Aloha Kumu....It's so easy to look at the world and it's people thru our own "pair of glasses", our own experience---in fact maybe it's all we can do, even when we are trying our best to be aware......In that light, I want to say this to you...I know I can't fully understand how it has been for you, to have spent much of your life as a Hawaiian activist, on the front lines. You have seen the worst of the "Western culture" over and over.... in these rapacious developers, these so-called educated professionals, traitor politicians, etc .....You must be always seeing the greedy, the arrogant, the pushy people who seem to be the epitome of all that has been lost and could still be lost, if people like you weren't there to push back.So I understand when even you.... descend into haole bashing a bit,..,,which has happened in a few of our talks. I have wanted to say, at these times, "Surely they can't all be that bad, surely not every "Westerner" is an arrogant, insensitive, desecrating jerk.""Surely there are some "Westerners" who want to be respectful but are ignorant---and don't even realize they are ignorant, which causes a lot of their blunders!In one of our first talks, you said, "In Hawaiian culture, the most important question when you meet someone is, "Where are you from?" which helps to make a connection with a sense of place and maybe mutual relatives. But when a mainland person meets you, they say, "What do you do?" because they want to establish what class you are compared to them, whether you are high class or low-class."I don't agree with that. Sometimes it's true, but not always.In my experience, sometimes local folks have asked me, "Where are you from?" in a quite challenging way. They were expecting, because I choose not to speak pidgin, that I will have to answer, "from the mainland" --- knowing they dislike mainlanders. When I tell them that I've been here since age 4, and I have five generations of family here, (and some brown blood too)---then they grudgingly give me a little respect.And in most every situation where a mainlander has met me for the first time and asked, "What do you do?" it hasn't felt like they were trying to make a class distinction---they were just trying to make conversation--find a mutual connection---to make a connection, period.I may be naive, but I still believe that most people, of whatever race, are basically good at heart, and would definitely offer respect to the people they meet here--- if they knew how. Sometimes it's good to remember that the unethical, warmongering, lethal ways of the government do not always reflect the hearts and minds of the people.This is getting to be a long letter so I'll stop with that.And put the rest of my comments and thoughts in a "Part II" How to educate ignorant people to be respectful of Hawaiian culture ."Thank you for listening Kumu,A hui hou,Michelle
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  • We have gone so far away from living the kind of life that is grounding to the soul and nourishing to the spirit. Without a family lineage to know who you are, without a place that is your home for generations of working the land and seeing the grandchildren grow up---without these things, who are we?

    The way many city foks grow up is so unnatural, the so called nuclear family, the cement and steel everywhere you look , no real culture, no real place---these people are lost and they don't even know they are lost....it's no wonder all manner of negativity and insensitivity come into fruition from these seeds.
  • The easiest remedy is show and tell, not tell and tell. When I was a child I was not preoccupied with television, CD's, IPod,PC or DVD's. In fact I never had BVD's either.

    Most Kupuna I was exposed to did not tell you what or how to do. They just did it as a way of life, whether it was the ocean or mountain or caring for the backyard farm. They practiced practice not preaching preach. If you were patient enough and hung around or pinched in the chore, they would be most appreciative and showed youwant they were taught.

    But that was Kailua, Oahu in the 40's which was Japanese/Chinese farmers and Pukiki and Spanish ranchers while most of Hawaiian familes were of the ocean. Kailua is still there but it will never be the same. But for me now, I try to make my surrounding Kailua 1940's. Sadly, the children of today may just read about it.

    Worst yet, it will all be gone sooner than we think.

    pilipo souza
  • And thanks to Foster too! Didn't see your post till now...i am in agreement with you too!
  • Thank you so much, Pomaikaiokalani...I aggree with everything you said.

    It hurts my heart deeply too, to walk the beaches where the shells were plentiful then I was a kid, and now there is only trash. To see my old favorite ocean place, Chang's Beach on Maui where I once knew the landscape of the ocean floor as well as my own home---to see most of that reef grey and lifeless and the honu with tumors from the golf course pesticides. How many generations did it that that reef system to grow stong and beautiful? Upon seeing the dead reef after 5 years away, I felt like a close friend had died. well, not just died---was murdered.

    And as you say the fruit trees gone, the poetry and pono subsistance living off the land, mostly gone too.....there are, unfortunately, hundreds of examples like these. I don't blame my Kumu at all---I love and respect him very much. I don't blame anyone who has seen and lived through atrocities such as these for their anger, hurt, and sense of betrayal.

    Anyway. With respect, I know I feel these losses deeply but not with the depth of a kanaka maoli. I am all for sovereignty for the Hawaiian Kingdom, never give up hope. The Britsh were made to give back India to her people, and many other colonized nations have been returned to their own kanaka maoli---with and without a revolution---then why not Hawaii? Honestly I wonder sometimes why the Hawaiians haven't already blown up a string of hotels or something, to let the world know they mean business. I am not advocating killing anyone, but still.

