Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 5, 1 May 1985 — Hawaiian Values Stressed at Conference [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian Values Stressed at Conference

An awareness of traditional and modern Hawaiian values was stressed at a two-day ho'okanaka workshop for leaders of Hawaiian organizations recently at the Keopulani Conferenee room on the campus of The Kamehameha Schools. An estimated 30 Hawaiians participated in group exercises conducted by members of the Waiaha Foundation. They included Dr. George Kanahele, Mahealani Pescaia, Robert Lokomaka'i Snakenberg and Betty Jenkins who is also kupuna coordinator for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

The weekend workshop, whieh included overnight lodgings at a Kamehameha dormitory, was sponsored by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. Value is defined by Webster as something of "relative worth, utility or importance." As illustrated in the group exercises, values fulfill or satisfy some basic need or desire. A society conforms to standards whieh spell out how one shouid behave and what sort of behavior merits approval or disapproval. An individual decides what kind of person he or she wants to be or should be, what kind of community he or she wants to live in based on what he or she values. It was indicated that values varied from group to group; however, there weis a set of commonly shared values.

Acknowledging values change as conditions and needs change, conference leaders and participants brought about an awareness of how necessary it is for Hawaiians to revitalize these traditional values by putting some of them into daily practice, including harmony/unity (lekahi), love (aloha), excellenee (ku lia i ka nu'u) and spirituality (ha'i pule).

Ku Kanaka — stand tall as a person, a human being, a Hawaiian — was the message gathered from the workshop. Also, be proud of your identity , your heritage. Ho'okanaka — be courageous, rely on your own strength, be ever ready to affirm or assert what you are — a Hawaiian!

Office of Hawaiian Affairs staff members attending the Ho'okanaka workshop rap with eaeh other during a break. From left to right are Betty Jenkins, Marge Kaluna. Carmen (Boots) Panui and Thelma Shimaoka.