#hawaiianstudies

[newcatwords]

He Lei Aloha ‘Aina by Mehana Blaich Vaughan

(this post is made up of quotes & notes from a chapter of Kanaka ʻōiwi methodologies, edited by Katrina-Ann R Kapāʻanaokalāokeola Nākoa Oliveira and Erin Kahunawaikaʻala Wright. the chapter is called “He Lei Aloha ‘Aina” and is by Mehana Blaich Vaughan)

This chapter is about lei, both actual lei and lei as a metaphor. It also includes bits from the author’s personal history and how this history has shaped her approach to research, and discussion of an education/research/conservation trip to Lumaha’i Valley on Kaua’i.

It begins with these two sayings:

“He lei pa’iniu no Kilauea. (A lei of pa’iniu, signifying that the wearer has visited Kilauea Crater.)

He lei pahapaha no Polihale. (A lei of pahapaha limu, signifying that the wearer has visited Polihale, Kaua’i.)

Throughout Hawai’i, lei symbolize certain places and show that the wearer has experienced them. Lei offer a way to see and know a landscape because each lei is unique to the place where it is made.”

“My Tutu, Amelia Ana Ka’opua Bailey, taught me to pay attention to ‘aina, with a focus on what type of lei could be made from each place. Riding with Tutu in the car was an adventure because she was always looking out the window, her eyes tracing the trees, the bank along the side of the road, even the median strip of the freeway. I remember waiting in the car as she darted across four lanes of H-1 to pick salmon-colored bougainvillea, a Times supermarket grocery bag trailing behind her. Whether driving the saddle road on Hawai’i Island or the streets of her own Manoa Valley, Tutu was watching for flowers. To her, every landscape offered a tantalizing vision of its own lei just waiting to be made.

I have a similar craving to weave stories of certain landscapes. Since I was a child, everywhere I went, I remember wondering, Who are the people of this place? What did it look like before? What parts of it (plants, views, fish, rock, walls) are still here? Will they be here in the future?”

In the discussion of the trip to Lumaha’i Valley:

“When the sound of the helicopter trailed off, our group offered oli komo, asking to enter. We also addressed Laka, all around us in the dwarf lehua, flowering ‘ie’ie, and three different vining maile sisters. As we gave our lei and ho’okupu, I was reminded of one community member’s question as we were getting input for the trip: ‘If you believe in Laka, why go? You don’t believe she can handle the forest on her own?’ To me, our offerings, our presence in that place were a means of ho’omana, giving strength to Laka, just as she gave strength to our efforts. Still, each step in the bog felt tender, and no matter how carefully we walked, we stomped on the moss, leaving indentations for mosquito puddles. Each sling load that brought tents, cereal boxes, coolers, the work, and our other gear further flattened uluhe under the weight, sound, and wind of the chopper.”

“This trip, unlike many conservation and environmental research efforts in Hawai’i, incorporated means of acknowledging the sacredness of our ‘work site’ and asking its guidance; of accessing people’s stories and connection to this place, however tentative and distant; and of reconnecting the place to community by training younger generations descended from the area to take care of it. These three threads gleaned from our trip continue to shape my attempts at ‘aina-based research: ‘aina as source, ‘aina as people, and ‘aina as ongoing connection and care.”

“We stand facing the lunging water, teeth chattering, and find our voices…This oli asks permission of this place, of the wai, the water itself, for our work. We explain the purpose of our study, why the water will be used, and how. May we take just a small sample from its home in the kahawai, the stream? Just as a pohaku, rock, needs to know the function for which it is being selected so that it may lend its mana to the effort, wai should be asked to come along too.”

“Once removed, these aspects of ‘aina must continue to be treated with respect.”

“…’Aina should be not only subject but also partner, source, inspiration, and guide.”

“…it is rarely easy to identiy the community of people with connections to a place; this community is often unseen. However, every place in Hawai’i has people attached to it who care about and hold deep wisdom of it. These people [are] worth seeking…”

There’s an excellent story about fisherpeople who were involved in community planning for their fishery: “The fishermen wanted to extend our study to understand where fish from the area ended up. We worked together to track what fish they caught, who they gave them to, and where. This work revealed a network of families connected to Ha’ena’s coast by receiving gifted mahele, or shares of fish, even though they lived on the other side of the island or even on the mainland. Most of these fish recipients had ancestral ties to the area…” This illustrates the point that “People’s connections to places are often built through use.”

“As much as possible, I attend regularly scheduled community meetings and workdays to get feedback on research progress and share preliminary findings. These sessions usually include food and informal discussion, often yielding valuable insight into whether our findings ring true, potential explanations for them, and future directions for research. I also hold formal community presentations to share research in forms that can be utilized to support community efforts. …my research emphasizes helping people add to in-depth knowledge of places where they have kuleana, responsibility.”

“My research often comes together in mo’olelo, storytelling, and in poetry, avenues our kupuna used, like lei, to make beloved places seen and felt.”

“In my environmental research, I am guided by Tutu’s informal, mostly unspoken, instruction in gathering for lei. Oli first: Ask and explain the purpose for your gathering. Look. Listen. Take only what you need. Clean your materials before you depart, leaving as much as you can with the plants to rejuvenate and replenish. When the process is complete, and the lei dries, bring it back to this spot or return it to some other ‘aina to bring growth.”

The author concludes with a poem composed of “individual bits of material gathered from the area where I grew up.”

“Research, like lei, should bring growth along with beauty, should weave disparate elements together in a way that shows new perspective and creates new life.”

Here is the poem. I love it because it includes all kinds of good things to know about a place. This is my kind of knowledge.

Pu’unahele

WAO NAHELE - UPLAND FOREST, 140 ACRES, TMK #13-531 Name lost Bird catchers’ camp Where orange lehua once bloomed Branch coral laid gently on an altar The place where the hunting dogs froze Road launching power lines over the mountain Straightest guava branches for kala'au The spot the Pleiades first crest the ridge In October’s crisping dusk.

KULA - FLATLANDS, 10.2 ACRES, TMK #13-45 Below Pu'u Maheu, hill-raking winds wet soil for growing ‘uala Sunset view meditation spot Place to check surf at "Wires” Night path of the spirits returning from shore Where we kids used to ride our bikes The first gated driveway that we’d ever seen Former route of the sugar cane train Field #45, best yield per acre State land-use classification…Ag.

