Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 6, 1 Iune 2006 — MASCULINE ENERGY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MASCULINE ENERGY

A gathering of kōne will seek to reclaim Hawaiian men's traditional strength and community leadership

By Sterling Kini Wnng Publicatinns Editnr The hale mua is where Hawaiian boys were molded into men. In a ritual called kā i mua (to thrust into the men's eating house), boys around the age of six were taken from the care of the women and raised by the men. It was in the hale mua, where wāhine were forbidden, that boys ate with men, worshiped with men and learned their traditions from men. But after Liholiho broke the 'ai kapu in 1819 by eating with women, the traditional structure of Hawaiian society changed dramatically, and the hale mua's role diminished. As a result, many people today believe that Hawaiian men have lost their way. "A lot of Hawaiian men have forgotten their kuleana and cultural roles," said Kamana'opono Crabbe, a elinieal psychologist and cultural practitioner. "With the breakdown of our culture and loss of identity, many kāne have heeome confused and frustrated. That ean lead to repressed anger, whieh often leads to other problems like domestic violenee and incarceration." Crabbe, however, believes that Hawaiian men ean be led back in the right direction through their culture. He is among a group organizing the first 'Aha Kāne Men's Heahh Conference, whieh will be held in lune and is sponsored by OHA, Papa Ola Lōkahi and Kamehameha Schools. The eonference will be sort of a large hale mua gathering, intended to address the problems facing Hawaiian men today. And there are many, with Hawaiian men as a

group having some of the state's worse heahh, education and social statistics. The conference will work to improve the overall state of Hawaiian men, by featuring workshops conducted by educational and vocational organizations, social programs and various cultural groups. Speakers will include, among others, kumu hula lohn Keola Lake and retired state judge and chairman of the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center Thomas Kaulukukui Ir. Heahh screenings, offered by 'Ahahui o Nā Kauka, the Association of Native Hawaiian Physicians, will also be included in the conference's $60 enrollment fee. In addition, men will be able to compete in a host of cultural games and a Hawaiian language oratory contest.

Another important issue the gathering will focus on is developing more Hawaiian male leaders. Crabbe said that many Hawaiian males have heeome less interested in assuming leadership roles in their community, a departure from traditional society. "Over the years, the Hawaiian male has fallen into the role of 'I'm just a provider; I just assimilate and be part of the mainstream,"' he said. "As a result, they're working harder. But in terms of their obligations to their lāhui, a lot of Hawaiian men are absent. We need to confront these issues and find our own answers. We need to act. The days of just sitting under the garage and hanging out with the boys need to change." Many believe that lua, a Hawaiian form of martial arts, is one of the cultural practices that ean help Hawaiian males. (See story about a new book on lua on page 16.) Ierry Walker, a lua teacher, said that it instills discipline, leadership skills and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Richard Paglinawan, a lua instructor and former OHA administrator who will speak at the conferenee, said that studying lua ean also help Hawaiian males learn to control their anger. He said that one of the concepts of lua is the duality between Kū, a god of war and symbol of masculinity, and Hina, the feminine counterpart. "Hawaiian men often revert to violence because they have too mueh Kū," he said. "They need to get in touch with their Hina side. We've found stories of Hawaiian warriors weeping. Today's men need to understand that it's alright to show emotions."

Native Hawaiian men and boys are encouraged to attend the conference, whieh will be held at Kamehameha Schools' Kapālama campus. Boys must be accompanied by an adult.

'Aha Kane Men's Health Conference, June 23-25 Kamehameha Schools, Kapālama Campus $60 for adults, $30 for boys 15 years old and younger. Fee ineludes meals. For information, eall 597-6550 ext. 815 To register, visit ahakane.org.

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