He inoa 'ala

Welina me ke aloha e nā makamaka! Today's Morning Mana'o is a precious momi left for us by our kūpuna, He inoa 'ala, A fragrant name. This 'ōlelo no'eau is said of a chief whose reputation is good. Have you ever worn a sweet pikake lei or inhaled the fragrance of fully bloomed puakenikeni? The scent is something not easily forgotten. In fact, the scent of these fragrant flowers often take me back to the very moments in which I smelled that particular fragrance. When I smell puakenikeni I immediately think of Kamehameha Competition with my Kumu Keali'i Reichel and the puakenikeni lei we wore. When I smell ginger I am reminded of my trips to Ko'olau, Maui and the wonderful memories of swimming in fresh water ponds with my Tutu and Papa. The fragrance lasts and so, too, do the memories. He inoa 'ala reminds us that just as vivid memories are evoked by fragrance, we make lasting impressions by our actions. A name that carries a good fragrance, he inoa 'ala, is a name that is associated with goodness, good deeds, good work. Actions speak louder than words and the impressions we make through our actions are like fragrant flowers that permeate the room and leave a lasting fragrance. Ah, what an opportunity for each of us to reflect upon the 'ala, the fragrance we are leaving and the impressions that we are making. We all have the ability to choose each day the kind of impression we want to leave and the reputation we create. There are many inoa 'ala in my life, people who have made lasting impressions and whose reputations have left a legacy of goodness. As KPOA celebrates its 25th Anniversary from the ninth island, Las Vegas, we can reflect upon the inoa 'ala, the fine reputation, the proud name, the lasting impressions the KPOA 'ohana has left upon us and within our community. Mahalo KPOA for 25 years of aloha and ho'omaika'i, congratulations, indeed, He inoa 'ala! Aloha nō, a hui hou.

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He pu'u pale ia lae na ka ho'okele

Aloha kakahiaka Morning Mana'o listeners! Our 'ōlelo no'eau for today is He pu'u pale ia lae na ka ho'okele. The cape is just something to be passed by the canoeman. This proverb is said as a boast that difficulties are mere trifles to an expert. In the canoe the ho'okele is extremely important. He is the skilled navigator who steers the canoe in the right direction. He is in tune with the natural environment and understands its subtle nuances. He reads the celestial signs which give him direction and at the same time watches the currents and waves. He has spent hours and hours learning and preparing for his voyage. So much so that when the course becomes rugged and difficult, when he approaches a cape jutting out into the sea, he is able to easily and confidently maneuvur the canoe, correct his course if he needs to and continue to navigate the open seas. So it is with us in life. Each experience we go through prepares us for the next one. As we develop our life skills, skills like faith, perseverence, inner strength and a positive attitude, we become more skilled in navigating through our life's journey. We are then able to meet our challenges with confidence and optism, knowing full well that the obstacle along the way are mere trifles. Our kūpuna are oh, so wise! Indeed, he pu'u pale ia lae na ka ho'okele. May we all become skilled navigators in this journey called life. Ke aloha nō, a hui hou.

He piko pau 'iole.

Aloha kakahiaka e ko Maui a me nā hoa ma Las Vegas! Welcome to another episode of Morning Mana'o. He piko pau 'iole. An umbilical cord taken by a rat. This 'ōlelo no'eau is said in reference to a chronic thief. The umbilical cords of infants were taken to special places where the cords of other family members were kept for many generations. If a rat took a cord before it was hidden away safely, it was believed that the child would became a thief. Different 'ohana may have different ways of caring for the piko, but the most common in traditional times was to take the piko to a pōhaku piko. This pōhaku was located ma kai and usually made of porous rock, with pukapuka where the piko could be hidden. The salt water preserved the piko and purified it, keeping it free from defilement. The piko is a very personal part of the baby and contains his or her mana. Just like finger nails and hair, the piko could be used to cause harm upon the child, so the proper disposal of the piko was very important. In our 'ohana we took the piko of our first three children to our 'ohana pōhaku piko, where it was placed ceremonially. Our children can still visit this area and see the pōhaku piko they are linked to. Kamahiwa, our youngest child's piko was placed in the uplands of Mauna Kahālāwai, the mountain he is named after, forever connecting him to this wahi pana. Indeed, the traditions of kūpuna are kept alive through us . . . Ola nā iwi. Aloha nō, a hui hou!