KAHAWAI - RIPARIAN ZONE, 1.4 ACRES, TMK #13-172 A taro patch called Nahiku 'Auwai with 'o'opu mouths big as a fist First place to flood, now so much less water Where the cousin on crystal meth hides Rocks the women scrubbed clothing clean on Roof dropped there by the tsunami Perch for the child scaring rice birds Stand up paddle right out to the beach Option to construct two ADU’s (ed: additional dwelling unit) Vacation rentals with kitchenettes

KAHAKAI - COASTAL LANDS, 0.2 ACRES, TMK #13-890 Kamakau, the long curving hook Line of shells swept up by first swell The hill used to kilo (ed: spot fish), direct them to moi The space to spread nets out to dry Two turtle eggs hatching one March morning Outflow of bagasse from the mill Shearwater flyway that stopped power lines Where the sand departs from in the fall 'Aholehole caught for baby’s lu'au Eel circling the spot Uncle cleaned them Those 'champagne pools’ the guidebook named Six visitors swept away this last winter Private beach view, price $2.7 million dollars Right where the fishing trail used to descend

[fifthbuddha]

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[newcatwords]

book review: “Kanaka ʻōiwi methodologies : moʻolelo and metaphor” (part three)

“To further complicate the issue, if the generally accepted term for ‘map’ is palapala aina and the whole crux of my thesis statement is that ancestral Kanaka did not have maps before contact? how do I as a scholar writing journal articles solely ma ka ‘olelo Hawai’i begin to explain Kanaka ‘mapping’ practices once I have openly acknowledged that ‘palapala ‘aina’ insufficiently describes Kanaka ways of locating ourselves? Another dilemma is selecting an ‘olelo Hawai’i term that approximates the notion of ‘performance cartography’ while taking into consideration that ‘ho’ike honua’ (to show the earth, performances related to the earth), a logical option, is already more commonly translated and understood to mean ‘geography.’ Thus, before I can even begin my discussion about performance cartographies and Kanaka ‘mapping’ practices, it is necessary for me to define the ‘olelo Hawai’i terminologies that I will be employing. This additional layer of research would not be as complicated if I were to write in English. Of the terms ‘geography,’ ‘map,’ and ‘performance cartographies’ perhaps only ‘performance cartographies’ would need to be defined for my English readership.”

She provides an excellent short literature review of Hawaiian scholars and some of the ways that they take a Hawaiian approach to their work:

“Kanaka academics - including but not limited to Isabella Abott, Naleen Andrade, Nanette Judd, Lilikala Kame’eleihiwa, George Kanahele, Jonathan Osorio, Abraham Pi’ianaia, Noenoe Silva, Haunani-Kay Trask, Sam No’eau Warner, Kerry Laiana Wong, and Kanalu Young - are notable Kanaka pioneers in their respective academic fields. Each of these scholars have been able to fuse the ancestral wisdom and knowledge systems of their kupuna with their fields of expertise in the academy, thus demonstrating the relevance of ancestral practices and understandings in a modern context.

In  recent years, Kanaka scholars, writing ma ka ‘olelo Hawai’i and in English alike, have incorporated various techniques to indigenize methodological approaches within the academy. Scholars such as Leilani Basham, Kahikina de Silva, and Keawe Lopes have used mele as the foundation for their thesis statements and methodological approaches. In some cases these scholars have used the first line of a mele as the title of each of their chapters. Sometimes authors purposefully begin each of their book chapters with a poignant mele as a foundation for the rest of the chapter. In other cases, key lessons learned from a mele serve as the research methodology for their scholarship. Other Kanaka scholars such as ku’ualoha ho’omanawanui and Alohalani Brown are known for their scholarship based on mo’olelo, whereas Kekeha Solis is well known for his use of ‘olelo no’eau (proverbs) as a methodological approach. Another common methodological device is to weave metaphors throughout scholarly publications (see the chapters by Goodyear-Ka’opua, Saffery, and Vaughan in this book series). Still others allow the ‘aina to speak for itself through ‘olelo Hawai’i place names and ‘olelo no’eau related to place.”

“...these and other Kanaka scholars are demonstrating the germaneness of ancestral knowledge systems in a contemporary context.”

“The complexity of Kanaka thought embedded in ‘olelo Hawai’i adds another layer of kuleana for the Kanaka scholar. Inasmuch as Kanaka research is often conducted in communities and for communities by those with kuleana to those very communities, sometimes it takes a community to complete a research project. Our work is often strengthened by the collective knowledge, skill sets, and experiences of others.”

“Because overlapping and intersecting meanings are celebrated in Kanaka knowledge systems, the Kanaka scholar often has multiple layers of information to consider when reading ‘olelo Hawai’i literature or listening to oral histories.”

she then lists and defines the main elements of her methodology:

Community of Scholars Methodology: this seems to me to be similar to the “community of practice” concept, informal and formal, ongoing collaboration with one’s fellow researches because you’re all invested in the work all of you are doing and you help each other.

“Hale Naua (House of Wisdom, Temple of Science)”: a historical institution from Kingdom times.

Papaku Makawalu Methodology:  “In this ‘methodical presentation of a holistic preview of the Hawaiian universe,’ scholars deconstruct layers of embedded meaning. [9] This is accomplished by examining oral and written ‘olelo Hawai’i histories collaboratively and through close observation, especially by capturing images in the form of digital photographs.”

[9]: http://www.edithkanakaolefoundation.org/current-projects/papaku-makawalu/

Sense Ability Methodology (made up of nine methodologies - the senses):

“As a Kanaka scholar, I have a deep appreciation for close observation when conducting research. Like contemporary scientists, ancestral Kanaka formed hypotheses and conducted extensive investigations to acquire new knowledge or refine previous knowledge. Through close observation, ancestral Kanaka were able to make many breakthroughs (e.g., non-instrument navigation, pharmaceutical remedies, astronomic observations) that are only now being acknowledged and validated by the scientific community.

