Iowa, Hawaii, and Barack Obama: The Human ConnectionsByDavid SmithersLike the fire and steam that is Pele, as her actions create geographic facts over millions of years or mere minutes, the past and present are brush strokes in the form of human lives that paints a picture of the future. In those brush strokes, Iowa and Hawaii, and their respective caucuses, are connected.I was born in 1953, in Des Moines, Iowa. I am now a 55 year old lifetime resident of Iowa. I have had a lifetime interest in politics. The Iowa Presidential “First-in-the-Nation” caucuses have gained more and more prominence. This year the victory of Hawaiian born and multi-cultural Barack Obama was the big news from the January 3 Iowa Democrat Party caucuses.I have supported African-American candidates such as Julian Bond (1975) and Jesse Jackson (1988). I was proud that, in this year’s contest, a woman, and African American, and a Hispanic American each had very good chances of winning the party nomination. Many people, from different perspectives, have talked about this election in 2008 will be a pivotal one in American history. The candidate I volunteered for, Senator Joe Biden said that the next President would have an FDR (President Franklin Roosevelt) impact on the future course of history. Obviously, Biden fell flat, and I became an alternate delegate to the county convention under Barack Obama’s banner.The Hawaii connection started with an acquaintance and friendship with a lady living only a few miles from me in the greater Iowa City region. I have a MySpace account at myspace.com/betterpolitics. The future friend and I first connected over the Internet.She is an aboriginal Hawaiian born in 1954, in Honolulu. After being raised there and on the big island, she married an U.S. Army sergeant, and Vietnam War veteran from New York. She and he left Hawaii, married in the mainland, and eventually came to southeast Iowa to raise a family. She has lived nearly three decades in Iowa, and learned about cultures and languages that exist here. But she was raised in the strong traditions of Hawaii, especially, in spiritual matters and in healing.Faith Nalani Bromwich, my wife, and I met this past summer, in an all night fest of conversation at a local casino. What had begun as an afternoon dinner dissolved in talking through till breakfast and heading back to our homes with the morning sun. Since that time, and many discussions, the picture I had of Hawaii and the life of a Hawaiian in Iowa transformed my mind. I soon learned about traditions, about Pele and about the lingering affects of the American takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom and history since.I became acquainted with a woman who had experienced domestic violence, living in a shelter, living in a cardboard box under an Iowa City bridge, and estrangement and stress with family in Hawaii and family here in Iowa. She became widow, and has since spent more than a decade repairing and rebuilding her life. It hasn’t been easy for her. But she, like her brother and sister Hawaiians back home, is more than anything, a survivor. Today she is a locally and Internet befriended promoter of Aloha.Ms. Bromwich’s connections with Barack Obama came suddenly as she joined the Iowa campaign in the Winter Solstice December days before January 3. A moment of symbolic significance occurred with meeting Barrack’s sisters from Hawaii and Kenya at Iowa City campaign headquarters. The meeting with the sister from Hawaii was wrought with language and references to “back home.”At a rally at a hotel on the Iowa River, in Coralville, an Iowa City suburb, on January 2, she traded words and a hug with Mr. Obama, as he left the stage. It was an exciting and huge gathering. Her experiences with the campaign and local caucus goers are ones that will linger in her mind for a long time.My friend claims that reading from my political blogs, and through shared attendance at some political events she gained a new appreciation in political activity that has since replaced her past cynicism. Another of our mutual friends makes a similar claim. I however, on January 2, was just a few blocks away working at Biden’s last rally. The foreboding that was in the pit of my stomach and in my aching head gathered strength going into the next day’s caucuses, and for weeks after. Turns out both Ms. Bromwich and our mutual friend became Obama supporters.Before and after the caucuses, Ms. Bromwich has been developing a book about her life experiences in Hawaii and on the mainland. With the assistance of my wife, Joyce, and I, she is making progress in creating the first products of “Memories in Time”. Together with this work, she continues campaigning on the Internet for Obama, and armed with prayer and healing, she has impacted the lives of many friends in cyberspace, including, quite possibly Obama, himself.A centrally significant aspect of her near future is a planned return to Hawaii. She seeks to help transform the lives of native Hawaiians and others who are impacted by poverty, environmental hazards, cultural, and economic marginalization. The homelessness and near homelessness of Hawaiians in the lands of Pele are particularly painful. She told me of a story about a mother living in a tin shed at a junkyard in the Waianae Valley. Meanwhile her daughter lives in the back of a truck in a camper. Stories like these are many.My wife and I hope that our help, and thatof others will aid her overcoming the many obstacles and challenges of her mission, especially, the probable mistrust of some natives of one who had left to live in the mainland, and then returns.
