Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 10, 1 October 2012 — An unheralded hero [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

An unheralded hero

We need to help our keiki understand who Hawaiians actually were. Think about it, only our ali'i are highlighted and remembered. And, while their accomplishments and contributions are extremely noteworthy and demonstrate cultural mores (customs), the ali'i were a small percentage of the entire lāhui (nation, race). Furthermore, almost no evidence of old eommunities and rural life remains today. And, only the oldest of our kūpuna actually saw community lo'i (kalo patches) and māla (gardens), before they were obliterated and replaced by eane and pineapple fields, tract homes, apartment buildings, golf courses, shopping malls, or roads, highways and industrial sites. Today's Hawaiian youth have no idea ... really! In the past, the real backbone of the community was the mahi 'ai (farmer). We know that without his efforts, the lāhui would not have survived, let alone flourish! The character and mindset, of the mahi 'ai was unique. Pukui and Handy explain that the mahi 'ai was a practical, humhle, selfsufficient man. He was a man of peaee, concerned with food production and natural resource use. His heritage was a seasoned and mature knowledge of botany, gardening, seasons, weather, water and soil. He also inherited a fine, strong, muscular body. He planted the varieties of kalo, 'uala, mai'a andkō (taro, sweet potato, hanana and sugarcane) especially adapted to the specific soil, moisture, elevation and terrain of his loeale. He knew specific techniques forplant-

ing kalo on his land and how to irrigate his lo'i for the best product and yield. The mahi 'ai used all tillable land on his farm, planting the borders and marginal pieces as well. And, he toiled from before the sun rose through all the daylight hours. The return (payment) for his toil was full satisfaction for his successful efforts in serving his gods, his chief and his family. The mahi 'ai communicated constantly with the gods and was dedicated to them ... Lono, the god of rain and harvest, and Kāne-of-the-living-waters. The kino lau (plant embodiment, form) of Lono - the sweet potato, gourds and pigs - and kino lau (embodiment) of Kāne - kalo, sugarcane and bamboo, were remembered in the mahi 'ai's prayers. Kū was god of forest plants, and Kanaloa's kino lau was the hanana. The mahi 'ai invoked his gods in constant prayers for success and abundance for those he served. The mahi 'ai lived in sparsely populated areas, usually with his extended family dispersed on surrounding farms. He shared and gave his food products to others and received different goods in return. The mahi 'ai had a healthy sense of well-being. He enjoyed mutual and reciprocal affectionate interdependence and simple pleasures. His diet was poi and fresh seaweed, with sweet potato, hanana, greens (lū'au or palula) and starchy puddings (wrapped in ti), all steamed in the imu with fish, ehieken or pork. The food was bland, soothing and filling, as well as ample and dietetically complete. The lives of our ali'i were more colorful and politically important, so still garner mueh attention. However, our inheritance comes from all kūpuna, and we must appreciate their equal perseveranee and brilliance. Our kūpuna taught us that the ancestor of all chiefs and people was Hāloa (son of Wākea) thus, we all descend from the same ancestor. ■

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D.