In recognition of the fact that my kupuna were stellar observers and scientists in their own right, I too rely heavily on the use of my ‘sense abilities’ or the use of my senses as a methodology for comprehending the world around me and examining my research topic rom multiple perspectives. I recognize at least nine sense abilities that I believe all Kanaka are born with: sight, listening, taste, touch, smell, na’au, kulaiwi, au ‘apa’apa’a, and mo’o.”

Sight: “’Ike means ‘to see’ and ‘to know’; the sense ability of sight assists us in comprehending visual clues. Kanaka navigators, for example, describe how the sight of certain birds provides clues about the location and proximity of a landmass.”

Listening: “Because we as researchers may learn a great deal by listening to others, especially elders and master practitioners, the sense ability of listening is commonly used in indigenous communities as a methodology. Researchers often conduct interviews, both formal and informal, and transcribe what they hear. Linda Smith refers to a form of informal interviews as ‘kitchen table discourse.’[10] In this interview style, although the researcher has a research goal in mind, he or she does not prepare a preset list of formal interview questions, but rather the inquiry is organic in nature, driven by the course of the conversation.

In more traditional contexts, sense abilities involve a lifetime of learning gleaned through conversations between apprentice and master. These conversations are particularly important for apprentices learning and ancestral practice such as lomilomi (massage), navigation, or hula. Their conversations with their mentors are built on mutual respect, trust, and admiration and may continue for the duration of their lives.”

Taste: “Yet, at times, something as simple as tasting a new variety of limu (seaweed) may lead to an epiphany. A researcher might taste the limu to better understand a mele written by his great-grandmother about the delicacies of her ancestral homeland.”

Touch: “Touching the actual documents written by one’s ancestors or by highly respected Kanaka scholars who have long since passed can serve as an inspiration for contemporary scholars who are eager to piece together knowledge of the past.”

“Similarly, mele and other forms of Hawaiian poetry such as ‘olelo no’eau may speak to the characteristics of winds and rains. However, only when someone actually travels to that place and experiences the winds and rains of that location will she or he truly understand the mele. The first time I traveled to Kohala, Hawai’i, I vividly remember my astonishment at the strength of the wind. However, after recalling the song ‘Maika’i ka Makani o Kohala’ (The Wind of Kohala Is Good), I was reminded that Kohala is a place noted for its strong winds.

Field researchers might have similar experiences. A few years ago, a kupuna explained how he had found a small stone along a path in Kahakuloa. He then looked around and placed it on a groove on a much larger stone along the path; the smaller stone fit perfectly. The kupuna explained that the small stone once held the light that lit that path at night. For me, being able to see and touch both stones was an awesome feeling because it reminded me that, as I walk on the landscape, I am walking in the footsteps of my kupuna.”

Smell: “Just as the feel of the wind on the skin jars the memory and recalls times past at certain locales, so too can certain places be noted for their scents. Maui residents sometimes use scents, both pleasant and unpleasant, as landmarks. I can think of two places on Maui that are known for their stench. One is in Pu’unene where there is an open ditch for irrigating the sugar plantation. Another is past Waihe’e Valley near Camp Maluhia where there is a pig farm.”

Na’au: “The sense ability of na’au honors our intestines as the center from which our instincts and feelings emanate. Sometimes researchers instinctually sense danger or know the answer to a question they are seeking simply because of a feeling in their na’au.”

Kulaiwi: “The sense ability of kulaiwi values our longstanding relationships with our ancestral homelands. It appreciates the unique local knowledge systems that we refine over generations by residing on the same lands. It honors the fact that within the Kanaka community there are subcommunities of people who have developed local practices and knowledges that differ from those of Kanaka residing elsewhere in the pae moku. A quick survey of lo’i kalo (wetland taro gardens) throughout the pae moku indicates that kalo farming practices vary from place to place depending on resources, topography, and climate.”

Au ‘Apa’apa’a: “The sense ability of au ‘apa’apa’a honors Kanaka methods of timekeeping such as our moon calendars. This method is an ancestral science and intelligence gathered by observing the life cycles of living organisms and other timeless constants in our natural environment.”

Mo’o: “The sense ability of mo’o is based on knowledge systems created and refined over thousands of years. It acknowledges the Kanaka community as a whole for technological advances such as the creation of fishponds, lo’i systems, and non-instrument navigation. It is an understanding that the knowledge we create today serves as a legacy for succeeding generations of Kanaka.”

Serendipitous Methodology*

* this is not one of the sense abilities. this is the last methodology Oliveira discusses in this chapter.

“Another methodology that I have sometimes encountered while conducting research is what Kanaka scholar Kerry Laiana Wong refers to as the ‘serendipitous’ method. [11] In this approach, information that the researcher is seeking exposes itself suddenly and unexpectedly. I have engaged in numerous conversations with fellow colleagues who believe that their kupuna guide them as they conduct research and then reveal the answers that they have been seeking. Although I do indeed believe that my kupuna have guided me in directions that I did not have the cognitive capacity to dream up for myself, I also believe in Oprah Winfrey’s assertion that ‘there’s no such thing as luck. It’s preparation meeting opportunity.’ For example, the sun, moon, and stars rise and set every day, yet many of us do not know how to harness this knowledge to navigate across the Pacific Ocean because we have not been trained to do so. Similarly, I can think of several examples during my genealogical and archival research when the answers for which I was so desperately searching had bee right before my eyes. It was not until I was prepared and able to recognize the answers that I finally understood that those very answers had been there all along.”

that’s it for the list of methodologies. there are a few quotes i’d like to highlight from the conclusion:

“What might my kupuna have done to solve this same problem given the resources available to them in their time and environment?”

“Like the unseen nutrients that enter the stream through ‘auwai, some impacts made by contemporary scholars enrich the ecosystem of Kanaka knowledge yet remain undetected by many.

Other impacts such as the publication of peer-reviewed journal articles and books may be more visible indicators of the advancement of Kanaka scholarship within the academy. When I first attended the University of Hawai’i at Manoa in the early 1990s, only two Native Hawaiian professors, Haunani-Kay Trask and Lilikala Kame’eleihiwa, were published book authors. The Hawaiian language program was a section within the epartment of Hawaiian and Indo-Pacific Languages and Literature. The Center for Hawaiian Studies comprised four offices withi nthe chool of Pacific Islands tudies. Much has changed over the past two decades. Today Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language and Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies are companion programs within the Hawai’inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. The Hawaiian studies building, built in the late 1990s is bursting at the seams. And more than a dozen other Native Hawaiian academics have published books on various topics related to Kanaka knowledge. [12] Each scholar’s contribution to the field is like a source of water originating from his or her place of strength on the landscape and flowing into the larger body of Kanaka knowledge. This stream of knowledge is enhanced and enriched by each contribution.”