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'Ohu'ohu O'ahu i ka lei 'ohi'a LakaOahu is adorned in a lei ohia of LakaLa'au pua 'ula hikina, kea komohanaTree with red blossom eastward, white westwardKomo ka 'ohu i ka hana komo 'apanaThe mist enters on its dutiful district roundsHana ka 'ohu e ho'ohui ke ala 'ohi'aThe mist combines the fragrance of ohia'Ohu kani 'ohi'a wehiwa noho kuahiwiThe mist that waters the sacred ohia of the uplands'Ohu 'ohumuhumu ka wahine noho maunaThe mist that lends ear to the woman of the mountain'Ohu pahio i ka pali ku kawahawahaThe mist that leans on the straight furrowed cliffPali ku i ka pa makani ku makuaA cliff that stands in the strong gusts of the ku makua windHakali ka 'ohu, lewa 'ia e ka Laua'eThe mist is placed high, lifted there by the Lauae windHaka 'ano 'ole keia 'ohu nokenokeWithout break is this continual mistHaka lala ke kia manu i ka 'ohu, i ka 'ohi'a hamauThe bird-catcher awaits silently in the mist on the branch of the ohia hamauMai ho'ohamau i ka leo o ka lehua 'apaneDon't silence the voice of the red lehuaA pane mai paha i keia mamo e!Until an answer, perhaps, is given to this descendantHaku 'ia e Kamuela 'Ohukani'ohi'a Gon III ma ka la ma hope o ka 'uniki 'ana ona he kahuna kakalaleo, Pepeluali 22, 2003, Papa 'Uniki Laua'e o Kumu John Keolamaka'ainana Lake. Nui na mea hili 'ia ma keia oli: na 'ano like 'ole 'ohi'a a me lehua ('apane, mamo, hamau, a me Laka), na 'ano 'ohu: ho'ailona hana kahuna (komo 'apana, hui, 'ohumuhumu), a me na mea ho'ohanohano no Kumu Lake a me ka Papa Laua'e (Ku makua, makani Laua'e, lehua 'apane). Wahi a ka mo'olelo, he pua 'ula ko ka 'ohi'a Laka ma ka 'ao'ao hikina, a ma ka 'ao'ao komohana, he pua kea kona. 'O O'ahu ke one hanau o ka mea haku. He ho'okupu aloha keia no Kumu Lake a me ka Papa Laua'e, a he mea ho'omanao o ka inoa 'Ohukani'ohi'a.Composed by Samuel Ohukaniohia Gon III on the day following his passage as a kahuna kakalaleo, February 22, 2003, the Lauae Class of Kumu John Keolamaka.. ohia and lehua (red, yellow, silent, and of Laka), the forms of mist symbolic of the kahuna's work (appointed rounds, joining, counseling), and honorifics on Kumu Lake and the Laua`e Class (strength, support, wisdom). According to tradition, the ohia Laka bears red flowers on the east and white on the west. Oahu is the birth island of the composer. This is an offering of aloha to Kumu Lake and the Papa Lauae, and a name chant for Ohukaniohia.
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 25, 2008 at 4:20pm
Residents Want Genetically Modified Foods LabeledBy Sabrina Hall. KGMB9, February 24, 2008The rainbow papaya is pumped-up to be more powerful, genetically modified to resist the destructive ringspot virus.It's a stronger fruit, but it looks the same as an organic papaya.Some said that is the problem."I just think it makes sense that people have a choice in what they buy," said Shelly Wilkinson, a concerned Big Island resident. "Whether we are buying produce that has been grown conventionally, whether it's been genetically engineered or whether it's organic."A group of concerned residents collected 4,000 signatures from Hawaii residents who want genetically modified foods to be labeled.It's required in other countries, like Japan and Australia, but not in the United States. Some DNA altered foods have shown to cause allergies in humans."I don’t know enough about the things they are putting in the food, so I just want to know which foods have them so I can have the choice whether to look into it and still choose to get them, or totally choose that it's not what I want for my family or myself," said Penelope Perez, of Hawaii Citizens for Food Choice.Sen. Mike Gabbard is pushing the labeling bill, and also another one to help organic farmers like Curtis Faltstrom know who his neighbors are."We don't know where all the plots are," said Faltstrom, who has a small farm in Kahaluu. "It could be right next to me and I wouldn't know."SB 3233 would require bio-tech companies to report to the Department of Agriculture where their genetically modified crops are being grown. The locations would be posted online."If you have pollen drift from your neighbors it can get into your organic produce and make it non-organic," Faltstrom said. "You cannot have organically grown, and contain GMO."There have been no hearings scheduled yet for those two bills.They must be heard by the Agriculture and Environment Committees by Thursday in order to state alive in the Senate.Last Updated ( February 24, 2008 05:41 PM )
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 25, 2008 at 4:05pm
Army Sued to Clear Ordnance from Hawaiian TemplesEnvironmental News Service, February 20, 2008Today, community group Malama Makua asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii to order the U.S. Army to move quickly to expand cultural access to Native Hawaiian sites at Makua Military Reservation on Oahu.This access is required under the October 4, 2001 settlement that resolved Malama Makua's lawsuit challenging the Army's failure to prepare an environmental impact statement for training at Makua.Instead of clearing unexploded ordnance to open new sites to cultural access, as the settlement requires, the Army has, since February 2005, used the possible presence of unexploded ordnance as an excuse to eliminate nearly all access.After years of fruitless negotiations with the Army, Malama Makua is seeking the court's assistance to compel the Army to keep the promises it made when it voluntarily entered into the settlement."By denying access, the Army is denying our right to practice our religion," explained Malama Makua president Sparky Rodrigues. "To connect with our ancestors, 'aumakua [family gods] and akua [gods], we have to be able to walk up to cultural sites, oli [chant] and present ho'okupu [offerings]. That's why, when we settled the case in 2001, we insisted that the Army agree to give us access to cultural sites and promptly remove unexploded ordnance to expand our opportunities for access.""Instead of honoring its word, the Army has tried to keep us out, locking the door to our church," said Rodrigues.Makua, which means "parents" in Hawaiian, is a sacred area, rich in cultural resources. Over 100 Native Hawaiian cultural sites have been identified at in the Makua Valley, including heiau [Hawaiian temples], ahu [altars], burials and petroglyphs.For over three years, from the settlement's entry on October 4, 2001 until February 27, 2005, the Army allowed Malama Makua and others access to over a dozen cultural sites, without incident.Then, claiming unexploded ordnance posed a safety threat, the Army suddenly cut off access to all but a single site.The Army has been slow to clear ordnance to allow access to resume, reopening only three sites for the first time on February 9, 2008, after three years of closure.The other nine sites to which cultural practitioners formerly had access remain off-limits, and the Army has refused to commit to a schedule for their reopening."In the six years since the settlement was entered, the Army has failed to open access to a single new site at Makua," said Earthjustice attorney David Henkin, who represents Malama Makua. "Instead, it has moved in the opposite direction, barring cultural practitioners from sites they had visited for years. The Army's delay violates both the letter and the spirit of its agreement."Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008.
