...
I want to put it out there that, being a culture with a strong kaona tradition, we have many diferent ways of remembering that do not translate easily into Western academia, and will probably never be acknowledged as "valid" in that style of history. But these are so important that I would venture to say that if they are not understood, one is not truly coming from a full Kanaka Maoli cultural perspective.
I have heard it said once that the difference between maka'ainana and ali'i is that ali'i remember their genealogy. Well, that's kind of classist to say the least, but then again there's some truth in it. Being from maka'ainana geneology myself, there is a place where all the traces of my family lines disappear into the mists of time, and I doubt that these will ever be found. Maka'ainana do not generally chant our presence into the world, we take great pains to hide it. But does that mean that we have forgotten who we are? I don't think so.
I know I'm gonna catch shit for this one, but I'm gonna put it out there anyway. I think that maka'ainana lineage and culture is just plain OLDER than that of ali'i. And you know what? We remember it. It's not really documented in any book or oli, it's been wiped and re-wiped and re-re-wiped off the face of the 'aina, but it's still there! You just gotta know how to hear it, and it's not a skill that can be taught, except through experience.
Hanging out with great maka'ainana kupuna is a good place to start, especially if you stay with them hours after you wanted to go home already. Also, the stories -- which many of our more famous mo'olelo do not reflect -- are hidden in places where our ancestors stashed them long long ago, in the mountains, the wind, the waves, the pohaku. And the pueo, and all the 'aumakua, know. That's part of their job. Again, you just gotta know how to listen.
But I don't think the APA is going to accept a citation any time soon!
I want to put it out there that, being a culture with a strong kaona tradition, we have many diferent ways of remembering that do not translate easily into Western academia, and will probably never be acknowledged as "valid" in that style of history. But these are so important that I would venture to say that if they are not understood, one is not truly coming from a full Kanaka Maoli cultural perspective.
I have heard it said once that the difference between maka'ainana and ali'i is that ali'i remember their genealogy. Well, that's kind of classist to say the least, but then again there's some truth in it. Being from maka'ainana geneology myself, there is a place where all the traces of my family lines disappear into the mists of time, and I doubt that these will ever be found. Maka'ainana do not generally chant our presence into the world, we take great pains to hide it. But does that mean that we have forgotten who we are? I don't think so.
I know I'm gonna catch shit for this one, but I'm gonna put it out there anyway. I think that maka'ainana lineage and culture is just plain OLDER than that of ali'i. And you know what? We remember it. It's not really documented in any book or oli, it's been wiped and re-wiped and re-re-wiped off the face of the 'aina, but it's still there! You just gotta know how to hear it, and it's not a skill that can be taught, except through experience.
Hanging out with great maka'ainana kupuna is a good place to start, especially if you stay with them hours after you wanted to go home already. Also, the stories -- which many of our more famous mo'olelo do not reflect -- are hidden in places where our ancestors stashed them long long ago, in the mountains, the wind, the waves, the pohaku. And the pueo, and all the 'aumakua, know. That's part of their job. Again, you just gotta know how to listen.
But I don't think the APA is going to accept a citation any time soon!
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