Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 7, 1 July 1996 — Culture ofHce encourages a deeper understanding of traditions [ARTICLE]

Culture ofHce encourages a deeper understanding of traditions

by Manu Boyd OHA Culture Specialist Hawaiian cultural practices have stcadily gained in popularity both in and outside of the Hawaiian community. Onee such practices were banned, frowned upon, or stigmatized. Today aspects of our traditional culture from language to religion have resurfaced, and enjoy widespread visibility and participation. In identifying cultural practitioners and convening conferences to discuss and assess the state of specific cultural facets, OHA's ke'ena mo'omeheu (culture office) has been able to fuel a sense of cultural "ownership" as well as a sense of the propriety of traditional practices in contemporary society. We advocate for the immersion of individuals in cultural practices by listening to our kūpuna, studying previously documented knowledge and applying this information into our daily lives

so as to naturally exude the essence of our heritage in a responsible manner. Our goal is to encourage a deepcr understanding of traditions as maintained by our eontemporaries, and to promote the ongoing, life-long practice of noi'i nowelo, or the seeking and delving for knowledge. While it is true that "'a'ole pau ka 'ike i ka hālau ho'okahi" (not all knowledge comes from onee school/source), we must acknowledge that knowledge does eome from some source, and is not solely realized in one's "na'au" because a person is Hawaiian. While we have achieved "eultural sovereignty" over the past two decades, the quality of our cultural existence is determined by how seriously we commit ourselves to cultural ownership, maintenance and practice. This will inevitably manifcst itsclf in the quality of poliīieal sovereignty we will eome to realize.