Who Am I?
In learning about the cover of this issue and of a feature article, I decided to submit one of my “paniolo” poems that is quite personal for me.
I am indeed humbled by the upbringing my siblings and I received. We had a simple life, not one that was filled with tons of material things, rather one that was filled with a gift that seems quite rare now-a-days…time.
We had a mom who was home when we got home from school—each and every day.
We had a dad who took us to work with him every holiday, summer, and as much in between as possible. We even tried to make our own holidays just to go to work on the Ranch with him.
We had family “trail rides” every summer, year after year, that took us across each of the mountains on this island, except for Kohala.
Time to make memories that is proving to last a lifetime, and then some.
The paniolo lifestyle is still alive and well in our ‘ohana, as well as others, where we continue to pass on values rooted in a sense of aloha and ‘ohana.
It is a hard lifestyle, don’t get me wrong, it is the school of hard knocks—sometimes literally. This “old school” way has truly become something I treasure in my life.
I share with you a poem entitled, Who am I?
Who am I?
I ask myself and I ponder…
I am of a grandfather whose weathered hands guide me always, and of a soft spoken grandmother.
Who am I?
I am a product of a Hawaiian paniolo and a gentle horse loving woman.
Who am I?
I am of famous hills and Mountains. Pu‘u Anahulu and Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a on Hualālai, of Kapapala on Mauna Loa, of Makahalau and Pu‘u ‘Io on Mauna Kea, of Pu‘uki, and Hoku‘ula on Kohala.
Who am I?
I am of mouth-watering smoke meat from a pig that I helped Dad tie, that rode on the back of the truck home with us, that I held its feet as Dad carefully skinned it, that I watched him stir as the meat soaked, that I helped him hang in our smoke house, and then later removed, that I so happily smelled as Mom fried it up for dinner.
Yes, smoked meat—that thinking about it—brings a smile to my face. Grateful for the food of this land that sustains me.
Who am I?
I am of Parker Ranch Christmas parties where I marveled at the Christmas tree, that I swore was the tallest and biggest in the whole wide world.
Of camping trips to “our” ‘Anaeho‘omalu where I watched my brother learn how to swim, throw net, and holoholo.
Who am I?
I am of “play days” at Pukalani Stables where chasing the greased pig and running our horses in the wind was the greatest thrill of our lives. Instilled in me is a sense of appreciation, of hard work, and tons of great memories from my childhood that I would never trade for anything in the world.
Who am I?
I am a product of cowboy pay that afforded me an opportunity to acquire not one, but two college degrees.
I am of chilled morning sunrises as we catch our horses on branding day that makes me feel completely alive.
Who am I?
I am the granddaughter and daughter of hardworking paniolo who are examples to me of living a good simple life. To appreciate all that we have, the many gifts that only the heavens (Akua) can bestow.
I am of hooves that clang on the road as we make our way through a parade wrapped tightly in our pā‘ū.
I am of a humble abode whose walls now hear the voices of another generation.
I am of hard honest work, of being productive, and accepting responsibility of and for myself, my children, my ‘ohana, my community and to my home—Hawai‘i.
Who am I?
I am of a Paniolo legacy. Paniolo mau….mau a mau!
Contact writer Ku‘ulei Keakealani
