He hale ke kino no ka manawa.

He hale ke kino no ka manawa. The body is a house for the thoughts. Mālama kino, taking care of bodies is important so that our hale is strong and we are ready to share our thoughts with those who visit. When we look a little closer at this 'ōlelo no'eau we notice the word manawa. It means, feelings, affections, seat of emotions. It also is the word for the fontanel, or soft spot on the top of the head of infants and top of the head for adults. Our manawa is extremely important. It is one of three piko each of us has. This piko connects us to the past, to our kūpuna. Those who came before us and continue to guide and direct us. From here we receive inspiration and direction, even knowledge. What houses this knowledge, this inspiration? Our kino, our bodies. Taking care of our bodies helps us better receive this knowledge and inspiration and keep us connected to those who came before us. Now, thinking about the manawa, this is why we never slap someone on the head. Many of us have heard people say "Eh, you like I slap your head?" Many of us have been guilty of saying it ourselves. But when we look at our cultural traditions, the po'o or head is sacred, for this is where our manawa is. If we slap someone on the head we not only slap them, we slap all their kūpuna who came before them. Auē, scary thought! So remember, He hale ke kino no ka manawa, our bodies house our thoughts, feelings, our knowledge. No laila, e mālama kino. Take care of ourselves.

Aloha nō, a hui hou!
Luana

Pu'upu'u lei, pali i ka 'a'i.

Pu'upu'u lei, pali i ka 'ā'ī. Imperfection (in the form of a lei), (stands majestic like a) cliff on the neck. There is beauty in imperfection and effort is appreciated. Let us make our mistakes and learn from them. What a wonderful reminder this 'ōlelo no'eau is to each of us. Let's first look at its literal meaning. In our culture we strive for perfection in the art of lei making. The final product is a testament to our craftsmenship. I know some Kumu, haumāna and even parents of hula students who will take a part their lei several times trying to make as perfect as possible. Yes, my husband is one of those hula daddys. He'll make a lei, take it apart, make it again and when almost pau, he takes a part again. A constant striving for perfection. This is part of who we are and it reflects the idea of Kūlia I Ka Nu'u, Striving for the summit. This 'ōlelo no'eau, however, reminds us that a few flaws and imperfections add character to our lei. As we strive for perfection there are many lessons we learn along the way. It is through our mistakes that we gain the greatest knowledge and experience. And so it is with life! We are not always going to be perfect. Our flaws and our imperfections help us to grow. We learn from our mistakes and we are better able to help others who cross our path. Sometimes it's hard to watch our loved ones, especially our keiki, make those mistakes, but ultimately this is how they learn, this how we learned. Indeed, pu'upu'u lei, pali ka 'ā'ī.

Aloha nō, a hui hou!
Luana

'A'ohe hua o ka mai'a i ka la ho'okahi

'A'ohe hua o ka mai'a i ka lā ho'okahi. Bananas do not fruit in a single day. A retort to an impatient person. I've been thinking alot about ahonui, patience. We've learned that ahonui literally means long breath and I'm sure we can agree that when our patience is being tried we tend to take long, deep breaths. I like this 'ōlelo no'eau because it paints a picture for us. We can imagine the mai'a, bananas growing. Indeed, mai'a does not fruit in one day. Instead, growth is a process. When we plant the mai'a tree we first have faith, a sincere belief that it will grow. We tend to it, we make sure it is nourished properly and we watch for the fruit to spring forth. Even when the fruit is visually seen, it takes time before it rippens and is ready for our eating pleasure. And so it is with life . . . Things don't happen over night. We have hopes and dreams, we set goals and we believe that it will happen. We set our course and we embark on our journey. Sometimes it takes longer than we expected. Sometimes there are detours on our path. And at times the destination can even change along the way. It is important for us to remember ahonui, patience and that we allow ourselves to learn life's lessons as we move along on our journey. The words of our kūpuna serve as a reminder to us and perhaps to those around us who may need a gentle reminder to be patient as the mai'a grows, blossoms and fruits.

Aloha nō, a hui hou!
~Luana

Lawelawe malie ka Wai'opua . . .

