Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 9, 1 September 1988 — Makaku [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Makaku

By Rocky Ka'iouliokahihikolo 'Ehu Jensen

The Stuff We're Maāe Of

Onee upon a time, we, along with all others in the Pacific and the Americas, were people who were masters of our destiny. We traveled from distant homelands, finally breaking into the great oeean of the Pacific, dotted with hundreds of verdant islands, specks of awesome wonderment. Although I am aligned with scientific folk who share their findings on the development of our people — from their humble beginnings to what they were when Cook stumbled upon them — I tend to lean towards another reality that portrays our people as having traveled into a Pacific that they knew about, with a culture that was older than time.

I find that most of those who study our culture view it from only two sides. They fail to see the third, fourth and fifth side . . . and all other dimensions that go on infinitum. Our sacred chants say one thing, the venerable scientist another. Well, not exactly another. Perhaps they ean be faulted for telling an incomplete and limited story. When my wife reads about the Trojans, or Etruscans, she sighs, "These are my people." Those people are well documented. There are numerous writings about them, and of course, there is the art. If it wasn't for their literature and their incredible art, how would we know about them?

Well, we too have literature and art. Yet somehow, everyone misses the mark. Why? Here again, I feel that perhaps they are viewing our objects through a glass darkly. If you have the opportunity to visit Bishop Museum, especially the main floor of Hawaiian Hall, take a few minutes to stand and view the magnificent Ku. What do you see? Now, you must go beyond your Westerninfluenced eyes and sneak up around the statue to understand what the artist meant when he created the original design for that particular ancestor. The Grecian, Roman and Etruscan statues represent a people whose visual eye saw things differently than we did. And yet, both works of art were created to display the same thing — the

magnificence of their race. Our people recognized the inner spirit — the inner soul — the inner power, as depicted in the Ku. The spiritual and metaphysical were the most important elements possessed by man. The Europeans equated the physical beauty of their people withspirit, soul and power. Same thing, different appfōach! Now, when I look at our remaining statuary, I see a thing of beauty. And, if I have the privilege of touching it, I follow the lines of the ancient sculpture and try to feel his thoughts. After studying the amazing technique and symbolism I then try to identify the human ancestor who was the model for the pieee. What a marvelously powerful individual he or she must have been, to have been depicted so.

That is another concept that we must relearn — beauty to us in those ancient days was an essence that emanated from within. If you could only rearrange what has been taught to you, you will see that the Ku, the Kihanuilulumoku, the Kalaipahoa, the Bloxom were all individuals of great physical beauty and more importantly, individuals who possessed a spirit that finally allowed them to be considered 'aumakua or akua. Do you ever consider the people who carved those great works of art?

We are well educated on the technique executed by the Egyptian artisar.s in carving their impressive monuments. But we are taught nothing of those who carved our heroes and heroines..: How special they must have been, to have been chosen for that very awesome work, creating portraitures of our ancestors, noble, powerful, elegant, intelligent, creative! Oh well, I am again speaking for those who cannot speak. Drop in, or if you can't, open a book. Look at the imagery of our ancient people. Do you see how beautiful they were? Mai ka po mai 'oia'i'o . . . Truth is before time immemorial! /fl?\