Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 4, 1 April 1990 — A lost 'treasure' [ARTICLE]

A lost 'treasure'

To the Editor: In the past few years it has become very fashionab!e to eall certain people "living treasures" in Hawai'i. Most of these people have been in the academic community. The average Hawaiian per son would not be considered for such an honor. The elders who know our past, who know the stories of old, where battles were fought, how things were done and how life was lived by our families of ancient times just do not exist to the people of the University or other intelligentsia. "Teddy" Mahi'ai would not be considered for a moment, yet we have lost one of the greatest resource people our Hawaiian nation had in his death in February. "Teddy" as he was lovingly called by those who knew him, was raised at Kamalo, Moloka'i, in the home of elders who had maintained the ancient ways. He was a follower or tag-along child when he was little and as he followed, he listened. As he listened, he learned. Many today do not believe there is a tube that goes from Kamalo through the island to the other side. "Teddy" knew where it was. People now say "There is no plaee called 'Hina's Cave,' that's just talk." Teddy knew where it was and had been there many times. Teddy walked the mountain passes, he visited and knew all the historic spots on the island of Moloka'i from farthest East to

farthest West. Now he is gone. Who now will share the knowledge? Who now will show the children? Our loss cannot be counted by any yardstick. We have lost our past. We have lost a part of ourse!ves. Teddy was young as years go. He was just 57. His father, "Buffalo" Mahi'ai lived to his 90s, his grandmother and great-grandmother lived to ages as old and older. His great-grandmother had heen taught all the genealogy chants and history chants of the island, and had lived through the entire monarchy period. Teddy listened and !earned. When he was in the U.S. Navy he would confound the men he served when he would tell them that the sweet potato eame from Hawai'i, that Hawai'i had a printing press before any other plaee west of the Mississippi; that postal service took only 30 days to eome to Hawai'i from New York under the Hawaiian flag, yet took as long as six months under the Uni ted States f!ag. That we had electrical lights and telephones before 1900 while mid-land America did not. He knew his history. He knew his Hawaiian home. He loved his Hawai'i. He loved Moloka'i. On a television documentary two years ago, Teddy stated "This Moloka'i, this is Kamalo, this is me." That sums it up. Kamalo, Moloka'i, and Hawai'i weep for our loss. Lele ki'eki'e, lele noa "Teddy." Fly high, fly free. Kauokokoula Willis