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 25, 2008 at 3:48pm
Citizens protest Army's live fire at Mauna Keahttp://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/02/24/18481299.phpby DLi, Sunday Feb 24th, 2008At least 21 activists on the island of Hawaii held an impressive protest in front of the Army's Pohakuloa Training Area on Saturday, to oppose the Army's stationing of the Stryker brigade in Hawaii.The message from the community is loud and clear, "We don't want your 'Axles of Evil!'" hundreds of passing motorists also waved peace signs & thumbs up.Despite vast community testimonies against Army's stationing of the Stryker Brigade in Hawaii, at public hearings across the state since 2005, the Army went ahead and picked Hawaii as the site to base the brigade. In addition, the Air Force had been conducting bomb runs onto PTA, with B-2 bombers flying all the way from Guam.Stay tuned, as more and more local activists continue their valiant & Righteous protests of USA militarism in mid-Pacific.
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Posted by Pono Kealoha on February 25, 2008 at 6:39am
DHHL immunity to zoning laws is questionedHawaii Tribune-Herald, February 24, 2008How is Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property exempt from Hawaii County zoning regulations? Is that legal -- or even a good idea?Those are two of the many questions Mayor Harry Kim hopes to answer soon.Concerns raised by the public and county officials in the past year center on the legality of DHHL's apparent immunity to county zoning regulations when it comes to commercial and industrial developments.Kim said Friday that when his administration struck a agreement with DHHL during his first term, part of the understanding was that DHHL would keep the county informed as to what it was doing with its properties.One thing made clear to Kim when the memorandum of agreement was being considered, was that land use was "one issue that is critically important to (DHHL's) authority," he said.As part of the memorandum of agreement, "Hawaiian Home Lands would at a very minimum consult with us on the use of land," Kim said.Over the years, there's been "very little controversy" regarding residential uses of DHHL land, "but when you go to commercial and industrial, it becomes a major issue," he said.DHHL officials maintain leasing Hawaiian Home Lands to commercial and industrial developments is necessary to generate the money that is used for its beneficiaries, and that the county can't stop DHHL from zoning its property whichever way it wants.Kim said his office has recently asked to meet with the DHHL over the county's concerns pertaining to commercial and industrial development. Kim said he's hopeful "that meeting will come about shortly."County Planning Director Chris Yuen and Council Chairman Pete Hoffmann of Kohala said Friday a bill that made it to the floor of the state House of Representatives -- but no further -- would have clarified that counties have jurisdiction of commercial and industrial zoning of DHHL property.Yuen said he, with Kim's blessing, offered favorable comments on the bill, and it did pass at the first committee. However, Hoffmann said, the bill languished before the Judicial Committee, and was thrust into limbo.Should the county elect to fight DHHL on the issue, Yuen said the county would have to withdraw the memorandum of agreement. That would require six month's advanced notice, he said.DHHL recently told the county that plans to change the zoning of 200 acres near Honokohau Harbor to pave the way for a new marina-based resort proposed by Atlanta firm Jacoby Group.Jacoby is eyeing the DHHL acreage and 330 adjoining acres owned by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources for its proposed Kona Kai Ola development. The project would feature 700 hotel rooms and 1,803 time-share units. Jacoby would need zoning approval from the council -- and the council would have to amend the general plan -- to allow Jacoby to use the DLNR property.However, because of language in the memorandum of agreement -- coupled with the DHHL's assertion that it is immune to county zoning regulations -- Jacoby apparently doesn't need any council approval to build on the 200 acres of DHHL land.Hoffmann said he's "not necessarily against the project," but he does see a need to clarify what county zoning regulations, if any, apply to DHHL land.North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago said Friday that the council wants to respect Kim's efforts to renegotiate a new memorandum of agreement with DHHL that clarifies the commercial and industrial zoning questions."Pretty soon, (the council) may need to do something ... but we're trying to be respectful of the mayor," Pilago said.He said DHHL's immunity to commercial and industrial zoning rules flies in the face of the general plan adopted in 2005, as well as mandates set forth in community development plans.South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford, Hilo Councilman Stacy Higa, and Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong said the issue should be tested in court to determine whether counties have a say on commercial and industrial uses of DHHL land.DHHL Chairman Micah Kane was unavailable for comment.
