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Dalai Lama promotes Hawaiian culture during visit

By Robert Shikina

POSTED:
LAST UPDATED: 03:10 p.m. HST, Apr 14, 2012


The Dalai Lama called Native Hawaiians "special brothers and sisters" to the Tibetan people and stressed the importance of indigenous people preserving their language and culture during a trip to the Bishop Museum on the second day of his Hawaii visit.

"I'm hearing your own stories," he said. "From that level, we are truly special brothers and sisters."

"In order to keep your culture alive, language is very essential," he said.

He also urged people to protect nature despite improvements in technology that make some believe they can control nature.

"Our survival depends on it, so respect nature," he said.

A chant and preschoolers singing a song in the Hawaiian language greeted the Dalai Lama when he arrived at the museum at about 9:10 a.m. 

Allison Gendreau, chairwoman of the Bishop Museum board, presented His Holiness with a lei made from the orange blossoms of the kou trees on the Bishop Museum grounds.

Nineteen children, ages three and four, from the Hawaiian immersion school Aha Punana Leo o Honolulu performed "Hele Au," a song about their school. 

The Dalai Lama put his palms together to greet the children and nodded his head with the music.

Flanked by his entourage, many in dark suits and one other in monk's robes, the Dalai Lama toured the museum.

"We feel like we're blessed to share our olelo (language) of our aina with him," said Alohilani Ho, director of the preschool. "We hope that we touched him just as much as we were touched to be able to meet him.

We feel that our keiki were blessed to have the opportunity to sing for him."

She added, "my heart was beating so fast."

Bishop Museum staff also presented the Dalai Lama with gifts of a mahiole, a traditional Hawaiian headgear worn by chiefs, and a kapa, made from bark from the trees at Bishop Museum.

The Dalai Lama put on the helmet, made of 'ie'ie vine rather than bird feathers, to some laughter and said, "although I visit, I think a few times, using this hat, first time."

"This is a sign you accept me as a Hawaiian."

Afterward, he visited Iolani Palace, where he was greeted by Kippen de Alba Chu, executive director of Iolani Palace, and Abigail Kawananakoa.





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Maneki_Neko wrote:
He wore a Hawaiian helmet for photographers? Wow. Obama wouldn't even wear an aloha shirt for the APEC photos.
on April 14,2012 | 01:04PM
news333 wrote:
I saw Dalai Lama in interview saying that Buddha said we can question and even reject some of his teachings. In was in in PBS Buddhist special a few years back. Christians should realize that their book states "Question even what the prophets say". Muslims should realize that their prophets were not blameless.
on April 14,2012 | 01:30PM
DiverDave wrote:
Hey Dalai! Polynesian isn't the only culture here in Hawaii.
on April 14,2012 | 01:50PM
8082062424 wrote:
your a sad jealous person
on April 14,2012 | 02:50PM
DiverDave wrote:
I say something untrue?
on April 14,2012 | 02:58PM
T_H_G wrote:
no, you said something dumb, DiverDaveTheDummy. Hes not speaking to 'polynesians' - hes not speaking to the haoles, chinese, japanese, koreans, filipinos, samoans, tongans, chuuks, or any other culture who have all migrated here. He is speaking to and about the indigenous Native Hawaiian people here in Hawaii.
on April 14,2012 | 03:18PM
DiverDave wrote:
He is meeting with the Polynesians. They are not indgenous to these Islands. (Goolgle: East Polynesia colonized faster and more recently than previously thought). They were only here at most 500 years at the time of contact, according to Terry Hunt, Professor of Anthropology at U of H Manoa. Europeans have been in North America that long. I guess that makes them indigenous too? They are most certainly polynesian. Ever been to the Merry Monarch Festival?
on April 14,2012 | 05:50PM
8082062424 wrote:
Dalai Lama promotes Hawaiian culture during visit. that about says it all. Native Hawaiians are the indigenous people to these islands. he all for preserving their language and culture, Just because you have no culture no need to be jealous and hate those who do. your just a sad jealous person
on April 14,2012 | 06:14PM
DiverDave wrote:
Did I say someone didn't have a culture? Oh it was you that said that. You show that you not only don't know me, but your biggotted views think that only Polynesians are somehow the "rightful culture" above all others. That would also be called "racist" Here is a news flash for ya: "WE ARE ALL NATIVES OF THE PLANET EARTH"..
on April 14,2012 | 06:38PM
8082062424 wrote:
Yup you have no culture. your empty inside. Your the one who seem to have a problem with the Dalai Lama reason for talking with native Hawaiians. the truth is you have a problem with any thing to do with native Hawaiians . Your post on anything to do with native Hawaiian proves that. So if any one a "racist it you. I'm native Hawaiian and im proud of who i am and those i came from. I do not think im better then any one. maybe you should take pride in who you are and those you came from. then you would not be a sad jealous person
on April 14,2012 | 07:11PM
Fred01 wrote:
Culture is an excuse for those who are pathetic.
on April 14,2012 | 07:26PM
LanaUlulani wrote:


Please show some respect for INDIGENOUS people.