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'A'ohe mea 'imi a ka maka

Aloha mai e nā hoa makamaka! Today's Morning Mana'o is 'A'ohe mea 'imi a ka maka. Nothing more for the eyes to search for. Everything one desires is in his presence. Sometimes as we go about our lives we seem to be in a constant quest to gain more - more money, more intelligence, more material things. We want a nicer car, a bigger house a higher paying job and some of us may even desire a better partner, better friends. When we are in this mode we often forget the things we do have. Sometimes the quest for more results in a lack of appreciation for what is right here in our midst. This 'ōlelo no'eau reminds us to appreciate what we have. When we are satisfied and content, our eyes no longer have to look elsewhere. We can look around us and feel gratitude and appreciation for our blessings. Now, being content and satisfied with what we have doesn't mean that we cannot strive for more. Our kūpuna lived by the motto Kūlia I Ka Nu'u, to strive for the summit. They worked hard to be better and to achieve excellence. We just cannot allow ourselves to be consumed by our desires. So, e nā hoa aloha, look around you at what you have, your family, your friends, your loved ones and be grateful so that your eyes need not wander and lead you astray. 'A'ohe mea 'imi a ka maka. Aloha nō, a hui hou.

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'A'ohe inoa komo 'ole o ka 'ai

Aloha kakahiaka e ko Maui! Good Morning Maui! Today's Morning Mana'o is 'A'ohe inoa komo 'ole o ka 'ai. No name prevents food from entering my mouth. This 'ōlelo no'eau is similar to saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me." Have you ever had someone say something negative about you or put you down and then your na'au gets all twisted to the point that you don't even feel like eating? Well this 'ōlelo no'eau is a reminder to us that people will say whatever they want to say, but we don't have to be affected by their words in a negative way. We can still have an appetite and be able to enjoy our food. Unfortunately, there are those in this world who don't have anything nice to say and who choose to put others down. They use the power of the 'ōlelo, the spoken word to bring about negativity and to hurt others. We know that words have power. Another 'ōlelo no'eau, I ka 'ōlelo nō ke ola, i ka 'ōlelo nō ka make reminds us of the power of the 'ōlelo to bring about life and death. However, this 'ōlelo no'eau reminds us of the power we have within us to accept negativity or to deflect it. We can choose to have a positive attitude. We can be confident in who we are and what we represent and we can take comfort in knowing that we are not defined by other people's opinions. So, the next time you are hurt by someone's words remember the this 'ōlelo no'eau, keep your chin up and be confident in who you are and then go on your merry way eating and enjoying the life Ke Akua has blessed you with. 'A'ohe inoa komo 'ole o ka 'ai. Aloha nō, a hui hou.

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Alahula Pu'uloa, he alahele na Ka'ahupahau

Welina me ke aloha e nā hoa pepeiao. Greetings Morning Mana'o listeners. He momi kēia. Today's 'ōlelo no'eau is Alahula Pu'uloa, he alahele na Ka'ahupāhau. Everywhere in Pu'uloa is the trail of Ka'ahupāhau. This line is used in a mele very familiar to us, lohe pinepine 'ia, heard quite frequently, Pūpū A'o 'Ewa. It refers to the shark goddess, Ka'ahupāhau that lived at Pu'uloa and protected the people of the area from other sharks. Pu'uloa is wahi pana, place name for the area known today at Pearl Harbor. Ka'ahupāhau would move about constantly, watching out for other sharks and providing safety and protection for the kama'āina of Pu'uloa. Therefore, this 'ōlelo no'eau is said in reference to someone who exhibits these same characteristics - watchful, protective, looking out for others. It is also a poetic reference to someone who is familiar with a place and knows every corner, every nook and cranny. Reminds me of my Papa. He was always concerned about our welfare and very watchful over us. So much so that he often needed antacids to calm his ever so worried 'ōpū. He was a keen observer and when we would drive into the country he could identify every nook and cranny. Every turn had a story, every hill had a name. He knew what kind of fish to get ma kai at each gulch and where the pōhole was growing ma uka. Indeed, he was kama'āina with the land and nurtured it in the same special way he did his 'ohana. 'Ae, Alahula Pu'uloa, he alahele no Ka'ahupāhau. Aloha nō, a hui hou.
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He 'e'epa ke aloha . . .

