Huna is not a traditional Hawaiian concept. Kahuna were the 'professors' of old, masters at their crafts. They worked with Spirit through their lineage, and the deities governing their professions. They taught, not huna, but ka hana pono, or 'right work', with each student taking complete personal responsibility to harmonize themselves 'righteously' within a universe wherein duality reigned, to create balance in a world of polar opposites.
Before there was Huna
There was Ka Hana Pono
The following questions and answers are excerpted from various interviews and the book
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Q. What is Pono?
Pono, the word itself, means 'right', and describes that exquisite sense of rightness that comes from being at one with everything. It is based
on the ancient Hawaiian belief in spirit greatness and self power, in the unconditional love and compassion for, and the spirit connections between,
all things.
When you are right with yourself, with others and with Spirit, you are in Pono.
We all know what it feels like to operate from this place, because we've each had moments in our lives where we've experienced it. We know clearly,
when we're in Pono... and when we're not.
Q. So why don't we all stay in Pono, all the time?
Why is it that sometimes we act, and react, in ways that deny our spirit greatness? What causes us to close off connection, with ourselves and with
others?
It's because our reactions are dictated by our beliefs, many of which are completely unconscious. We say, think and act the way we do, based on our
belief systems. In order to bring our actions into alignment with our greatness, we must harmonize them to a belief system of greatness.
Now here's the rub: a belief system of greatness provides the motive... but not the means. It's the practice - Ka Hana - that provides the
means. No good, just knowing the philosophy. You have to work it, or it won't affect meaningful change. And you can't work it, if you don't know how.
Ka Hana Pono can show you how.
Q. Define 'Ka Hana Pono' in more detail.
'Ka Hana Pono' is a pragmatic set of tools for understanding and making the practice of Pono a part of your daily life. These tools are
consolidated into a reference work that combines both the philosophy of personal greatness, with the cognitive skills necessary for maintaining it - a
practical guide for mastering the art of living in Pono.
There are forty nine cards, containing symbols and corresponding Hawaiian values, referenced by a book combining both the philosophy of Pono, and the
hana (the practice) of how to achieve it in your daily life.
The cards are drawn like tarot cards, runes or similar divination tools, and contain a 'reading'. The book provides comment on each card drawn, and
contains the advice of the belief system of Na Kupuna (the Spirit guides). By following the principles outlined in Ka Hana Pono you can learn to
stay in, or get back into, Pono - in relation to your every day situations.
The book and cards are also the reference materials used in a practical study course in Ka Hana Pono - presented in a Weekend Intensive followed by a
series of eight sessions, one a week, for two months.
The focus is mainly on the practice, the tools used to make change. It's a very pragmatic study, not just of the ideal of harmonious living,
but a practical 'how-to' guide for maintaining harmony in daily life.
Classes on-island
Classes on-line
Q. What is "huna"?
"Huna" has come to be known as a catch-all term for Hawaiian spirituality; it is seldom referred to as such in Hawaii. The most likely reason
the Western world seems to consider it to be so, is because the word was introduced to the West by Max Freedom Long, shortly after the turn of the last
century. Long was a non-Hawaiian whose interests led him to contact many island elders during his brief stay in Hawaii in an attempt to compile a "scholarly"
work on Hawaiian "magic".
Although apparently none of the kupunas (elders) he spoke with shared information with him (see the Bishop Museum's collection of the letters from/to
Long), he returned to the United States and did a brisk business on the books and articles he wrote on his "studies". While his incorrect term
and inaccurate writings linger on, they are not regarded with respect in Hawaii.
What has become known throughout the contemporary world as "huna" is more accurately referred to as the practice of the ancient philosophy of
Pono, a belief system in the harmony, balance and essential 'rightness' that results from human level connection to Spirit. It is a philosophy of
personal greatness, prosperity and constant renewal of abundance.
Q. What are kahuna & how do they differ from kupuna?
Originally, kahuna (there is no 's' in the Hawaiian language; plurals are formed by inserting the article 'na' before the noun) were the masters or
professors of old Hawaii. Because the spiritual and material dimensions were seen by the ancient culture as so completely inter-related that no separate
word exists to distinguish between them, kahuna were also masters at calling on and connecting to Spirit, particularly as related to their professional
specialties. Canoe building kahuna would call on the spiritual elements of the trees in selecting their wood, navigational or agricultural kahuna
calling on the Spirits of the stars, sea or land for assistance, and so on.
Because of this intercession with Spirit, kahuna were considered by early missionaries to be pagan worshipers, with one English translation for kahuna
given as 'priest of a pagan tradition'. In the Hawaii of Long's day, not surprisingly were his inquiries on ancient spiritual practice met with silence.
