Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 36, Number 9, 1 September 2019 — Ho'omau i ka hana ho'oponopono [ARTICLE]

Ho'omau i ka hana ho'oponopono

By KaWaiolaStaff Aha Kāne, a foundation focusing on the heahh and vitality of Native Hawaiian men, has been leading a multiyear effort to revive the traditional practice of ho'oponopono. 'Aha Kāne selected nearly 200 people to participate in Kapahikaua, a program that is developing the next generation of Haku Ho'oponopono (lead instructors). The program is targeting four communities with strong Native Hawaiian populations: West Moloka'i, Wai'anae on O'ahu, Hāna on Maui, and Kekaha on Kaua'i. Kapahikaua is supported by a federal grant. The objective of the program is to promote the current four Haku (Lead Instructor) Practitioners to Loea (Distinguished Expert) Practitioners, whieh is a

higher level of readiness because of Loea Practitioners' ability to promote other individuals. Potential Alaka'i (Instructor) Practitioners will be promoted to Haku Practitioner. Some of the Haumāna (students) will also be promoted to Kāko'o (assistant) Practitioners, therefore increasing the number of pre-Haku potential candidates in three years. The Loea Practitioners will serve as an advisory board to the Haku Practitioner for the next three years. They will also retain the ability to promote practitioners to the next levels of readiness. In August the program held an 'aha, whieh included special awards for Lynette Paglinawan, a panel discussion of elders, and remarks by Earl Kawa'a. "Spirituality, Ke Akua, has to be central," Kawa'a said. "If it's not central, it's not ho'oponopono." ■