A Message From Our Executive Director, April 2018
Aloha mai kākou,
I was reflecting on what makes Hawaiʻi such a special place. Being born and raised here on Hawaiʻi Island, and having traveled to places on the mainland, I truly believe our values and the love of ʻohana make us special. Caring for our keiki (children) is everyone’s kuleana (responsibility). As a father, grandfather, and yes, great-grandfather, I can speak from my experiences raising keiki. One of the most important things we can pass along to our keiki is values. Of these values, I want to highlight the importance of respect. As a community, we need to respect our kūpuna, the ʻāina, and all that supports us. Families have to love each other and respect one another.
Part of this love and respect includes the kuleana of our parents, and our community as a whole, to care for our keiki. This includes focusing on keiki health by providing proper nutrition, time for physical activity, caring discipline, and overall a loving home. With that comes the responsibility of us adults to lead by example and guide our keiki in the right direction.
Thinking back to my childhood, I can share hundreds of stories about my father. He was a fisherman. I remember that we always had fish on the table, we always had something to eat. He taught us about the ocean and how it was one of our greatest resources. The ocean provided us with fish, opihi, and many other nutritious food. The ʻāina provided us with kalo and many other plants. We were well provided for by the land and the ocean. Psychologically, we felt cared for, comfortable, and secure. We still had concerns about education and income, but our most urgent need for food was provided in plenty.
Today, not all our families fish or grow our own food. That happens with changing times, but we are still responsible for our food choices and feeding our keiki nutritious food. It is so easy to go for fast food and to choose that ono burger or plate lunch with the mac salad. While everything is okay in moderation, we need to be mindful of what health habits we’re teaching our keiki.
Culturally, when we look at the concept of ahupuaʻa, we see the ʻāina providing from mountain to ocean. Each area is significant and provides in its own way. As a community, we should keep the ahupuaʻa in our minds as we instill a sense of respect and responsibility in our keiki. If we take care of each other, the ocean, and the ʻāina, we will overall be a healthier and happy people.
Mahalo nui loa,
Louis Hao
To read more health happenings, check out April’s Olakino newsletter at hmono.org/olakino.