Ke Welina Aloha iā kākou a pau! Greetings of love to you all! Kauwela is the Hawaiian word for summer. When we break down the word we have kau, meaning period of time or season and wela, which means HOT! So literally we are saying the HOT season! Quite appropriate for this time of year. When you look a little closer into our culture we also find that we are currently in the Hawaiian lunar month known as Hinaia'ele'ele. The kumulipo tells us, 'O Ka'aona ke kāne, 'o Malanaikū ka wahine, hānau kā lāua, 'o Hinaia'ele'ele. Ka'aona is the male, Malanaikū is the female, to them is born Hinaia'ele'ele. So what happened traditionally during this month? Mo'olelo tells us that the ocean is vibrant during this time and food is plentiful. Our ancestors would salt and dry food to build a supply for the coming winter months. They spent much time ma kahakai, at the beach, along the shore and in the ocean. It is also said to be a good time to build a house, canoe or surfboard. In one mo'olelo of Hinaia'ele'ele we learn that a child born during this month will be a boaster and exaggerator. Hmmmm . . . can you think of anyone born this month that seems to naturally have these traits? Now, as you enjoy Kauwela, summer and the Hawaiian lunar month of Hinaia'ele'ele, think about the things our ancestors did and enjoy this rich season.
Aloha nō, a hui hou!
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