[10]: Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. London: Zed Books, 1999.

[11]: Wong, K. Laiana. “He Hawa’e Kai Nui a Kau Ma Kula.” Educational Perspectives 37, no. 1 (2004): 31-39.

[12]:

Aikau, A Chosen People, A Promised Land: Mormonism and Race in Hawai’i.

Andrade, Ha’ena: Through the Eyes of the Ancestors.

Beamer, “Na Wai Ka Mana?: ‘Oiwi agency and European Imperialism in the Hawaiian Kingdom”.

Goodyear-Ka’opua, The Seeds We Planted: Portraits of a Native Hawaiian Charter School.

ho’omanawanui, Voices of Fire: Reweaving the Lei of Pele and Hi’iaka Literature.

Iaukea, The Queen and I: A Story of Dispossessions and Reconnections in Hawai’i.

Kanahele, Ka Honua Ola: ‘Eli’eli Kau Mai.

McGregor, Na Kua’aina: Living Hawaiian Culture.

Meyer, Ho’oulu: Our Time of Becoming: Collected Early Writings of Manulani Meyer.

Oliveira, Ancestral Places: Understanding Kanaka Geographies.

Osorio, Dismembering Lahui: A History of the Hawaiian Nation to 1887.

Silva, Aloha Betrayed: Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism.

Tengan, Native Men Remade: Gender and Nation in Contemporary Hawai’i.

“Ka ‘Ikena a ka Hawai’i: Toward a Kanaka ‘Oiwi Critical Race Theory” by Erin Kahunawaika’ala Wright and Brandi Jean Nalani Balutski

As the title states, this is a Kanaka ‘Oiwi Critical Race Theory. Just read the chapter!

part four to come!

back to part two

back to part one

[newcatwords]

book review: “Kanaka ʻōiwi methodologies : moʻolelo and metaphor” (part two)

this is part 2 of a review of Kanaka ‘Oiwi Methodologies: Mo’olelo and Metaphor, edited by Katrina-Ann R Kapāʻanaokalāokeola Nākoa Oliveira and Erin Kahunawaikaʻala Wright.

read part 1 here.

as in the first section, i’ll be sharing some of the notes i made as i was reading each chapter.

“Mo’olelo for Transformative Leadership: Lessons from Engaged Practice” by Kaiwipunikauikawekiu Lipe

this chapter deals with the problem of education and research in a predominantly non-Hawaiian institution (University of Hawai’i at Manoa).

the author shares her personal history and discusses how she did her doctoral research which focused on the question “How can the University of Hawai’i at Manoa (UHM), a predominantly non-Hawaiian university, be transformed into a Hawaiian place of learning?”

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on ‘olelo no’eau (hawaiian proverbs and sayings):

“Since I was a little girl, ‘olelo no’eau have been both fun and useful. It is always exciting to learn an ‘olelo no’eau because it usually captures a longer mo’olelo and collection of lessons in one or two easily memorizable phrases: An ‘olelo no’eau is a secret password or code into a rich, captivating mo’olelo that folks can easily share and refer to. At the same time, an ’olelo no’eau is always useful because once it is known and understood, when it is referred to, everyone can automatically connect to the meaning, lessons, and mo’olelo captured within it.” (this oncept is perfectly explored in the star trek the new generation episiode “darmok” )

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“...I have also learned to share my own mo’olelo for the purpose of imparting a lesson, special memory, or experience with others.” i do this also all the time, especially in my anti-sexism/cultural studies/empathy work with others. i’ve discovered that this is often the best way to get through to folks who would otherwise not understand, folks who are not accustomed to seeing things from the perspective of other people. one reason why i value hawaiian scholarship is because of its focus on the use of stories for education and for its thorough exploration of the various elements that go into effective storytelling for learning. for some kinds of knowledge, only stories seem to do! for example, all the facts in the world about sexism will not help someone who doesn’t understand that there’s a patriarchy and that what is being asked of them is to share anger at injustice, as per michael mark cohen. additionally, hawaiian scholarship that i’ve read doesn’t just state this info about stories, but reveals this truth through stories - they tell stories where the lesson is that stories are great, and because it’s a story, it sticks in the mind, which is one of the main reasons why stories are great for education: a good story sticks in the memory really well (like a good song, which is one form of story). a good story also often proves itself relevant and useful in many situations. when you’re with people who don’t know the story and they are puzzling over an issue the story helps with, you can tell the story (which, because it’s a story, is easy to remember because it’s a good story). a good story that’s useful to people will be told because the teller wants to share the good info with others. an example of a story like that: if you went on a trip to a certain place and it turns out that the road was washed out at a particular spot where you weren’t expecting it. you meet someone who’s going on the same trip, you tell them about how you were just there last week and the road was washed out. it took you an hour to find a way around, but now you can tell your friend and they can avoid having to deal with the hole. the story has useful info and is easy to remember because it comes in the form of a story (as something that happened to you on your trip, etc.)

i’ve found that personal stories are most effective in sharing some kinds of knowledges, but often the stories are ones of sad and/or painful things from my past. when a person isn’t getting the trauma of something like not being able to find a job, or being abused, or being harassed, it’s hard to have to shit out your personal experiences of being abused or having no money or being humiliated and feeling violated. often i have to share multiple stories for the person to get the point (because especially with systemic injustice, the constant recurring nature of the injustice and the cumulative effect of all the previous injustices is a big part of how it messes you up (aka the trauma)). so it’s hard to have a person stare blank-faced at you as you tell them that being abused is hard, and it’s also hard to deploy your own painful history (no matter how over it you are, it can still be sad to think of shit things that have happened to you) for their education. in the best cases you end up a little sad remembering how you (or people you care about) suffered/suffer and sad that so many people still don’t see “what the big deal is” in this suffering. in the worst case, you get re-traumatized all over again. i still do it because for now it’s still worth it to me. i am actively engaged in one-on-one informal education projects with specific people whose lives i have decided to share, and i use the stories because life is short and so far it’s the best way i’ve found to have the person understand where i’m coming from. but it is a shitty cost and i want to find a solution for this problem.

