A note from Calla
"As its very name indicates, the state of Hawai'i preserves a large legacy from the primal people who first inhabited our islands. About two hundred thousand of us who live here now carry some of the genes inherited from those primal people. Nearly a million of us love the music, the dances, the surfing, canoeing, fishing, and swimming that our kūpuna loved. Many of us depend for our living on the millions of visitors who come here, lured by our expressions of aloha. The Hawaiian ethos endures still in our land. And it is deeply ingrained in the way we Hawaiians approach the many problems with which we have to cope today." -Foreword by Kenneth F. Brown in Kū Kanaka, Stand Tall.
First and foremost, thank you to everyone who is making the trip to Hawai'i. It's a very special place that can take a lot of planning to get to, and Daniel and I are so grateful and excited to have you be a part of this experience. In Hawaiian culture, traditional protocol expects that any visitor follow certain rules when arriving at another's home, community, or island. The traditional process is an upfront means for dialogue and sharing of intentions. I hope this note serves as that intention for dialogue, to both welcome you to this place as well as give Hawai’i the proper introduction she deserves.
Some basic Hawaiian words (‘ōlelo Hawai’i) to learn prior to landing ❀
ALOHA - hello, goodbye, love
MAHALO – Thanks, appreciation
MALIHINI – Tourist, visitor
KAMA’ĀINA – Native-born
HAOLE – Foreigner
‘ĀINA – Land
WAI – Water
KAHAKAI – Beach
MĀLAMA – Take care
‘ONO – Delicious
KAPU – Sacred (do not enter, stand on, or touch)
MAUKA - toward the mountains (used when giving directions)
MAKAI - toward the ocean (used when giving directions)
Pono pledge ❀
I pledge to be pono (righteous) on the island of Hawai’i.
I will mindfully seek wonder, but not wander where I do not belong.
I will not defy death for breathtaking photos, trespass or venture beyond safety.
I will malama (care for) land and sea, and admire wildlife only from afar.
Molten lava will mesmerize me, but I will not disrupt its flow.
I will not take what is not mine, leaving lava rocks and sand as originally found.
I will heed ocean conditions, never turning my back to the pacific.
When rain falls ma uka (inland), I will remain high above ground, out of rivers and streams.
I will embrace the concept of being a steward of the land, revered as my loving chief.
E 'apo I ke a'o a ho'ohana, a e 'oi mau ka na'auao. Those who apply their teachings increase their knowledge.
Find my complete list of O'ahu recs here ༄