Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 7, 1 Iulai 2001 — Moving to the beat of one drum [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Moving to the beat of one drum

What is a Hawaiian? Many people define Hawaiians in the past tense. They would say Hawaiians "were" a unique people. Or, Hawaiians "used" to be great fishermen, horticulturalists, or linguists. Others remark that "ancient" Hawaiians "were" a vibrant race of people. No doubt, our past is what makes us the people we are today. But are we just memories of the past? Statistical data show Hawaiians at the top of negative social indicators like heart disease, diabetes, and incarceration rates. Though the statistics raise several important factors that need our attention, we know that Hawaiians are more than a "people of the past" or the wretched of this society! Are Hawaiians living to our fullest potential? Perhaps this true story will help. Several years ago students from Dr. Isabella Abbott's famed Hawaiian Ethnobotany course toured the Bishop Museum's special collections. One student

noticed several pahu sitting quietly in the dark corner of the room collecting dust. The students were told that the pahu were very old and used for research. "Do.you sound out the pahu?", asked the student. "No" was the reply. The student remarked, "Wasn't the drum meant to be sounded, played?" The story speaks volumes. Many of us have been taught to play down our true nature and identity out of shame or fear. The story reminds us that we are in great danger of creating our own living museums. In these self-made museums our Hawaiian souls become no more than artificial curiosities trapped in a window display of modern life. We all hold a living treasure, a pieee of Hawaiian life from our ancestors. Those jewels, like the pahu, were made with great care and precision. Eaeh tree carefully chosen. Eaeh shark skin purposefully stretched and strung. Eaeh cord perfectly woven. Like the pahu, our Hawaiian identity is to be resonat-

ed, not observed. Eaeh time we sound our drums we bring forth our past, sing our present, and set the tempo for our future. When we treat ourselves as artifacts or use our Hawaiian-ness opportunistically we do a disservice to our people. Our ancestors never intended for us to hold our heritage hostage. The drums that they built for us were done so with love and agony, faith and disappointment, hope and hardship. Yet, we have survived and know that the caging of our Hawaiian life benefits no one. OHA must learn this lesson soon, stop taking advantage of our people, heal and then serve. Eaeh Hawaiian is the keeper of the family treasures. Our duty is to kani i ka pahu or play the drums that will resonate our Hawaiian being. The music playing from eaeh individual drum is important but eannol carry the weight of the nation, Together, however, the sound of 200,000 drums will move mountains.

OHA now faces a mountain of obstacles. Programs are poorly implemented. Trustee meddling and administrative operational expenses continue to climb. Lawsuits are mounting. Rewards and punishments are given in a way that forces all at OHA t^> be weary of making positive change for our people. In this unhealthy climate, everyone has built up museums and left mueh of their creativity, compassion and Hawaiian selves in a dark corner collecting dust. OHA and all Hawaiians need to listen to the voices resonating from our Hawaiian souls. Our silence has allowed other influences to overshadow our ability to govern and care for our homeland and people. Though eaeh drum will have its own unique sound and tune, played together they make one unified voice that says, we are HAWAIIAN. ■ *

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Colette Machado j Trustee, Moloka'i and Lāna'i