He Lei He Aloha
No Nā Kūpuna
Performed: Hawai‘i Theatre, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
It has been a blessing for many of us to know, love, and be loved by our kūpuna…Be it our own grandparents, a family elder, a mentor, perhaps a teacher… From them, the knowledge of who we are and where we come from is solidified…Cultural and family traditions are learned, practiced and lived… And it is from these traditions that the importance of family bonds and connections are cemented…
We were fortunate growing up to have kūpuna, who were well-versed in and still lived a life of traditional values, remembered their language, their connection to and relationship with the land and the stories and histories that bind us—to our islands and each other…
This is our lei of affection in honor of the beloved ancestors, for they are the beautiful cherished flowers of this land. It is there in the enlightenment of the Kuikui tree, that new leaves sprout on native soil… The rootlets seek and nurture each other, firmly fixed in the native genetic thread… Love is there! Bound firmly to the connecting link…The pīlali (sap) clings to the kukui tree, to the customs acquired from the ancestors… And it is there in the peaceful life-giving waters, are our life’s foundation of accumulated understanding… This is the finery of our ancestors, appearing gloriously in the morning clouds… Here is our loving adornment for the beloved kūpuna, the beautiful cherished blossoms of this land.
