Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ‘A¯ina i ka Pono — “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.” Braddah Iz version of the song was playing from the loud speakers that carried the song over the river while
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ‘A¯ina i ka Pono — “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.”
Braddah Iz version of the song was playing from the loud speakers that carried the song over the river while we were taking off on the first Standing our Paddles event that took place on Sunday, April 6 at Rock Quarry (Kahili River).
That day, we gathered at Kahili River mouth to honor this beautiful Ahupuaa and the resources it provides for the community. People came together to show respect for the aina and enjoy the beauty and bounty of what if offers. The problem: This part of the Ahupuaa is owned by a single person who is not fond of public access through his property that surrounds one of the most beautiful waterfalls on this aina — Kilauea Falls, aka Rainbow Falls.
“Our concern was that the conservation easement that should be accessible to the public is only conservation to the benefit of one person/family and functions as a private park, with no conservation actions and, apparently instead, the land owner has proposed un-conservation actions, such as horse grazing and agro-forestry on archeological rock walls,” Fern A. Rosenstiel commented.
Kaiulani Mahuka spoke before everyone went into the water and onto our mission with all kinds of boards and canoes.
“Because you are here to do the kuleana you are the new Hawaiians!” he said. “Repeat after me: I am the new Hawaiian.”
And we did.
Three times.
It was the first time since I have been here that I was told to say out loud that “I am the new Hawaiian.” It was the first time for a lot of people. I liked it. It felt powerful. Made me stick my chest out proud. It sounded like we were all saying, “I ku mau mau! Stand up together!” from a famous Hawaiian chant shared by Pua Kanaka’ole from David Malo’s Hawaiian Antiquities.
The spirit of the chant calls for the joining together of people for a single purpose. Like a movement. “We are the new Hawaiians!” Claim it! The meaning of the word itself is a mix of three words: Ha- the breath, Wai- water, and I-, short for I’o or the Creator. When broken down like this it makes sense to call us all Hawaiians. However, there is more to it. The love and respect for the aina (the land/nature).
“When you do the work to honor aina and ohana (family), even if you don’t have the Hawaiian blood, you are still thinking like a Hawaiian, where the land and stewardship of it comes first. When you step up to protect the aina that makes you Hawaiian,” Kaiulani passionately added on her farewell power speech.
“Most of us (Hawaiians) have died, so we need all our community to step up and show love for the aina and the true meaning of aloha. However, it doesn’t come with dollar signs. When accused of not showing aloha, I say, “There is no place for aloha in a war arena; and this is a war arena, because of the continual attacks on our community by big money interest.”
“What we are doing today, showing appreciation to the aina, that is real aloha.” added Kaiulani.
Aunty Kaiulani also explained an ancient meaning of Kauai — Kamawailualani, which means the center of the circle of the universe. Maybe it’s time to realize that this is it — it’s where it needs to start.
The aloha aina. We are in the center of the universe and it’s on us to change it’s course. The shy approach of a forever slave mentality of all nations controlled by big money around the world has come to a tipping point. Maybe it’s no coincidence there is rooster cock-a-doodle-doo going on at any times of day on Kauai. Nowhere else! Like my friend Tiana said, “According to Kauai roosters, there is never a bad time to wake up!”
Some awaken people were on their way to claim a dip in this beautiful part of the aina.
Getting to Kilauea Falls was the goal.
“By law at the end of the river, kanaka blood line decedents can continue up the river, to gather and practice their spiritual practices. This right is preserved for native people in our Hawaii state laws,” Fern informed us.
Out of 15-20 of us, maybe two or three people fit the kanaka blood line requirements. However, we all secured our water transportation and went into the quest: To see what turned out to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. We all knew about the guard that would try and kick us off, but we were ready. We were armed with aloha and ti leafs and the new knowledge of what it means to be Hawaiian — we were on a mission! To see the falls and claim what should be public access perimeters, albeit owned by a single person.
We were almost welcomed by T-bone, the guard. As friendly as can be, he explained to us that he respects what we are doing but he has to do his job and the police were on their way. It turned out to be ti leafs vs. T- bone. A girl put a ti lief on his maintenance cart. We were just warned, but we left to go to the falls and hang there as long as we knew the police were on their way.
I never did get to see the police. However, the waterfalls were fantabulistical and by all means worth the risk of getting written up for bad behavior. When we stand together there can’t be defeat! Especially when the weapons against a messed up structure are ti leafs and aloha. United, we stand. Divided, we lose everything.
Be the Aloha Warriors when can! Hawaiian! Human! United! Stand together and demand! Malama pono! You jealously guard and take care of the Earth! Keep the balance of the biosphere! Care with pono! Be right! Be clear! Aloha aina! Anywhere! Everywhere! The true meaning of a human being! That’s why we are here! To care!
“If the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds.” — Nicheren Daishnon
