Column: He wahi haawina e ao ai mai ka aina o Ewa

Synopsis: The Hawaiian proverb, “Be silent lest a wind arise,” serves as a good lesson for us today in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as fishermen had to silence their voices to obtain their fish, we today need to perform a different kind of “silencing.”

By wearing our masks and keeping a 6-foot distance from others, we can continue to make progress against this illness — lest a wind arise and the spread continues.

“E hamau o makani mai auanei” (ON #274). He olelo kaulana keia ma ko’u aina hanau ma Ewa, a he moolelo kona e pili ana i ka i-a i kapaia o ka i-a hamau leo, oia hoi ka pipi me ka momi i loko, a o Puuloa (he inoa kahiko no Pearl Harbor) kahi i loaa ai lakou. E oluolu paha oukou e na makamaka heluhelu o Kauakukalahale nei e ae mai ia’u i kauwahi iniha kolamu e wehewehe aku ai i ia olelo a kupuna ma a me kona pilina ia kakou i keia wa.

I ka wa kahiko, e ulu ana ua mau i-a la makai aku o ka ili aina o Paauau. Aia ia ili aina ma ka aoao Hema o ke ahupuaa o Manana, a oia kahi i kapaia o “Pearl City Peninsula” i keia mau la. Oiai, ke puka mau nei no ka hua olelo o “Pearl” io a ianei ma na inoa wahi ma Ewa nei, aohe wahi pupu o ka ikeia ana mai i keia au, aloha no. Mahalo nui ia anake Sarah Nakoa i kona kakau moolelo ana e pili ana i keia i-a momona e ulu ana i ka papapaua, ame ka wehewehe ana i ke ano o kona lawaia ana. Ke holoholo na kanaka e ohi i ua mau i-a la, aole e olelo iki ia kekahi olelo, he pono no ka hamau ana o ka leo a me ka holo malie ana. I nui ae ke kani, loheia no e ka pepeiao o ka i-a, o ka upoi ino iho no ia o na aoao elua o kona home a paa loa, a aole e hiki ke wae pono i ka i-a me ka io nui o loko. Pela e pakele ai ke ola.

No ia hoolohe ana o ka i-a, ua oleloia e kupuna ma, he pepeiao ko ka i-a, a ke loheia no ka kanaka makemake e kii mai, e haalele no ua i-a nei a pee aku paha, a lilo ia i hana nui. O ke kanikani ana o kanaka, oia no ka mea e aleale ai a olepolepo hoi ke kai a he paakiki ka ike ana i ia mau i-a ma ka papapaua. Nolaila, oia ke kumu o ka hamau ana o ka leo, oia hoi, o makani mai auanaei a aole e loaa ka hopena e manaolanaia, pau ka pono o ka hana.

E na makamaka heluhelu, he haawina maikai keia no kakou i keia wa o ka ma’i Covid-19. Aka, okoa iki ke ano o ko kakou “hamau” ana, oia hoi ke komo ana i ka pale maka. Ma o ke komo ana i ka pale maka, hoomaluhia kakou i na hoa kanaka o kakou a pakele i ia ma’i. I komo ole kakou i ka pale maka, oia no paha ka wa e pa mai ai ka makani a halihali aku i ka ma’i mai o a o o ko kakou mau mokupuni nei a pilikia maoli ai no kakou. Oiai, ke emi mai nei ka huina helu o ka poe i loaa i ka ma’i i keia manawa, he pono ka malamaia ana o ka pale maka, a pela pu me ka hookaawale ana aku o kekahi kanaka he eono kapuai mai kekahi kanaka aku. Aole lawa ka hou ia ana i ka laau pale Covid. E like me ka olelo a kupuna ma, “E hamau o makani mai auanei,” e komo i ka pale maka o mau mai no ka laha ana aku o ka ma’i mai o a o o Hawaii nei.

E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ä leka iä mäua, ‘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:

>> 808-956-2627 (Laiana)

>> 808-956-2627 (Kekeha)

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