Returning

I had a great time in Oahu. I read three books. Currently I am reading, Hawaiian Antiquities by David Malo. This is such a thorough book about ancient Hawaii. What is really amazing are all of the Hawaiian names for everything. There is a name for every day of the month that refers to the moon. There are hundreds of names for different depths of the ocean. For example, "...kau-au where the shoal water ended; and outside of the kua-au was a belt called kai-au, ho-au, kai-o-kilo-hee, this swimming deep or sea for spearing squid, or kai-ee-nalu, that is, a surf-swimming region....Outside of this was a belt called kai-uli, blue sea squid-fishing sea kai-lu-hee, or the sea-of-flying fish..." And it goes on and on. The Hawaiian language wasn't written down until the 1800s. As you can see, its structure has already changed since the time this book was first published in 1902. Reading David Malo's Hawaiian Antiquities has been very helpful to my research. What strikes me the most is just how in tuned to the natural world native Hawaiians historically were. They studied and memorised every aspect of their environment

I also did a few interviews, one with Kylee Omo and Derek Mar, and one with David Blevins. Derek and Kylee have been devoted to Kaho'olawe since their first experience with the island. In the interview Derek focused on the the responsibility that he felt to restoring and perpetuating healing to the land. Kylee spoke of how the island is a reflection of an individual's life. Its story is a story of mistreatment and abuse, but also a story of regeneration and healing. She says that everyone can relate to that story on a personal level. This interview was so enjoyable and refreshing. I also interviewed David Blevins. He was born and raised in Molokai and only went to the island one time as a teenager. His story is unique because he comes from perhaps the least developed of all the Hawaiian islands. What struck him the most when he went to Kaho'olawe was how healthy and plentiful the marine life was, and in contrast how desolate the island's surface appeared. He, unlike any other interviewees didn't have a "connection" with the land. His love is for the people of Molokai. His interview was important because like Derek and Kylee pointed out at the end of their interview, not everyone has that connection. It is good to get many perspectives.

I also had time to catch up with some really good friends. On top of that I got to spend Independence day with my cousins. It was so much fun getting together with them and watching the fireworks. The house is always filled with happy little children and ono grinds (really good food).