Playing the Past, Grounding the Future

Thanks to Kumu Lynette Cruz, Kumu Kahele Dukelow and Kumu Kaleikoa Kaeo for calling to perform in ʻThe Queenʻs Womenʻ sponsored by Ka Lei Maile Aliʻi civic club... It was over a month ago that I had this opportunity yet it was this week that new inspiration came to me on this brief experience. (Sometimes it takes a while for things to sink in...)I played the role of Miriam Michelson, a reporter from San Francisco who documented an anti-annexation meeting held in Hilo, 1897. Speaking some of the words directly quoted from her article became an impactful, emotional experience for me:***************"It is the old battle- the white man against the brown; might against right; strength against weakness; power and intellect and art against docility, inertia and simplicity.And the result?"I tell the natives that work for me," said a man suffering from an acute attack of annexation mania to me, "you might as well walk out into the sea and attempt to push out the incoming waves with your two uplifted hands as to try to prevent what's coming.""It's purely a question of conquest, I admit," he went on. "We are stronger and we'll win. It's a survival of the fittest."**************I admit that on the days of the performance I was mostly on flashback to the ʻgood oldʻ thespian days, probably in order to get my courage up as much as anything else. I have a pretty OK stage presence, but man, I get the butterflies every time! So I guess itʻs only now that Iʻm thinking about it...The new thoughts coming to me at this time are about the impact of trying to fight and losing.Like, what the hell is the point? If weʻre going to lose, why fight? The line about the oncoming tide... itʻs too much to bear, right? Or do we fight for what is right because itʻs the only thing we CAN do, because without that we just cease to be... human?Maybe.But thereʻs another impact of fighting, of trying and then losing anyway. The ones who in the future decide to try again, they have something to count on.I think what everyone felt in that room more than anything else was a sense of pride: that yes, the kupuna fought back. And they lost. But the pride felt by their descendants, to know that the ancestors were strong and resistant in the face of danger gives this generation the power to step up and do what they have to do. To do what we have to do. The impetus to walk in balance, to walk as close to pono as we can, is given strength by previous attempts to do so. They fought and lost, but still they are role models, the mana of their actions is not without recourse in our generation.So it is with our current actions: The tones we set now make way for future action. We may not win. Water and money may continue to flow into the hands that would use it to oppress. Land may continue to be hijacked. But in a few generations, there may just be some young people looking to their past to find their strength. And here we are, staring straight back at them. Yes, you can. Because we do. Because they did.Aloha Pumehana,Eliza :)
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  • Thank you, Pomaikaʻi. Point taken, especially in light of research and done by those such as Dr. Sai. Still, my point stands: fighting in the face of an overwhelming oncoming tide serves the purpose of inspiring generations to come.
  • Aloha Na Opio,

    As I said before--one needs to do Hawaiian sexuality understanding and meaning. I recently attended a ritual with other brave Na Kumu at Kauai. Kane came down the Wailua River with a mighty blow to Ku. As Hina watched from the shores, she Hihiwai into the near by shores quickly to say farewell to Ku. Ku lingered near by off shores as ho'okupu was given to the god of Lono. Thunder, rain, wind swept over the rituals chants for 24 hours. Na Kumu pahu-niu their temple chants while temple dancers welcomed Lono.

    Contact Aunty Puanani Rogers on Kauai and have her describe to you the 'words' in which you are in a quandary. We must prepare for the coming year--there are things not yet understood for Ku has gone to Tahiti and we must prevail here and aloha aina. Hina her energy is low and she yearns for the comfort of Ku.

    "I tell the natives that work for me," said a man suffering from an acute attack of annexation mania to me, "you might as well walk out into the sea and attempt to push out the incoming waves with your two uplifted hands as to try to prevent what's coming."

    "It's purely a question of conquest, I admit," he went on. "We are stronger and we'll win. It's a survival of the fittest."

    One must also understand time of seasons and changes of man's vain behavior for greedy and useless power as a cloud of one's judgement. Take Care Kaohi
  • ALOHA Kaua, e Eliza, Because of what our Kupuna did to KUE the annexation of Hawaii to the United States we have the right to Go Home to the Hawaiian Kingdom. Our Kupuna did not fight and lose the battle. Because of their documents and Kue we have the right to revive the government of our nation today. Imua Ke Aupuni Moi O Hawaii, o Pomai
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