History & Culture Archive Topic
Looking For Hawaiian Culture Topic
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Poster: Anna Email: refinedbyfire109@hotmail.com Subject: Looking for Hawaiian Culture topic |
Posted on 10/16/03 at 10:40am |
Aloha! My name is Anna, I live in Iowa, but I'm from Nebraska. I'm currently doing research for an English paper on Hawaiian Folklore. I now realize I need to narrow down to one story from hawaiian culture that affects the Hawaiian people past and present and the story behind it. If anyone can suggest a good one please E-mail me at refinedbyfire109@hotmail.com Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. My boyfriend, who is from Hawaii, hasn't been much help. I also find Hawaiian language and culture not only fasinating but refreshing.Anyone from Hawaii should be very proud of their beautiful culture. Mahalo, Anna in Iowa |
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Poster: Marjorie Scott Email: hmhf@lava.net Subject: Reply to Anna |
Posted on 10/27/03 at 8:18am |
Many Hawaiian folkways affect today's responses from Native Hawaiians, and kama‘aina (who are not Hawaiian but have lived here many years.) The best known may be the Legend of the Splintered Paddle. When King Kamehameha I was hit over the head with a frightened fisherman's paddle, which splintered on impact, the fisherman faced death; the fisherman did not know who Kamehameha was, and could have died for what he did, as commoners were forbidden to look at Royalty. To touch a royal person brought swift death. Instead, the King, realizing the poor fisherman was simply trying to protect his catch and that he himself appeared to the fisherman as a stranger coming on surfboard to steal the fish, did the best thing he could to stop this tall, strong warrior who showed up suddenly from the sea. Kamehameha issued a decree that from that moment on a powerful penalty would be on any person who harmed a stranger beside the road. The practice of inviting strangers to eat at one's table grew from that. "E komo mai ‘ai" (come to my table --liberally translated). Guests in a Hawaiian house are always offered food and drink. At a luau or other Hawaiian buffets, containers are available so that guests may take food remainders home with them. Other legends, some of which are still respected, are the "Night Marchers", and those found in "Folktales of Hawai‘i, collected and translated by Mary Kawena Pukui (see her biography in Hall of Fame bio pages) with Laura C.S. Green. Also, cultural practices, concepts and beliefs still held by many older Hawaiians, and in practice today, are detailed in books #1 and #2 of "Nana I Ke Kumu" (Look to the Source) by Pukui, E.W. Haertig, M.D., and Catherine A Lee. All books mentioned should be readily available from the Bishop Museum bookstore in Honolulu. Check their website. |
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