In post-missionary Hawaii, kahuna or practitioners of traditional arts, were outlawed, with regulations assessing fines to practicing "kahuna"
still on the books until deep into the twentieth century.
Kupuna means elder or grandparent, and again, as the spiritual and material worlds were seen as completely integrated in ancient Hawaii, no distinction
was made between elders still here in physical form and ancestors who had passed back into spirit. For Hawaiian elders of the nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries, the choice between being charged with a crime for using the title kahuna, versus being known simply as kupuna, was not a difficult
one to make.
Elders and keepers of the ancient wisdoms today are seen as being both kupuna and kahuna, although few Hawaiian elders refer to themselves as kahuna at
this time. We generally refer to them now, mahalo ia - most respectfully - as kupuna. They are the precious Aunties and Uncles of contemporary Hawaii,
our living treasures.
Q. How can Ka Hana Pono promote harmony in everyday situations?
An important part of being in Pono is to avoid the knee-jerk reactions that come about from being conflicted, ensnared in negative emotion. Ka Hana
Pono encourages, and provides practices for, staying aligned with Spirit Greatness, rather than entangled in pilikia (problems).
Hihia is the word Hawaiians of old used to emphasize this point. Hihia is a rare verbal gem that carries volumes of meaning. Literally it's an
entanglement or engaging; they also use the same word to describe a fish net.
Ancient Hawaiians viewed a cord, a hala, that binds culprit, offense and victim. To be ensnared in hala is bad enough, but hihia is even worse as it's
a larger, tighter network of many cords tangled into an inescapable snarl of stubborn knots.
Hihia is an entanglement of emotions that create actions and reactions, all with negative, troublesome connotations. First two people, each reacting
emotionally, direct feelings at each other and absorb feelings inwardly. Action follows, with counter emotions and counter actions hard on its heels,
spreading outward, often involving others, and soon entangling everyone concerned in a network of resentment, hostility, guilt, depression, and
discomfort.
A nasty situation with a simple solution: If you've fallen out of the Pono canoe and into this fishnet, stop struggling; disentangle by disengaging.
When faced with much of the mea, mea, mea (literally: blah, blah, blah, meaning the details) of human events, remember the choice to remain in Pono is
yours. In many situations, that choice can best be defined as the choice to engage or not engage.
Rather than 'figuring out' a particular trauma and drama, simply choose not to engage. Choose not entangle yourself in the mea, mea, mea.
Then vigorously and generously apply kalana (forgiveness). Kalana itself means to release, to free. Kalana - forgive - yourself, the other person, the
whole situation and the universe in general for not being a perfect place.
Only then can you free yourself from the fishnet, pop to the surface and clamor back into the canoe, so you can pick up the paddle and return to 'i
keia manawai' - in this moment. Always remember, it's only in this present moment, that the Pono exists.
Q. What is the difference between Ka Hana Pono & Ho'oponopono?
The philosophy of Pono is the ancient Hawaiian value system of being right with all things because all things are connected. Fulfilling the
need to be in lokahi, oneness - with one's self, with others, with Spirit - was the ancestors' main objective in life.
It was necessary to be in harmony with everything, because they saw everything as irrevocably interconnected. This need for unity became an integral
part of their belief system, and they valued the lokahi above all else. It was their ideal. But, as with all ideals, they knew that individual
circumstances would arise that would cause them to fall short of the mark.
So ho'oponopono was established to put them back to rights with any situation that took them out of harmony. Pono, the philosophy of harmony, was
understood in the ancient culture, and ho'oponopono was used as a way to align the human inevitability of falling short of the ideal, with the spiritual
ideal itself.
Most Westerners, and even many contemporary Hawaiians, have moved away from the intrinsic understanding of Pono, and foreign influences have diluted
the belief system that was once the underpinning of ho'oponopono. While the philosophy itself stikes a Universal chord in us all, we each have a
storehouse of information from other value systems imprinted onto our hearts and minds, and the ancient philosophy is no longer inherently understood.
So while the practice of ho'oponopono remained throughout all the cultural changes, it has become known today principally as a therapeutic means to
'right a wrong' or 'resolve a conflict', but not necessarily an alignment to a value system that has largely been forgotten.
