A few years ago former Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona was guest speaker at a mayoral luncheon I attended. He was very proud of the fact that Hawai‘i is the only state in the United States that has anything like “love”
A few years ago former Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona was guest speaker at a mayoral luncheon I attended. He was very proud of the fact that Hawai‘i is the only state in the United States that has anything like “love” in its state laws in the form of “The Aloha Spirit Law,” which he read out loud to us.
The “Corner” has been covering positive characteristics to learn and practice for the development of healthy personalities, and the aloha spirit can be considered a booster shot for all of them, because it includes the spirit of love.
Here is the law in its entirety:
HRS Chapter 5-7.5; The Aloha Spirit.
(a) The Aloha Spirit is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the Self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. In the contemplation and presence of the life force, Aloha, the following unuhi laula loa (free translation) may be used:
• 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.
These are traits of character that express the charm, warmth and sincerity of Hawai‘i’s people. It was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to the people of Hawai‘i.
• Aloha is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation.
• Aloha means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return.
• Aloha is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence.
• Aloha means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable.
(b) In exercising their power on behalf of the people and in fulfillment of their responsibilities, obligations, and service to the people, the legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, executive officers of each department, the chief justice, associate justices, and judges of the appellate, circuit, and district courts may contemplate and reside with the life force and give consideration to the “Aloha Spirit,” steadfastly contemplating and asking whether each of their actions, including what they think, do, say, or decide:
(1) Is the truth;
(2) Is fair to all concerned;
(3) Will build good will and better relationships; and
(4) Will be beneficial to all concerned.”
I am thankful every day that I live in a state that recognizes “the coordination of mind and heart within each person … that brings each person to the Self ,” as hard as it is to put into words. I had the privilege of being on the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste’s Aloha Committee. He was dismayed by the increasing lack of aloha there seemed to be at that time on Kaua‘i. The Hawaiian aunties were trying to define it for me, and other non-Hawaiian born members in the group, but it is hard to put into words. “There is a ‘sense’ of it,” I was told.
The word “love” didn’t exactly do it justice, not because the word is inadequate, but because people’s perceptions of love weren’t broad enough to express it. The love we see on TV that is based on physical attraction, convenience, money, or an increase in status isn’t love, or aloha. As best as I could understand, I had the sense that Hawaiians recognized that a part of everyone is in everyone else. There is a sense of belonging to each other. I believe that’s why Hawaiians had “places of refuge” on the islands. They honored the spirit within.
If a person broke a kapu (law) they had to pay the consequences, which could even result in death, unless one was able to get to a place of refuge. These remarkable places were like “safety zones” governed by kahuna, spiritual leaders. The kahuna were able to tune in to the spirit realm and find the best way to mitigate the misconduct for the person and for the benefit of others too. In time, the kahuna would know when a person had paid his dues, and the person would be absolutely cleared of his error. It was said that King Kamehameha himself hired as a minister one who had broken a kapu against him. Hau‘ola at the mouth of the Wailua River is a place of refuge, and some still see it as a place of forgiveness.
Our beloved Hawaiian kupuna are crossing over into the spirit world. It remains our job to live with aloha spirit, actually treating others as we ourselves would want to be treated, to “build good will and better relationships; and … be beneficial to all concerned.”
• Hale ‘Opio Kaua‘i convened a support group of adults in our community to ‘step into the corner’ for our teens, to answer questions and give support to youth and their families on a wide variety of issues. Email questions or concerns facing youth and families today to Annaleah Atkinson at aatkinson@haleopio.org.
