Oli Hooikaika/Prayer for Strength
by Hawaiian (Anonymous)Original Language Hawaiian
E iho ana a luna
E pi'i ana o lalo
E hui ana na moku
E ku ana ka paia
That which is above, be brought down.
That which is below, shall be lifted up.
The islands shall be united.
The walls shall stand upright!
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My wife and I lived on the island of Maui for four years in the early 2000s. Seeing images of the island burning is heartbreaking. Hearing reports of the rising death toll in the aftermath is devastating.
Lahaina, where the fires did the most damage, is being referred to in the media as a "popular tourist spot." That may be how most outsiders think of the town, but it is so much more. It was the old capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a place of immense cultural importance. We lost cultural and historical artifacts in the fire that can never be replaced.
It wasn't just a place of hotels, restaurants and gift shops. Small businesses of all sorts filled the side streets, supporting the daily rhythms of life. And, of course, people lived in Lahaina. Homes were lost. Lives have been lost.
The banyan tree that grew in Lahaina was a community center and a focal point for the island. The community gathered to celebrate it's 150th birthday last year. To think it has burned down is like losing a spiritual elder. Photos in the aftermath show it scorched but still standing. Perhaps it may yet survive.
The fire that ravaged Lahaina was one of several that hit Maui. A smaller fire burned in the Upcountry area where we used to live near Kula. We haven't received as much news about that area, but that was where we lived our days and nights. That's where the pastures change into forest along the slopes of Haleakala. I used to walk barefoot in the forests of the area, light headed from fasting, to a small cave I found and there I would sit and meditate. I hope those places survived to reveal their secrets to others.
So many unique and special places across Maui. And, of course, the wonderful people of the island who are affected...
Communities on an island are a fragile thing. Rebuilding and healing will take a long time and heroic patience.
The devastation on Maui feels personal to me, touching on an important period of my earlier journey, but it also feels global. The world knows the island as a place of great natural beauty, and people travel from all over to experience its paradise. More than that, though, I think of Maui as one of the great holy places on the planet, a place of awakening. These fires on Maui seem to represent a harsh shift. A reminder to us all that the more we remain open, aware, and willing, even our sorrows and traumas can become points of transformation.
That which is above, be brought down.
That which is below, shall be lifted up.
The islands shall be united.
The walls shall stand upright!
Sending love to that special island and its people.
Maui no ka oi! Aloha nui loa!
Hear this Hawaiian prayer for strength chanted in its original language: https://soundcloud.com/kidnectedworld/oli-hooikaika
Recommended Books: Hawaiian (Anonymous)
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| The Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula | ||||
