quote:
Originally posted by Kapohocat
quote:
Originally posted by KathyH...
I was very moved by the woman's passion at the meeting (sorry I did not catch her name), when she spoke of the important guest and accepting that she goes where she wishes to go, and of acceptance of her wishes....
This same type of visitor (important guest) runs through many spiritual practices across the world, and legends/myths, it is not just tied to the Hawaiian culture.
My guess is that the process of preparing for the guest tends to calm and give people something to do instead of just waiting.
That's true, the act of preparing hospitality transforms passivity into a participatory role.
Great observation about how this guest-host relation to the gods is multi-cultural.
For example the Greeks:
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Theoxeny or theoxenia is a theme in Greek mythology in which humans demonstrate their virtue or piety by extending hospitality to a humble stranger (xenos), who turns out to be a disguised deity (theos) with the capacity to bestow rewards. These stories caution mortals that any guest should be treated as if potentially a disguised divinity and help establish the idea of xenia as a fundamental Greek custom.
Growing up I was taught a Hindu story about the visiting stranger. The stranger passing through comes to a farmer's door and is offered hospitality. The farmer and his wife share what little they have, gladly. In the morning, the farmer finds that his cow, his main source of food and income, has died in the night. The farmer bemoans that he has behaved well and given hospitality and now his life is devastated.
The stranger reveals himself to be more than what he seemed, and tells the farmer: "according to your destiny, your wife was supposed to die last night. "Because of your hospitality to me, you have only lost your cow."
A story from another culture about how a different perspective turns perceived tragedy into a blessing, and about how we aren't able to see the big picture. That parable has stuck with me over the years.
Kathy
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Forgive me if this has already been posted elsewhere.
It's wonderful -- kudos to Dr Jim, Darryl, Ihilani, and Piilani.
http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2014/0...sion-talk/
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[/quote]
Do you honestly believe this crap? I know we tend to only remember the good times and down play the bad. I would put most alii as brutal and dominating as any european king.
Look into how the common people were treated and how most of what they produced were taken by the alii. The alii couldn't cut down the sandalwood forests down fast enough so they could live it up at the expenses of the commoners.
I am not defending Europeans they did they share of evil s***, but this romanticized bull**** of native life needs a realty check.
Hawaiian culture, religion and language were killed by the kings and queens of hawaii. Kamehameha's wife and son were the ones who scrapped most of it. Heck, Kamehameha himself was the one who change the old ways to allow women and men to eat together.
The main reason for the Merrie Monarch Fesitval and King Kalakaua was called the Merrie Monarch was based he restored a lot of the cultural traditions.
That is why I laugh and cry on the inside with all the lawsuits about "cultural traditions and sensitivity". The fact is the State of Hawaii has done more to preserve the cultural, language and people of Hawaii then the Kingdom of Hawaii ever has. At least with the state you have a voice and freedom, with the Kingdom of Hawaii you would have been executed for speaking against the monarch.
I really wish you would actually learn the history of hawaii instead of this romanticized noble native lens crap.
[/quote]
I am truly sorry but this post needs to be addressed. This is a direct example of ignorance. This person clearly has no insight as to how things were run during the Kingdom era or even pre contact for that matter.
He claims that the Kings and Queen of Hawai'i are responsible for the loss of Hawaiian culture and it's language. Clearly he has no knowledge of how the aikapu system works or how it only applied to those of the ali'i hierarchy.
Or how our language wasn't in danger until the 1896 (3 years after the illegal overthrow) when the haole created a law (Act 57) which banned Hawaiian language from being taught in the school systems.
I would recommend this poster perhaps go learn the Hawaiian language. Then he/she can take this newly acquired knowledge and put it to use by reading some of the 1.5 million pages of old Hawaiian language newspapers, that contain years and years of direct history written by Hawaiians themselves. It sounds to me like you might also want to stop reading any sources written by haole, for they can truly be misleading. So why not learn the hawaiian language, and get your information from Hawaiians themselves?
Just a suggestion 
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[ ] Merrie Monarch, Pele and her ohana travel to Puna. A lovely rendition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QZ7TqANM_E
Perhaps we should not continue the divide, and my apologies for my prior post, which may be construed as disrespectful.
Our culture is not "vs" others (nor is it "crap"), however, in trying to live amongst each other, we share our knowledge, and teachings. Emotions run high, for all. E kala mai.
The "lens" that matters in the end, when we meet our maker, whoever you believe in, must be clear.
JMO.
(*Typo)
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JMO - I was wondering the other day if you and your family had ever visited `Imiloa in Hilo. If you have, I am curious to hear your opinion, and if you haven't, it's something I think you might like to try one day. They are attempting to respect Hawaiian culture, history and modern science and in my opinion have been doing a pretty good job so far, but your background is very different from mine.
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quote:
Originally posted by TomK
JMO - I was wondering the other day if you and your family had ever visited `Imiloa in Hilo. If you have, I am curious to hear your opinion, and if you haven't, it's something I think you might like to try one day. They are attempting to respect Hawaiian culture, history and modern science and in my opinion have been doing a pretty good job so far, but your background is very different from mine.
Aloha, Mr. Tom! I have been, and enjoy it immensely. First time was a few years ago with the Keaukaha keiki on a school excursion.
Imiloa has become (and continues to evolve) a very crucial part of the combination of science and culture.
I'm biased, however, nephew works there, and he needs a raise. [  ]
Aloha to you, Mr. Tom, background may be "different", but not that far apart (psst...TMT...my Daddy was Irish/English Hawaiian...lol), and apologies to others for OT.
JMO.
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Thanks for such a quick reply, JMO, glad you have enjoyed the efforts people are making at `Imiloa even if you might be a little biased!
Unfortunately your nephew's wage is beyond my control, but a very good friend of mine used to work there, probably in a very similar job, and she went on to be employed at one of the observatories in their public relations dept. She is still there after many years and appears to love the job and, I suspect, receives a much higher wage now, so hopefully your nephew will be able to follow her example!
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Mr. Tom, and all, we are blending, like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2mMPz_a4vY
Our ohana send Pam our love.
JMO.
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Thank you, JMO, from both Pam and myself!
opihikao,
JMO -- is your sig your initials?
I always thought you signed your posts JMO for Just My Opinion.
[ ]. Until just now when Tom began calling you JMO.
Talk about reading things in different ways. Oops.
Kathy
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