That's the reason Auntie Mahealani Kuamo'o-Henry coined the term
Some in the Hawaiian community, however, view the practice of ho'oponopono as a specific tradition, with a distinctive meaning, designed for a
particular purpose. The ancient philosophy of Pono, and the means by which one brings these values into everyday life, has been referred to by Auntie
Kaikilani Oyama as
This term embodies the notion that without the practice, the belief system truly cannot be brought to the visceral level, and remains just a
philosophy, a lifeless idea. It becomes mana'o based - in the intellect only.
In order for the philosophy to be alive and real, an alignment of 'uhane (the spirit within each of us) with akua (the Spirit world around us), must
occur. This must then be followed by the hana (work, or practice) of connecting the belief system to human experience, which is achieved by aligning
'uhane with mana'o, pu'uwai and na'au (Spirit with thought, emotion and visceral reactions).
Thus the "hele ka 'olelo" tenet which is part of the philosophy of Pono - the understanding that you must 'walk the talk', because otherwise,
by just talking it, "You not be doin' nobody no good, seestah!", as the kupunas used to say to me.
The phrase Ka Hana Pono, the practice of Pono, includes in its description the necessity of bringing the philosophy to life, as guiding principles, in
order to effect change and bring about the harmonious ideals so important to the Ancients.
(See final question in this section for a more detailed description of the eleven recognized steps of ho'oponopono as a therapeutic practice for "setting
things right".)
Q. What is the origin of Pono as a philosophy and Ka Hana Pono & Ho'oponopono as a practice?
The Hawaiians of old made no distinctions between nature, each other, ancestors, Spirit forces, or anything else. Lokahi, the sense of connection with
all things, is Pono. Ka Hana Pono is the means by which one brings the philosophy into every day life. Ho'oponopono is the time-honored, therapeutic
practice of putting one's self back into right relationship with everything.
The belief system behind the Pono, with Ka Hana Pono as a practice, and Ho'oponopono as a tool for realignment to restore harmony, were such important
parts of the ancient Hawaiian tradition, that each successive wave of influence that arrived on these islands found they could not eliminate it, so
instead co-opted it, and changed it to fit their own agendas and philosophies.
The Tahitians in the 1200's, headed by war chief Pa'ao, brought the first wave of foreign influences. They established a ruling hierarchy and commoner
and slave classes, division of land, the concept of war to protect and enlarge territorial ownership, the introduction of a new god (Ku, the god of
war), and the human sacrifice Ku 'required'.
Then in the late 1700's came Western contact, and fifty years later with the missionaries, came Christian influence, and Hawaiian tradition was altered
again to fit that paradigm. Ho'oponopono, for example, remained, but came to be seen largely as a means to right a wrong, to correct a 'sin', and now in
contemporary times as a conflict resolution method.
But regardless of the traditions of the ruling influence, Pono, Ka Hana Pono and Ho'oponopono has been practiced throughout, because of the inherent
need of the Hawaiian people to maintain harmony with all things around them.
This need for harmonious relationship was recognized even before the first people arrived in Hawaii, and reference to the first practice of
ho'oponopono was recorded in the chants of the first voyage to come here.
Makes sense, yeah? In order for fifty or sixty people to set out in a relatively small canoe with a couple pigs and a few coconuts, taro roots and ulu
seedlings, navigate thousands of miles of open ocean and arrive safely at a place that only existed in legend, they had to be one with the elements, the
spirit world, each other - in short, with everything around them.
Then, when this small group of people actually find land, it's an island that's literally on fire - with Pele, the volcano goddess, still creating land
here to this day. They discovered foreign soil on which many of their previous life staples did not exist, and until they were able to establish
themselves, their agricultural systems, etc., they relied heavily on harmonious relationship as a foundation for development.
Not surprisingly, did Pono, Ka Hana Pono and Ho'oponopono as guiding principles and practices to ensure the values of lokahi, become the necessary
mainstay of their lives. It's eminently understandable why such life enhancing, empowering concepts and cooperative practices came about, and why they
are so enduring.
Q. How does the philosophy of Pono pertain to mental and physical illness?
So much of the value system of the ancient Hawaiian philosophy is encoded in the language. The syntax of their language never allowed them to connect
any temporary human condition to their steadfast belief that they were spirit greatness, first, foremost and always.
Therefore, you could not even say, "I am sick."
"I am spirit greatness", and spirit greatness is never sick, yeah?
The phrase was, "The sickness grabbed me." Likewise, it's never, "I am confused, I am angry," but, "Mana'o (the mind, the
intellectual center) is thinking confusing thoughts right now," or "In this moment, pu'uwai (the heart, the emotional center) is feeling
anger."