Lawelawe mālie ka Wai'ōpua. The Wai'ōpua breeze handles gently. Said of one whose ways are gentle and easy going or of one who is very careful in handling anything. This ōlelo no'eau came at the perfect time for me. It is such an important reminder to be more patient, gentle, easy going and careful. Sometimes when we have a decision to make we feel rushed, pressured to make a decision. At times, that pressure leads to the wrong decision or a careless decision. We are faced with decisions daily. Some decisions are big ones. What we decide to do or say will have a lasting impact on our life and even the lives of others. This proverb reminds us to be like the Wai'ōpua breeze. Be gentle, think things through, take the time you need before making a decision. Pule, ponder, even ask for advice if needed. Now this can also apply to how we choose to react in various situations. I was reading something by Stephen Covey the other day called the 90/10 rule. This rule tells us that we have absolutely no control over 10% of what happens to us. We can't control other people's actions. We can't control the red lights as we're rushing to work. We can't control the fact that the tire went flat on the car, but we can control how we react in each of these situations. Will be like the Wai'ōpua wind, gentle and careful or will we pahū, explode like the Kaua'ula wind of Lāhaina. I personally need to work on being like the Wai'ōpua, more gentle, patient, thoughtfull in my reactions and my words. That's may pahuhopu, my goal this week. How lucky we have the wisdom of our kūpuna to help us teach us and help us grow.

Aloha nō, a hui hou . . .
Luana

Aloha kakahiaka e nā makamaka! The word makamaka translates as intimate friend with whom one is on terms of receiving and giving freely, pal or buddy. We all have good friends in our lives. Some stick around for a long time and some are with you just for a season. Some come and go in and out of our lives yet they leave lasting impressions on our hearts. I am blessed to have a few makamaka, good friends who are like family to me. Although we are not related by blood, there is a strong connection and bond. I call them my sisters, because that is truly what they are to me. They are always there for me just when I need them. We don’t have to talk or see each other everyday, but as soon as we are together it’s as if no time has passed. We simply pick up where we left off. We’ve shared laughter, happiness and joy and yes, we have shared tears, pain and anguish. Makamaka stand up for you, even when you're not in the room and they hold you up when you no longer can stand. What would I do without these makamaka in my life? So, to all my makamaka, my dear friends, my sisters, my pals, today’s morning mana'o is dedicated to each of you with all my love and aloha! Reach out to your makamaka today and tell them how much you appreciate them and love them.

Aloha nō, a hui hou.

He mau iwi mama ko ke kanaka o ke ali'i.

He mau iwi māmā ko ke kanaka o ke ali'i. The servant of a chief has bones that are light of weight. He who serves the chief must be active and alert. Indeed, this saying was true for our kūpuna. In ancient times the lawelawe ali'i, those serving the ali'i, those closest to him had to be maka'ala, alert, attentive and aware at all times. The ali'i were targets of their enemies. At times they were under seige. Their servants had to be māmā, light on their feet, mākaukau, ready to act and protect the ali'i. They were proactive, making sure safeguards were in place to ensure safety of the ali'i and his company. We can apply this 'ōlelo no'eau to our own lives. Let's think about our families. The family unit today is under attack. Families are struggling. We must be like the servants of our ali'i of old - māmā, quick, fast, swift. We must protect our 'ohana, our children, our kūpuna. We must maka'ala, be aware, alert and attentive to their needs and make sure they are safe. 'Ohana is our greatest gift in life and we need to do everthing in our power to safeguard them and prepare them. Afterall, the greatest work we will ever do will be in the walls of our own home. No earthly accomplishments will compensate for failure in our homes.

Aloha nō, a hui hou!
Luana

He manu ke aloha, 'a'ohe lala kau 'ole.

He manu ke aloha, 'a'ohe lālā kau 'ole. Love is like a bird, there is no branch that it does not perch upon. Love is an emotion shared by all. Like a bird perching from one branch to another, love touches us all. We all feel love, fall in love, give love, receive love. It is one thing we all have in common. Some of us love easily. For others it takes a while. Some people are easy to love and others . . well, we grow to love them. Love has no age limits and is not discriminatory. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love has no envy or conceit. Love is universal. They saying, "All you need is love" is true. When our intentions come from a place of love, it manifests in our thoughts and actions. We love our family, our friends. We love our children, our spouses. As parents there is nothing like the love we feel the first time we hold our children in our arms. As couples, the love we feel makes life worth living. Do you remember you first love? Well, I am lucky enough to be married to my first love. Love grows, love knows no bounds. So like the manu that lele from branch to branch, live a life filled with love and let that love touch those around you, permeating their lives.

Aloha nō, a hui hou!
Luana