Hawaiian Culture and Sustainability

Hawaiian Culture and Sustainability

(1) Dr. Burrows says that Hawaiians have a connection to the land and a spiritual ecology. Have you observed this connection?
Dr. Burrows speaks of the connection the Hawaiians have to the land facilitated through a spiritual ecology. He describes the spiritual ecology as having a kinship with the land its climate its life forms and natural resources. I have observed this connection when I hear Hawaiian chants and/or through hula. In chants natural elements are personified and people can be described through natural elements. O ke au I kahuli wela ka honua, O ke au I kahuli lole ka lani, O ke au I kuka’iaka ka la, E ho’omalamalama I ka malama, O ke au o Makali’I ka po, … O Papa-huli-honua, O Papa-huli-lani, O Papa-nui-hanau-moku, O Papa I hoho ia Wakea, …Kanu ia Haloa ulu hahaloa, O ka lau o Haloa I ka ao la, Pu--ka--
At the time when the earth became hot, At the time when the heavens turned about, At the time when the sun was darkened, To cause the moon to shine, The time of the rise of the Pleiades…Papa-seeking-earth, Papa-seeking heaven, Great Papa giving birth to the islands, Papa lived with Wakea…Haloa was buried a long taro stalk grew, The offspring of Haloa born into the day, Came forth.
These are excerpts from the Kumulipo (ancient Hawaiian creation chant) that describe the interconnected relationship between the land and the people of Hawaii. The chant describes how the land is the sacred ancestor of the people of Hawaii who are descendants of Haloa (kalo/taro) born to Papahanumoku (earth mother) and Wakea (sky father). ‘Aina in Hawaiian means the land/ earth but it also has meanings of “to rule reign or enjoy the privileges and exercise the responsibilities of rule” (‘Olelo No’eau(1983) Bishop Museum). The ‘Aina is intricately tied to Hawaiian culture as a traditional Hawaiian core value. Dr William C. Rezentes describes the Hawaiian cultural value of ‘Aina as having ‘physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions’(p22.Ka Lama Kukui (1996) A’ali’I Books ). The physical ‘Aina (land) is the provider of life, provider of everything needed for survival. The psychological ‘Aina is the self identity, emotions, thoughts, feelings, tied to the physical ‘Aina. The spiritual ‘Aina is the connectedness to the ancestors and gods through the land. This deep connective- ness can not easily be translatable to people not tied to the Hawaiian culture, but it is vital to incorporate the concept of land reverence before further destruction is done. Through chants and hula the interconnectedness and spiritual connection is exemplified as humans and nature have interchangeable elements and are both intertwined spiritually. Through hula this is done as the body mimics nature and flows rhythmically with nature.
(2) Do you feel a connection to Hawaii? If so when or where do you most connected? Do you have a sacred place? Describe the place and how it makes you feel?
I feel a connection to Hawaii. I feel connected when I am near the water it is almost like a feeling of bodily and spiritual rejuvenation when I am in the ocean. Dr. Burrows talked about the importance of having a sacred place. This place he describes can be a real place but it can also be a theology of place and could be within yourself. The ocean is a sacred place for me. It is a dualistic connection that I feel I have with the ocean I feel the realities of the water, the joy and weightlessness of being immersed in it, and I also feel an internal theology of place that facilitates a deeper connection with the ocean that allows me to feel rejuvenated.
(3) Why is indigenous ecology not just a new fad?
Indigenous ecology is not just a new fad. This spiritual ecology as exemplified with the Hawaiian culture facilitated a Hawaiian society that existed for hundreds of years. Indigenous ecology has existed for thousands of years and still exists to this day.
Dr. Burrows describes how indigenous ecology is not just a fad by using the 4 assumptions about indigenous societies described by Dr. Leslie Sponsel, “there are four assumptions about indigenous societies and their relationship to the environment—that they (1) have significant knowledge about the ecology of the ecosystems in their homelands, (2) practice an economy that uses their land and resources sustainable, (3) promote the conservation of their natural environment, and (4) are effectively guided in these and other matters by a profound spirituality in which the environment is respected and treated as sacred. Dr. Sponsel further states that if an indigenous society survives for centuries or millennia, then it has been sustainable, because it was based on an intimate native knowledge of the local environment.” (http://www.kohalacenter.org/puanakaike/burrows.html)
The Hawaiians as with many indigenous cultures are inherently tied to the environment. The early Hawaiians interconnectedness with the environment means that they evolved from the landscape using materials from the environment to facilitate as well as perpetuate a culture.
(4)Dr. Burrows mentioned that Hawaiians have evolved from the landscape. In what ways did they do this?
As I mentioned in my last answer Hawaiians evolved from the landscape because the landscape (environment) provided the materials to create facilitate and perpetuate their culture. The landscape also enabled spiritual evolution (religion) that circularly ties elements of the landscape as creator and Hawaiians as part of the landscape. In the example I used for my first answer the Hawaiian creation chant; Kumulipo describes how the land is the sacred ancestor of the people of Hawaii who are descendants of Haloa (kalo/taro) born to Papahanumoku (earth mother) and Wakea (sky father). ‘Aina in Hawaiian means the land/ earth but it also has meanings of “to rule reign or enjoy the privileges and exercise the responsibilities of rule” (‘Olelo No’eau (1983) Bishop Museum). The landscape is creator and Hawaiians are the offspring of the land who in turn become intricately tied to the land. The landscape facilitates a cultural as well as spiritual evolution as aspects of the environment are used to support community (materials used for shelter, hunting, food, games etc...) as well as rituals and traditions of Hawaiian life.