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“Although I engaged in mo’olelo all my life as foundational forms of teaching and learning methodology, mele, oli, hula, ‘olelo no’eau, and storytelling were almost never used or invited into the classroom in the doctoral program I attended in a Western, predominantly non-Hawaiian higher education institution.”

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the author was moved by the concept of survivance by Gerald Vizenor, but wanted to develop a concept that was specific to the Hawaiian context:

“I thought of Indigenous scholars such as Dr. Graham Smith (2003), who argues that Indigenous peoples must move beyond the terms and processes of decolonization and look to our own traditions and cultures to rediscover what is innately in us. Similarly, I thought of Dr. Pualani Kanaka’ole Kanahele (2012), who reminds us that our ancestors live within us and that the knowledge and experiences of our ancestors are passed down from generation to generation through DNA. But inviting this ‘ike kupuna (ancestral knowledge) into the academy - and having the confidence to do so - was often difficult and daunting because I was constantly bombarded by Western theory, literature, and methodologies. Little, if any, space was made for Indigenous knowledge systems (Lipe 2013).”

Lipe has created a framework that’s similar to the idea of survivance but that comes from her own culture: ‘a’ali’i ku makani. ‘a’ali’i is a plant native to hawaii. being ‘a’ali’i is what the author suggests we all need to become in order to “transform UHM into a Hawaiian place of learning.”

she tells this story:

“When I was little, my mother often taught me chants during long car rides. This helped the time pass and invited me into another realm of Hawai’i. ... During my doctoral journey...I was also fulfilling my responsibilities as a mother. One of those responsibilities was driving my children to school, an hour-long commute from where we lived. During those car rides, we often chanted and sang Hawaiian songs to pass the time, engaging in the tradition of mo’olelo en route passed down by my mother.

On one particular morning, as I made my way onto H-1 East from Likelike Highway, I happened to be chanting Maewa i ka Hao Mai a ka Makani by Kainani Kahaunaele (1997) to my children:...”

Similar to what we saw in Dr. Lopes’ chapter (see part one), the ideas present in the chant led Dr. Lipe to come up with the ‘a’ali’i metaphor/methodology.

the main section of the chapter includes excerpts from interviews with two women the author did research with who, she argues, exemplify the concept of ‘a’ali’i ku makani. you’ll have to get the book to read them. i encourage you to do so!!!

“Indeed, the women are ‘a’ali’i. First, they are deeply rooted in Hawai’i. Then they draw strength from that rootedness and become flexible, resilient, beautiful women who, every day, live into survivance. Specifically, they withstand challenging environments and, using their ‘a’ali’i qualities, manage to bloom and transform currently contentious, racist environments back into Hawaiian places of learning.”

“I share these stories for three main reasons. First, I want to demonstrate how the ‘a’ali’i ku makani framework, informed by oli and ‘olelo no’eau, illuminated the ‘a’ali’i qualities and life cycle within the mo’olelo of the women. Second, I re-present their stories to demonstrate the importance of mo’olelo aku, mo’olelo mai - sharing and receiving stories - as a methodology, because when we value narratives and take the time to study them, so much can be learned. As each of us reads the mo’olelo of the two kumu, we each glean both similar and unique lessons based on who each of us are and our own life experiences. However, we can only connect to the mo’olelo if we take the time to learn from them, which requires us to first value mo’olelo and then to spend time with them.”

“Ka Wai Ola: The Life-Sustaining Water of Kanaka Knowledge” by Katrina-Ann R. Kapa’anaokalaokeola Nakoa Oliveira

the author begins with the metaphor of streams, ‘auwai (”irrigation ditches that divert some of the water from the stream into lo’i and then channel it back to the stream.) this picture may help you visualize ‘auwai if you’re not familiar with the concept:

[this image is from http://www.hawaiihistory.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ig.page&CategoryID=299 ]

there’s an excellent section on maps & the difficulty of discussing concepts across languages:

“Not only do I write in two languages but my complementary academic backgrounds also inform my scholarship. As a geographer by training and a kumu ‘olelo Hawai’i [ed: master teacher of the Hawaiian language] by profession, I have faced the dual challenges of writing ma ka ‘olelo Hawai’i about non-Kanaka constructs such as “mapping” and “cartographic representations” and writing in English while liberally incorporating ‘olelo Hawai’i terms. How does one write ma ka ‘olelo Hawai’i about non-Kanaka concepts? How does one write about Kanaka mapping practices for instance, when the word for map, ‘palapala ‘aina’ (land document), reflects a non-Kanaka construct? That is, although ancestral Kanaka did have methods for locating themselves on the landscape, these methods did not include two-dimensional line drawings on paper until postcontact times. Before their use of maps, Kanaka employed ‘performance cartographies’ or what I like to call ‘wisdom maps’. Through hula, mele (poetry), mo’olelo (historical accounts), and other modes of performance, ancestral Kanaka were able to embed in the minds of their audience an image of the places celebrated in the hula, mele, and mo’olelo.”

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part three

back to part one

[newcatwords]

book review: “Kanaka ʻōiwi methodologies : moʻolelo and metaphor” (part one)

Kanaka ʻōiwi methodologies, edited by Katrina-Ann R Kapāʻanaokalāokeola Nākoa Oliveira and Erin Kahunawaikaʻala Wright, is the fourth volume in the Hawaiʻinuiākea monograph series, a series produced by Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge:

The Hawaiʻinuiākea Monograph is the first publishing project under the new Hawaiʻinuiākea Publishing initiative. The peer-reviewed series, co-published with University of Hawaiʻi Press, is a venue for scholars, leaders–as well as practitioners–in the Hawaiian community.

rather than providing summaries and my opinions, i’ll instead be sharing some of the notes i made as i was reading each chapter.

