kamuela kealohapau'ole lacerdo.
hawaiian, korean, portuguese, chinese, irish, scottish, german, cherokee.
PROUD graduate of the Kamehameha Schools Class of 2k4.
"before i put myself to sleep... thoughts of u run thru my mind... so heavenly...
the way u walk and talk and... the how u stare at me..
i think im falling for u... only if u'd accept me girl...
so baby...
oOOoOo... i think that i love u...
UuuUuU... always thinking of u...
oOOoOo... i think that i love u...
u... always thinking of u...
u are my dreams come true...
there is no other girl that compares to u...
u take me to a place that i... ive never been before
ur exactly what i... what ive been lookin for...
so baby...
oOOoOo... i think that i love u...
UuuUuU... always thinking of u...
oOOoOo... i think that i love u...
UuuUuU... always thinking of u...
thas my girl...aurite.
"Aloha spirit is a coordination of mind and heart. It is within the individual, it brings you down to yourself. You must think and emote good feelings to others."
'A Translation of ALOHA, Letter by Letter
A stands for akahai, meaning 'kindness,' to be expressed with tenderness.
L stands for lokahi, meaning 'unity,' to be expressed with harmony.
O stands for 'olu'olu,meaning 'agreeable,' to be expressed with pleasantness.
H stands for ha'aha'a, meaning 'humility,' to be expressed with modesty.
A stands for ahonui, meaning 'patience,' to be expressed with perseverance.
"These are the traits of character that express the charm, warmth, and sincerity of Hawaiians. It was the working philosophy of my ancestors."
-Pilahi Paki
Pilahi Paki believed every word has power. That was the foundation of her teaching. Whether you're talking or singing, she would say, you speak clearly, you show respect for the language, you enunciate, and you choose your words with care, because they have an effect far beyond what you can hear.
"La violence de la vague n’empeche pas d’apprecier l’aventure"—the violence of the wave does not inhibit the love of the adventure. Or, to put it another way: You may get hammered, but you’ll still be stoked.
'HAOLE IS A STATE OF MIND.'
This is a story about love. The love of a father for his daughter. The love of a mother for her son. The love of a brother for his brother. And the love of a people for their land.
It starts with Wakea, the divine father whose offspring include the Hawaiian islands of Hawai‘i, Maui, Kaho‘olawe, Lana‘i, Moloka‘i, Kaua‘i, Ni‘ihau—and a beautiful daughter named Ho‘ohokukalani. Wakea loved his islands, and he fell in love with Ho‘ohokukalani, too. Their union engendered a way to care for his children forever.
Together Wakea and Ho‘ohokukalani birthed a son. But he was lifeless and gnarled like a root, and his mother’s heart was broken. Haloanakalaukapalili—Haloa of the shaking leaves—they named him and buried him in the soil. Haloa, long stalk, Haloa, long breath, Haloa, long life. From Haloa sprouted a shoot. He became the first taro plant, the kalo. And Ho‘ohokukalani was pregnant again. She gave birth to another son, healthy and strong, and he was called Haloa, the first Hawaiian, progenitor of the Hawaiian people and namesake of his older brother.
Haloa, long stalk. The younger brother tended to his older brother, and the kalo grew abundantly. Haloa, long breath. The lo‘i generated oxygen, vitalizing its surroundings. Haloa, long life. The kalo fed the people, and its medicinal leaves aided the sick. But Haloa brought even more.
By Haloa’s hand, the land became fertile. He created a work ethic and established a collective kuleana by this reasoning: Haloa came from the land, so Hawaiians came from the land. Keep the land alive, and the culture is perpetuated.
Mo‘olelo like this, like stories of all indigenous peoples, are passed on from one generation to the next, keeping history alive. Passing them on without applying their lessons, however, is as foolish as having a treasure map without bothering to look for the treasure.
As social and political issues tug back and forth at the future of Hawai‘i and the people who live here, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. Questions about land use, questions about the watershed, questions about injured communities, questions about sustainability.
The story of Haloa gives an answer. Healing the land will heal the people. For 2,000 years, Hawaiians have been farming kalo laboriously, understanding that the health of the ecosystem reflects the health of the kalo. When the kalo flourishes, it means the streams are flowing with clean, cool freshwater. The streams continue down to the ocean, providing a critical breeding ground. O‘opu, hihiwai and opae spawn at the mouth of the river and make their way back upstream. The reef stays healthy, and so do the reef fish. If the small fish are healthy, the big fish come in. The fishpond—the community refrigerator—stays full. You have questions about sustainability? Ask Haloa. Or as Hawaiians say, take care of your older brother and your older brother will take care of you.
Haloa, long stalk. Haloa, long breath. Haloa, long life. Share huli (taro shoot), and you’re sharing Haloa. Share poi, and you’re sharing Haloa. Take it literally, take it figuratively, or even rearrange the letters—share Haloa, and you’re sharing aloha. And aloha, well, that is love. And this is a story about love.
-Catharine Lo
