Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 10, 1 October 2020 — Our 'Ōpio Speak Out [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Our 'Ōpio Speak Out

MO'OLELO NUI v COVER STORY f

By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi They are on the threshold of adulthood, living at a time when Hawai'i, America and the world are facing many daunting challenges. What concerns our 'ōpio today and why? How do they think these problems ean be solved? Six high school students offer candid responses. Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi has written 12 books anā countless newspaper, magazine and website articles about Hawai'i's liistory, culture, food and Iifestyle.

| CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY Healthy living means having access to, among other things, elean air, water and land. To protect this ideal, we promote conservation and sustainability. But the Western idea of conservation is typically concentrated on reversing damage already done by man. It is a reactive approach involving, for example, recycling and picking up litter. The land is seen as a source of profit or a means of enjoyment. In contrast, Native Hawaiians view the land as a source of life. As kānaka, it is our responsibility to take care of it: He ali'i ka 'āina; he kauwā ke kanaka. The kānaka perspective acknowledges that the land ean thrive without us, but we cannot thrive without the land. When we talk about conservation and sustainability, it's more than just recycling cans, using solar energy and putting trash in garbage bins, although every green effort, however small, helps. To really become a self-sufficient, conservationminded community, we need to first shift the paradigm — to help people develop a love and appreciation for the land, to have an aloha 'āina perspective. The best way to do this is through education. An understanding of the history and mo'olelo of places in Hawai'i encourages a deeper connection, allowing one to regard the land as something more than just a spot to hike, surf, build a house, or have a pienie. It is this strong relationship, built on the combination of education and personal experienee, that will allow residents to truly see Hawai'i as their special home. And this understanding will empower everyone to do his or her part to protect and preserve it.

KHoaam i HOMELESSNESS/AFFORDABLE HOUSING Home is my safe plaee. It's where I look forward to relaxing after a long day. Having a home helps to define us. It's an extension of who we are. I have great sympathy for people who don't have a home. I imagine their lives aren't what they dreamt of when they were younger — that they don't have a sense of security because they don't know where they're going to eat their next meal or where they're going to sleep at night. There are many reasons why people wind up being homeless. One reason is they made poor choices and started hanging out with the wrong group. Maybe they got addicted to drugs and are committing crimes to pay for them. Their families tried to help them, but they're either not accepting that help or their families gave up because they aren't making a sincere effort to change. But I think everyone deserves a second ehanee, and the first step to end homelessness is the availability of permanent, affordable housing. People trying to turn their lives around need to have that stability. The state could release land or private landowners could donate land for affordable housing. Tax and other incentives could be provided to developers interested in those projects. We as a community must hold politicians accountable for what they say. When they're running for office, politicians often promise to build affordable housing, but when they get in, they put that on the back burner. Instead of just complaining and calling poliee officers to move homeless people out of their neighborhoods, citizens should educate themselves and be an active part of the solution.

RACIAL UNREST When I was growing up, my parents taught me to always say hello to my grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins when we arrived at family parties and to say goodbye to them before we left. That became second nature to me, and I've since learned if you treat people with courtesy and respect, you're going to have positive interactions with them. I think stereotyping is the main reason there is racial unrest in America. Young people sometimes believe negative things about certain ethnic groups because of what they read, see on TV and social media, and hear from role models, including rappers and athletes. But stereotypes and assumptions need to go out the window. Instead, those on opposing sides should eome together and really listen to eaeh other. Right now, there is too mueh talking going on and not enough listening with open minds. I'm proud of all the races I represent: I'm Filipino, Hawaiian, German, Italian, African Amenean and a Native American of Cherokee descent. Many of my friends are also of mixed blood, but we never think of ourselves that way. We're just. . .people. Everyone doesn't share that view, and change isn't going to happen overnight. Honest eommunieahon is important. It takes time and pahenee to build trust and gain a clear understanding of other people's backgrounds and opinions. We can't change the past, but we ean change the present. Don't pre-judge; accept others for who they are. If you do that — no matter the color of their skin, hair or eyes — you may find that you' ve made new friends who have more in eommon with you than you thought was possible.