We create with our thoughts, with our words - the powerful manifestation of words cannot be understated. The net result of using phrases like "The
sickness grabbed me," or "Mana'o is thinking confusing thoughts," or "Pu'uwai is feeling anger," is that a neutral zone, a kapu
place - a sacred space - is created between the individual (who is always spirit greatness) and the human condition (which is whatever it is).
The phraseology itself is an automatic activator of Ka Hana Pono. It puts the individual into an appropriate place from which to make the shift to
Pono. The hana (the work) of aligning these human aspects with spirit greatness becomes easier, because the separation between the temporary condition
and the eternal Spirit is inherent.
This belief system basically takes the odious and onerous sense of 'mental illness' that the Western world sees and shoots it all to pieces. Like most
aboriginal cultures, the ancient Hawaiian belief in spirit, and what we would call the supernatural, gave those who had a special gift for spirit
connection a particularly honored place within their society.
In the Western world, if you cannot fit into a material, linear value system, you are an egregious misfit, and a psychological pathology is diagnosed.
It is my belief, that many 'mental patients' have special sensitivity to the spiritual plane, and, in our society, no acceptable outlet for those
skills.
In the Hawaiian world view of old, the material and spiritual planes were (like everything else) connected, and those who had a special affinity for
tracing the connections were recognized and looked up to as the 'kahu' or spiritual guides for those who had fewer skills in this area, and were trained
in such a way as to enhance those skills.
In exchange for this spiritual guidance, many of their material needs were taken care of by those who were more capable in the physical realm. Once
again, the Hawaiian emphasis on harmony and interdependence comes in to play, as does the caretaking conservation of all natural and human resources as
a motivating principle.
The ancient Hawaiians were a culture that believed themselves to be spirit beings here to live the human experience, and grow through the lessons of
those experiences toward the physical manifestation of Spirit greatness.
Illness was seen as any other life experience - a lesson. Ho'oponopono was done whenever a family member became sick, because they believed the roots
of all illness came about as a result of spiritual disharmony.
Once discordant issues were addressed, and only then, were the kahuna la'au lapa'au (the physical healers) allowed to do their stuff. The body was not
viewed as separate from the emotions, the intellect or the spirit. They were all one, and needed to be treated collectively, in order to be treated
effectively.
The wisdom in this is pretty much borne out by Western medicine - treating the heart to a triple by-pass and neglecting to address the stressors that
caused the heart to get into that condition in the first place, doesn't look at the bigger picture, does it?
When Westerners arrived here they found a remarkably healthy people. Cultural beliefs which mandate living in harmony with one another and all things
surrounding one, created a population with next to no mental illness, for one thing.
Plus the kuhunas in their 'health care industry' were astonishingly adept at understanding and treating physical illness. Their training was rigorous -
often up to 15 or 20 years of training and experience went in to earning a "master's degree."
Nothing about the body was shameful, so care of, and medical attention for, any physical condition was promptly and conscientiously undertaken. They
were very clean, ritually so. Because of this, they didn't have illnesses which are caused or exacerbated by unclean living conditions.
They could set broken bones with lomilomi (massage). They made exquisite use of medicinal herbs. Their procedures attending childbirth highlight
in-depth understanding of the natal process and delivery. A nutrient rich diet contributed greatly to their overall good health. They performed brain
surgery and did it successfully!
Not bad for a "stone age" people!
Q. What are the beliefs around signs, or ho'ailona?
How would you feel about this? You are walking down the street and see a friend. You smile and wave, sending aloha (love, greetings). Your friend
ignores you and walks right by without any indication of having seen you. How would that make you feel? Not so good, yeah? This is how Spirit feels when
we pass them by without paying any attention to them.
Ku'u Hoa Aloha, your 'precious companions' in the Spirit world, are always around you, always sending you signs to inform you along your path. Do you
look for them, notice and acknowledge them? Do you thank them for their presence? Do you have a real daily dialogue with your team, your constant
companions in the ongoing richness of your life? Or do you just call on them when you're in need? How do we feel about friends who only call on us when
they need something?
Integral to the belief system of the pono is that we are lokahi - one - with everything around us. The ancient Hawaiians didn't so much as pick a
flower for a lei without acknowledging and thanking the Spirit of the plant from which they picked it, telling them what it would be used for, and
asking whether that Spirit would like to participate.
Connect in aloha with every living thing - and know that everything is living. We are connected whether we acknowledge it or not. We
strengthen our connection by constantly acknowledging and communicating our will and wishes for highest good to all the spirit forces in and around us.
We communicate with Spirit through thought, and Spirit often responds back through signs. When wrangling through the psychological judo involved in
shifting from an old pattern of thought to one of pono, notice how often, once the shift is made, that a rainbow appears, or a flock of birds fly over,
or the wind picks up.
