In this first story we look at teaching from a Hawaiian worldview, one that emphasizes that your actions reflect everyone, not just yourself.
A‘o aku, a‘o mai
The first mo‘olelo is a story told by a kumu at KS Hawai‘i. This story illustrates the Hawaiian worldview of A‘o aku, a‘o mai.
My daughter is 2 years old. She attends the Pünana Leo o Hilo – Hi‘i Pëpë, a Hawaiian language day care facility for children who are 6 weeks in age up to 3 years old. She speaks and understands Hawaiian. It is her first language. Every morning before I kiss her goodbye, I say to her, “Ho‘olohe i nä kumu, mälama i nä hoa aloha, ho‘opa‘a i ka ha‘awina. Lanakila ‘oe, lanakila käkou! Pïholo ‘oe, pïholo käkou.” (Listen to your teachers. Take care of your friends. Study your lesson. When you succeed, we all succeed! When you do bad, we all do bad.) She answers me every morning with “‘Ae, Mämä.” (Yes, mom.) We kiss goodbye and we go about our day. It is her kuleana to learn from and take care of her kumu and peers. Her ‘ohana at school, like our ‘ohana at home, depends on and needs each other. Our success as individuals means success for the ‘ohana.
It is important to be reminded clearly of what is expected of us:
• Ho‘olohe i nä kumu – implies trust in the kumu and one’s kuleana to be a good student
• Mälama i nä hoa aloha – one’s kuleana to care for those around one
• Ho‘opa‘a i ka ha‘awina – one’s kuleana to learn
• Lanakila ‘oe, lanakila käkou – one’s kuleana to the group (family, race)
• Pïholo ‘oe, pïholo käkou – one’s actions, good or bad, affects all of the ‘ohana