Aloha Friday: Henry Opukaha'ia

Aloha, it's Friday! Today I want to tell you about Henry Opukaha'ia also known as Henry Obookia.  In case you're wondering how to say his last name, it's pronounced this way: oh-poo-kuh-huh-ee-ah)

Henry was born on the Big Island of Hawai'i, on the opposite side from our last story, in the 1790s. When he was about 10 years old, there was a war on the island. During this war, Henry's mother and father were killed in front of him. He strapped his baby brother to his back and escaped. But his brother was killed by another soldier's spear. Henry was then put under the care (some records say he was taken prisoner) of the soldier who killed his parents. Talk about an uncomfortable situation.

Well, that didn't last long because Henry discovered he had an uncle who was kahuna (priest/leader) at a nearby heiau (temple) and he was sent to live with him. On a visit to an aunt in a neighboring village, he witnessed said aunt's death when she was thrown off a cliff by a soldier for violating a kapu law. He escaped the solider and returned to his uncle's home. He says in his  memoir that that's when he began to dream of living somewhere else.

When he was 16, he boarded a merchant ship and spent the next few years sailing the Pacific. While onboard, he became friends with a Christian sailor, Russel Hubbard who taught Henry to read and write using the Bible.

In 1809, the ship landed in New York and was sold. Henry went to live with the Captain of the ship and continued to learn English. Now that he could read and write, he began to explore religion.

He said, "Hawai'i gods. They wood-burn. Me go home, put 'em in fire, burn 'em up. They no see, no hear, no anything. On a more profound note he added, We make them (idols). Our God-he make us."

In 1814, after traveling throughout Connecticut farming and studying, he began speaking publicly and worked on translating the Bible into Hawaiian. By 1815 he'd finished writing his book, "Memoirs of Henry Obookiah." And in 1817, he was among Hawaiian and American students training as missionaries to spread the gospel around the world and back home in Hawaii. One account of his life says that from the time Henry discovered Christianity he had a deep desire to take the truth back to his homeland so they could be liberated from kapu.

Unfortunately Henry died of typhus in 1818 but his life and his faith inspired 14 missionaries to take the gospel to Hawaii. His work at translating the Bible into Hawaiian was a terrific aid in printing primers and Bible stories in Hawiian.

The connection to last week's story? Those 14 missionaries sailed aboard the Thaddeus and landed on the Big Island in March of 1820, just six months after Kamehameha II abolished the kapu system.

Ancient Religion Abolished During Dinner

Aloha, it's Friday! Time for some Hawai'i history!

Shortly before the first Christian missionaries ever set foot on Hawai'i, the Hawaiian monarchy abolished its ancient religion in a bloody, historical battle.

Hawaiian religion is based on a system called "kapu" which means "forbidden." It was comprised of various laws and most violations were punished only by death. Hawaiians believed in stringent enforcement for even a single violation was needed because the gods would punish the whole community with natural disasters if they didn't strictly punish the violator. One of the kapu laws was that men and women could not eat together. In fact, it was kapu for women to eat bananas and coconuts just as men were forbidden to eat certain fish. The kapu system originated some time around 1300 and was isntituted by the ali'i. Ali'i means chiefly class. So in other words, the royalty of Hawai'i convinced the rest of the Hawaiians that they were sacred and that everyone had to follow the laws they instituted or the entire people would be punished by the gods. Gee, how many times have we heard that story?

King Kamehameha I (also known as Kamehameha the Great) conquered the islands and formed the Hawaiian nation in 1810. Some believe that he was the promised king, the one whose birth would be announced by a comet. (sound familiar?) History tells us that Halley's comet was visible in Hawai'i in 1758 and Hawaiian history says Kamehameha was born in November of that year. Although, some historians say he was born some twenty years earlier. But that's not the point. The point is, the Hawaiian people thought this was the great king who was going to unify the islands (he did) and establish a kindgom (he did), and so they had much respect for him and esteemed him greatly. That is why no one even though to suggest ending the kapu system while he was alive.

Captain Cook had arrived on the Big Island in 1778 unaware of the kapu laws and accidently violated many of them. When the island was not devastated by tsnumi, earthquake or other natural disaster, many Hawaiians figured out that the gods were not enforcing the kapu laws. Some historians even suggest that the Hawaiian people started to doubt the gods existed at all.  Fast forward some forty years....