Learn to watch for these things, increase your awareness of them, and when it happens - aloha it, mahalo it. Know you are not alone, but infinitely
connected. Increase your awareness of, and respect for, the lokahi through the ho'ailona.
Learn to see and appreciate the signs all around you. It will strengthen you, reinforce the mana of your thoughts, and activate the pono in your life.
Q. How does the philosophy of Pono view specific life experiences along the path of our spiritual journeys?
When you look at all experience as your teachers, they are everywhere. When you honor everything, the good the bad and the ugly, as giving you valuable
information, then your teachers are all around you, yeah?
This adds insight on how to look at and apply the basic pono tenet of "Aloha ha'awina, mahalo kumu" (hello lesson, thank you teacher).
We are human beings here to live the human experience. Conceptually, that's fine and dandy, but as a human being, you no doubt notice that much of
human experience stinks. We get sick, suffer addictions, lose jobs and loved ones, have disastrous personal relationships, engage in 'inexplicable'
behaviors, and so on.
How do we embrace the experiences we just don't like? How do we remain in pono when faced with difficult situations? Why do the same problems keep
coming up for us time and again, and how do we get them to stop?
For openers, you must put these experiences into perspective. This begins by recognizing them for what they really are. They are the lessons your
spirit requires you to learn in order to grow. Greet them with aloha, honoring them as sacred spiritual teachers. Literally saying "Hello Lesson,
Thank you Teacher, " puts you into the correct frame of mind and heart to accept and learn from the experience.
Maintaining this attitude indicates we are ready to honor the challenges, learn from them, and move past them so they don't keep repeating
themselves in our lives. Our Spirits draw to us the experiences we need to shed light on our spiritual growth, to bring us into alignment with our
greatness. Once the lesson is learned, the teacher moves on.
Those particular experiences, especially the repeat patterns that previously caused us pilikia, are no longer necessary, and we no longer attract them
to us. When we are in alignment with spirit, we begin to create outward experience that matches our inward belief system.
It's easy to love the experiences we like and appreciate the gifts that give us pleasure. Being able to love the challenges and feel grateful for the
lessons the 'negative' experiences shine on our Spirit greatness is the mark of ka hana pono well done.
Hello lesson, thank you teacher puts you in place to really live pono on a visceral level, and enables you to make the changes necessary to experience
pono in all your moments.
Q. What is 'kapu' in terms of healing our own psyches?
Kapu, to Hawaiians of old, meant forbidden, but more importantly, it meant sacred. To the ancient Hawaiians, things were forbidden because
they were sacred.
Create around yourself, protect and nurture, a sacred space, a place upon which you do not tread. Always recognize yourself as 'uhane nui (spirit
greatness) - first and foremost.
Never allow any thought or emotion not in alignment with that inviolate truth to intrude into your kapu space. Rigorously repel anything that is not in
accord with the inherent, fundamental understanding that you are spirit greatness.
It's okay to feel all that human experience offers - even if it's anger, or fear, or uncertainty - but only after you have acknowledged the
fact that, no matter what the situation, you are Spirit greatness. Let nothing alter that. Do not allow anything to come between you and your unwavering
belief in who you really are.
Live within that boundary, keep that neutral zone between yourself and whatever situation you are confronting. Make it your priority to honor your kapu
and stay in your sacred space. Keep this place holy, allowing nothing (not your own thoughts or emotions, nor anyone else's feelings or opinions) to
penetrate it.
Whenever you allow yourself to submit to old patterns of thought and emotion that denies your greatness, you offend this kapu, violate this sacred
space, and create for yourself disconnection from your own 'uhane. When life seems hard, when you have no energy, when you feel disconnected from your
greatness, realize that you have tread upon this sacred kapu place.
To realign with your 'uhane, to reclaim your greatness, you must define and revere your kapu space.
Q. What is the Pono philosophy's belief on the subject of death?
Death was a "change of address" from the physical plane back to the Spiritual one. A return to where we started, hopefully with learned
lessons intact that would help the spirit to grow, so the return to earth on the next go-round would bring that spirit back into the 'ohana (clan) even
better able to contribute to the harmony and aloha of all.
In the spirit realm, the dead were 'Na Kupuna' the helping, cherished loved ones guiding those who were here, as teachers who were particularly valued
because they had been here before.
They knew what we were up against, and that, as one kupuna who passed said after she changed address, "The only thing that matters in life, and
the only thing about life that is remembered in Spirit, is love and the lack of it."
