Once upon a time there was a conversation in a mixed crowd where we were discussing True Hawaiian History. Ooh... touchy subject, right? Well let us go ahead and open the dialogue for you. So many are afraid to have these conversations and all the facebook groups in the world aren't going to change a whole lot. They become a distraction in and of itself, when moderators spend more time moderating the page than participating in a discussion topic they intended to be a part of. People from all walks of life, fake fb profiles, different education levels and backgrounds are all chiming in on a topic that only a small fraction of them have true knowledge of.
Case in point:
There are plenty fb groups concerning Hawaiian Immersion Schools, as there should be at least one. The problem is not that there are plenty of that kind of group because chances are that either the admins of the separate groups are either working together or know nothing of the other group. But what about the part where people who don't even live in Hawaii, find their way to make it into the groups and no offense, but even if you are Kanaka Maoli, unless you live here or have a child in Immersion Schools, there really is no point of you being a part of that discussion.
Public Disclaimer:
This is not a complaint or exclusion. This is factual reality and there is no reason to feel animosity at having to read this. Please continue to read, if you just got upset over what you just read.
Explanation:
When the group was made, it was usually made to formulate some kind of action plan to make that situation better. This applies to all groups - there is a reason for having umpteen of the same groups, which was because they couldn't keep the conversation on topic when hundreds of people were conversing or arguing with one another over petty off-topics. So making a difference gets a little hard.
Credentials in Question:
Why is it that plenty Kanaka Maoli complain about westernization when they are really all about it? How can you hate the hotels, the 5-star establishments, all the things westernization brings, but refuse to listen to sound & experienced logic without a westernized degree? You complain about too many Hawaiians act or think too American, but you do not reach into that book of genealogy you are so proud to have done, and learn the way your kupuna have been doing it for thousands of years. It wasn't broken so why did you replace it? Or do you mean that for every topic someone speaks or acts on, they need to have a $65,000 piece of paper to say they read the book? I'm not too sure about you, but with $65,000 I can build and read an entire library full of books, do the work, and become an expert with a brand new truck - that I own. So you request American degrees for what? To verify that UH teaches a modernized version of 'Olelo Hawai'i and it does not match our kupuna way of talking? Or to have one intellectual debate and battle of degrees over where the 'okina goes? Aaahhh.... you were the smarter one in that 3 hour debate on a public post last night! Yeah the one with 122 comments and every insult in the book, publicly aired, making both you and your opponent look stupid? Yeah, that one. Did we move forward in lokahi as a people after that? Or do you not understand what lokahi is because I did not put the correct grammatical decoration on top the letter? These kinds of behaviors between our people is not the course of conversation we need to have to move forward. But I do thank those who are always being that positive light with the positive outlook, holding the thresh-hold together. However, the rest of you cackling, arguing, pride stinking westernized thinkers need to understand that you are depressing the hell out of those who are trying to keep the light alive.
Almost all of our educational systems breed westernized education and it is affecting everything within us. Already, we see battles of degrees and everybody is related to a scholar. Auwe...
So many kupuna are putting up the front that everything is fine and getting better, while they sit on their back porches or at the sidelines of an event, and just want to cry. They are tired. They are ready to pass the torch and watch us move forward. But because of pride or something Americanized to do that day, people don't show up to events, makua are happily sitting like teenagers at a family gathering, while kupuna are serving, organizing and raising their grandchildren without our help.
Recently, with integrity & identities respected, a young man sat in a circle with four extremely high profiled kupuna who have been doing this longer than most of us have been alive. They all wanted to cry. True story. They mourned over their descendants generations getting so much worse, keiki being babysat by a smartphone and the younger parents aren't even responsible for themselves yet. How nobody listens to them or makes sure they have what they need to be comfortable. They are sad that we are not keeping up with getting closer to who we are. They did not say we couldn't use new tools, but they still want us to learn & teach the old way too. They don't understand why we spend so much time complaining that corporations are taking away our land when nobody cares for the land we still have? How come nobody is helping them transfer the lands over and open up the lo'i? Why is the entire ohana fighting over their 1/28th of the land when they don't even pay the taxes, clean the land or file kuleana status at the Real Property Tax Office? Oh how hurt they are, that we have become so Westernized and yet they are left to blame themselves. Auwe!