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Posted by Ikaika Hussey on February 24, 2008 at 3:00pm
'Ano'ai ke aloha ia kakou pakahi a pau!
Welcome to Maoliworld, an online community for Kanaka Maoli. Feel free to post your photos, videos, news, and opinions here. This is a place for Hawaiians to share info and keep in touch.
Aloha!
Ikaika
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I ka pule aku nei, ua noho iho la ma Kaupoa, ma ka aoao komohana o ke kama moku nui a Hina, e kokua aku i ka ohana Beamer, me ko lakou kahua mele. O ko'u kuleana no ia ka papa oli, a me ka hana no'eau, na'u e koho. Ua a'o i kahi papa hana kama'a la'i, no ka mea, me he helena wawae ia i ke ala kupuna. He nohona kupaianaha keia nohona iho i ke kahakai, me na mele nahenahe maika'i, mai ka ohana Beamer, me Sonny Lim, Owana Salazar, a pela aku me na mea no'eau kani.The other week, I was down at Kaupoa on the west side of the great island offspring of Hina to help the Beamer family with their music camp. My responsibility was teaching oli and a Hawaiian craft of my choice. I taught ti-lead sandals, because it was like walking in the path of ancestors. It was a remarkable time down at the seaside, with such fine gentle music from the Beamers, Sonny Lim, Owana Salazar, and other talented musicians.I mea e hoomanao i keia nohona, ua hooholo i ka papa oli e haku i kahi oli aloha no Kaupoa, o ka haku mai la, me he lei, i na ikena hoopoina 'ole o ia wahi. Ua nonoi au aku la ia lakou i ko lakou mau mea a lakou i ike ai, i hoolohe ai, mea kau na'au, a pela aku. A muimuia na mea i ha'i mai la.To commemorate the experience, I decided that the oli class would together compose an oli aloha for Kaupoa, and weave into it, as a lei, impressions of the place. I asked for things of that place they saw, things heard, things felt in the guts, and so forth; and many things were told:O ka nani o ka mahina i ka po Kane, he mamalamala i puka mai la ma mua pono o ke alaula; O ka nu'a 'oka'i i lele mai la e hoolaule'a i ka pa'ina mua, me ka inu waina a me ka hookokoke mai la me ka wiwo'ole; o na ale makani i pa mai la me ka hooikaika, hoonua i na hale a me na ale moana; o ke kani hookumu mele, a me ka hana o na haumana kapili 'ukulele. Ua ulu mai la i ka pule piha i ke a'o mai na kumu no'eau mai, i ka hui hoa haumana hoihoi. No laila, ua puka mai keia:The beauty of the moon of the night of Kane, a sliver just preceding the dawn; hundreds of large moths that came to celebrate our first night, drinking wine and joining us without fear; the winds that built in strength, swelling our tents and the ocean waves; sounds of the creation of music and of the work of students making ukulele. It all grew into a week of learning from skilled teachers to interested and inquiring companions. Therefore this emerged:He aloha keia no KaupoaMapuana i ka makani ho'onu'aA he nu'a 'aumakua i ka po KaneI walea no i ke kani ho'okumuO na kumu kukui malamalamaMalama aka i na hoa 'imi 'ikeUa 'ikea, ke aloha no Kaupoa e!This is an aloha chant for KaupoaCarried upon the swelling windsA multitude of ancestors on the night of KaneWere enjoying the sounds of creationOf the teachers, guiding brilliantlyCaring for the spirits of the friends seeking knowledgeIt is quite apparent, the aloha for Kaupoa!Ma hope, kipa mai kekahi o na aumakua 'oka'i e ho'ola'a i ke kamaa la'i kau i ka pakaukau no ka ho'ike!
One of the aumakua even came to bless one of the sandals as they were laid out on display!Ae, ua 'ikea ke aloha no Kaupoa!Yes, the aloha from Kaupoa was apparent!
