Synopsis: Doing what one believes to be right must operate independently of the consequences of that action.

Aloha mai nō kākou e nā hoa o Kauakūkalahale. No ‘oukou ku’u aloha ‘āina a aloha lāhui nō ho’i. He wā huliau nō paha kēia e ala ai kākou a e nānā ai ho’i i nā ‘ōuli e māhuahua nei ma ko kākou ‘āina aloha nei a puni. ‘A’ole mea na’auao nāna e hulikua. Aia ka pono i ke koho a ‘a’ohe koho pono ‘ole inā e koho ‘ia me ka mana’o’i’o.

Kāka’ikahi nō paha ka po’e ‘ike ‘ole i ka lono no ka leka a Kamana’opono Crabbe o ka ho’ouna ‘ana aku nei iā John Carey, ke kuhina nui o ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia. Aia ma loko o ua leka nei he nīnau iā Carey no ke kūlana o ko Hawai’i Pae ‘Āina, he moku’āina no ‘Amelika a i ‘ole he aupuni kū’oko’a. He nīnau ko’iko’i maoli nō kēia e nīnau aku ai, ‘oiai ua ka’awale loa ka hopena o kahi ha’ina mai ka hopena aku o kekahi.

Ma kahi ‘ao’ao, ho’i ka mana i o ‘Amelika e noho ai ma ke ‘ano he luna no kākou. Hele a he ‘oia’i’o kēia, aia ko kākou pono i ka ‘olu’olu mai o ha’i. Aia nō ke ola a ‘olu’olu mai ko kākou luna. ‘O ka ‘îlio ko kākou hoalike, e makilo ana nā maka palupalu i kona haku. Ma kekahi ‘ao’ao, aia ka mana iā kākou e ‘imi ai i ko kākou pono. ‘A’ohe mea nāna ko kākou lā pōloli e ho’ōla. ‘A’ohe mea nāna kākou e ho’opakele i ka ‘ino. Na kākou nō kākou e hana a’e.

‘O ka lō’ihi o ko kākou noho ‘ana ma lalo o ka malu o ‘Amelika, ua hele a ma’a i ia ‘ano a ua lilo ia ‘ano nohona he mea e ‘olu’olu ai ka na’au. Aia i laila ka mea ‘āpiki. ‘O ke kanaka piha mau o ka ‘ōpū, hana nui kona ho’okē ‘ana i ka ‘ai. Mali’a o lohe ‘ia mai ka nakulu ‘ana o ka ‘ōpū. He aha kona kumu e nahu ai i ka lima hānai? Ua ‘ono loa ka ‘ai. ‘A’ohe mea nāna ia kanaka e ho’ohalahala. No ka mea, ‘o ke ‘ano nō ia o kākou kānaka. He hana aku nō e like me ko kākou mana’o he pono. ‘O wai lā ka mea e mana’o nei ua hewa kona ‘ao’ao e kūpa’a nei?

Pēia nō ho’i ke ‘ano o ke kanaka e kū’ē’ē nei i ka lehulehu. Inā nō na ka pono ‘o ia e alaka’i, ‘a’ohe ‘eha e hō’ole ai ‘o ia i ia pono. Pēia nō paha ka hana a Kamana’opono. ‘A’ole paha ‘o ia i leka aku i ke kuhina nui iā Carey me ka mana’o ua hewa kāna hana. Na ka pono nō ‘o ia i koikoi. Inā he hewa, he hewa nō ia i ka mana’o o nā kānaka i kū ma kahi ‘ao’ao kū’ē. Wahi a ka po’e kahiko, hili hewa kahi mana’o lā ke ‘ole ke kūkākūkā. Ua kūkākūkā ‘ia kēia ma mua o ka ho’ouna ‘ia o ka leka? Koe aku ia.

Pehea lā ka ha’ina o ia mau nīnau, ua ‘ike ‘ia kahi hana akamai loa a ua ‘o Kamana’opono. Ma o kāna leka ‘o ia i ho’opau ai i ko kākou kuleana no ka hō’oia’i’o ‘ia o ko Hawai’i kūlana he aupuni kū’oko’a a i ‘ole he māhele wale nō no ‘Amelika. I ka hāpai ‘ia o kā ia ala nīnau, ua ho’oili akula ‘o ia i ia kuleana ma luna o ‘Amelika, na lākou ia e hō’oia’i’o i ka pono o ka ho’ohui ‘āina. He hana kū ‘ole ho’i ia i ke kānāwai o ka ‘aha ho’okolokolo o ke ao nei.

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E ho’ouna ‘ia mai na ā leka iā māua, ‘o ia ho’i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:

>> kwong@hawaii.edu

>> rsolis@hawaii.edu

a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:

>> 956-2627 (Laiana)

>> 956-2627 (Kekeha)

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.