Hawaiian Recognition.

[opihikao]

This is true, pahoated: (*Snipped from above)

"There is the Old Kingdom group that wants to use lineage to Kamehameha and earlier to determine who is a native Hawaiian. They also want a return to the ancient Hawaiian religion. These are the ones opting out of the roll call and often the ones with the highest percentage unemployed, in prison or having felony records."

However, being of the Kamehameha lineage, I respectfully disagree with this concept. I opted out of the roll call, as it dictates what is not in the best interest of all kanaka maoli, not for the reason stated.

For the record, I am duly employed, not in prison, nor have a felony record. I disagree completely with the notion that only people with Hawaiian blood (over 50%) are qualified to be a "Hawaiian national".

In the old days, you were either royalty or a slave. No thank you! I don't want to be a "Royal", and don't want anyone serving me, nor would I "serve" anyone except my kupuna.

Some of us stand with one foot in "Christianity" and one foot in the old "religion", no matter if Republican or Democrat (no bearing whatsoever). I pray to Akua and my kupuna always because my Aunty Emma DeFries stated, "I have more power than your Kahu (at church)", and she did. So I pray to her and my other kupuna. I also recite the Lord's Prayer.

To put things in perspective, we can never go back to the ruling of Ali'i (The time you speak of) in the barbaric sense. Again, the question is, where do we go from here?

Puna is a prime example of our challenge. WTH is going on with Rainbow people, others who try to "protect" our native rights, using our language as it makes them "local" (which is appalling to me), and more.

Carol, I would be honored, in fact, am honored to be asked. Let me know when you have time after the "start of school rush".

lavalava, mahalo for the comment, however, NO WAY am I qualified to do Carol's work. Our teachers are a rare breed, and we should all have the utmost respect for our teachers. Appreciate the interest in our (all of us, not just kanaka maoli) quest for peace and common ground. Lots to discuss, and may we all learn through this effort.

Pahoated, you do have good mana'o. Pardon my dissertation as we go through this exercise. It may go nowhere (as decades have been spent "righting a wrong"), but the knowledge you, Carol, and others hold will help digest information as we all make decisions and form opinions.

E kala mai (again) for the long post. Obviously, this is a grave and personal issue for myself and my ohana.

JMO.

[opihikao]

quote:

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Originally posted by csgray

If she was a licensed teacher with a masters degree in teaching and also able to teach US History, health, and art Opihikao could apply for my job.

She would also need to be able to teach children who cannot read or write due to specific learning disabilities, abused children who have a tremendous amount of justifiable anger they don't have the skills to deal with, children who spent the night before sleeping in a car in the jungle, and children who have missed more school than they went to for the last 7 years. In addition she would need to be able to interest all the kids who want to learn, the ones who are more interested in texting than reading, and the kids whose parents moved them to Hawaii without a clue about what the Big Island is like for fresh off the plane kids.

When my boss first told me I was going to teach Hawaiian History I spent 6 months studying. I researched Hawaiian History, took trainings at the Judiciary Center on legal aspects of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the overthrow, and devoted myself to learning everything I could about the subject. I take it very seriously, and work hard to teach it in such a way that all the children in my classroom, Hawaiian, haole, kamaaina, malahini, and descendents of plantation workers are comfortable and feel welcome. It isn't easy, but it is what I signed up for.

Carol

edited to remove a little snark and explain my approach to teaching Hawaiian History

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Standing ovation! Sincere mahalo for your dedication.

[csgray]

Opihikao,
If you email me through punawe bwith your contact information it usually makes it to me. If you post that you did so, I will look for the email. First day of classes is Monday, and I will be outrageously busy for the first few weeks, maybe after that we could get together? The Hawaiian language has been a challenge for me, actually speaking any language but English has always been a challenge, but I feel like I should get those names right!

Carol

[pahoated]

The definition of kanaka maoli is blood lineage to the Tahitians that conquered and settled the Hawaii islands. There is no other definition to say, for example, a kanaka maoli is a Chinese born in Hawaii after 1820. This is what Dr. Keli'i Akina is saying, that anybody born or living in Hawaii after 1820, the New Kingdom, was a kanaka maoli. A 100% kanaka maoli is going to have some serious hurt with this interpretation.

Think about this. Dr. Keli'i Akina is in the pocket of the Republicans and they Uncle Tom him every chance they get. Why do you think that is? The local Republicans managed to put a Republican governor in Hawaii and look at the disaster that was left. Analyze if you may not be manipulated with this New Kingdom oratory.

The Hawaiian culture and the Hawiian religion are one and the same. You can not embrace one without the other. If the Hawaiians cannot see that, then the curse is evermore fulfilled. The gene pool of 100% kanaka maoli is becoming too small to succeed without interbreeding defects. If the choice of recognition is no recognition, then it is also a choice of disappearing.

"We come in peace!" - First thing said by missionaries and extraterrestrials