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Ma ka poaono aku nei, ka la 12 o Iauali M 2008, ua hiki pono ka la hanau ekahi o ke keiki kaulana 'o Kahikiku Mar, kupaianaha no kona hanauna ma ke kino a Kanaloa. Aole i hanau keiki ma laila no na makahiki hookahi hanele a oi paha. No laila o Kahikiku ke kanaka hookahi e noho ana i ke ao nei i hanau 'ia ai ma Kahoolawe. O kuu makana nona keia wahi oli hoolaa no ka pa'ina la hanau, he hookupu haahaa no'u, me ka hauoli nui i loko mai la o ka naau:This past Saturday, the 12th of January 2007, marked the first birthday of the most famous child, Kahikiku Mar, remarkable for his birth on the island of Kanaloa. There hasn't been a childbirth there for over a hundred years, perhaps. So Kahikiku is the only living person to have been born on Kahoolawe. My gift for him was this blessing chant for his birthday lu'au: my humble offering, bring great joy to my naau.Puka mai ke po'o o ka la i ka hikinaMehana wale i ke alo o ka pali KanapouHe pou pu'i ho'i 'Ale'ale, ho'o i ka ili kaiKu i ka mohio, i ke kani le'a a na manuWehiwehi ko lalo i ka lei hunahuna kaiA he hana huna wale puni ka hale olaOla na makua i ka pule ho'olaOla i Kahiki-kapakapa-ua-e-KaneE Kahikiku, e KahikimoeE ola pono i ka Mauliola, a ulu, a o'oE ola ka 'ohana, kia'i 'ia e na 'aumakuaE ola na hoa, na lehulehu, na kiniE kini akua e, e ho mai ka 'ikeE ho mai ka ikaika o ke kama, kamaE ho mai ka loa'a o ke kama, kamaEia ka 'ai la, 'oni ke akuaPulama ia makou a pau, e'Amama, ua noaThe head of the sun appears in the eastWarming the face of the cliffs of KanapouA sturdy islet is 'Ale'ale planted in the seaSteadfast in the gusts, among the calling of birdsAdorned below with a lei of sea foamSo a sacred task around the house of lifeLife to the parents through a prayer of lifeLife via Kahiki-kapakapa-ua-e-KaneO Kahikiku, o KahikimoeLife through Mauliola, growing to maturityLife to the family, guarded by the ancestorsLife to the friends, companions, the multitudeO myriad akua, bring knowledgeBring strength, to the child, the childBring that to be gained, to the child, the childThe food is here, akua approachesWatching over us allCompleted, releasedHuna mana'o: Haku 'ia e 'Ohukani'ohi'a Gon III no ka la hanau mua o Kahikiku Paul Huang Zhu Mar, i hanau 'ia ma Honokanai'a i ke kino o Kanaloa, i ka makahiki 2007. Mai laila mai na mana'o o neia pule. Mai ko ia ala wahi pana, a me na hana puni ka hanauna kupaianaha.Notes: Composed by Sam 'Ohu Gon III for the first birthday of Kahikiku Paul Huang Zhu Mar, who was born at Honokanai'a upon the physical presence of Kanaloa, in the year 2007. From there come the points of this prayer: the fabled places and the actions around the remarkable birth.
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> Bro. Franklin Pao, SM passed away this morning, Oct. 12th, at 7:30a.m. His> passing was peaceful after a long illness in which he taught us all how to> face our end with dignity, love and aloha.>> Bro. Franklin left specific directions for the time of his death. He asked> that we go on to his AOL account and announce his death to everyone in his> Address Book. According to his wishes, therefore, I'm informing you of his> passing.>> Arrangements are pending for his funeral. His hope was to have his wake on> a Friday night at Mystical Rose Oratory on the Saint Louis/Chaminade campus.> His hope also was to have his funeral Mass at Hawaiian Veterans Memorial> Park in Kaneohe.>> May he truly rest in peace and aloha.>> Bro. Dennis Schmitz, SMAloha a nui to a gentle and wise soul who is with us always, barefoot,watchful, quiet, loving. I will holo soon i uka to pick his leipukiawe, as he requested, but let me know if you want to come with meto hoilili i na hua liilii, na ula, akala, a kea i ka ahui pukiawe.Reply only to ohukaniohia@gmail.com, please.'OhuJust yesterday I stopped at the three `ohi`a lehua trees in Malama Ki,to oli aloha for aunty Lehua, and thought on Brother FrankKaimiikepono Pao. As we left to descend, a white-phase 'io flew downand perched above us. I felt it was a kino kupuna, lole oloa, me hekahuna la.Aue this is too hard -- uhae ana ka naau i ke aloha ino.
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Passing this along from Kalei Tsuha, who maintains the lunar calendar and gathers the natural occurrences of land and sea in her Hawaiian database:ALOHA KAKOU E NA HOA KILO AKU I NA OULI O KA LANI E![Aloha to us all, the companions who watch for signs in the heavens]Aloha Gangeh! Hope this email finds you all well and enjoying the anticipated arrival of the Makahiki stars. It looks like we are officially teeter-tottering between the dry and wet seasons, as is usually expected after the Autumnal Equinox.October 10th marks the beginning of a brand new Hawaiian lunar month known as, 'IKUĀ (Oct/Nov). During this month, the anticipation of the rising of the many star clusters named Makali'i is about to take place. This is the month known for thunder, lightening, heavy rains, strong winds, flooding, and rough seas are expected. These are all signs and elements of Lonoikamakahiki's season or Ho'oilo. Water spouts, single-pillared rainbows and sea squalls are commonly seen parading in the ocean, making their way towards our shores.For the makahiki ceremonies, fires are lit on the morning that follows the moon phase, 'Olepau. A cessation of deep sea fishing and open ocean voyaging occurs during this time.For all you surfer dudes and dudettes, the winter surf arrives. And, watch for the arrival of the koholā. [Note: the first humpbacks of the year have already been spotted!]In genealogical terms -'O Kekaiakea ke kāne, 'o Moanakea ka wahine,hānau ka lāua 'o Hinai'aimalama ka wahine,hānau 'o 'Ikuā, he keiki kāne nō.Ikuā ke kāne 'o Kapohaku'ele'ele ka wahine,hānau 'o Welehu he kāne nō.