They were and continue to BE stewards of the WORLD and OCEAN thus are A reason why you can CALL YOURSELF "DIVER." STOP BEING SO RUDE !


on April 14,2012 | 07:23PM
DiverDave wrote:
Oh please, all of you. The Dalai's trip was bought and paid for by a grant. He didn't come here on his own. He was paid to come here and talk to Polynesian-Hawaiians. Nothing short of a publicity stunt. Please do your research! Research and read before you speak and site sources! See Hilo's Tribune Herald today.
on April 14,2012 | 07:42PM
DiverDave wrote:
Hey Lana, stop with the personal attacks. How come only 1/3 of one percent of Hawaii's shoreline is dedicated to conservation? I'll tell you why. Because every time DLNR wants to make an area a conservation area, the parade of polynesian obstructionists stop it. Do you know how many mamo birds it took to make the Kamehameha cloaks? Over 80,000! That's why they are extinct today. You know why there are no seabirds on the Big Island? Polynesians ate all the chicks and the eggs Don't falsely claim the Polynesian-Hawaiin's to be INDIGENOUS, and don't brag about their great stewardship of nature. The facts say something different. We are all humans and natives of the planet earth. No one peoples is any better than any other. If you really believe that you are nothing short of a racist.
on April 14,2012 | 08:16PM
DiverDave wrote:
Hey Lana, they were such great stewards eh? What about the mamo bird. Each one of Kamehameha's cloaks took over 80,000 birds to make. They have been extinct since the 1800's. Why no seabirds on the Big Island? Polynesians ate there chicks and eggs. No one race is any better than another. You learn something different at home?
on April 14,2012 | 08:22PM
Fred01 wrote:
I like Lana. Dave, you are a dork.
on April 14,2012 | 08:42PM
LanaUlulani wrote:


NO ONE IS PERFECT. That is STATING THE OBVIOUS but you DISPARAGE and try to DISCREDIT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE yet they are SOME WHO HELPED TO PRESERVE the LAND, AIR, AND SEA SO THAT YOU CAN CALL YOURSELF "Diver."

You can make your point without SINGLING OUT AND TARGETING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR NATIONAL ORIGIN. Show some class !!!


on April 15,2012 | 09:29AM
copperwire9 wrote:
No. You said something snarky and unnecessary.
on April 15,2012 | 01:12AM
ejkorvette wrote:
Wow, There's plenty of Emotions and Opinions about Indigenous or Not. Has anyone of you that are in this Heated discussion about Indigenous or Not, stopped to Read what the Dali Lama is asking people of Hawaii to Focus on? Preservation of the Culture, Protect and Respect the Aina, and although not quoted as saying it, but I'm sure his message to all People in Hawaii would be along the lines of, Respect Each Other, Differences and Similarities. Learn to Accept, Understand, Grow, Love, and Share the Beautiful Hawaiian Islands and Culture with each other and all Visitors. Strive to become better Stewards of the Planet and of this Precious Life we have. Take Nothing for Yourself or For Granted. Erase the Hate and Increase the Peace. Are any of you willing to Live For That? If not, Then we are All Hollow as a Species of Humanity.
on April 14,2012 | 08:27PM
DiverDave wrote:
In my case it all about facts, not "emotion and opinions", ejkorvette. I am a realist not a liberal warmy feelie. If someone can't back what they say with fact, then they are just bloviating hot air.
on April 14,2012 | 08:34PM
ejkorvette wrote:
Where's your Aloha Spirit? You're too uptight. You use the word "Facts" so Flippantly. Be Humble when discussing what you may think is fact, you could be Way off the Mark.
on April 14,2012 | 11:15PM
LanaUlulani wrote:
"I'll tell you why. Because every time DLNR wants to make an area a conservation area, the parade of polynesian obstructionists stop it. Do you know how many mamo birds it took to make the Kamehameha cloaks? Over 80,000! That's why they are extinct today. You know why there are no seabirds on the Big Island? Polynesians ate all the chicks and the eggs Don't falsely claim the Polynesian-Hawaiin's to be INDIGENOUS, and don't brag about their great stewardship of nature. The facts say something different. We are all humans and natives of the planet earth. No one peoples is any better than any other.

That is your problem. What YOU call "Polynesian obstructionists" are the very people who are trying to STOP the STATE GOVERNMENT from FURTHER CONTROLLING THE LAND THUS THE PEOPLE.