They teared up talking about how ice has ripped through their children, grandchildren, nieces & nephews, dividing families, hurting their hearts. They even talked about how so much depression has been the cause of the health problems. The grief is taking its toll on them. They are trying to guide us, but they ended the conversation asking,
Case in point:
There are plenty fb groups concerning Hawaiian Immersion Schools, as there should be at least one. The problem is not that there are plenty of that kind of group because chances are that either the admins of the separate groups are either working together or know nothing of the other group. But what about the part where people who don't even live in Hawaii, find their way to make it into the groups and no offense, but even if you are Kanaka Maoli, unless you live here or have a child in Immersion Schools, there really is no point of you being a part of that discussion.
Public Disclaimer:
This is not a complaint or exclusion. This is factual reality and there is no reason to feel animosity at having to read this. Please continue to read, if you just got upset over what you just read.
Explanation:
When the group was made, it was usually made to formulate some kind of action plan to make that situation better. This applies to all groups - there is a reason for having umpteen of the same groups, which was because they couldn't keep the conversation on topic when hundreds of people were conversing or arguing with one another over petty off-topics. So making a difference gets a little hard.
Credentials in Question:
Why is it that plenty Kanaka Maoli complain about westernization when they are really all about it? How can you hate the hotels, the 5-star establishments, all the things westernization brings, but refuse to listen to sound & experienced logic without a westernized degree? You complain about too many Hawaiians act or think too American, but you do not reach into that book of genealogy you are so proud to have done, and learn the way your kupuna have been doing it for thousands of years. It wasn't broken so why did you replace it? Or do you mean that for every topic someone speaks or acts on, they need to have a $65,000 piece of paper to say they read the book? I'm not too sure about you, but with $65,000 I can build and read an entire library full of books, do the work, and become an expert with a brand new truck - that I own. So you request American degrees for what? To verify that UH teaches a modernized version of 'Olelo Hawai'i and it does not match our kupuna way of talking? Or to have one intellectual debate and battle of degrees over where the 'okina goes? Aaahhh.... you were the smarter one in that 3 hour debate on a public post last night! Yeah the one with 122 comments and every insult in the book, publicly aired, making both you and your opponent look stupid? Yeah, that one. Did we move forward in lokahi as a people after that? Or do you not understand what lokahi is because I did not put the correct grammatical decoration on top the letter? These kinds of behaviors between our people is not the course of conversation we need to have to move forward. But I do thank those who are always being that positive light with the positive outlook, holding the thresh-hold together. However, the rest of you cackling, arguing, pride stinking westernized thinkers need to understand that you are depressing the hell out of those who are trying to keep the light alive.
Almost all of our educational systems breed westernized education and it is affecting everything within us. Already, we see battles of degrees and everybody is related to a scholar. Auwe...
So many kupuna are putting up the front that everything is fine and getting better, while they sit on their back porches or at the sidelines of an event, and just want to cry. They are tired. They are ready to pass the torch and watch us move forward. But because of pride or something Americanized to do that day, people don't show up to events, makua are happily sitting like teenagers at a family gathering, while kupuna are serving, organizing and raising their grandchildren without our help.
Recently, with integrity & identities respected, a young man sat in a circle with four extremely high profiled kupuna who have been doing this longer than most of us have been alive. They all wanted to cry. True story. They mourned over their descendants generations getting so much worse, keiki being babysat by a smartphone and the younger parents aren't even responsible for themselves yet. How nobody listens to them or makes sure they have what they need to be comfortable. They are sad that we are not keeping up with getting closer to who we are. They did not say we couldn't use new tools, but they still want us to learn & teach the old way too. They don't understand why we spend so much time complaining that corporations are taking away our land when nobody cares for the land we still have? How come nobody is helping them transfer the lands over and open up the lo'i? Why is the entire ohana fighting over their 1/28th of the land when they don't even pay the taxes, clean the land or file kuleana status at the Real Property Tax Office? Oh how hurt they are, that we have become so Westernized and yet they are left to blame themselves. Auwe!
They teared up talking about how ice has ripped through their children, grandchildren, nieces & nephews, dividing families, hurting their hearts. They even talked about how so much depression has been the cause of the health problems. The grief is taking its toll on them. They are trying to guide us, but they ended the conversation asking,
"How can one fill a cup that is too full of itself?"
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