08-24-2015, 07:18 AM
I think Mr Gonzales's reference to the difficult nature of life for the Maka'ainana and Kauwa in ancient times is particularly relevant. When I was a teenager the current mayor of Oahu County reminded me that ordinary Hawaiians could be executed for crimes such as casting a shadow on the body of an Ali'i or positioning themselves with their heads held in such a manner that they were elevated above that of a chief. The method of execution was reportedly strangulation or crushing the offender's head with a stone. It's not clear to me whether these extreme (at least in the view of modern Americans) punishments were carried out routinely, but the idea that this sort of thing occurred at all seems horrific. The fact that engravings made by Europeans depicting such executions from the era exist suggests that they weren't uncommon. It certainly must have been extremely precarious to offend Ali'i in those times.
I also appreciate Gonzales' reminder that the Ali'i (not Europeans/Americans) were instrumental in initiating the shedding of the Kapu system and other beliefs after Kamehameha's death. As I recall, Kamehameha's wife Ka'ahumanu deliberately sat down and ate (pork?) with male companions shortly after the lonely one's demise. She was probably clever to wait and assert her feminine determination to break the rules after the old guy was gone.
As I've mentioned elsewhere on the forum however, there are several difficulties modern Hawaiians face which are a direct result of the presence of foreigners that could be rectified. The main problems are economic of course. Though the Great Mahele was initiated by Ali'i, ordinary Hawaiians had never lived in a world where lands were controlled by anyone but the chiefs, and the notion that they needed to "own" available lands probably was so novel that many simply didn't realize it was essential to make their own claims. On the other hand, most who arrived here from elsewhere clearly understood the value of land and proceeded to accumulate control over valuable real estate with a voracity that must have been bewildering to Hawaiians who were consequently at the mercy of those who understood real estate transaction as an economic force. Secondly, though Hawaiians in the 1800's had a literacy rate in their own language which was reputedly higher than English literacy on the U.S. mainland, I think few Hawaiians had a tradition of English literacy. Since education in the U.S. and modern Hawaii is based on reading and comprehending English texts, Hawaiians (and many other ethnicities here from countries without English language skills) have lagged behind the rest of the population due to the persistent drag that a history of limited English literacy exerts upon their advancement in the community.
Things like the decimation of the island population due to the introduction of disease, exploitation of the general ignorance of real estate value amongst Hawaiians of the era, foreigner's disregard and disdain for Hawaiian language and culture, and the more recent overthrow of the monarchy and rather devious theft of autonomous Hawaiian government throw a long shadow. Expressions of dissatisfaction and protests are a natural result of the difficulties of the marginalized. The high crime and incarceration rates, health issues, homelessness, and perception of injustice and disadvantage Gonzales refers to are real enough in the Hawaiian community. As Gonzales suggests, such issues may make many receptive to voices which claim the power to rectify injustice but lack real credibility.
I'm not convinced that a return to ancient religious notions and practices is a great path for Hawaiians, but it seems clear that many people in the islands are feeling hopeless in the face of the challenges they face trying to make a living and support their families. Conflict is probably an inevitable result of this sort of struggle. Gonzales points out that misinformation and hysteria make potential confrontation an even greater threat. Averting this kind of strife should be a focus of community effort in my view.
I also appreciate Gonzales' reminder that the Ali'i (not Europeans/Americans) were instrumental in initiating the shedding of the Kapu system and other beliefs after Kamehameha's death. As I recall, Kamehameha's wife Ka'ahumanu deliberately sat down and ate (pork?) with male companions shortly after the lonely one's demise. She was probably clever to wait and assert her feminine determination to break the rules after the old guy was gone.
As I've mentioned elsewhere on the forum however, there are several difficulties modern Hawaiians face which are a direct result of the presence of foreigners that could be rectified. The main problems are economic of course. Though the Great Mahele was initiated by Ali'i, ordinary Hawaiians had never lived in a world where lands were controlled by anyone but the chiefs, and the notion that they needed to "own" available lands probably was so novel that many simply didn't realize it was essential to make their own claims. On the other hand, most who arrived here from elsewhere clearly understood the value of land and proceeded to accumulate control over valuable real estate with a voracity that must have been bewildering to Hawaiians who were consequently at the mercy of those who understood real estate transaction as an economic force. Secondly, though Hawaiians in the 1800's had a literacy rate in their own language which was reputedly higher than English literacy on the U.S. mainland, I think few Hawaiians had a tradition of English literacy. Since education in the U.S. and modern Hawaii is based on reading and comprehending English texts, Hawaiians (and many other ethnicities here from countries without English language skills) have lagged behind the rest of the population due to the persistent drag that a history of limited English literacy exerts upon their advancement in the community.
Things like the decimation of the island population due to the introduction of disease, exploitation of the general ignorance of real estate value amongst Hawaiians of the era, foreigner's disregard and disdain for Hawaiian language and culture, and the more recent overthrow of the monarchy and rather devious theft of autonomous Hawaiian government throw a long shadow. Expressions of dissatisfaction and protests are a natural result of the difficulties of the marginalized. The high crime and incarceration rates, health issues, homelessness, and perception of injustice and disadvantage Gonzales refers to are real enough in the Hawaiian community. As Gonzales suggests, such issues may make many receptive to voices which claim the power to rectify injustice but lack real credibility.
I'm not convinced that a return to ancient religious notions and practices is a great path for Hawaiians, but it seems clear that many people in the islands are feeling hopeless in the face of the challenges they face trying to make a living and support their families. Conflict is probably an inevitable result of this sort of struggle. Gonzales points out that misinformation and hysteria make potential confrontation an even greater threat. Averting this kind of strife should be a focus of community effort in my view.