[Kekaiakea is the man, Moanakea, the woman:born is Hinai'aimalama, a female,born is Ikuā, a male child indeed.Ikuā is the man, Kapokahu'ele'ele is the woman,born to them is Welehu, a male indeed.]According to G.W.K. Kamanuokekula -He mau hö'ailona. He mau hö'ailona kekahi a ka po'e kahiko, a ma laila nö läkou e 'ike ai 'o mea nei malama, a 'o mea nei, penei, 'o ka malama 'ino, ua hekili, 'o Ikuä nö ia iä läkou no laila këlä inoa 'o 'Ikuäkapohäkö'ele'ele, a i ka malama a lehua ai ka pua kö a helelele'i iho, a 'o liko a'e ho'i ka pua 'o ka 'Öhi'a, 'o Welehu nö ai.[There are signs. These are signs for the ancient people, and from these they realized the occurrences of this month. And the occurrences are thus, a stormy month, it thunders, It is clamorous indeed, so by them was given the name Ikua-ka-poha-koelele, and in this month the sugar cane tassels and the flowers fall and scatter, and the buds of the flowers of `ohi`a form, on into the month of Welehu.]From the 15 - 29 of October, be expecting to see the annual Orionid meteor shower making its appearance in our skies. This meteor shower hails the arrival of the Makahiki season and the rising of Makali'i. For more info and photos of this annual event, visit this website:http://meteorshowersonline.com/orionids.htmlAnd that Gang, is our malama prediction for 'Ikuā.Stay tuned for the next forecast of the rising of the Makali'i stars.E kilo kakou i ka lewa nu'u![Let's all scan the high heavens!]OKalei Tsuha
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Image: Heavy pig damage in the forest of Maui--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PUAʻA - HAWAIIAN ANIMAL, OR FOREST PEST?It is certainly well known that feral ungulates -- large browsing mammals such as cattle, goats, and pigs -- pose one of the most serious threats to the survival of native plants and animals in Hawai'i. Yet, isn't the pua'a (pig) a Hawaiian animal? Weren't pigs important in Hawaiian culture, and shouldn't they be allowed to roam free in the islands as a hunting resource? It turns out that these questions are more complex than they seem, and the story of pigs in Hawai'i is one worth telling.To begin with, pigs of any sort are not native to Hawai'i. Imagining a pig (or indeed any large land mammal) swimming 2500 miles across the Pacific to get here makes it clear why our two native mammals are a seal, and a bat. Indeed, our native vegetation evolved for millions of years without the need to defend against grazing, rooting, or trampling, and had lost defense such as thorns or poisons.It remains a popular misconception that pigs are native to Hawaiian forests and that ancient Hawaiians hunted them as a way to get meat. The first pigs were brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians as early as the fourth century AD. These pua'a, or Polynesian pigs, were much smaller than the feral European swine found today in Hawaiian forests. They were the product of a long and close domesticated relationship with people, and rarely strayed far from the kauhale (family compound) where they enjoyed familial status. Taro and sweet potato agriculture in Hawai'i is incompatible with free-roaming pigs, and the common presence of pa pua'a (pig pens) in a typical house site reflects the controlled nature of pig management in traditional Hawai'i.One key factor during pre-contact times was that native forest then lacked large edible fruit such as guavas and mangos, both introduced after Western contact. Without such fodder, pre-contact pigs stayed close to their human source of shelter and food and did not stray far into surrounding forest. Clearly, pua'a carried strong cultural significance in traditional Hawai'i. Even the name of the traditional land division, ahupua'a, hearkens to the importance of pua'a as one of the resources offered during the annual Makahiki tributes. Pua'a, however, were but one land resource, produced by kanaka (people) and belonging to the wao kanaka (realm of people). But there were also the thousands of native plants and animals who represented the kinolau (physical forms) of the 'aumakua (ancestral deities). These resided in the upland forests, the wao akua (realm of the gods) and were held sacred as the kini akua (myriad gods). In the traditional Hawaiian experience, pua'a, as human-reared, were denizens of the wao kanaka and alien to these sacred forests. There are no pre-contact traditions of hunting pigs for meat (though rat-hunting with arrows was celebrated), and even the exploits of Kamapua'a describe pursuit of the demigod – not for sport or sustenance – but so that he might be punished for his wrong-doings.All of this context changed following Cook. Following contact, European swine were introduced and over time, the Hawaiian pua'a interbred with and were displaced by these larger foreign animals. In quick succession, goats, sheep, cattle, and other ungulates followed. Introduction of this working stock, spread of western agriculture, decline of the native Hawaiian population, and a growing westernization of concepts of private land property contributed to the collapse of traditional Hawaiian land management systems, and with it, the careful control of animals such as pigs.Over the 1800s, uncontrolled spread of introduced ungulates led to the watershed crisis of the late 19th century, and widespread fencing, feral animal control, and forest restoration were undertaken to try to reverse the damage. King Kal--kaua himself led a party into the head of Nuuanu Valley in the late 1870s to plant trees. The custom of recreational hunting evolved over the last two hundred years as Hawaiians assimilated western traditions dealing with these introduced feral animals. Today, hunting is not widely practiced in contemporary Hawaiian society – only two percent of the state's residents obtain hunting licenses – but it does occur as a modern practice, for recreation and to greater or lesser extent, for subsistence. The techniques are entirely western, using trained dogs to chase and bay the animals, which are then dispatched with knife or gun.Today we face the continued destruction of native forest, and risk losing a huge and irreplaceable natural and cultural resource to uncontrolled feral animals. Feral pigs are widespread in the world, and in no danger of extinction. Pua'a were valuable cultural resources, but in ancient times were kept away from the wao akua, which held so much more of value to Hawaiians than a single species such as a pig. As we strive to strike a balance between protecting native Hawaiian plants and animals and our dwindling native forests and the more recent practice of game hunting, we need to reassert the huge value that the wao akua represents, and protect it and the kini akua for the descendants of the future.No laila, e kū a e pale i ka nahele maoli no nā mamo Hawaiʻi.[Therefore, stand and defend the native forests for the descendants of Hawaiʻi]
