E lawe i ke a'o a malama a e 'oi mau ka na'auao

Aloha Kalikimaka e nā hoa pepeiao! Christmas greetings to you all, Morning Mana'o listeners! Today's 'ōlelo no'eau is E lawe i ke a'o a mālama a e 'oi mau ka na'auao. Literally it means, take what you have learned and apply it and your wisdom will increase. I love this 'ōlelo no'eau because it is a reminder to us that when we learn and gain 'ike, we have a kuleana, a responsibility to apply, to use it, to share it with others. You know, the saying really is true that the teacher of a lesson learns the most. Whenever I prepare to teach or share the 'ike I have been blessed to receive, I always learn so much. No matter how many times I present the same topic, each and every time I learn something new or gain a new perspective. We are told that we should seek knowledge and increase our wisdom. We go to school as children and our parents encourage us to learn all that we can. We further our education in college or trade school so that we can make a living. Some of us are life long learners, continuing to learn as adults and even kūpuna. Sometimes, however, we may forget that the knowledge we gain is a privilege and with privilege comes kuleana. May we all take the lessons we learn in life and the academic lessons we learn in school and learn them well, apply them and when able to, share them with others. E lawe i ka 'ike a mālama a e 'oi mau ka na'auao. Aloha nō, a hui hou!

He poki'i no Makoa

Aloha mai e nō hoa makamaka, nā pōki'i o Maui nui a Kama! Greetings to you friends, younger siblings of Maui nui a Kama! Today's 'ōlelo no'eau is He pōki'i no Makoa. Literally this proverb translates as, Makoa's younger brother. It is said in admiration of a speedy athlete. In Hawaiian tradition Makoa was a speedy runner in Kamehameha's day whose swiftness gained him fame. These words are uttered when someone demonstrates exceptional athletic skill. As it is common in our culture, we honor and recognize those who came before us. In this instance, Makoa is acknowledged. The skilled athlete is compared to the skillfull Makoa. Pōki'i literally means younger sibling. This word was also uttered by Kamehameha the Great here in Maui during the Battle of Kepaniwai. He knew the battle would be firece and challenging and so he said to his warriors, "I mua e nā pōki'i, a inu i ka wai 'awa'awa" - onward younger siblings and drink of the bitter cup. His was a charge to forge ahead and fulfill their mission even it meant death. What committment, what loyalty was shown by Kamehameha's pōki'i. What power and respect Kamehameha had to be able to motivate them in this way. I wonder if siblings today still exhibit this kind of loyalty to each other. In this ever changing world hō'ihi, respect and kūpa'a, loyalty are not always valued attributes. But we see that hō'ihi and kūpa'a were essential traits in traditional times. So much mana'o wrapped up in this short, simple 'ōlelo no'eau. Mahalo to our kūpuna for their wisdom. Aloha nō, a hui hou.

Hau'oli La Ho'omaika'i

Hau'oli la ho'omaika'i e nā hoa pepeiao o ke kakahiaka! Happy Thanksgiving Morning Mana'o listeners! As we celebrate thanksgiving we have the opportunity to mahalo aku, show our gratitude for the many pōmaika'i, blessings that we enjoy. Today, I'd like to take a moment to mahalo aku . . . Mahalo aku au i ke Akua no ku'u 'ohana. I am thankful to God for my family. Mahalo aku au i kēia 'āina nani nō. I am thankful for this beautiful land. It is a privilege and blessing to live on Maui. Mahalo aku au i nā kūpuna i hala, no ka 'ike i waiho 'ia na mākou. I appreciate my kūpuna who have passed, for the knowledge they have left for us. Nui ko'u mahalo no nā pōmaika'i a pau. I am very grateful for the many blessings I have received. Today, as we enjoy food, family, friends and a day off from work, may we also take some time to express our gratitude to those around us, those we love. E ho'omaika'i kākou! Aloha nō, a hui hou!

He po walea, he ao walea i ka la'i

Welina me ke aloha e nā hoa makamaka! Greetings to you my beloved Morning Mana'o friends! Today's 'ōlelo no'eau is He pō walea, he ao walea i ka la'i, A night enjoyed, a day enjoyed. Peace brings undisturbed nights and days. I love this beautiful proverb spoken by our kūpuna. It is so true that when we are at peace, we enjoy our days and our nights more. We are able to find joy in the simple things of daily life and our nights are restful because our minds are at ease. In this challenging times we live in, it can be difficult to find and maintain this kind of peace. On the other hand, difficult times and challenges cause us to simplify our lives and begin spending our time where it matters most. The makahiki season is upon us. It is a traditional time of peace, celebration and thanksgiving. Our ancestors anticipated the rise of Makali'i, Pleadies as the sun set simultaneously in the West. This was the hō'ailona or sign that Makahiki had begun. We prepare this week for Thanksgiving. A time to celebrate and give thanks. It is the beginning of the holiday season, a time to enjoy good food, time with family and friends and to give thanksgiving for the many blessings we enjoy. May we all be blessed with nā pō walea, he ao walea i ka la'i, undisturbed days and nights filled with peace. Ke aloha nō, a hui hou.

Hua'i ka 'ulu o Lele i ka makani Kona

Hua'i ka 'ulu o Lele i ka makani Kona. The breadfruit of Lele is exposed by the Kona wind. Hidden matters are revealed in times of anger. When the Kona winds blows, the leaves of the breadfruit trees known to grow at Lele, the traditional name of Lāhaina are blown off and expose the fruit. This occurance in nature is compared to life. The strong Kona wind blows like pent up anger and like the breadfruit that is exposed, hidden matters can surface in times of anger and become public knowledge. Have you ever been angry and said things you regretted later? Sometimes we can get so caught up in our emotions that we lose control and before we know it we have said things we shouldn't have said. How do we prevent this from happening? There are many 'ōlelo no'eau that remind us of the importance of our words - I ka 'ōlelo nō ke ola, i ka 'ōlelo nō ka make, in the language there is life in the language there is death is one such reminder. One of the lessons we have to learn in this life is to control ourselves and exercise self discipline. Our actions are start first with our thoughts. Thoughts become words and words become actions. We must first begin by controlling thoughts. When we fill our minds with good mana and positive thinking it affects our speech and thus our actions. Each time we hold our tongue and control our actions we become better able to do so. Practice truly makes perfect. As we learn to master our thoughts, our words, our actions and reactions, we are less likely to react in anger and expose the breadfruit of Lele. Ah, yet another maika'i lesson from our akamai ancestors. Aloha nō, a hui hou!

'A'ohe mea koe ma ku'ono.

Welina me ke aloha e ka lehulehu o Maui nui a Kama! Today's 'ōlelo no'eau is 'A'ohe mea koe ma kū'ono, nothing remains in the corners. This proverb is said of one who is extremely generous, giving freely without reservations. Someone who exhibits and exemplifies the idea of lokomaika'i, generosity and benevolence. I'm sure we can all think of people in our lives who live this quality. They are giving. As a matter of fact, they give so much that sometimes it may seem that there is nothing left to give. However, if we look at another 'ōlelo no'eau we find that blessings come to those who give - 'o ka pono ke hana 'ia iho mai nā lani - when good things are done the heavens cannot hold back the blessing. In these difficult economic times it may be a challenge for many of us to be so generous and giving, but it really is the key to blessings. When we bless others, we are blessed. Being generous doesn't have to mean that there is a cost attached. We can give in ways that do not require money. We can give of our time, labor and talents as we serve one another. Especially now, as the holidays approach us, think of ways that you can be of service and when you choose to give, do it without reservation and enjoy the blessings of your actions. Aloha nō, a hui hou!