    And although it may seem like one more sellout, I am all for teaching visitors the true nature of what has gone on in Hawaii over the last 250 years, and teaching them---nothing secret but just the basics of the cultural ways, beliefs and protocol.

    I believe that if they knew these things, many would show honor and respect to the Hawaiian people and land. And some would probably still be arrogant jerks---but in time, and with education, it could only help turn things around. and...I have some ideas about how this might be accomplished.....but I'll blog it when I have a little more time. Gotta go work in my garden, water the veggies, and plant some fruit trees....

    Thanks again.
  • ALOHA Kaua, e Michelle, I'm a Hawaiian National. I been an activist most of my life. In fact when I look at my life, I see that I may have been born into being an activist for a reason and purpose. For me it's been a path that had put me at odds with many of my family and friends. Even those who are in the movement for Hawaiian Justice. Mostly because as a Hawaiian National I see things very differently from others. As I see the revival of the Hawaiian Kingdom nation as clear as a diamond. Where many of my family and friends don't see the Hawaiian Kingdom nation at all. When I look at the Hawaii today, I see so much being lost. A lost that hurts me deeply in side of my gut. All over Oahu I see the removal of Fruit Plants being removed. Where as a child I saw Fruit Plants all over in the schools, parks and roadways. I see slowly that the Hawaiian Culture is being put in a place like being in a Zoo. A Zoo so that people can come to see what Hawaiian Culture what once was when Hawaii was truly Hawaii. I see the future of all of Hawaii looking like what Waikiki is today. Like Hawaii of Old, I like the Waikiki of Old then what Waikiki is today. I like the Waikiki of Old where everyone arriving in Hawaii received a Lei and a Kiss. I left Hawaii as a child and lived in San Francisco. In the 7th grade there I met a "Haole Kid" named, Johannes van Hoff. Today this "Haole Kid" is like a brother to me. His parents were my Oma and Opa. As a Hawaiian National I know that basically all people are the same. That there are Good and Bad in all people. Living in San Francisco was hard at first but today I know that it was an important part of my life be a Hawaiian National and an activist. All the "Haole Teachers" were very respectful to me as a student. Today, San Francisco is like a second home to me with great memories of the Old Days of my Youth. I know that today we live in a World of Change. The Change that I see that is going on in Hawaii of today is HEWA. HEWA not only to Hawaiians but to all who loves Hawaii as I do.
    Mahalo nui for your comments, e Michelle. There is lots to learn from your article. You may not see or understand the thinking of a Kumu now, but when you get Older you may like me see and understand the thinking of my Kupunawahine who totally against Statehood for Hawaii.
    Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomaikaiokalani
  • Aloha Michelle,

    Mahalo for sharing a very well written "explaination" of your feelings. "Understanding" is so important to everyone.

    We (people throughout the world) each individually live, experience, and process these experiences differently relative to one another's culture, ethnicity, nationalism, desires, expectations, etc.) and in our own realities (if-you-will). In our later years we determine the kind of world to live in.

    I agree with you that not all haole's are bad and that there are many good haoles. My life experiences affirm this everyday.

    It may not be polically-correct, convinient or widely accepted by society/communities one may currently reside in to call a spade-a-spade, but nonetheless, we should not marginalize and/or be dismissive of the social perversions and horrors of racism that is ever present and afflicted on many of us everday, beit in through politics, judiciary, etc.

    I believe Denial, Ignorance and Apathy will only hold us all (humanity) from evolving out of our present place. As demonstrated by the few left-over racist in politics and business (i.e. corporations) that are attacking (many through surrogates/proxies) Obama...racism, no matter the ratio, should not be dimissed and/or ignored.

    Racism mixed with Greed is a very dangerous mix. Hawaii's politics and business being the microcosim of the world-at-large is less subtle about the racism/greed. Just look at the lawmakers, laws they pass, Linda Lingle, Mark Bennett, Super Ferry Fiasco, "ceded lands" case, Akaka Bill, Hawaiian Homes Act, etc. Until real change takes place here in Hawaii, on the National Level and througout the world I will continue to call in its naked form what I see and experience...with no reservations or apologies.

    Please understand and know that this does not mean I have no aloha for people or less aloha...it simply means aloha flows freely from all of us...just that there are those in the world who obstruct this flow and therefore prevents others from receiving it.

    Linda Lingle does not get aloha from me becasue I hold back from her. She does get aloha from me because she has/is obstructing the flow of my aloha from reaching her.

    Again Michelle, mahalo nui loa for sharing...I do appreciate your thoughts and feelings. Please continue to share.
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