Reproducing the Ropes of Resistance: Hawaiian Studies Methodologies by Noelani Goodyear-Ka’opua

this chapter begins with the following:

I am slyly

reproductive: ideas

books, history

politics, reproducing

the rope of resistance

for unborn generations.

by Haunani-Kay Trask, from her poem “Sons”

it also includes a quote from “the great physician, health researcher, and hawaiian independence advocate Lekuni Akana Blaisdell”: “Our ancestors are always with us as long as we think of them, talk to them, engage them in our thinking and planning and beliefs and actions.”

she writes a short history of the current resurgence of hawaiian studies - an important and valuable contribution.

the main section of this chapter sets out the “central commitments and lines of inquiry” of hawaiian studies:

lahui (collective identity and self-definition)

ea (sovereignty, leadership, breath, life, rising up, emergence)

kuleana (responsibility, privilege, obligations, positionality)

pono (balance, harmonious relationships, justice, and healing)

Goodyear-Ka’opua writes “Kanaka Maoli are defined by our ancestry. This is who we are. Hawaiian studies research fleshes out this assertion. At the same time, the confident articulation of who we are is held in productive tension with the question, Who are we?”

She argues that this dual approach is “a practice of ‘Oiwi survivance. As Anishinaabe author and cultural critic, Gerald Vizenor writes, ‘Survivance is the continuance of stories, not a mere reaction, however pertinent.’ Survivance is about our lahui’s ‘renewal and continuity into the future...through welcoming unpredictable cultural reorientations.’ i hadn’t heard of survivance before, so i’ll have to read gerald vizenor.

on ea: “ea is an active state of being. Like breathing, ea cannot be achieved or possessed; it requires constant action day after day, generation after generation.”

“the health/breath of the people is directly linked to the health/breath of the land.”

she quotes Kumu ‘Imaikalani Winchester, an educator who restores lo’i kalo (taro ponds):

“For a sixteen-year-old kid who knows nothing else other than living downtown some place, if they can get out and experience some different things, return to their past, they can actually breathe that life - that ea - into our culture and traditions again. ... Hawaiian education is carrying the heavy kuleana of introducing collectivist ideas into a very individualist world, where private property, capitalism, and the free market runs or guides most decision making and policies.”

a few scholar she quotes whose work i’ll have to investigate:

Robert Allen Warrior

Taiaiake Alfred

Leanne Simpson

Linda Tuhiwai Smith (author of Decolonizing Methodologies)

Jeff Corntassel

Lilikala Kame’eleihiwa (author of Native Lands and Foreign Desires: Pehea la e pono ai?)

Ua Noho Au A Kupa I Ke Alo by R. Keawe Lopes Jr.

Lopes uses the words of a mele (chant) to explore concepts that have been central to his research.

noho:

“In conducting research within our communities, building relationships with mentors is vital to acquiring information. The quality of knowledge shared and gained is dependent on the depth of the relationship. The first two lines of the mele state ‘ua noho au a kupa i ke alo, akama’aina la i ka leo,’ which means ‘I have sat, inhabited, and tarried here until I have become accustomed to you in your presence and familiar with your voice.’”

noho is ‘“to live, reside, inhabit, occupy (as land), dwell, stay, tarry, marry, sit” and has the connotation of establishing oneself in a certain place or with a particular person... Historically, to noho was to express humbleness and respect...” i think this reflects a culture of learning that’s based on a master/mentor-student relationship, or an apprentice relationship. something that in western culture one might associate with learning a skilled craft or art. i really like the idea of approaching people with noho. it puts the would-be student into the right frame of mind to learn.

kupa:

“to identify oneself as a kupa, one must be a longtime resident, possessing personal and lasting relationships with the people and the mo’olelo of that place, both ancient and modern.

The term ‘kupa’ further implies that the commitment to our mentors is a lifelong investment.”

in describing his studies of mele and hula with his mentor, Lopes writes:

“Often the real in-depth learning of contextual information related to mele and hula began after our regular class sessions were done. Sometimes it continued for hours in the parking lot. In such moments exciting mo’olelo of mele and hula exponents of the past were shared. This experience taught me that, to persevere in a lasting relationship with our mentors, we must be truly passionate and extremely patient. These qualities will enable us to endure both good times-days of great epiphany and hours of captivating conversations-and bad. True patience considers the cost and makes the necessary sacrifices to always be ready and available for learning, no matter the time or place.”

kama’aina:

“’kama’aina’ reinforces the importance of investment; moreover it implies the idea of being embraced geneologically... ‘kama’ means ‘descendant’ or ‘child.’ It also means to be bound or tied to something. The term ‘’aina’ means ‘land.’ ‘Kama’aina’ therefore are genealogical descendants of the land, bound and secured to it and who benefit from a reciprocal relationship with her. As a result, kama’aina care for the well-being of the land while maintaining a mutual relationship with her.

This type of reciprocation is seen in student-mentor relationships as well.”

alo:

“The ‘alo’ is the front, face, or presence of a Person (Pukui 1983, p.21). It tells us where our attention is directed and where our interests lie. It is my belief that if we turn our alo toward our mentors and keep our interest faced in their direction, they will know that we truly have a vested interest in gaining knowledge and value the relationship we have with them. When our mentors decide to turn their attention to us, it is then that we realize that we are just as important to them. It is when our alo and the alo of our mentors are attentive to each other that the most effective teaching and learning opportunities occur. This type of experience is known as ‘he alo a he alo’ or ‘face to face’ (Pukui 1983, p.21).

He alo a he alo is the way in which relationships are built and the way knowledge is transmitted, communicated, and received. There is no clearer way to be in a relationship or in communion with another person than he alo a he alo.”

Leo: engagement of the Voiced

“In an oral-based society, the leo (voice) is an important tool of expert orators who keep our people connected to the past by reciting our ancient mele and mo’olelo... They enlighten us with insight that becomes embedded in our memory. The leo is the eternal link between our people past and present. It transcends place and time and is audible even beyond the physical.” (i believe this is referring to the way that you can picture a family member telling you something they always told you even after they’ve passed away)

also, if you teach with all the love that you’ve been taught by a beloved elder, if you’ve done right by them, then you may find your students sounding just like the elder. this is another way that you can hear the ancestors’ voice after they’re gone.

