Kulia I Ka Nuʻu

Aloha mai e nā hoa pepeiao! Esther Julia Kapiʻolani Nāpelakapuokākaʻe was married to King David Kalākaua and reigned as Queen of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It is interesting to note that Kapiʻolani’s middle name Nāpelakapuokākaʻe is a reference to Kapelakapuokākaʻe, the secret burial cave of our aliʻi hidden in ʻIao Valley. Her name, Kapiʻolani translates as ‘the arch of the heavens”. Both names allude to her rank as a Hawaiian chiefess. She was the granddaughter of Kaumualiʻi, the last chief of Kauaÿi and the step granddaughter of Kuhina Nui, Queen Kaʻahumanu. Kapiʻolani’s motto was Kūlia i ka nuʻu, which literally translates as ‘strive for the summit’. Our aliʻi excelled in all things. They did not settle for less and neither should we. I love the saying Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu because it reminds us to strive for excellence, but it is also a reminder that none of us are hemolele, perfect. Reaching the summit is a journey we are all on together. We strive to do good and to be better. We learn from our mistakes. We learn from other examples in our lives. We might not get it right the first time, but we strive to reach that level of excellence and to live by the high standards set forth by our kūpuna. When we make a mistake, we pick ourselves up, dust off and get back on that path of kūlia i ka nuʻu, striving for the summit, working towards success and doing the best we possibly can. No laila, e kūlia i ka nuʻu kākou a pau. May we all strive to be better and to reach the summit, living lives that reflect excellence in all things. Aloha nō, a hui hou.CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AND DOWNLOAD THE MORNING MANAʻO PODCAST