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I ka poakahi aku nei, ua huakai makou i ka moku o Keawe, i ka moku aina o Kona Hema, i ka ahupuaa o Kapu'a e makaikai a'e i ka nahele maloo a hiki i ke kahakai ma laila. I uka, ulu ka nahele lama me ke alahe'e, a ua hiki ke huli a loaa i na kumu laau ano kakaikahi, e like me ka iliahi, ke kauila, a me ka halapepe.This past Monday, we travelled to the Big Island, South Kona district, ahupua'a of Kapu'a to explore the dry forest there, down to the sea there. Upland, there grew a lama alahee forest, and we could search and find rare trees such as sandalwood, kauila, and halapepe.Ia makou i hiki i ke kai, ua kuhi o Mel Johansen (he kamaaina no hoi ia o Kona Hema, noho i Honomalino) i ke alahele kahiko loa, e holo ana mai ke kai i uka i ka nahele. I ke kahakai, hele ua ala hele wawae nei ma kela aoao o ke ala Pele 'a'a me na pohaku wanawana loa, a ua lawe ka poe kahiko i na pohaku nui i hoomalino 'ia e ka moana, i mea e hoomama iho i ka hele wawae i uka.When we arrived at the sea, Mel Johansen (a true kamaaina of South Kona, living in Honomalino) pointed out the ancient trail, running from sea upland to the forest. At the seaside, the trail ran across a lava flow of very spiny 'a'a, and the people of old had brought great boulders, smoothed by the ocean, as a way to ease the upland walk.I a'u i ike maka mua i kela laina pohaku malino i ka 'a'a wanawana, ua pi`i au ma ke ala hele a hiki i ka poo huku, a laila, ua huli au me ka manao e ho'i i ke kai. Kau ka iini e hele wawae me na kamaa ole, i mea e holo kulike me na kupuna o ka wa kahiko o ia wahi. No laila holo iho au, a ua nihi ka hele. Oluolu a maalahi keia holo ihola, e like me ka hele kahakai ma na pohaku malino ko laila.
When I saw the line of smooth boulders in the rough 'a'a, I climbed up the trail to a hilltop, and then, turned with the intent to return to the beach. The desire came to walk barefoot, so as to travel like the ancient ancestors of that place. So I went that way, walking with great care. It was pleasant and easy, this descent, like walking along the seashore on smooth boulders there.Na ko'u hoaaloha o Jody Kaulukukui i hoopai kii mai i a'u, i a'u i hehi wawae i ke alahele kupuna me ka mahalo nui no ko lakou hana noeau i hoomau i keia mau la.
My friend Jody Kaulukukui took my picture as I walked in the steps of the ancestors, with great thanks for their skillful work that persists to today.
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Ku i ka lihi pali o Pelekunu, he kilohana nani maoli!Standing at the cliff edge of Pelekunu, a beautiful view!I ka Lapule o ka hopena pule aku nei, ua hui makou me ka ohana o kuu hoahana ma ke Kama Nui o Hina, o ia hoi o ka mokupuni o Molokai, e huakai hele pii i uka i ka nahele o Kamakou, no ka mea o ko kuu hoa kaikamahine muli la hanau, a o ka hiapo, ke makaukau nei oia no kona uniki olapa ana i keia lapule e hiki mai ana.On Sunday of this weekend just past, I met with the family of my workmate on the Great Child of Hina, that is, Molokai, to take a trip hiking up to the forest of Kamakou, because it was her youngest daughter's birthday, and as for the older daughter, she was preparing for her uniki as a dancer the coming Sunday.He wahi pana punahele no'u o Kamakou me ke alahele nahele ona i puka ae i ka lihi pali o Pelekunu. Hiki ke kilo aku i kela awawa nui e nana i ke olo hemolele o Olokui, a mamao aku, i ke awawa nui loa o Molokai, o Wailau hoi. He nani maoli no!Kamakou is a favorite place to me with its forest trail that emerges on the cliff edge of Pelekunu. You can gaze out on that big valley and see the pristine mountain of Olokui, and beyond, the largest valley of Molokai, Wailau. Such a truly beautiful sight!No laila i ke kakahiaka nui, hoala au iho no, a me ka mania wale a'u i kalaiwa aku ai i ka hale mokulele no ka lele pokole i Hoolehua. I a'u i ee moku ai, ka nohona iho oluolu, a laila ka auwana noonoo a hiki i ka hana paani a na haumana olelo, e noonoo ma ka olelo makuahine e pili ana o na mea i ikea, i lohea, a pela aku...So, early in the morning, I woke myself up, and drowsily drove to the airport for the short flight to Hoolehua. Once I boarded and sat comfortably down, my thoughts wandered and I began the game that language students play, thinking in the mother tongue about things seen, heard, etc...No laila ma keia noonoo ka manao e hoolaa i keia hana lele aku i Molokai, no laila keia noonoo: E o'u mau kiai mai ka po, e malama i keia mokulele, ke lele a'e nei i Moloka'i no ka hana aloha.And during these thoughts came the idea to bless this flight to Molokai, so I thought this: O my guardians from the deep past, watch over this plane, flying over to Molokai for the work of aloha.A o ka noonoo emoole aku la hoi ka hoomaka o na laina oli peia:And immediately the thoughts went to the start of a line of chant thus:Lele a'e ka mana'o a ke alohaI ka pali uliuli ao PelekunuE Naiwiopele, e KaunuohuaHe ohua keia ke kilo akuI ka mauna hemolele o Oloku'iE ku'i ke aloha i ka ho'i maii ka piko Moloka'i kau i ka lewaThe thoughts of aloha go flyingTo the dark lush cliffs of PelekunuO Naiwiopele, O KaunuohuaOur group this is, gazing outUpon the pristine mountain Oloku'iThe aloha strikes on returningTo the lofty summit of Moloka'iMea maalahi paha, aka ua hooluolu mai a paa i ka manao, no laila keia waihona no oukou maanei.A simple thing perhaps, but it was pleasant and stuck in my head, to be shared with you here.
