I’m just wondering who you all would hold up as shining examples of the aloha spirit- what did they do, how did they affect the lives around them?
I teach middle school art and I do a unit on Polynesia/Hawaii and want to feature some people as examples of aloha.
Not necessarily surfers…
Duke, John Kelly, George Greenough.
Giving more than they took.
Add Buffalo, and Rabbit Kekai, to that list. Peter Cole also.
Or you could just go through Kimo Hollinger’s TSJ articles and find some aloha.
Rell Sunn?
Oneula for sure!
Closer to home; Melville, ResinHead, LeeV, Mellor. Givers all the way.
Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop gave everything she had to educate the children of Hawaii. Her legacy lives on through many generations of Hawaiians, who’ve been lucky enough to attend the Kamehameha Schools.
When I was growing up I heard many of my father’s friends say that he would give the shirt off his back to someone in need. That’s how Oneula and I were brought up. To give more than you take.
I’ve heard the same about Tiger Espere, Eddie Aikau, Rell Sunn, and a few others who are no longer with us. David Nuuhiwa showed us a lot of Aloha when we met him at Hunnington Beach in 1980. He was so nice to us and invited us to join him at outings.
Woody Brown, George Downing and all those old guys are full of aloha. They share their knowledge of the ocean to help you.
you should check out the new Woody Brown documentary…
mo hawaiian dan mos hawaiians
if you don’t have it let me know…
there’s a book on this subject if you want me to send it…
It has quotations from a bunch of kupuna on what aloha spirit is…
There was an article in the paper the other day that those that give have a happier life and live longer than those that take or don’t… Maybe that’s the secret… I’m sure Woody would’ve agreed if he was still around
Rell Sun
here’s one of the books out on it lately, i have an autographed version I think my brother can get you one too.
Brother Noland is married to my sister’s best friend… I think it has the kind of man on the street simple stories of aloha you’re looking for. The legend stuff although inspirational is sometimes too far removed from the crowd you’re trying to reach. I think the point you’re trying to get across is that it really don’t take alot just look at the guys Tim mentioned they’re just good folk that’s all nothing heroic just simple kindness and fairness…
http://starbulletin.com/print/?fr=/2005/08/21/features/story2.html
there’s also some thing called “A Little Book of Aloha - the spirit of healing” I may have sent that to you in a goodie bag but I think I might have an extra copy lying around if you don’t have one…
Another Oneula Storytime…
there’s a story Wright Bowman (A famous hawaiian woodsmith) used to tell us over and over again in 7th grade drafting class in the 60’s at Kamehameha. It was about a friend of his who was a penniless old man caretaker at one of the state parks on the neighbor islands. Anyway the caretaker came across a scrubby looking visitor who was having difficulty setting up camp in his park. The care taker took the visitor under his wing, fed him and showed him around the park how to fish and pick vegetation to eat. When the visitor left he said that it was the best vacation he had ever had and thanked the old man for his aloha. After the haouli visitor left the old caretaker received noticed that visitor was returning to make Hawaii a permanent vacation home and that the returning visitor would take care of the old hawaiian for the rest of his life eventhough the caretaker never did change his living off the land lifestyle… Turns out the haouli visitor was someone named Charles Lindberg a person the old man had never heard of…
The purpose of Mr. Bowman’s story was that one must never judge things by first looks or opinions and that staying the course of aloha as in sharing of what you have and what you know will in the end provide it’s own rewards in its own due time… It was also about that people who expect and want alot often die wanting alot more out of life than they’ll get while those that have little expectations on what they’ll receive usually leave this earth much more satisfied with the time they’ve been allowed to experience and share some of it…
Auntie Rell, Oneula, Benny1, Herb, Tim (surf4fins), Stingray, Mark Scott, Rachel.
all very giving of themselves. positive attitudes. very generous. genuinely good people.
many more on Sways. if you take the time to sift through the other garbage.
EDIT: oops, sorry llilibel03 i didn’t read the original Q. not all mine are Hawaiian. i’ll leave my
comments up though.
here's one of the books out on it lately, i have an autographed version I think my brother can get you one too.Brother Noland is married to my sister’s best friend… I think it has the kind of man on the street simple stories of aloha you’re looking for. The legend stuff although inspirational is sometimes too far removed from the crowd you’re trying to reach. I think the point you’re trying to get across is that it really don’t take alot just look at the guys Tim mentioned they’re just good folk that’s all nothing heroic just simple kindness and fairness…
Quote:Thanks Onuela, that’s kind of what I was looking for. I remember the guy who won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for “Schindler’s List.” In his speech he said that he learned from his father about “simple human decency.” Yeah, if people could just find that it would be a great guide for doing the right thing…
{ " Rell Sunn? " }
One of my favorite surfing pictures of all time from an old longboarding magazine…
Howzit oneula, Is that the woody Brown documentary that was on PBS a couple of months ago? I watched it and he is so awesome and full of Aloha. Loved the parts about being reunited with his children from before moving to Hawaii, brought tears to my eyes. 90 years plus and still going strong.Aloha,Kokua
Seems to me there are two things going on here.
One is “Aloha Spirit” which I casually define as open friendliness.
Two is “kokua” which (to keep it short) I define as giving all you can, without expectation of reward, because you have what another person needs, and it’s the right thing to help someone in need.
But who asked the haole?
Charlie
you, kokua and ambrose among others have got more hawaiian spirit in your soul than half the mean spirited blalahs I hang around with.
Like Kenny Brown says in Noland’s book, “Inside every one of us is a Hawaiian”
Kokua
yes that’s the show I picked it up at Borders and it’s a very heartfelt story about the core of surfing. From what I can tell there was no purer soul in the water than Woody Brown.
I’m sure a alot of people here have seen “surfing for Life”.
There’s some great scenes and interviews with Woody Brown and others.
Memorable scenes of Woody helping other folks out in a nursing home, John Kelly surfing, Doc Ball (age 90) skateboarding.
Very moving, very inspirational.
That is something to be treasured, venerated and emulated.
Steve
Howzit oneula, Thank you for the compliment it and I think I can speak for Ambrose that he appreciates it also. I think that since both of us are long time residents that came to Hawaii when things were different makes a difference. WE were more open to learning the hawaiian ways than a lot of newcomers are today. We didn’t arrive with loads of money in our pockets to buy land or homes, we came to enjoy and embrace the waves and ways of Hawaii. I was taken in by a hawaiian family and taught Hawaiiana ( some I think should be a requirment for people moving here). It always amazes me how much we are different than most people from the mainland. We believe in extended family and open friendlyness plus the Aloha spirit, hard to find on mainland but there it does exist there in small pockets. My brother is the perfect example of no aloha and when he says things like dumb Hawaiian I jump right down his throut and tell him that hawaiians are one of the smartest people on earth and if he can’t say nice things about the people I live amongst then don’t say anything, but then again he’s a racest and a^h#^ to begin with. Aloha,Kokua
Re: honolulu, You got it right about the meaning of Kokua and since I practice it I named my company after it. I get so much enjoyment out of seeing people faces when I give and don’t expect anything in return. On the other hand be proud of who you are be it haole or what ever, this was taught me by my Hawaiian family. Being Haole doesn’t mean you can’t do things the Hawaiian way, infact you will be a better person for doing it. Live Aloha, practice Aloha and embrace Aloha.Aloha,Kokua
thanks Oneula, Kokua, your appreciation is the the best thing that has come to me from Sway’s in a while.
But I should probably be making more boards too. And going out more often. But it’s flat and windy here in town. Oughta start the paddleboard project, as if I have time to use it. Well, just make time, right?