Aloha kakou!
By now, we all know that the demise of our entire Culture (including language, proper education, traditions and customs & knowledge of the land, heavens and ocean) was met when Hawai'i was "discovered" by James C(r)ook(ed) and his fellow Europeons nearly 232 years ago. From the dreadful diseases introduced to the indigenous, original people to the assimilation of European politics, the English language and monolithic religion, we were at lost to our entire aboriginal culture. Things declined more with the illegal overthrow of our 'aina, stripped of our original language and arts (hula, straw weaving, fish hook making, etcetera) and as a result, entirely stripped of our knowledge of self. You see, as much as the media and government attempt to depict us as simple-minded, unintelligent savages of the Pacific, we have, and still do, show and prove that our intelligence superceded their intellect. We may have not had the proper tools and material to manifest this knowledge, but what we lacked, we made up for in other ways. Navigating the vast open Pacific by way of the stars in the heavens, currents, wind and offshore birds with just the utilization of passed-down knowledge, word of mouth, our eyes and mind. No technology involved, no weather instruments, telescopes or compasses. There are even (slightly) theoretical anthropological studies, findings / evidence that prove that early Polynesians may have discovered the Americas before Columbus made contact.
With that being said, we must continue to properly educate our Keiki of our culture, keep the Hawaiian language alive and instill the knowledge, wisdom and understanding that our elder ancestors passed down to us. Each one, teach one. Steel sharpens steel.
