Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 6, 1 Iune 1992 — Koho ia [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Koho ia

by Rev. Moses K. Keale, Sr. Trustee, Kaua'i & Ni'ihau

Human violence is the result of frustration, oppression and hurt. We are constant witnesses to a violently changing world. I refer not just to the violence of individual abuses nor to the abuses of everyday life. It is the cataclysmic violence that indiscriminately destroys

the innocent, the weak, and the oppressed. Last month 27 years of history played a repeat performance on our television screens. Ghettos of Los Angeles exploded for a second time in less than three decades. There are many theories as to the causes and contributing factors for this violence, but one thing is certain, oppression and frustration were present. When problems are ignored or suppressed, the end result is terribly predictable. The factors that made south central L.A. the powder keg of explosive reserves are not so unfamiliar to all of us. As Hawaiians we face the same frustration and oppression. We face the same hurts and injury to our pride and dignity. We face the same negative eeonomie factors. We experience the same deprivation of our heaith and well being. We experience the same erosion of our self-worth and personal dignity. Just as our nabon's leaders were reluctant to walk into this nabon's inner cities to experience the first hand problems of the people living there, many of our leaders shy away from listening to and

becoming involved with our Hawaiian people as they cry out for justice and peaee. We have our own powder keg! Our Hawaiian community is crying out for justice. Hawaiians cry for eeonomie justice!. We cry for educational equality!.We ask for assistance in health and human services! We demand self-determina-tion!We require attention to our housing needs! We demand that we be compensated for the use of lands illegally taken from our people ! We demand respect for our culture and the cultural heritage we have inherited from our ancestors! We ask peacefully that all peoples recognize the wisdom of our ancestors in ruling this land when they dictated that we must live in peaee and harmony with nature and ourselves. What has happened in the continental United States of America cannot happen here if we Hawaiians practice the basic principles of our culture and if the wider non-Hawaiian eommunity truly recognizes the healing spirit of the Hawaiian people. As Hawaiians we must recognize that all the blessings of this 'aina eome from the highest of authority to whom we all belong. Our foundation is only as strong as our belief in that supreme authority and the lokahi (harmony) we maintain with eaeh other and our surroundings. We must laulima (work together) alu like (work in harmony) kupono and hana kupono (work for the correct cause) and we must respect eaeh other's kuleana, (division of responsibility.) We must stop being coconuts — brown on the outside and white on the inside. We must become one 'ohana and we must resolve to stop hurting eaeh other. We must believe we are family and practice the traits of a family — love, support and nurturing. We must

strive for the best in all we do: Po'okela, (excellenee with diligence) professionalism, commitment, strength, firmness and humility. and finally we must ho'omau, eonhnue the growth of our people and their wisdom. We must assist the life force to flow from within eaeh of us to the whole of our people. Who is responsible to do all these things? You and I are responsible. Koho ia! You are chosen! If you are Hawaiian you cannot refuse. The ehoiee has already been made for you many years before. It is your obligation to fulfill your destiny. We are all chosen to serve in one way or another. If every one of us truly believes this, our 'ohana will make it happen. I think that the statement made in my last artiele is worth repeating so I shall onee again do so here. All things change! If we work together, if we stand unified and dedicated to the task of helping eaeh other, we ean make a difference for everyone. One voice! One eall! One in working with eaeh other! The kupuna gathering in 1989 in Waimea, Kaua'i pointed out the Hawaiian Universe is defined by "certain eoncepts, values, practices, traits, rituals and protocols." Among these concepts, values and practices is lokahi characterized by alu like, kuleana, laulima. kupono and hana kupono — most cherished ideals. If we achieve harmony with eaeh other, we ean achieve all goals. Work together for a better Hawai'i for all Hawaiians. Work together for a better Hawai'i for all peoples. A i mana'o kekahi e lilo i po'okele i waena o oukou, e pono no e lilo'ia i kauwa na' oukou. Na ke Akua e malama a e alaka'ia kakou apau.