---

here’s a great saying: “Hilihewa kahi mana’o ke ‘ole ke kukakuka” (”ideas run wild without discussion”) (Pukui 1983, p. 106) “As Pukui explains, to learn and be aware of the specifics of any knowledge, it is necessary to be personally involved (p.24).

This involvement is necessary for learning the mana’o (thoughts, intentions, beliefs) of our mentors (Pukui and Elbert 1986, p. 236). Pukui explains that the mana’o is not something that is readily seen: It is concealed in a number of layers of interpretations. As it is said, 'He ana ka mana’o o ke kanaka, ‘a’ole ‘oe e ‘ike ia loko,’ which means that ‘the thoughts of man are like caves whose interiors one cannot see’ (Pukui 1983, p. 64).”

---

“As explained, by being in constant contact with our mentors’ alo and leo we are able to experience their intentions, thoughts, and beliefs. This is when we are allowed access to the ‘waihona.’ A waihona, according to Pukui and Elbert, is a ‘depository, closet, cabinet, vault, file, receptacle, savings, or a place for laying up thing in safe-keeping’ (1986, p. 378). A waihona could also be a person, as expressed in the saying ‘Ka waihona o ka na’auao,’ which is a reference to a person who is a repository of knowledge and is considered to be learned (Pukui 1983, p. 178).

The location of this waihona to which Kalakaua’s mele refers is ‘i’ane’i’ (right here) within our reach. It is a waihona that contains aloha or that has been cared for by aloha or is in the possession of aloha.”

“I have heard kupuna share that the term ‘aloha’ is made up of two words - alo (presence) and ha (breath) - and its meaning is so much more than a kind disposition. Aloha is that which births in all of us the patience to endure, the courage to hold fast to our traditions, and the strength to face any adversity. Pilahi Paki, a renowned kupuna, explained that each of the letters that make up the word ‘aloha’ have meaning that comprises its overall significance:

Akahai, meaning kindness to be expressed with tenderness;

Lokahi, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony;

‘Olu’olu, meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness;

Ha’aha’a, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty;

Ahonui, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance.”

“Paki encouraged us ‘to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable.’ I find this very true for those of us who invest in relationships and experience the alo and leo of our mentors, who that even when things are not said there is something to listen for, when there is nothing to see there is something to notice, and when the unforeseen arises we rest assured of what we have already been taught.”

He Lei Aloha ‘Aina by Mehana Blaich Vaughan

This chapter is about lei, both actual lei and lei as a metaphor. It also includes bits from the author’s personal history and how this history has shaped her approach to research, and discussion of an education/research/conservation trip to Lumaha’i Valley on Kaua’i.

It begins with these two sayings:

“He lei pa’iniu no Kilauea. (A lei of pa’iniu, signifying that the wearer has visited Kilauea Crater.)

He lei pahapaha no Polihale. (A lei of pahapaha limu, signifying that the wearer has visited Polihale, Kaua’i.)

Throughout Hawai’i, lei symbolize certain places and show that the wearer has experienced them. Lei offer a way to see and know a landscape because each lei is unique to the place where it is made.”

“My Tutu, Amelia Ana Ka’opua Bailey, taught me to pay attention to ‘aina, with a focus on what type of lei could be made from each place. Riding with Tutu in the car was an adventure because she was always looking out the window, her eyes tracing the trees, the bank along the side of the road, even the median strip of the freeway. I remember waiting in the car as she darted across four lanes of H-1 to pick salmon-colored bougainvillea, a Times supermarket grocery bag trailing behind her. Whether driving the saddle road on Hawai’i Island or the streets of her own Manoa Valley, Tutu was watching for flowers. To her, every landscape offered a tantalizing vision of its own lei just waiting to be made.

I have a similar craving to weave stories of certain landscapes. Since I was a child, everywhere I went, I remember wondering, Who are the people of this place? What did it look like before? What parts of it (plants, views, fish, rock, walls) are still here? Will they be here in the future?”

In the discussion of the trip to Lumaha’i Valley:

“When the sound of the helicopter trailed off, our group offered oli komo, asking to enter. We also addressed Laka, all around us in the dwarf lehua, flowering ‘ie’ie, and three different vining maile sisters. As we gave our lei and ho’okupu, I was reminded of one community member’s question as we were getting input for the trip: ‘If you believe in Laka, why go? You don’t believe she can handle the forest on her own?’ To me, our offerings, our presence in that place were a means of ho’omana, giving strength to Laka, just as she gave strength to our efforts. Still, each step in the bog felt tender, and no matter how carefully we walked, we stomped on the moss, leaving indentations for mosquito puddles. Each sling load that brought tents, cereal boxes, coolers, the work, and our other gear further flattened uluhe under the weight, sound, and wind of the chopper.”

“This trip, unlike many conservation and environmental research efforts in Hawai’i, incorporated means of acknowledging the sacredness of our ‘work site’ and asking its guidance; of accessing people’s stories and connection to this place, however tentative and distant; and of reconnecting the place to community by training younger generations descended from the area to take care of it. These three threads gleaned from our trip continue to shape my attempts at ‘aina-based research: ‘aina as source, ‘aina as people, and ‘aina as ongoing connection and care.”

“We stand facing the lunging water, teeth chattering, and find our voices...This oli asks permission of this place, of the wai, the water itself, for our work. We explain the purpose of our study, why the water will be used, and how. May we take just a small sample from its home in the kahawai, the stream? Just as a pohaku, rock, needs to know the function for which it is being selected so that it may lend its mana to the effort, wai should be asked to come along too.”

“Once removed, these aspects of ‘aina must continue to be treated with respect.”

“...’Aina should be not only subject but also partner, source, inspiration, and guide.”

“...it is rarely easy to identiy the community of people with connections to a place; this community is often unseen. However, every place in Hawai’i has people attached to it who care about and hold deep wisdom of it. These people [are] worth seeking...”

There’s an excellent story about fisherpeople who were involved in community planning for their fishery: “The fishermen wanted to extend our study to understand where fish from the area ended up. We worked together to track what fish they caught, who they gave them to, and where. This work revealed a network of families connected to Ha’ena’s coast by receiving gifted mahele, or shares of fish, even though they lived on the other side of the island or even on the mainland. Most of these fish recipients had ancestral ties to the area...” This illustrates the point that “People’s connections to places are often built through use.”

