Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 11, 1 November 1993 — The discussion continues ... Kane: Hawaiians did have traditional ʻawa ceremony [ARTICLE]

The discussion continues ... Kane: Hawaiians did have traditional ʻawa ceremony

Editor' s note: This commentary was sent to Ka Wai Ola O OHA in response to "Three Views on the Moāem Hawaiian 'Awa Ceremony whieh ran in the August 1993 issue.

by Herb Kawainui Kane Contrary to the statement by Kamaki Kanahele, as quoted by Jeff Clark in the August Ka Wai Ola Hawaiians did have a traditional 'awa ceremony. The fateful battle of Moku'ōhai was initiated by an insult-an unforgivable breach of protocol in an 'awa ceremony. In 1782, at Kealakekua Bay, the young Kamehameha received a visit from Kīwala'ō, hereditary ruler of Hawai'i Island. Kīwala'ō, perceiving Kamehameha as a growing threat, hoped to lure this upstart chief into a battle and destroy him before he could grow any stronger. As an act of respect, Kamehameha prepared the 'awa himself. But when he passed a bowl to Kīwala'ō, Kīwala'ō did not accept it. but passed it to someone of lower rank. In this way, and without a word spoken, the insult was given, and the two sides withdrew and prepared for war. But in the battle Kīwala'ō was killed and his forces routed; and Kamehameha began his long climb to supremacy. Here is historical proof that a

formal 'awa ceremony existed in traditional Hawaiian culture. The breaking of such formalities started a ehain of events that ultimately resulted in the establishment of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. There's more. The Cook Expedition described British observations of the formalities of an 'awa ceremony as the preliminary to every meal of an ali'i (Cook and King, 1784,3:161). This is also found in Kingship and Sacrifice (Valerio Valeri, 1985, p. 125); "Whilst the ava (sic) is ehewing, of whieh they always drink before they begin their repast, the person of the highest rank takes the lead in a sort of hymn [chant] in whieh he is presently joined by one, two, or more of the eompany; the rest moving their bodies, and striking their hands gently together in concert with the singers. When the ava is ready, cups of it are handed about to those who do not join in the song, whieh they keep in their hands until it is ended; when, uniting in one loud response, they drink of their eup. The performers of the hymn are then served with ava, who drink it after a repetition of the same ceremony; and, if there be present one of a very superior rank, a eup is last of all, presented to him, whieh, after chanting some time alone, and being answered by the rest, and pouring a little out on the ground [pre-

sumably as an offering], he drinks off. A pieee of the flesh that is dressed, is next cut off, without any selection of the part of the animal; whieh, together with some vegetables, being deposited at the foot of the image of the Eatooa [akua]. and a hymn chanted, their meal commences. A ceremony of mueh the same kind is performed by the Chiefs. whenever they drink ava between their meals." Kamaki Kanahele is con-ect in asserting that we do not have an exact record of the chants by whieh such ceremonies were practiced. However, Sam Kaai and Parley Kanaka'ole are also correct in observing the basic protocol of these ceremonies as these have been passed down to them orally over the generations, and as corroborated by similar formalities in the ceremonial use of 'awa in other Polynesian eul-tures-the host prepares the 'awa, and the 'awa is served to guests with some recognition of rank in the order of serving. Kaai is correct in stating that he did not initiate the 'awa ceremony at the 1975 launching of Hōkūle'a. This ceremony was offered to us as a gift from a hānai member of the royal family of Tonga, including the use of the largest tanoa (kanoa, or bowl) in existence, and there was no pretense about it being Hawaiian. We felt honored by the offer. To decline would have appeared ungracious. Moreover, the idea appealed to the cultural purpose of Hōkūle'a as an instrument that might help bring all Polynesians closer together-an active symbol of a shared ancestry. Kaai's involvement was to serve as the eup bearer at my request. Traditions normally include many authentic variations. Differences in ceremonies eonducted by Sam Kaai and Parley Kanaka'ole are simply procedural variations of the same concept.

Such variations surely existed in pre-contact Hawai'i, depending on the ceremonial or social purpose as well as on loeal and family customs, just as there were variations from plaee to plaee in the performance of hula or in the patterning of kapa. There was a wide range of uses of 'awa, from the simple farmer chewing it, along with a pieee of sugar eane, to ease the pain in his body after a hard day's work, to its use in lengthy, complicated religious ceremonies wilhin the walls of the great luakini heiau-cere-monies known only to a privileged few; and we may assume that there was also a wide range of customs associated with its many uses. Precise knowledge of the formalities involved in certain 'awa ceremonies was lost with the 1819 abandonment of the state religion, and with such foreign influences as missionary condemnation of its use, and the introduction of distilled spirits. Government control by licensing also contributed to the decline. All cultures must continually adapt to changes if they are to sur\ive. Considering the devastation brought upon them, the most astonishing fact about the Hawaiian people is that they survived at all. Some adaptations are forced by changes in the conditions in whieh a people must live. Preparing 'awa by chewing the root was not at all repugnant. Polynesians who knew of no diseases eommunieahle by mouth; but with the introduction of foreign diseases the preparation by pounding or grinding the root became a necessary adaptation. And, whereas some ceremonies in the old culture were only for the male ali'i, we now are brought up to a sense of fairness and equality, respecting the ideal of democracy in whieh no person of good will should be excluded on the basis of sex or class. In the

'awa ceremony as practiced today, we see how the Hawaiian culture has been resilient to change. Today's 'awa traditions have been necessarily modified, but they remain distinctively Hawaiian, because they are firmly connected to Hawaiian cultural roots. What is distinctively Hawaiian is not always easy to explain. Most kama'āina ean immediately distinguish music composed by an expert in the musical tradition from a malihini's "Hawaiian song" whieh lacks the Hawaiian cultural nuances; but these nuances eannot be described in words.

As our culture changes, there is always the need for informed criticism to keep innovations firmly connected lo our cultural roots. And we must always have those dedicated cultural practitioners whose innovations form the living, growing edge of the culture and thereby keep it alive. We may also be experiencing the dawn of a new (or simply rediscovered) "Pan-Polynesian" cultural development as a result of the increasing frequency of cultural exchanges among all Polynesians. When meetings occur between Hawaiians, Tahitians, Maori, or Western Polynesians, mueh enjoyment is derived from exploring the astonishing similarities within the basics of their respective languages, customs and traditions. From such similarities, bridges of communication and bonds of mutuality and friendship are being created; out of these will grow cultural traditions that will be understood by all Polynesians. The Hawaiian 'awa ceremony as interpreted by Kaai and Kanaka'ole, because they express the fundamentals universal to the Polynesian concept of good manners, may be counted among these traditions.