Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 3, 1 March 2015 — Aunty Piʻo: Kupuna wisdom at its best [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aunty Piʻo: Kupuna wisdom at its best

Aloha e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, nā pulapua a Hāloa, mai Hawai'i a Ni'ihau, puni ke ao mālamama. In Fall 2014 nearly 200 haumana gathered at Kamakakūokalani. Fifth- to 12thgraders, from Hālau Kū Māna and Ke Kula Kaiapuni 'O 'Ānuenue collaborated with Nā Pua No'eau and the Living Life Source Foundation to highlight heahh careers in indigenous as well as western practice. Practitioners fromdifferent backgrounds, including lā'au

iapa au, iomiiomi, nutrition and medicine shared experiences, pathways and talk story sessions with these eager, "budding" students. The theme for the day, "Loa'a Ke Ola I Hālau-A-Ola," translated to mean that Life is obtained in the House of life." The guest presenter that day was a vibrant, talented, humhle and gracious elder of 85 years, Aunty Pi'olani Motta

"What is the House of Life?" she asked the haumana. "It is with our Family; the source of building, straw by straw, brick by brick and wood by wood. Family is the foundation that you build your life on. The values you bring to it strengthen all who add their meaning(s) to life. I will build my House for you and the Foundation of sharing two separate families in my structure of life ... be aware of what was put into my 'building blocks' of Life that helped build my House." In sharing her childhood stories, Aunty Pi'o believed haumana might live by, learn from and better grasp and appreciate the life of past generations. Her father was a musician in the Royal Hawaiian Band; her mother, a homemaker caring for her and her siblings. At age 3, she was taken as a "hānai," by friends of her parents who hadpreviously "hānai-ed" four boys. She says she was "blessed and spoiled but educated to the facts of life at an early

age." Her "hānai" parents felt ehildren should be seen and not heard. Aunty Pi'o says, "This taught me to be conscious of how I could be heard without using my voice." "My 'hānai' family was already 'building their own house,' " she noted. "I was fortunate to be part of an established 'home,' filled with love, kindness and understanding of everyone who lived in the 'home.' My 'hānai' father was a detective in the Honolulu Poliee Department, my 'hānai' mother (Lena Machado) was an

entertainer, eomposer, who found time to share her music with the children. Many times she sang us to sleep. Our home was always filled with visitors who shared the love of music and the talents of sharing their Hawaiian culture and lifestyle." "In my growing years, my 'hānai' family tooktripsto Kaua ' i for summer vacations; actual learning experiences showed me how other fami1ies

lived, worked and survived. We woke early in the morning to tend the lo'i patches. We cleared weeds that grew around the taro, made earth mounds around the taro root to keep it straight and firm in the ground. We also had to take out the crayfish that were found in the lo 'i so they could not eat the roots of the taro plant. They were eaten at dinner." Aunty Pi'o talked about the outbreak of World War II, Dec. 7, 1941, "Martial Law," how lifestyles changed and how education changed. "We were taught to be vocal, to speak up . . . this was a big change for me. But with life we must do what is needed to 'build'... home. You keep adding ... in helping to build a 'strong home' life." Aunty Pi'o, mahalo for your encouraging message and reminder to hold close to family values while challenging ourselves to live life with strength, vigor and determination. ■

Haunani Apnlinna, MSW TrustEE, At-largE

Aunty Pi'olani Motta. - Photo: Trustee Apoliona