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Ua komo 'o Hinaia'ele'eleWahi a kuu hoa Kalei Tsuha i kona leka elele:Howzit Gangeh,July 15th marks the beginning of a brand new Hawaiian lunar month called: Hinaia'ele'ele and during this lunar month one can expect to see:Dark clouds clinging to the mountain tops.Hot weather with sudden heavy showers.The sky full of dark clouds predicting that plants will be weighted down from ripening fruits.Women and children go to the forest to pick 'ohi'a 'ai.Rich fishing is to be expected.Good for 'au, ahi, kawakawa, mahimahi, maiko, papio, and squid.Kapu on 'opelu is officially placed.Kapu on aku lifted.Farmers spread mulch of dry grass and fern on various garden patches.'Ulu plentiful.Farmer spends much time fishing; women curing and salting.Leaves are dark with maturity.It is also know that Kumukoa hails and governs the sky – it's prominent in the morning.I believe this Hoku Alaka'i is Mercury.Speaking of stars... On July 28th the Delta Aquarids are scheduled to make an appearance. This meteor shower will unfortunately be faint as the luminosity of the full moon will wash out the sky.And that's the Hawaiian Malama prediction for Hinaia'ele'ele.Ke aloha nui.Kaleiand 'Ohu notes: The past two days have been cloudy, with the rains as predicted, and the mauna alai ia e ke kiʻohuʻohu. I have been watching the hua ʻōhiʻa ʻai going pala a oʻo i ka nahele, a pono no makou e holoholo i na awawa e ʻohi ai i nā ʻōhiʻa ʻai! ;)
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Start of the KauwelaOn the evening of May 2, 2007, we gathered at the water's edge at the site of the heiau Kupalaha, the sibling heiau of Papa`ena`ena (that once graced the base of Leahi) where, from its kuahu (altar), named Opunaha, the setting sun would be observed by the kahuna kilolani, and on a certain day, the sun would set into the bowl of Pu`u o Kapolei, when seen from Opunaha, marking the end of the Ho`oilo and the start of the Kauwela.We chanted the exit of Lono and the entrance of the time of Kū, danced the prowess of warriors and mahi`ai (farmers) who prayed to Kūikeolowalu (Kū of the combined effort). And as the sun set, we shared a chant to the setting sun:Ke aui nei ka lā -- Welo! Welo!Ke mōlehulehu mai nei -- Nakolo! Nakolo!ʻO ka napoʻo ʻana i lalo -- I ka mole o Lehua!Ma ʻālihilani -- E moe! E moe!Aloha e, kūkulu o ka laniAloha e kūkulu o ka honuaAuē! Anuanu o`u mau iwi hilo nei --The sun is lowering -- Setting! Setting!Dusk approaches -- Crawling! Crawling!Sinking below -- at the base of Lehua!On the horizon -- To sleep! To sleep!Aloha to the foundations of the heavensAloha to the foundations of the worldAue! I am chilled to the core --After which the pū was blown to the four corners, and the proclamation made:ʻAe, ua ma'alo 'ia ka Ho'oilo eYes, the Ho'oilo has passedMoe e Lono, i Kahiki-moeLono sleeps at KahikimoeKau ke Kauwela, kukala ke kahunaThe kahuna announces, Kauwela is here'O ka pō kahi ia o ke au a ke akuaThe first night of the season of the akuaO Kū, Kūnuiakeaof Ku, KunuiakeaI ola e na kini e!That the multitude may thrive'Āmama, ua noaCompleted, the pule is releasedEach year we gather at the site, just 'Ewa of the Waikīkī aquarium before sunset, on May 2. Therefore, in the years to come, I invite any of you who are interested to join us, as we celebrate those dates that are truly of our place, from the places at which they were marked in ancient times. It is for us, who live in these times, to continue the celebrations, lest they disappear into obscurity.Aloha nui!See Lynette Cruz's photo album of the event, generously hosted by the Waikiki Aquarium:Kauwela 2007 photo albumRead more…
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Posted by Ashley Rosa on January 1, 2000 at 11:00pm
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