Aloha e Ku‘u Māmā: A Dedication to Mother Earth
| ‘O ‘oe ka lani, e ho‘onani nei Nāu e ku‘u ‘ike, e kāko’o nei ‘O ‘oe ka lā, e ‘alohi nei, ‘O ‘oe ke ao, e ho‘omalu nei, ‘O ‘oe ka ua, e ho‘opulu nei, ‘O ‘oe ka mauna, e kilakila nei, ‘O ‘oe ka waolani, e wehi nei, ‘O ‘oe ke kahawai, e hānai nei, ‘O ‘oe ke kai, e ho‘ōla nei, |
You are the heaven, brilliantly present For you are my vision, sustained always You are the sun, radiantly present You are the cloud, protectively present You are the rain, drenching present You are the mountain, statuesquely present You are the forest, beautifully present You are the stream, presently nurturing You are the sea, presently living |
‘O Papahānaumoku ka wahine ola a he mana kona e kāu pono ai iā kākou i ko kākou ‘ala. Na Papahānaumoku i noho pū me Wakea a hanau nā moku o Hawaii nei. Ua koho ‘ia i ka mālama ‘ana i nā keiki he nui. Like ho’i i ko kākou māmā, he koho kāna e lilo i wahine mālama keiki. No laila, he kuleana ho‘i ko kākou e pili me ka ‘āina. Pehea kākou e ho’okō ai i kēia kuleana? E ‘ikepili kākou i ka honua a ho’opili ka ‘ike i ko kākou ola. Na ka lani i kāko’o i kou ‘ike, na ka lā i ‘imo’imo i kou aloha, na ke ao i pumehana i kou pili, na ka ua i ho‘opakele i kou kahu, na ka mauna i ho’oha’aha’a i kou ‘i‘ini, na ka waolani i kāhiko i kou alo, na ke kahawai i mālama i kou ola a na ke kai i kia’i i kou haku. Me kēia Aloha e ku’u Māmā e!
Papahānaumoku (Mother earth) is a woman with many gifts to rightfully share with us upon our path. Papahānaumoku sat with Wakea (sky father) and gave birth to the islands of Hawai‘i. It was her choice to care for her children. Very similar to our own mothers, they had a choice to become mothers of generations. Therefore, it is our responsibility to become one with the land. How do we carry on such responsibility? We seek to understand and become the life of the land. A relationship to the heavens that sustains your vision, the sun that shines your love, the clouds that warm your beloved, the rain that guides your guardian, the mountain that humbles your aspiration, the forest that adorns your image, the stream that nurtures your life and the sea that leads your dreams. With this, love always to My Mother!
A dedication to all mothers of past, present and future generations for you are the heavens, the sun, the clouds, the rain, the mountains, the forests, the streams and the sea that leads a life of dreams. I dedicate this piece especially to my mother, Charlene Leianueanue Ching.
Kumu Keala Ching
Kumu Keala Ching is a Hawaiian cultural educator, composer, song writer, and spiritual advisor to many Hawaiian organizations. He lives and breathes aloha into his Hawaiian heritage with his strong presence and great heart. Under the tutelage of Loea Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, Kumu Keala spent many years learning and building his knowledge. He is fluent in the Hawaiian language, which he uses as the foundation for teaching all of his students. Kumu Keala lives in Kailua-Kona, where he is Kumu Hula for Ka Pa Hula Na Wai Iwi Ola (the ancient waters of life) and co-founder and executive director of Na Wai Iwi Ola (NWIO) Foundation.