Do NOT TAKE IT OUT ON HAWAIIANS. You are IGNORANT if you think that we do not know about the travesties of our OWN PEOPLE. ANYONE who knows about Kaʻū knows that some Hawaiians killed some of their OPPRESSIVE CHIEFS so DO NOT LECTURE US ABOUT WHO WE ARE.

The indigenous people of Hawai'i who are HAWAIIANS do not BRAG OR BOAST. THEY DO NOT EVEN BOTHER OTHER PEOPLE! Most whom I know want to be LEFT ALONE YET YOU DISPARAGE THEM and BLAME THEM.

DO NOT BLAME HAWAIIANS! Blame the STATE GOVERNMENT which is controlled by the DEMOCRAT REGIME IN HAWAI'I for ENCROACHING on the PEOPLE. This after they STEAL HARD-EARNED money from LOCAL PEOPLE in the form of increases in taxes and NEW TAXES.

DO NOT BLAME HAWAIIANS FOR THAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


on April 15,2012 | 10:07AM
Fred01 wrote:
Beautiful words.
on April 14,2012 | 08:39PM
DiverDave wrote:
Fred, I usually semi-agree with Lana, but not when she gets on her high horse and starts to claim Polynesian superiority.
on April 14,2012 | 08:51PM
LanaUlulani wrote:


It's not about people being better. That is what YOU see which says more about you than it does about indigenous people.

If you FAIRLY and reasonably look at who makes the laws... it is NOT the indigenous people of Hawai'i which are HAWAIIANS. Instead it is the Democrat Regime who control the House and Senate in Hawai'i since about 1963 thus have made the laws. Even with the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Who controls that? NOT Hawaiians! The DEMOCRAT REGIME IN HAWAI'I DOES SO DO NOT BLAME HAWAIIANS !!!

Thus my point because that is EXACTLY what you TRY to do.


on April 15,2012 | 09:57AM
ejkorvette wrote:
Wow, There's plenty of Emotions and Opinions about Indigenous or Not. Has anyone of you that are in this Heated discussion about Indigenous or Not, stopped to Read what the Dali Lama is asking people of Hawaii to Focus on? Preservation of the Culture, Protect and Respect the Aina, and although not quoted as saying it, but I'm sure his message to all People in Hawaii would be along the lines of, Respect Each Other, Differences and Similarities. Learn to Accept, Understand, Grow, Love, and Share the Beautiful Hawaiian Islands and Culture with each other and all Visitors. Strive to become better Stewards of the Planet and of this Precious Life we have. Take Nothing for Yourself or For Granted. Erase the Hate and Increase the Peace. Are any of you willing to Live For That? If not, Then we are All Hollow as a Species of Humanity.
on April 14,2012 | 08:41PM
ejkorvette wrote:
Wow, There's plenty of Emotions and Opinions about Indigenous or Not. Has anyone of you that are in this Heated discussion about Indigenous or Not, stopped to Read what the Dali Lama is asking people of Hawaii to Focus on? Preservation of the Culture, Protect and Respect the Aina, and although not quoted as saying it, but I'm sure his message to all People in Hawaii would be along the lines of, Respect Each Other, Differences and Similarities. Learn to Accept, Understand, Grow, Love, and Share the Beautiful Hawaiian Islands and Culture with each other and all Visitors. Strive to become better Stewards of the Planet and of this Precious Life we have. Take Nothing for Yourself or For Granted. Erase the Hate and Increase the Peace. Are any of you willing to Live For That? If not, Then we are All Hollow as a Species of Humanity.
on April 14,2012 | 08:41PM
Anonymous wrote:
Wow, There's plenty of Emotions and Opinions about Indigenous or Not. Has anyone of you that are in this Heated discussion about Indigenous or Not, stopped to Read what the Dali Lama is asking people of Hawaii to Focus on? Preservation of the Culture, Protect and Respect the Aina, and although not quoted as saying it, but I'm sure his message to all People in Hawaii would be along the lines of, Respect Each Other, Differences and Similarities. Learn to Accept, Understand, Grow, Love, and Share the Beautiful Hawaiian Islands and Culture with each other and all Visitors. Strive to become better Stewards of the Planet and of this Precious Life we have. Take Nothing for Yourself or For Granted. Erase the Hate and Increase the Peace. Are any of you willing to Live For That? If not, Then we are All Hollow as a Species of Humanity.
on April 14,2012 | 08:42PM
DiverDave wrote:
LOL, your cred is shot. Multiple sign ins, eh?
on April 14,2012 | 08:48PM
Fred01 wrote:
Good point. Another troll like us!
on April 14,2012 | 09:03PM
ejkorvette wrote:
As for "Multiple sign ins", Chill out o.k. I am sending my comments from Kabul, Afghanistan. I'll be back on Island soon enough, so if you want to meet up for a cold one and talk about Facts in the world, let me know.
on April 14,2012 | 11:20PM
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