"s much as possible, I attend regularly scheduled community meetings and workdays to get feedback on research progress and share preliminary findings. These sessions usually include food and informal discussion, often yielding valuable insight into whether our findings ring true, potential explanations for them, and future directions for research. I also hold formal community presentations to share research in forms that can be utilized to support community efforts. ...my research emphasizes helping people add to in-depth knowledge of places where they have kuleana, responsibility.”

“My research often comes together in mo’olelo, storytelling, and in poetry, avenues our kupuna used, like lei, to make beloved places seen and felt.”

“In my environmental research, I am guided by Tutu’s informal, mostly unspoken, instruction in gathering for lei. Oli first: Ask and explain the purpose for your gathering. Look. Listen. Take only what you need. Clean your materials before you depart, leaving as much as you can with the plants to rejuvenate and replenish. When the process is complete, and the lei dries, bring it back to this spot or return it to some other ‘aina to bring growth.”

The author concludes with a poem composed of “individual bits of material gathered from the area where I grew up.”

“Research, like lei, should bring growth along with beauty, should weave disparate elements together in a way that shows new perspective and creates new life.”

Here is the poem. I love it because it includes all kinds of good things to know about a place. This is my kind of knowledge.

Pu’unahele

WAO NAHELE - UPLAND FOREST, 140 ACRES, TMK #13-531 Name lost Bird catchers' camp Where orange lehua once bloomed Branch coral laid gently on an altar The place where hte hungting dogs froze Road launching power lines over the mountain Straightest guava branches for kala'au The spot the Pleiades first crest the ridge In October's crisping dusk.

KULA - FLATLANDS, 10.2 ACRES, TMK #13-45 Below Pu'u Maheu, hill-raking winds wet soil for growing 'uala Sunset view meditation spot Place to check surf at "Wires" Night path of the spirits returning from shore Where we kids used to ride our bikes The first gated driveway that we'd ever seen Former route of the sugar cane train Field #45, best yield per acre State land-use classification...Ag.

KAHAWAI - RIPARIAN ZONE, 1.4 ACRES, TMK #13-172 A taro patch called Nahiku 'Auwai with 'o'opu mouths big as a fist First place to flood, now so much less water Where the cousin on crystal meth hides Rocks the women scrubbed clothing clean on Roof dropped there by the tsunami Perch for the child scaring rice birds Stand up paddle right out to the beach Option to construct two ADU's (ed: additional dwelling unit) Vacation rentals with kitchenettes

KAHAKAI - COASTAL LANDS, 0.2 ACRES, TMK #13-890 Kamakau, the long curving hook Line of shells swept up by first swell The hill used to kilo (ed: spot fish), direct them to moi The space to spread nets out to dry Two turtle eggs hatching one March morning Outflow of bagasse from the mill Shearwater flyway that stopped power lines Where the sand departs from in the fall 'Aholehole caught for baby's lu'au Eel circling the spot Uncle cleaned them Those 'champagne pools' the guidebook named Six visitors swept away this last winter Private beach view, price $2.7 million dollars Right where the fishing trail used to descend

continue to part 2!

[newcatwords]

culture shock

it’s pretty strange to scroll through https://nihilisa-frank.tumblr.com/ after steeping myself in hawaiian knowledge for a while.

first of all it reads like the words of an unmedicated depressed person, which is fine, but the ideas of unmedicated depressed people are not healthy or supportive of life and uplift! believe me! i have been an unmedicated depressed person.

second, it focuses heavily on the individual and the meaninglessness of that experience. maybe so, but maybe not. also, maybe there’s something to the idea of yoking your destiny to the destiny of others and the earth??? maybe we should listen to indigenous folks and others who have been hollering about the importance of interdependence for a really long time? maybe these symptoms are not just what “life” is like but just what your life is like.

it’s all about the individual and the chaos of society. but hawaiian knowledge teaches that it’s possible to live in balance with the world (the concept of pono addresses this) and it provides the guidelines to do this. and it emphasizes the connections that we all have between each other and all our ancestors and descendents and other living things and the earth and sun and wind.. etc... these things are true: our lives are intertwined with the lives and fates of the trees (who provide our air) and the plants and animals (other lives) that we eat, etc. hawaiian knowledge reminds us of all the ways we’re interconnected so we never forget. this is the antidote to the loneliness of the belief that one is all alone in the world. 

in hawaiian cultural wisdom, life is a gift, not a misery. love is a good thing, not a trick.

[newcatwords]

ancestral knowledge with erased ancestors

in the hawaiian studies works i’ve read, there is a frequent theme of the value of listening to the words of the ancestors and learning their knowledge so that they can help guide your way in life. when you run into trouble, when you don’t know what to do, you can think of what your ancestors might say and that may help you to know what to do.

i want to know the words of my ancestors, but i’m afraid that they have been mostly erased from history. i don’t know anything farther back in my family than a few great grandparents. i only ever knew one of my grandparents, and the last time i saw him was when i was 4.

so what do you do when it seems as if there really is no hope of learning the words of your ancestors? you have to improvise.

i think that american/caribbean black thinkers certainly have something to say about this issue given that so many people who were stolen from their homelands have had their family histories stolen as well. so black people in america/caribbean have also had to deal with the lack of guidance from ancestors (in many cases).

i grew up with so little ancestral knowledge that i didn’t even know that ancestral knowledge was valuable. all the older people around me seemed to have a lot of problems and little wisdom.

i’ll have to read more in african and caribbean studies for insight on this issue.

[newcatwords]

postscript:“Ka honua ola” book review

i previously wrote a book review of “Ka honua ola : ʻeliʻeli kau mai // the living earth : descend, deepen the revelation” by Pua Kanakaʻole Kanahele.

at the end of the review, i wrote that there was a video interview online with the author discussing this book. at the time, i hadn’t watched it yet, but i’ve now watched it and i very much recommend it!

note: it’s in flash, so i had to watch it in firefox. as of the date this is written (2017-09-04), it only worked for me in firefox.

note2: i watched the video after the book and i encourage you to do the same. in the interview she elaborates on topics initially described in the book.

http://www.kpublishing.org/kahonuaola_listen/