(5)How could Hawaiian religious and spiritual beliefs connect to sustainability?
(6)Do you believe that Hawaii is more sustainable than the western world? Why or Why not?
The close relationship that is part of the Hawaiian core value system develops what Dr. Burrows describes as a conservation ethic. Nature is seen as part of self identity so environmental impacts in this philosophy are not purely depleting but have a necessary restorative aspect where to hurt the land would be to hurt oneself. The ‘Aina is intricately tied to Hawaiian culture as a traditional Hawaiian core value. Dr William C. Rezentes describes the Hawaiian cultural value of ‘Aina as having ‘physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions’ (p22.Ka Lama Kukui (1996) A’ali’I Books). The physical ‘Aina (land) is the provider of life, provider of everything needed for survival. The psychological ‘Aina is the self identity, emotions, thoughts, feelings, tied to the physical ‘Aina. The spiritual ‘Aina is the connectedness to the ancestors and gods through the land. This deep connective- ness can not easily be translatable to people not tied to the Hawaiian culture, but it is vital to incorporate the concept of land reverence before further destruction is done. Spiritual beliefs not only incorporate sustainability but are vital components of the Hawaiian culture. Dr. Burrows described Hawaiian values that facilitated a sustainable way of life; mana (faith and respect for nature), kapu and noa (protecting the sanctity of mana in humans and nature), Ike (deep understanding/knowledge of the environment, ‘Aina (bond connection life provider), lokahi (unity and harmony with the environment) and malama ‘aina (care and stewardship of the environment/creator). Often the larger societal macro system provides conflicting ideologies and imposes individualistic concepts that overlook/ignore traditional Hawaiian values of land respect, use, and preservation. These aspects are intricately tied with concepts of community. For example the concept of land ownership conflicts with cultural values shared by Hawaiians and many other island cultures, who view land as sacred to be honored and respected, not purely used. Hawaiian core values emphasize strong cultural connection and ties with the land however through colonization these values are no longer revered and have been replaced by western values. The replacing of traditional values means that present day Hawaii is far from sustainable. Consumerism means that we are in the constant state of demanding goods that have little to no real necessity for life in the islands. To live sustainably there must be a paradigm shift to reestablish traditional Hawaiian values of land reverence. One of the most important areas in preserving Hawaii’s future is incorporating green and sustainable building practices. For this to really work people must develop a cognizance of self as not separate, but tied to the land as exemplified within the Hawaiian culture. Social norms have become destructive. Through a major emphasis of consumer individualistic need, and the mentality of ‘bigger is better’ Hawaii is facing a commons dilemma. A classic and relatable analogy of this dilemma is described by Hardin (1968) ‘there is a common grassy area in the middle of town on which all residents are permitted to let their sheep graze as much as possible, but if all farmers do this, the commons will be overgrazed and the grass will disappear’. Everyone is taking from the land but efforts are not being made to replenish or preserve this resource. Houses are bigger, and development is in constant motion. A change of social norms both injunctive and descriptive must take place. A change in injunctive norms must be led by example, by incorporating green building methods, and encouraging smaller homes that go against caring for the current social trends. This change in trends will lead to a change in descriptive norms, where more homes are built green which will exemplify a concern for the ‘Aina. Leon Festinger was the first to investigate the theory of Cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is often the underlying factor for people maintaining a lifestyle that is environmentally (which is ultimately self) destructive. Reality becomes distorted to fit in to societal cues that drive us in the continual cycle of buying and wanting. In Hawaiian culture the land is intricately tied to concepts of self. In modern societal thought the land is separate and removed from concepts of self, so knowingly harming the environment by needing the huge home, or vehicle, means that these destructive acts will need to be justified (often by continuing the endless consumer cycle). Dissonance rationalizes the destructive behavior and ultimately changes a persons system of values. Owning the big energy consuming house values/outweighs making choices that preserve the ‘Aina.
(7) What ethic or value do you most resonate with and why?
Dr. Burrows discussed Hawaiian conservation values and practices which he described as follows:
1. Mana -power faith respect and reverence for nature
2.Kapu and Noa -(Sacred and Release). The regulatory means of protecting the sanctity of the mana in humans and nature,
3.Ike (Knowledge). The early Polynesians who became Kanaka maoli (native Hawaiians) were keen observers of the natural world and were able to use their intimate knowledge of nature to sail long distance voyages and manage the natural resources of the sea and land for fishing, farming and other uses,
4.Āina (The Living Earth). The earth, land, or the environment is viewed by Kanaka maoli as a living entity,
5.Lokahi (Unity, Balance, Harmony) - is equivalent to the modern biological concept of homeostasis in an ecosystem
6.Mālama ‘Āina (Caring for the Earth, Stewardship of Creation)
(http://www.kohalacenter.org/puanakaike/burrows.html)
I connect most with the conservation value of Lokahi. I think this value exhibits that reality that there must be a harmony between man and the environment to function healthily and effectively. Lokahi is not addressed in the western value system which promotes colonization of values and ideals at any cost regardless of environmental or indigenous cultural damage. If mainstream society were able to see the necessity of living with Lokahi we would be much more inclined to living more eco-consciously. The value of Lokahi can also be used with the relationship between cultures/societies where in an idyllic world the focus on the bigger picture of harmony outweighs miscommunications and/or differences.