Chicken skin, eh? And doesn't that just about sum it all up?
Q. When and how are the ancient Hawaiian beliefs re-emerging?
Current Hawaiian beliefs are largely Westernized, but still combine an enduring sense of 'aloha', or a loving generosity of spirit, and deep respect
for 'ohana (family ties). Even these concepts, though, have eroded as ancient beliefs have broken down.
After each wave of influences, the Hawaiians were basically an overpowered people and essentially displaced in their own homelands. Their culture and
language were vigorously repressed, and many contemporary Hawaiians have lost contact with the views and practices of the ancient belief system.
Although this is changing rapidly, and a dramatic cultural resurgence is taking hold.
The ancient Hawaiian culture took two major hits - first with the Tahitians and then with Western contact. After both invasions, the Hawaiians
maintained what they could of their traditions, but were obliged to protect the majority of their beliefs by taking them underground. Because their
histories and traditions were oral, many were irrevocably lost as the 'remembers' in each generation died without passing them on.
Chants tell of prophecies that the old beliefs would be taken into darkness (erased from memory) in order to protect them, and be released at a
specific, foretold time in the future, when they could be understood and appreciated - essentially when the mass consciousness of man 'caught back up'
to them.
The time for the lifting of the kapu on the old value system is now in our time, actually early in 1990. Which makes sense, as the resurgence of other
aspects of the culture - the language, the names, the hulas, the chants, the old seafaring and navigational traditions - really began to come back to
life in the '70's.
The spiritual beliefs are just entering large-scale re-emergence now in the '90's, with certain kupuna (elders) being instructed by Spirit to break the
kapu of silence which they'd adhered to, and acknowledging their receipt of spirit messages that 'fill in the blanks' of what was lost.
The ancient culture was based entirely on harmony. When confronted with different cultures that did not value balance and harmony, the Hawaiians of old
understood that these beliefs would have to go underground in order to protect them, knowing that 'when the time was right' they could safely bring the
beliefs back intact.
What constituted 'the time being right' was the time when the newer beliefs that replaced the old ones would be proven not to work. When people
recognized they were better off (healthier, happier) with the old beliefs.
Our Western system of beliefs and tradition often leaves us with more problems than we can contend with. Mental and physical disorders, waste of
natural and human resources, disconnection from Spirit, disassociation from personal greatness abound. Anger, fear, shame, blame, etc. are pretty much
the motivators in much of life's experiences in the Western world.
Pono is not only an effective value system to address these issues, it's a timely one.
Q. In ancient times, what was the society that practiced Pono like?
Ancient Hawaii was an 'ohana' society - centered around family and clan groups.
"Members of the 'ohana, like taro shoots, are all from the same root," says Mary Kawena Pukui, a kupuna and 'rememberer' treasured for her
enormous contribution in making the resurgence of the culture possible by her meticulous recording of the language and beliefs. She passed on in the
'70's, and is now one of Na Kupuna.
Her comparison in this quote comes from an ancient tradition: 'oha - the root of the taro plant, was not only the 'staff of life' in the Hawaiian diet,
but was also closely linked with the origin of the people.
Legend states that the progenitor of the Hawaiians was a mystic man-and-taro being named Haloa. Also, the first human birth on the island after the
ancient settlers arrived was a stillborn who was buried, with the first taro patch planted over the burial place. Thus, they were 'ohana, 'people born
of/from the taro' - and born to the 'aina - the sustainer.
The 'ohana was a deeply felt, unifying force, no matter how many offshoots. As Ms. Pukui states, "You may be 13th or 14th cousins, as we define
relationships today, but in Hawaiian terms, if you are of the same generation, you are all brothers and sisters. You are all 'ohana."
The 'ohana included:
Makua - the parents and relatives of the parent-generation (aunties, uncles)
Kupuna - the elders, the grandparent generation, including great grandparents, great-greats, etc.
'Opio (or keiki) - the kids
Aumakua - those who have passed on, the ancestors (also referred to as Na Kupuna)
In old Hawaii, relatives were both earthly and spiritual. Both were looked to for advice, instruction and emotional support. Communication with the
supernatural was a normal part of 'ohana living. Each 'ohana traditionally had its own dream interpreters, its own haka (mediums) through which spirit
spoke; and to summon Spirit, each clan had one or more spirit 'masters' or kahu (in plural form 'kahuna'.). Even mana, the storehouse of supernatural
and personal power, was handed down within the family line.
All these mystic practices or communications led back to the ancestors, who were viewed as cherished 'ohana members. This embraces the reminder that
Spirit is never-ending, that we are always connected, in an unbroken line, through Spirit.