In 1819, Kamehameha the Great died and very shortly after that, his favorite wife Ka'ahumanu and her "sister-wife" Keopuolani convinced King Kamehameha II (son of the Great and Keopuolani) to abolish kapu. Their suggestion was for him to eat publicly with them. And he did. So the message was sent throughout the land that kapu was hereby abolished. Not long after this famous dinner, Kamehameha II had the heiaus (temples) and idols demolished.

But, as with anything, there were those who were upset about the end of kapu. Kekuaokalani who was Kamehameha II's cousin and heir to the throne should Kamehameha die, objected strongly to the abolition. His cohorts encouraged himt o "seek the throne" or in other words, have the king assasinated.Though he refused to order an assasination, he started a battle.

The battle occured near Kailua-Kona when Kamehameha II's forces went to intercept Kekuao's forces. In battle, Kekuao was wounded. His wife ran out and fell at his side, begging for their lives to be spared. Instead, Kamehameha's forces executed both of them and kapu also died that day.

About four months later, the first Christian missionaries landed on Hawai'i. Now if that isn't a God-thing, I don't know what is.  I'll tell you more about these first missionaries next Friday.

Sadly, this historic site is in the middle of a resort area as you can tell from the photo.

Aloha Friday: Found the Famous Santa Photo!

Aloooooooooooha! It's Friday!

We were camping last Friday so I didn't post anything, but look what I found! The picture of Adam with Santa from my June 29 post.

Aloha Friday: The Story of Keli'i

In November 2004, we went to Kaua'i to celebrate Thanksgiving. Adam was barely seven-months-old at the time and this was his first plane ride and his first visit to Hawai'i.

Besides being a wondeful vacation, that trip holds wonderful memories and meaning. We spent the days doing what you do in Hawai'i: snorkel, visit the beach, admire the waterfalls, and swim in the pool. Adam wasn't too keen of the ocean. The fish swimming around our legs weren't exactly his cup of tea. He loved the sand though. And he looked so cute in his little aloha shirts.

He was just learning to walk on that trip. I know, seven-months-old and walking. He'd walk laps around the coffee table in our condo and waddle along the rattan sofa. And he had the most adorable t-shirt and shorts pajama set. I think I even saved it.

Since we were there over Thanksgiving, we spent one day watching the Christmas parade where Santa rides into Hawai'i. Of course, I cried. I mean are you surprised? It was a Christmas parade in Hawai'i? Hello? Total tear-jerker.

And Adam "met" Santa for the first time on that trip. I'll tell you what, I'm pretty sure that man WAS the REAL Santa. He was about 5'6" with a belly full of jelly and a real, fluffy white beard. And he was so jovial and kind. When we walked up to the photo area, he came over and said, "OK, here's how we're going to do this. I'm going to sit down. You're going to place him in my arms and back away. You're not going to say a thing. Just keep looking at him and she'll snap his picture before he even realizes I'm holding him. There won't be any tears or anything."

And what do you know? We followed his instructions and captured the most adorable first Santa picture in the world. I think one of us commented on this and he laughed (yes his belly shook) and said, "I've done it a million times." And somehow that didn't seem like an exaggeration.
(when I dig out Adam's memory box, I will post the picture)

But, Santa wasn't the only important person Adam met on that trip. There was also Mr. Figueroa. (I'm going to try not to cry while I type this)

We'd gone to a little greasy-spoon diner in Kapa'a for breakfast with my parents and I had the most delicious macadamia nut pancakes in the world. At the table behind us was a couple of middle-aged Hawaiian men having coffee. Adam was particularly jovial and charismatic that morning. (that means he was more interested in entertaining everyone than he was in eating) And for whatever reason he and the men behind him really hit it off.

Towards the end of our meal, the man wearing a dingy blue baseball cap introduced himself as Mr. Figueroa. Adam sat in his lap and we visited with this nice man for a little while. He shared bits and pieces of his life on Hawai'i and talked story with my dad.

Then he gave Adam back to us and said, "I'm going to tell you your Hawaiian name, Adam. You are called Keli'i."

