Tuesday, October 20, 2020

During my early years of growing up in Kapahulu, my mother taught us to live according to traditional Hawaiian values. Those of you who knew my mother Violet Kiope Beazley Mossman will recognize the expression of Hawaiian values in everything she did each day. One of these Hawaiian values is Lokahi, which means living in harmony with one another, with God (Ke Akua), and with all of nature, including the land (aina). In the Hawaiian way of thinking, all three elements are interconnected and essential to achieve balance and harmony. In our daily lives, prayer (pule) precedes nearly every important activity. In this way, love of God (aloha Akua) also means love of the land (aloha aina) and love of humankind (aloha hoa hanau).

Another important Hawaiian value we learned growing up is Kuleana, which means acceptance of responsibility for one’s self and for others. My mother shared that in the early days, Polynesians discovered the Hawaiian Islands and became closely connected to the land or aina. They developed a land system that extended from the mountaintop to the sea that became known as ahupuaa. Families lived on sections of the ahupuaa and took care of the section for generations. Families or ohana acted as land stewards who knew the importance of taking care of the land. During the early days, there was sharing of resources amongst the ohana.

These Hawaiian values that I learned growing up in Kapahulu are just as important today as it was for the Hawaiians of old, particularly during this COVID-19 pandemic. As we stay in our homes and follow the rules and regulations sent out by the Governor thru his many proclamations, we pray daily for Lokahi, for harmony with one another, with God, and with nature. We carry out our Kuleana and accept responsibility for our self and our well-being, and learn not to contribute to community spread of the virus. We wash our hands, keep our social distance, wear our masks, and pray that we can prevent the spread of the virus in the aina.

Finally, these Hawaiian values are completely consonant with our Christian faith. Whether we are living in peace with God and one another, whether we are stewarding the land that God has provided, or whether we are acting responsibly out of concern for our neighbor, these Hawaiian values help us praise the living God who gives us life and light.

My morning prayer each day is:

“I PRAISE my God this day;
I give myself to God this day;
I ask God to help me this day.”

(Source: Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book)

Nanette Judd