Holo Holo With Mana’o
Story written in the Hawaiian language of ‘Olelo, which survives on Ni’ihau. Featuring a father and son Pulani & Ka’oli Kahokuloa. Hasselblad medium format film photography by Kit Furderer.
“Holoholo me ta ite o na Kanaka Maoli.”
Adventure with the wisdom of the Native Hawaiians.
Hawaiians often greeted each other by sharing ha, or their breath. This exchange of breath is done when two people press together the bridge of their noses while inhaling at the same time. It’s a Hawaiian greeting that welcomes the other person into their space by sharing the breath of life, which was sacred to the culture. Ancient Hawaiians recognized that their breath was the key to good health and believed it possessed mana (spiritual power).
“Alaka’i tau Keiti ite ala pono, te o’o a’e oia ale oia e ha’alele ana.”
Direct your child on the right path and when he is older he will not leave it.
Aloha Ke Kahi i Ke Kahi, which means, love to one another. Our Hawaiian ways & beliefs can provide a truly sustainable future for our families and communities. It is important that the traditions and ways of the past are honored and continue to be taught to our keiki (children). We must also malama (nurture) and protect our ‘ohana (family) and honua (mother earth), by gathering only what is in harvest season and take only enough to share with our families and communities, not to sell.
“He wa’a he motu, he motu he wa’a”
The canoe is an island, the island is a canoe.
The community of the canoe is entirely dependent on its individual members. If one member doesn’t pull his or her weight, the performance of the whole group suffers. If one is sick or injured, and another needs to tend to that person, then the team is weakened by two people. It gets very clear that the group needs to treat all its members well, to nurture them and to see to their safety. And correspondingly, the crew members have a responsibility to pull their weight.
“Imi teola me tealoha ma ta poe, ta aina
ame ka tai”
Seek life and love through my native Hawaiian people, land and sea.
Our Hawaiian people are held up in the pono (righteous) right hand of Atua (God). Through our people’s Aloha, Love, Faith, and Obedience we protect and perpetuate the righteousness of Hawai’i Nei (all Hawai’i). Pono doesn’t just mean to always do the right thing, it also means to humble yourself with love and forgiveness even when someone wrongs you and doesn’t recognize it. Living pono brings us blessings and prosperity.