The 'ohana system of old included those from the same 'root' who were still here on earth, as well as those who had passed back into the spirit realm -
again the emphasis on the interconnectedness of spirit in all its manifestations - the earth, the elements, the people, the ancestors.
It also functioned as the most practical of social-economic-educational units. Upland 'ohana took taro and bananas to seashore 'ohana, and received
fish in return. When new houses or canoes were needed, relatives from the whole 'ohana came together to build them. This cooperative 'laulima' (many
hands) concept is still very much alive in contemporary Hawaiian 'ohana.
In ancient times, while the makua generation were engaged in 'making a living', the kupuna taught 'opio how to fish, raise taro and build. Proper
behavior was taught, and rituals and kapu memorized. Family history was maintained in handed-down chants. Sex education was a family responsibility.
Illness and offenses against man or gods were family concerns. Births were celebrated by family feasting. When death came, only 'ohana members prepared
the body for burial.
With 'ohana came a sense of unity, shared involvement, responsibility, mutual interdependence and assistance. Emotional support was given and received.
Love, loyalty, solidarity and cohesiveness were paramount. Not surprising, under this system, was pono (being right with each other and all things) and
lokahi (a sense of oneness with everything), the essential principals around which they ordered their lives, yeah?
Q. How did old Hawaii view the children in its care?
Every child was seen as Spirit light, spirit greatness, and valued and respected as such. There was no such thing as an unwanted child within the
'ohana system. Adoption was commonly practiced, and children unable to be given the love and attention the culture treasured as an important value, were
'hanai' (adopted) by others in the 'ohana, with no attendant stigma attached to being 'hanai' whatsoever.
(The term 'hanai' is still very common today, and you often hear people referring to their 'hanai Mom', for example, or 'hanai brother'. While many
Hawaiian words have been forgotten, 'hanai' is still a word heard in everyday usage.)
At the birth of each keiki, a bowl was carved by a kupuna, and given to the child for his exclusive use. It was understood from infancy, and explained
to keiki in their toddlerhood, that each child is a 'bowl of light', here on earth to shine spirit greatness.
Any action or thought not in alignment with that light of spirit greatness was like a rock in the bowl, dimming the light until it would no longer
shine, and the 'bowl' that each of them were, would become dark, full of stone, through which light cannot shine.
But as their true identities were actually spirit light, there was an easy remedy for the piling up of rocks in one's bowl - they could huli the bowl,
turn it over, so the rocks would pour out and their light, their greatness, would continue to shine.
Children (even some today, although this is very rare) were raised with this metaphor. Keiki were instructed to literally place pohaku (rocks) in their
bowls whenever they did anything not in alignment with the principles of greatness. This was done on an honor-basis and self-directed, rather than
someone saying, "That was wrong, put a rock in your bowl for that one."
Kupuna regularly brought keiki together with their bowls and pohaku, to sit in a circle and review their conduct. This was never done in a judgmental
or critical way, and keiki were always seen as separate from their behaviors. They were never 'bad', but it was acknowledged that certain
behaviors would block their light and prevent them from accessing their greatness and connecting with Spirit.
One kupuna tells me that her kupuna used to say, "Ho! Plenty lessons this week!" when she sat there with her bowl full of rocks. Never, "Boy,
were you bad this week."
Once the lessons were reviewed and the teachings acknowledged, the bowls were huli, and mahalo pau (thank you, finished). Very much the quintessential
focus on "aloha ha'awina, mahalo kumu" - hello lesson, thank you teacher.
The mistakes were not bad, the child not bad. Experiences were viewed as lessons, valued and received with love and gratitude.
Can you imagine what your life would be like had you been raised in this manner?
Q. What were the old Hawaiian views on our relationship with the earth?
As has been noted, much of the value system of the ancients is encoded in their language. 'Aina - the word for land, the earth, translates (loosely) as
'the sustainer'. 'Ai' is the word for food, and 'na' the plural article, so their concept of land was literally, 'the foods'. Land equaled sustenance,
without which there would be no life. Earth was the life-giver, revered, honored, worshiped.
They acknowledged no divisions, no separations, in anything. They, themselves, were spirit. The earth, the sea, the elements were spirit. Their
ancestors weren't gone, but always with them in spirit. Spirit was infinite, interconnected and everywhere.
They honored and revered Spirit in all things, and particularly in the earth, the sustainer of life. They recognized its rhythms and cycles, and used
them as metaphor for the rhythms and cycles of all life.