FOOD SOVEREIGNTY Centuries ago, Kawainui, the plaee that first inspired my commitment to food sovereignty and 'āina restoration, was a 400-acre fishpond fringed by extensive fields of kalo, mai'a, 'uala and kō. The pond onee fed families throughout Ko'olaupoko, but today it lies dormant, overrun by invasive plants and surrounded by suburban sprawl. Many kānaka have forgotten it was a fishpond and instead refer to it as a marsh. As we work towards a food-sovereign future, reclaiming, rebuilding and revitalizing our Indigenous methods of loeal food production, in places such as Kawainui, is critical because 90% of Hawai'i's food is currently imported from overseas. In a food-sovereign future, we will need more farmers and fishermen to oversee the production and halanee of land and water ecosystems. We will need lawmakers and economists to prevent overdevelopment of lands and help make agriculture and aquaculture fulfilling, economically viable professions. And we will need educators to transform the way we relate to and understand 'āina — not as a natural resource to be exploited but as our kupuna, and that whieh feeds. Rebuilding the structures that have fed our people for generations — such as māla, lo'i kalo and loko i'a — will take both individual and eollective action. 'Ohana ean easily plant enough huli in a 10-by-10-foot area in their backyards to eventually yield 100 pounds of kalo. Or if we prefer to work alongside others, there are many places where we ean mālama lo'i kalo or loko i'a in our communities. Whatever hana we choose, in turning our hands towards the earth, we will find that in growing mea'ai, we are also growing ourselves as we assume our kuleana as stewards of aloha 'āina.

CLIMATE CHANGE Emission of greenhouse gases is the biggest eontributor to climate change. These gases trap heat in Earth's atmosphere, causing global warming by thinning the ozone layer that protects us from full exposure to the sun. Greenhouse gas emissions are primarily caused by human activities, including burning fossil fuel for heat, electricity and transportation. Because the Earth is getting warmer, iee caps are melting and sea levels are rising. Record heat waves in California and Oregon have started massive wildfires that are destroying millions of acres. That makes a bad situation worse because plants and trees are great sources of oxygen. We can't rebuild the ozone layer, but we ean stop more damage from happening by being less reliant on cars and buses that run on fuel, and choosing to walk, ride bikes or drive hybrid or electric vehicles instead. We ean switch to wind and solar power, and reuse and recycle as mueh as we ean to reduce emissions that result from manufacturing. Food production also affects climate change. Machines and trucks are required to raise animals and process, transport and store meat and dairy products. In comparison, planting a frait and vegetable garden at home doesn't require fuel and electricity, you don't have to drive to the supermarket and you don't have to buy produce that eame to Hawai'i on ships that release greenhouse gases. Everyone needs to kōkua, and I weleome volunteers for the Aloha 'Āina Keiki Club that I created. My goal for the club is to teach children about climate change because efforts to save our planet should start at that young age. Kids ean be the superheroes for the Earth.

THEPANDEMIC What concerns me the most about the pandemic is people's health and safety, especially our kūpuna, who are at high risk of getting sick. In Hawai'i, we enjoy going outdoors and gathering with friends and family, but now, to stay healthy, we can't always be with our loved ones. My school is on a distance-learning model through at least the first quarter, and although I miss seeing my friends in person, we're lucky to be able to text and use Instagram, Zoom and FaceTime to keep in touch. My hālau, Nā Pualei 0 Likolehua, meets weekly on Zoom for hula classes. And every day, we participate in a new initiative called Lāhui Kānaka while we're at home with our 'ohana. For about 10 minutes, we chant and pray for mauli ola. Even though my hālau is not physically together or on Zoom, we gather in mind and spirit exactly at noon for Lāhui Kānaka. Knowing that everyone, including our families, is putting their mana into it at the same time connects us and helps us stand strong. The pandemic has caused a lot of pain and suffering, and we are not out of the woods yet. There is so mueh uncertainty ; our lives might never be the same, and that's a scary thought. But it's important to be positive. One good thing I've noticed from people being on lockdown is that the 'āina is healing itself. The oeean is cleaner, and sea turtles are starting to nest in areas they haven't been before. Seeing that is also healing for me; it brings me peaee, happiness and hope.

W SOPHIA PERRY

PAKALANA HAO

KAWENA ABRIGO

MAHINA KAOMEA

TEHANI KEKUAWELA

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