O‘ahu-a-Lua
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
There was a longstanding history of peace and aloha in Hawai‘i. Each island had itʻs own unique understandings that perpetuated the sacredness of life. In these understandings lies the blue-print we are searching for today.
What was O‘ahu like during this longstanding era of peace and aloha?
As we look to the past to move into the future we must do so with discernment. The clarity of mind, sincerity of heart and guidance it will take is tremendous. This is ho‘oponopono on a massive scale. For most of Hawai‘iʻs history there was a stable, family-based system of aloha that guided navigation. Each island had itʻs own distinct version. For instance, Tales from the Night Rainbow by Koko Willis and Pali Jae Lee gives a perspective of the peaceful family system on Molokai. Each island had its unique understanding of the universal principle: Ua Kapu ke Ola Na Kāne- "all life is sacred to Kāne."
For much of O‘ahu, this system was called "Ka‘anani‘au." Ka‘anani‘au means "The Rolling Beauty of Time." Ka‘anani‘au explains that we are in a sphere of connection to everyone and everything and it is our kūleana (responsibility) to manage the rolling beauty of time. In the early stages of learning mo‘olelo you will be exposed to the understanding that "all life is sacred to Kāne." Each island had a parallel understanding. John Ka‘imikaua explained in the movie A Mau A Mau (by Nalani Minton) the "'Aha Kiole" system of Molokai that allowed for communities to thrive with vitality. The leaders of the community wove their knowledge together like the strands of an ‘aha (braided cord).
Most of O‘ahu, parts of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau were focused on various forms of Kāne. The people most thoroughly versed on this earlier system use the term Kānenuiākea. The voyagers from the south, whether from Kahiki (Tahiti), Samoa, Tonga or Fiji, came from time to time often bringing understandings that unique from the aboriginal people of what we currently call the Hawaiian islands. Some of the voyagers embraced the earlier traditions and some were less interested.
Places such as Kūkaniloko (the birthing site-Kapu‘ahu‘awa is one small portion of Kūkaniloko) were designed from the start to ensure the sacred beauty of life be perpetuated. Some of the early O‘ahu ali‘i were part of the Ka‘anani‘au understandings. All life is sacred to Kāne in the Ka‘anani‘au reality. Taking life, even through fishing and farming, is done so with care. To injure human life intentionally is not a part of this reality.
We are currently in an era where all of humanity is making critical decisions that will dramatically affect the planet. The amount of healing and conflict resolution this takes will push humanity well beyond its current limits. As we go through this process we will continue to place our value system on the environment. We were born into countless systems that do not truly operate from the reality that "all life is sacred." Each of our lives, our breaths, our actions, our thoughts, our true feelings are incredibly relevant. We are relearning, what the sacredness of life feels like. Without the feeling to guide us our vision will be lacking a critical ingredient- genuine, gut-level, integrated understanding of what on O‘ahu is called Ka‘anani‘au.
As we look to the past to move into the future we must do so with discernment. The clarity of mind, sincerity of heart and guidance it will take is tremendous. This is ho‘oponopono on a massive scale. For most of Hawai‘iʻs history there was a stable, family-based system of aloha that guided navigation. Each island had itʻs own distinct version. For instance, Tales from the Night Rainbow by Koko Willis and Pali Jae Lee gives a perspective of the peaceful family system on Molokai. Each island had its unique understanding of the universal principle: Ua Kapu ke Ola Na Kāne- "all life is sacred to Kāne."
For much of O‘ahu, this system was called "Ka‘anani‘au." Ka‘anani‘au means "The Rolling Beauty of Time." Ka‘anani‘au explains that we are in a sphere of connection to everyone and everything and it is our kūleana (responsibility) to manage the rolling beauty of time. In the early stages of learning mo‘olelo you will be exposed to the understanding that "all life is sacred to Kāne." Each island had a parallel understanding. John Ka‘imikaua explained in the movie A Mau A Mau (by Nalani Minton) the "'Aha Kiole" system of Molokai that allowed for communities to thrive with vitality. The leaders of the community wove their knowledge together like the strands of an ‘aha (braided cord).
Most of O‘ahu, parts of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau were focused on various forms of Kāne. The people most thoroughly versed on this earlier system use the term Kānenuiākea. The voyagers from the south, whether from Kahiki (Tahiti), Samoa, Tonga or Fiji, came from time to time often bringing understandings that unique from the aboriginal people of what we currently call the Hawaiian islands. Some of the voyagers embraced the earlier traditions and some were less interested.
Places such as Kūkaniloko (the birthing site-Kapu‘ahu‘awa is one small portion of Kūkaniloko) were designed from the start to ensure the sacred beauty of life be perpetuated. Some of the early O‘ahu ali‘i were part of the Ka‘anani‘au understandings. All life is sacred to Kāne in the Ka‘anani‘au reality. Taking life, even through fishing and farming, is done so with care. To injure human life intentionally is not a part of this reality.
We are currently in an era where all of humanity is making critical decisions that will dramatically affect the planet. The amount of healing and conflict resolution this takes will push humanity well beyond its current limits. As we go through this process we will continue to place our value system on the environment. We were born into countless systems that do not truly operate from the reality that "all life is sacred." Each of our lives, our breaths, our actions, our thoughts, our true feelings are incredibly relevant. We are relearning, what the sacredness of life feels like. Without the feeling to guide us our vision will be lacking a critical ingredient- genuine, gut-level, integrated understanding of what on O‘ahu is called Ka‘anani‘au.