Oli Ho'ola
New words honor an ancient tradition in Hawaiian cultural practice
by Karen Valentine
All aspects of nature
were, and are, revered by Hawaiians. Perhaps no form receives such attention
as water. In its many forms, water has been honored in chants (oli)
and songs (mele). The Hawaiian language contains countless words for
rain and clouds. Each manifestation has its own term - one for each
variation of cloud form, one for each form of mist and each kind of
rain, such as rain that splatters, rain that falls gently, rain that
pours in sheets, chilly rain, slanted rain, fine wind-blown rain, rainbow-hued
rain, and the rain that falls on all the various locations in the islands.
Beyond physical description, the term water is also used for concepts
such as wealth, life, emotions, and as a carrier of wisdom from one
generation to the next. "Wai ola," for example, meaning the
water of life, is a term often used for this kind of knowledge or teaching.
The accompanying chant, written this year by Kumu Keala Ching, follows
the life cycle of water in its variable forms: clouds, rain, springs,
and ocean. It recognizes the life-giving, cleansing and perpetuating
nature of water. The chant is designed to be used in ceremonies of cleansing
and healing. As you read the translation and interpretation below, notice
the cyclical nature of water, from a cloud above the mountain, falling
as rain, entering the streams, flowing to the sea, and rising again
to repeat the cycle. Notice, too, the reverence expressed for water,
evidenced in its association with major deities recognized by Hawaiians.
The author, Keala Ching, is a Hawaiian language teacher, a teacher of
hula and of ho'oponopono. Originally from O'ahu, where he studied with
Kumu Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewitt, he now lives in North Kona and teaches
at the Hawaiian immersion school in Kealakekua, as well as several other
locations. He has recently established a foundation, Na Wai Iwi Ola,
for the purpose of educating young children, adults and kupuna in Hawaiian
culture. During class outings, he often takes students to visit the
waters in different areas of the island. Within the name of the foundation,
says Ching, lies his purpose of telling the children that there are
springs that are no longer here (water diverted for other purposes)
and that could be brought back. Hidden within the same phrase are the
springs of knowledge of the ancestors - knowledge that he also wishes
to bring back.
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