I must have said something like "I thought his name was Atamu" because Mr. Figueroa smiled and said, "Keli'i means little chief. And that's what you are."

Scott, my parents and I all laughed when he said this. In just a few minutes, he'd figured out our little man. Our little chief.

Scott said to him, "Wow, you know him well!" And Mr. Figueroa just smiled and nodded.

Mahalo nui loa Mr. Figueroa for the memory. Adam is Keli'i of our hearts.

Freedom! Freedom!

Adam is eight and for the most part a normal boy. He loves legos, video games and baseball. He likes to build things, play in the dirt and go swimming. He's smart, relatively athletic and wildly funny. Yep, pretty typical.

Except that, until last Saturday, he didn't ride a bike. It's not that he didn't know how; he rides his green machine (big wheel) like a mad man. He just didn't want to ride a real, two-wheel bike.

Now, I'm an intense, Type A, milestone-checking-off kind of mom. And it has driven me absolutely insane that the boy refused to ride a bike. I tried everything I could think of to get him to ride: bribery, force, even mild and well-meaning ridicule. But still, he refused.

For his sixth birthday, we gave him a really cool black bike and matching helmet. He rode it with and without training wheels a couple times each then gave up after one fall. For his fifth birthday, we bought one of those tandem bikes. You know the kid-sized bike that you attach to the rear wheel of the adult-sized bike. He rode it once, crying and screaming the entire time. For his third birthday, we gave him one of those SmartCycle video games thinking he'd learn how to peddle and want to make the switch. For his second birthday, we gave him a big wheel. But still he wouldn't ride. When he bought the green machine at a rummage sale last year, I thought, "Okay, now he's going to ride a bike." Ya, I was wrong.

I talked about it with other mom friends, brainstorming about how I could get him to ride a bike. He didn't even want to talk about bike-riding much less do it. But I resolved this was one battle I would win.

So last Saturday, after breakfast, I announced we were getting the bikes out of storage and going for a ride. All of us including Grammy and Pops. Adam immediately freaks out.

Crying, whimpering, he blubbered "I can't ride a bike. I'm never going to ride a bike."

"That's fine, I didn't invite you on the bike ride," I said.

"I'm never going to ride a bike. Do you want me to die? I'll kill myself riding a bike," he persisted.

"It's okay, Adam. You weren't invited. You can stay home by yourself," I said calmly.

"Okay," he said, relieved.

"No, I mean, we all are going for a bike ride except you. So you can sit outside the locked house and wait for us," I corrected.

"Okaaaayyy," he whined.

About ten minutes later...

"Mom, I want to try and ride my bike. Will you invite me on the bike ride?"
"Sure Adam, no problem," I replied secretly smiling but knowing this battle was long from over. I envisioned getting the bike out, pleading with him to try it, begging him to stop crying. Then I would acquiesce and ask Scott to put training wheels back on the bike. The crying, pleading and begging would resume. Most of the day would be spent this way, interrupted by short rides on the bike with me running alongside like the mom in the Hallmark commercials. I was suddenly wishing I'd never opened my stupid mouth.

So, we got down the bikes. Adam looked at his bike and then at me and said, "I think I'll give it a try."

"Okay," I said trying to hide my skepticism. We were in my parents' motorhome garage. He'd only have a small area of flat smooth ground before having to pedal uphill and then onto a gravel road. Plus the seat was two years too low for him and the tires were flat. I had very, very little faith that this would be successful.

He threw a leg over, put his feet on the pedals and rode away. Yes, he rode away. On flat tires. Uphill. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I just stood there dumb-founded.

"I'm doing it!  I'm riding a bike!" His glee-filled cheers woke me from my stupor.

Scott and my parents were not witnessing the miracle with me.

"Did he really just get on and start riding?" one of them asked me. (I don't remember who, I was still in shock.)

"Yes, yes he did."

And so he spent the rest of the day riding his bike all over our yard, all over the neighborhood. And when he'd stop for a rest, he'd say (again and again) "I feel so free. It's like a burden is gone." He was even heard yelling, "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!"

That's when it occurred to me that riding a bike without training wheels is like the first time we let go of our worries and let God take over. It's like just trusting Him with everything and feeling so incredibly free, like the world has finally opened itself to us. That's some amazing freedom.

