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Kanaka Makua This page: http://hawaiianlanguage.com/kanakamakua.htmlThis site: http:hawaiianlanguage.com |
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Kanaka makua. "Kanaka means 'person.' Makua means 'parent,' or 'of the parent generation.' So a kanaka makua is anyone, man, woman, or child, who acts with the judgment and experience of a parent.The kanaka makua is a 'mature person,' who thinks things through instead of jumping to conclusions… takes responsibilities and cares about other people's happiness… is kind and unselfish, generous and forgiving… is hospitable, and accepts hospitality with graciousness.The kanaka makua standard played its part in shaping conduct:The elders would tell the young ones, "Try to behave like so-and-so, who is kanaka makua.Mrs. Pukui lists other socially desirable attributes: Ha`aha`a. Humility.Kôkua - Laulima. Mutual helpfulness and teamwork.Kûpa`a - Lôkahi me ka `ohana. Loyalty to family. Kû = stand, pa`a = firm; thus "stand firm" or "steadfast" with the family. Lôkahi = unity, me = with, ka = the, `ohana = familyShe recounts the persons at society's negative pole: "People looked down at the food waster, the stealer of food, the shiftless person, the person who broke promises, the vagabond, and the sexually promiscuous person, man or woman. People criticized the promiscuous ones because they were irresponsible." The qualities of self-effacement and cooperation, the social attributes of soft voice and courteous manner, the habits of hospitality; all these furthered harmonious relations. However, co-author Pukui reminds us, they omit other qualities Hawaiians valued: "Hawaiians had no use for a coward," she tells us. "My people admired the brave warrior. Even women sometimes went into battle with their mates. Sometimes both died fighting. And we admired the seaman and the fisherman. It took courage to venture out on the open seas. Hawaiians also admired achievement. They wanted perfection. In the Makahiki games, everybody admired the winners because they were the best. I think everyone noticed the excellence and skill that the winner showed more than the winning. That wasn't true of gambling games, of course.Hawaiians respected the person who worked. The highest, sacred ali`i (royalty) were not expected to work, but some lesser chiefs did, and people loved them for it. And the common people knew they must work, or be looked down on and talked about. As Malo wrote: "It was reckoned a virtue for a man to engage in some industry, such as farming, fishing, house-building, canoe-making, or to raise swine, dogs, and fowls." _______________________ O ka makua ke ko`o o ka hale e pa`a ai. _______________________ Sources: 1 Pukui, Mary Kawena & Elbert, Samuel, Hawaiian Dictionary : Hawaiian-English, English-Hawaiian.2 Pukui, Mary Kawena, Haertig, E.W., & Lee, Catherine A., Nânâ I Ke Kumu, Volume II, Hui Hânai, Honolulu, 1976.3 Pukui, Mary Kawena, `Ôlelo No`eau, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, 1983. |
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May Your Life Brilliantly Shine with the Light of The Aloha Spirit! |
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