The land was sacred, and could not be 'owned' any more than the moon or the sun. They viewed themselves as 'kahu' - caretakers - of the earth, and
developed methods of conservation to protect it.
They practiced an extremely sophisticated system of sustainable agriculture long before it became known elsewhere, largely due to their reverence of
the earth as a supreme entity, and their respect for the Spirit contained in it.
And remember, their world was small patches of earth surrounded by an essentially endless body of ocean. The sea supported life too, but they couldn't
live on it. Their concept of 'earth' was something that must be conserved and protected, with careless disregard for Spirit in any form, disrespectful
and abhorrent to them.
Their collective name for the islands which comprised their world was "Hawai'i Nei". "Ha" is breath (without which physical life
ends), "wai" is fresh water (without which life could not be sustained) and " 'i" is shorthand for Spirit, the sacred, life itself
in its infinite form. "Nei" means present, now, in this moment - signifying that we only truly live in the now. It also means 'this beloved',
as in 'this beloved land'.
Q. Define the therapeutic practice of Ho'oponopono in more detail.
Ho'oponopono was an ancient 'ohana (family) activity that grew from belief in the need to be in harmony with all things. It's a specific therapeutic
ritual, conducted by a respected elder, with all parties directing comment to the elder, and contains 11 recognized parts.
1) Statement of problem & the intentional gathering of emotional and spiritual forces to help
2) Pule - prayer (not that god solves the problem, but that wisdom is attained to solve it)
3) Recognition that injurer and injured are bound together by doing & blaming
4) Grudge and fault must be released from the one holding it
5) Ho'omalu (literally: to put it in the shade) - a period of silence and reflection, a quieting to allow all parties to consider what's been said and
to go to deeper levels
6) Injurer and injured must be released, for each feels the pain of the other
7) Layers of the trouble (and contributing factors) are recognized and talked about from all points of view
8) Forgiveness must be granted after confession, repentance and restitution is established (or else Spirit won't grant the same generosity to the
involved parties, and we all need grace from god, yeah?)
9) Kala-kala (formal and binding statement to the effect: I release you from the wrong, thus I may be released from it) - the official unentanglement
of all parties
(This is where the word kalana comes from, and why it doesn't just mean 'forgiveness' in the English sense, because that denotes blame and
victimization, but 'forgiveness' as a recognition that the world is not a perfect place, and none of us are perfect beings.)
10) The wrong is separated from the person - (At Spirit-level, 'uhane is always free of impurity, yeah? It's at human level where we're often out of
alignment. Realigning to who we really are - Spirit greatness - is the point of the pono, and the main reason for the exercise.)
11) Pule of completion, to enclose all in the Lei of Love, the 'ka lei aloha', after which the subject is not spoken of again. No need re-energize
something truly laid to rest, right?
Ho'oponopono went on as long as it was needed. I've spoken to contemporary Hawaiians who practice this within their 'ohana, and it sometimes goes on
for days, with all the deeper layers being mined for issue.
The practice is itself a kind of time-out, a sacred space of trust and spirit, where nothing is held back. There is even a specific word ('oia'i'o)
which defines the necessary level of truth which must be brought to ho'oponopono - no holding back, no shame, no blame, but really shining spirit light
on behavior, thought, action and reaction, with sincere resolution and restoration of harmony as the goal and outcome.
The basic understanding that we are human, and all humans will at one time or another fall short of the ideals of Pono, is acknowledged and addressed
in ho'oponopono. Whenever we find ourselves falling or failing in relationship to others, the practice of ho'oponopono can set right the conditions
which bring about disharmony.
The Hawaiians of old knew that attempts to ignore discordant issues, or worse, activate a 'cover up' only leads to further disharmony, to the detriment
of all involved, because it creates an environment in which we are unable to move past the experience and on to the lesson.
Ho'oponopono allows us to see 'negative' experiences for what they really are. They are our lessons. They're opportunities to grow at the spirit level,
and that's all they are.
Ho'oponopono is so effective because it addresses and rectifies 'negative' situations, then moves past them to the positive benefit of the
lesson learned from the experience. It 'wipes the slate clean', so to speak, and leaves all participants restored to Pono at the spiritual level, making
the return to Ka Hana Pono at the human level possible.
Afterwards, in ancient times, a celebratory feast was conducted, to praise the return to harmony and cement in fellowship the ideals adhered to.
Sharing food, so important even to Hawaiians today, was a way of symbolizing the sustaining of life, and life's pleasures.
(By the way, the ancient Hawaiian concept of 'hell' was a place where you were always hungry. To know contemporary Hawaiians, is to really appreciate
that this viewpoint has not changed! )
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