Oh, and on a side note, shortly after Adam discovered he could, actually, ride a bike, Gracey decided she needed to ride a bike too. Of course she did.

Aloha Friday: 10 Year Anniversary

Aloha! It's Friday!

This past February, Scott and I celebrated 10 years of marriage. The years have gone by so fast and have been filled with so many adventures. And yet, I remember that special day (02-02-02) and the 10-day honeymoon to Maui very, very well.



Old Lahaina Luau, Lahaina, Maui

The weeks leading up to our wedding were exciting. Beyond the wedding planning, bachelorette trip to Disneyland, and the stress of having to find a NEW wedding gown and dress for my mom just days before the wedding (that's another post for another time), my beloved Raiders were in the play-offs.

Superbowl was February 3 that year, the day after our wedding, the day we were leaving for Maui. My heart is pounding in my chest, just remembering the excitement and nervousness I felt. What was I going to do if the Raiders went to the Superbowl and I was stuck on a plane high above the ocean? I know you're laughing, but this was really a serious concern for me, and for Scott. I'd never missed a Raider game whether it was on TV or we were at the game, and now I might miss the biggest game of the year. So we made this plan: buy NFL Aloha shirts and drive as fast as possible to the nearest sports bar as soon as we landed in Maui.

But, then stupid Tom Brady, the referees and that ridiculous "tuck rule" booted my Raiders out of the AFC championship and I no longer had to worry about missing the biggest game of my life. (side note: the Raiders went to the Big Game in 2003, and my mom and I got to go!)

Anyway, back to the wedding and honeymoon. After our last dance to the "Hawaiian Wedding Song", we began our honeymoon. When we arrived at our condo the next afternoon, my heart fell. I'd stayed here before. In 1988 with my family. And while we were on that trip, my grandpa had died. It wasn't a memory I wanted ro relive on my honeymoon, but guess what? I did. A few days later, I got sick with bronchitis. And somewhere along there, our house in California sold and we would have to move out within 12 days of our return. My parents emailed us photos of houses they looked at for us and to view them, we went to the weirdo neighbors in the condo next door. They were an older couple, both professors of some sort, and both wore coke-bottle black-rimmed glasses. I don't think Mrs. Weirdo had bought a new outfit since 1965

But we had fun, too! We spent a night in Hana in this quaint bed-and-breakfast with floors made from coconut wood. The "town" itself was closed because of a funeral. That was so weird to us big-cty Californians. Now, having lived in North Dakota, it makes sense to us. Little towns are just that way whether on the prairie or on the islands. Then we did the unthinkable. We took our rental car and drove around the "forbidden" side of the island where the roads are really, really bad. Technically we violated our rental car agreement, but if you dont' tell, I won't either.

We did a lot of snorkeling and even snorkeled off Molokini, a volcanic crater just off the island. We swam with turtles and heard whales calling each other on that snorkel trip.

We went on these lava field hikes to snorkel along the under-water lava reefs and swim in the olivine pools.

 And we had side-by-side massages oceanside.



Oh, those were the days...

Avon, this is Ding-Dong calling!

Yes, that's pretty much how I feel today.

I dropped Adam off at school, then swung through the library drive through to drop off some books. At least one of them was overdue. The other ones I never got around to reading. About halfway home, I reached into my library bag to grab my card. My plan was to put it in my lap so I'd remember to take it into the house. I have some library searching to do and I like to request my items so they're ready for me when I go to the library.

I reach inside and what do you know, there's no library card. Not in the little wallet I keep in there. Not on the bottom of the bag. Just gone. So, I figure out that I must have returned it along with the books. Yes, that's what I must have done.

So I get home and call the library. The gal goes and looks in the bin. No card. She tells me she'll note my account and if it turns up they'll call me. Okay, fine, great. No problem.

Not even sixty seconds later, she calls. She's laughing.

She says, "Well, I went into your account to put the note in there, but there was already a note saying your card was left at the circulation desk on May 11."

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. Or at least a monkey.

So I gave a librarian a good laugh and even chuckled at myself.

The really funny thing? As I pulled into my driveway, this song came on the radio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nx5M1DPg6w