• Married on heiau unheard of • How can we forgive? • On hateful letters • Thanks for the comfort Married on heiau unheard of It should be made perfectly clear that the Hawaiian heiau or temple is not synonymous
• Married on heiau unheard of
• How can we forgive?
• On hateful letters
• Thanks for the comfort
Married on heiau unheard of
It should be made perfectly clear that the Hawaiian heiau or temple is not synonymous to the Judeo/Christian temple or church in regards to weddings. Each heiau was dedicated to a Hawaiian god or goddess for a specific reason. To be married on a heiau was simply unheard of; this would have been highly disrespectful and punishable by death in ancient times.
The larger stone floored heiau of the Luakini (war and human sacrifice type), Mapele (agricultural and economic type), and Hula heiau in ancient times were “kapu,” meaning sacred, respected and forbidden to the commoner. To disobey a kapu, or law, meant banishment or even death. These were the customs and religious practices of our ancestors which are still respected to this day.
Major heiau of these types were a place where mana — divine power — was channeled and used by the priests for the benefit of the ali‘i — chiefs — who in turn looked after the welfare of the people. Spiritually speaking, if one were to be married on a Hawaiian heiau, no good would come of the marriage as far as a blessing because of the kapu.
Just a friendly reminder to our wedding ministers, coordinators and malihini, or newcomers to the islands, please respect our native Hawaiian heiau and find alternative sites for your wedding vows. There are so many other picture-perfect places in the islands that will surely shine Hawaiian blessings on your special day.
Agnes Keaolani Marti-Kini
Anahola
How can we forgive?
An open letter to John Garibaldi of Hawai‘i Superferry and Hawai‘i state officials:
We, the undersigned residents of Kaua‘i, respectfully decline to participate in any of the reported “outreach” efforts of the Hawai‘i Superferry.
The law may or may not say that it is legal for the HSF to come to Kaua‘i. But even if the HSF can come to Nawiliwili, we Kaua‘i residents don’t have to either like or acquiesce to it.
We undersigned will not and cannot “put behind us” the disrespect and violation of our constitutional right to a safe and healthy environment, as both Honolulu newspapers have editorially suggested. It is, in fact, still in front of us.
The past and current actions of the state and the HSF are unacceptable. Our environmental, cultural, social and economic rights have been stripped (Act 2) as have our rights to local planning processes, which were also “exempted” (HRS § 266-2) by the state.
We will not meet with those who would willfully violate our rights just because they can, and ask us to forgive the self-same trespasses they continue to promulgate.
We the undersigned discourage visitors from taking advantage of the denial of our rights by coming here via the HSF. and we will use any and all legal means to discourage people from bringing their cars on the HSF, should the HSF and state decide to violate our rights to a clean, safe and healthy environment.
We the undersigned welcome our visitors who travel and stay in accordance with our current infrastructure capacity through our official planning processes and designated methods of accommodating the up-to-30,000 visitors who are here every day now.
Whether or not the HSF can conduct an EIS that “mitigates” the impacts of all those vehicles as well as secondary impacts across the island remains to be seen, as does their ability to comply with our county permitting regulation. Though these two “exemptions” appear to be legal according to some, we the undersigned will not respond to any “outreach” that does not start with compliance with those protections before the HSF comes to Kaua‘i.
In addition, we the undersigned call on the Kaua‘i County Council to declare HSF a public nuisance under state law (HRS § 46-17) due to the “dust, pollution, vibrations, noise and smoke” of up to 560 cars coming on and off the HSF as well as as many as 200 more picking up and dropping off passengers all converging upon the dock.
Andy Parks, Diana LaBedz, Gordon LaBedz, Rev. Jeffrey Charles Fishman, Laurel Brier, Juan Wilson, … an additional 194 Kaua‘i residents
On hateful letters
Over the Thanksgiving weekend I read some very hateful letters to the editor. These letters referred to our president and governor as “liars,” “cheaters,” “oil punk” and other derogatory terms. One letter writer suggested that both of them take a trip to Baghdad and walk through a market place unprotected. I presume the letter writer would be disappointed if either of them came out alive.
The frustration of these letter writers is obvious. They call for reinstating the draft, lifting the Cuban Embargo — which has been in effect for many years under many administrations — decriminalizing marijuana and impeaching the president. They are frustrated with the Democrats for not doing what they said they were going to do. They are frustrated with the Republicans for doing what they said they would do. They are frustrated with the military because the surge is working. They are frustrated with the police for enforcing the law. And most obvious they are frustrated with themselves in that they feel compelled to write such hateful letters.
Get a life.
Go out and do something positive to benefit the island. You will feel better for having done so.
Keith Smith
Koloa
Thanks for the comfort
Mahalo to the residents of Lawa‘i who came out and offered assistance and comfort to the two young men involved in the early morning accident this past Saturday. Your kindness was greatly appreciated as they waited for EMS and KPD to arrive. Mahalo nui loa.
L. Naumu
‘Ele‘ele