He leo aloha iā kākou a pau e ka lehulehu! Greetings of love to you Morning Mana'o listeners. He momi kēia. I share with you this morning a precious pearl of wisdom spoken by our kūpuna. He 'e'epa ke aloha, he kula'ilua. Love is peculiar; it pushes in opposite directions. Puku'i interprets this 'ōlelo no'eau as, Love goes two ways, to love and to be loved. I like this 'ōlelo no'eau because it uses the word 'e'epa in a different way than we are probably accustomed to. Now 'e'epa has several meanings. It can mean deformed or abnormal. In Hawaiian mythology there are many references to 'e'epa, supernatural beings or humans born with extraordinary power and in unusual forms. Some were born as a plant or animal. In the mo'olelo of Kana he was born as a piece of rope. These 'e'epa have great powers and often could perform miraculous feats. An 'e'epa can also be a reference to a person who is deformed or maimed. In the story of Hi'iakaikapoliopele she greets an 'e'epa woman who has no arms or legs on the shores of Kahakuloa. On the other hand, 'e'epa can also mean peculiar and extraordinary. In this 'ōlelo no'eau 'e'epa is used to describe the peculiarity of love. We give love and we receive love. Sometimes love pushes in opposite directions. Sometimes we give love and it's not reciprocated. True love is shared, reciprocal and goes two ways - both given and received. Love can indeed be peculiar at times and love can be both exhilarating and painful. He 'e'epa ke aloha, he kula'ilua. Aloha nō, a hui hou!

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Kilakila

Aloha mai e nā hoa pepeiao! Today's Morning Mana'o is Kilalkila, which means majestic, tall and strong. It also means having poise that commands admiration. Kilakila 'o Maui. Maui is majestic. Kilakila 'o Haleakalā. Haleakalā is tall and strong. There is a beautiful mele written by Alice Keawekane entitled Kilakila 'o Maui. The mele talks about the roselani blossoms, the flower of Maui and describes its sweet smell that welcomes the visitor. It then describes the sea of Kahului, where fishermen laid their nets and then brought them into shore the next morning - hukikolo, hukihuki mālie. In the last verse it describes our island as Hanohano 'o Maui nō e ka 'oi. Proud is Maui, the best of all the islands. As a kama'aina of Maui, I agree that of all the islands in Hawai'i, Maui is indeed nō ka 'oi. There are so many things that make Maui the best and give it an essence of Kilakila, poise that commands admiration, but most of all it has to be the people. 'Ae, kilakila 'o Maui i ka roselani, ha'aheo 'o Maui nō e ka 'oi! Aloha nō, a hui hou!

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Pu'ili . . . embrace each other

Welina me ke aloha e nā hoa makamaka! Today's words is Pū'ili, which means to embrace, clasp, hold tightly. As I contemplate how fragile life is the word pū'ili is good reminder for us on many levels. First, the translation to embrace. We should embrace each other more often. We can begin by embracing those close to us more often and then extend our reach a bit and embrace those around us who are alone or who need to feel our arms around them. We should embrace life, with it's ups and downs, joy and sorrow. Life is what me make of it and we can choose to have an attitude of gratitude or to be bitter and full of resent. Second, let's consider the translation to hold tightly. We must hold tightly to the things that matter most - 'ohana, our family, keiki, our children, kūpuna, our elders, hoa aloha, our friends. These are the things that matter most and so we hold them close and grasp them tightly. Finally, let's look at the translation to clasp. When I think of the word clasp I think of jewelry. The clasp is what fastens the piece together. When we're wearing a necklace or bracelet, the clasp keeps it from falling off and being lost. This action directly applies to our 'ohana. We truly must pū'ili, clasp our families together. There is so much opposition in the world and much of it is directed to our families. Like a clasp that holds together our most precious gold and silver, we must keep our precious families bonded, close, connected and prevent them from falling apart and being lost. See how one word in our language can inspire such contemplation. What a wonderful reminder for us all. E pū'ili kākou kekahi i kekahi - may we all embrace each other, hold our loved ones close and clasp our families together here in this life and in the life to come. ke Akua pū, aloha nō, a hui hou!

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Maka'ala

Aloha mai kākou! Our word for today is Maka'ala, which means to be alert, aware, vigilant, watchful, wide awake. E maka'ala i kā hana. Be aware of what you are doing. He makuahine maka'ala 'o ia. She is a watchful mother. This word can apply to us in many different ways. There are things daily that we need to maka'ala, be aware of and alert to. As parents, we must maka'ala, be watchful and aware of our children. Some of us may even be in a phase of life where we need to maka'ala our own parents as we care for our kūpuna. In our families we are maka'ala. We watch out for each other. As we look beyond our immediate 'ohana we realize that we have to maka'ala in our communities as well. What are the issues we are facing? Where is my voice needed? What causes am I actively engaged in and how am I contributing to the world around me? We are maka'ala in the physical sense, but it important that we maka'ala on a spiritual level. Are we aware of our spiritual needs? Are we vigilant in filling our spiritual wells and making sure that we have reserves of spiritual strength for those challenging and difficult times that lie ahead of us? Sometimes we get so busy with life that we become less aware, less vigilant and less watchful of the things that matter most. This is a great opportunity for us to take an inventory of our level of maka'ala both physically and spiritually. Step back for a moment, tune in and maka'ala. E maka'ala kākou! Aloha nō, a hui hou!

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