Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 5, 1 May 1997 — Unity Prayer [ARTICLE]

Unity Prayer

by Reverends Abraham Akaka and William Kaina O Spirit of our living God, mahalo for your great gifts of life and land, of ola and 'āina, to all your aboriginal children and their descendants. As we eome together to keep vigil with you and with one another — as kanaka maoli, as OHA, as 'Ohana Hawai'i aloha — hear our kāhea and prayer for your guidance and help in protecting, preserving and perpetuating the life and the land you have provided. Over these past two hundred years, native Hawaiians have welcomed with aloha our 'ohana from other lands. But now we are pushed to the pali of landlessness in the beautiful islands you gave to kupuna and hanauna hiwahiwa in the beginning. We do not ask for return of all lands, only for protection of what rightfully remains ours. Guide and shepherd, o Lord, our beloved state Legislators and po'e Hawai'i to be honorable, faithful and trustworthy in upholding written and verbal agreements, promises and contracts, enactments of past legislatures that are laws of the state of Hawai'i. Your po'e Hawai'i whom you have placed in these beautiful islands of Hawai'i from long ago are hurting and are in dire need of the resources of the 'āina vou have entrusted

to us for the improvement of our condition, and so that we ean onee again restore the 'iwi and the fabric of aloha ke Akua back into our people and permeate our Hawai'i

nei with your aloha. We know, o God, that we too must make pono our relationship with eaeh other and with you. Show and teach us eaeh day how to be caring, loving, forgiving and faithful. Help us to ho'oponopono I ourselves in families, in 'ahahui, in eommunities. Help us to keep our lives as pono and loving with you, o God, so that there will be little or no hindrance to the | flow of your divine mana and blessings 1 unto all your people. Receive, o God, our sincere aloha and f| thanksgiving for hearing and accepting | our humble petitions and prayers offered 1 to you in this written prayer as well as all il the heartfelt prayers offered up to you in ri this humble gathering. No ka mea, nou ke aupuni, a me ka mana, a me ka ho'onani 'ia a mau loa aku. Amene.

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Hawaiian royal societies iead the march from Kawaiaha'o Church to the Kamehameha Statue, then to the State Capitol for the 24-hour prayer vigil,

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Ho'okupu were presented at the statue of King Kamehameha. Photosby DeborahWard