Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 5, 1 May 2000 — TRUSTEE MESSAGES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRUSTEE MESSAGES

Our stake in the future

N OUR preoccupation with the Rice vi. Cayetano decision, establishing a Hawaiian govemment, observing the current legislative session, participating in the loeal and nahonal eleeūon process and ensuring that all Hawaiians are counted in the U.S. Census, are we setting aside or closing our eyes, ears and voices to the growing problems facing our children, youth, and young adults? Are we demonstrating for our children the Hawai'i society that we wish to have perpetuated for generations to eome? Are we prepared for a Hawaiian government that is not only politically and eeonomically sohd, but culturally and morally sound as well? Are we teaching our voungsters an inclusive (embracing all people) rather than an exclusive (Hawaiīan only) definition and example of aloha? Do we want our youth to seriously care about the future rather than be focused only on the here and now? Our children leam through all of life's experiences in every way in whieh we and others touch their hves. And it does cost money to influence our children and their future. The most important learning occurs when we model for them our values of honesty; integrity and respect for others even if they may disagree with our point of view; unconditional love and

pahenee for family and extended ohana. even when they may go awry of legal and rational behavior; and faith in the Almighty, a higher power far above those who may reach seemingly exalted heights of influence in this materiahstic world. Other than fohowing traditional practices, any insistence on only one way or one methodology to solve a problem teaches our youngsters impahenee with considering altematives and a namowminded "my way is the only way" attitude toward ideas and issues new and old. A penchant to distort the facts or stretch the tmth in order to win an outcome or to

gain an advantage, teaches our youngsters that honesty and integrity are less important than winning at all costs. A wiUingness to blame others through negative or racial slurs, name-caUing or finger-pointing, teaches our youngsters to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions by finding excuses, criticizing and being disrespectful to others. A preference for focusing on win-lose scenarios in problem solving rather than win-win solutions, teaches our youngsters that personal victory is more impor-

tant than consideration and sensitivity to benefiting others and the larger eommunity as well. A disregard for our environment and the laek of overt actions to safe-guard our natural resources, teaches that it's okay to Utter, puU out plants and flowers indiscriminately, waste or gather marine and other resources excessively. An absence of family cohesiveness or strong 'ohana support teaches our youngsters to fiU emptiness and loneliness through aleohol and dmg abuse, gang affiliations and other dangerous, selfdestmctive behavior. Often, we find ourselves too busy with the every day stresses and ffustrations of survival to pay mueh attention to the things I've mentioned. However, if we do not attend to these important actions, our daUy survival wUl count for naught in the context of the survival of the future generation and, through them, the survival and weU-being of aU of Hawai'i nei. We aU have a stake in the Hawai'i that we leave to our children and the manner in whieh we mālama i ka 'āina a me nā keiki a me nā 'ōpio. Let's reassess our Uves now and determine to make a differenee in Hawai'i's future by investing our time and energies in our chUdren and youth now. ■

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"Our children learn through all of lifeJs experiences in every way in whieh we and others touch their lives.,,

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