Kanenuiakea and Kaananiau

   This past weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to listen to a presentation on the spiritual tradition of Kanenuiakea at the Oahu Holistic & Metaphysical Expo. The presentation was so truthful, so direct and honest, so powerfully filled with Mana (powerful life force energy). I found myself entranced by the level of truth that was spoken, never have I seen or heard anyone in my life speak about things that I personally believe in so openly and what astounded me most was that this belief system came from within my own aina (homeland), my own people. Beliefs and ideas of interconnection I had actually thought I was an anomaly in accepting was believed, lived and perpetuated by these presenters, the men of Marae Haa Koa. It was almost like this unprecedented homecoming type of experience that really held me in this state of awe and fierce pride in connection. I've never felt so in alignment with any other belief system as this one, it was if and is that I have simply been remembering what has all along been a part of my true essence.
  The presentation wove together the stories and histories of faraway places with those native to Hawaii, finding similarities and connections in traditions and linguistics that point to a web of interconnection so obvious and profound, it blends what might at first seem as very different viewpoints but what can be pointed out as in fact various puzzle pieces of the same whole. If just noticed and connected, an ultimate truth would be revealed by simply widening your perspective lens.  I was so moved by the level of ike (knowledge) shared, it is hard to express.
   Presenters were Christopher Oliveira and Glen Kila, who reestablished the organization Koa Ike. Koa Ike is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve the values, beliefs, traditions and history of our aboriginal Hawaiian culture, and perpetuate this wisdom through educating the community and cross-cultural sharing with other faiths and peoples from around the world. Their mission is brought to life by Marae Haa Koa, their learning center, which provides educational classes, field trips, workshops, researches and preserves genealogical data and actively works to preserve and restore sacred cultural sites as well as maintaining the health of our aina.
   Below I will try my best to summarize the presentation but do note that there was so much information, my note-taking could barely keep up. I highly recommend reaching out to Marae Haa Koa if you feel as strongly as I do about their belief system and values and proactive approach to maintaining a solid spiritual connection to Kane (God).

• Kanenuiakea (the 400,000 elements of God) is our pro-creator, maker of heaven and earth. The major God in Hawaiian culture, Kane is known by many names, has many aspects, but refers to the one God in God's many forms.
• Kaananiau, meaning "managing the rolling beauty of time", a philosophy inspired by long sea voyages in which one must immerse in cultural values including Aloha (loving connection), Kuleana (responsibility), Lokahi (unity), etc in order for the trip to be both harmonious and successful. Marae Haa Koa puts forth this philosophy to ignite healing on all levels, bringing us as one unified people back to our roots and our ancestral connection to the earth, the heavens, and all of creation.
• "Kaa" meaning to roll, cyclic (feminine aspect) or manage (masculine aspect). "Nani" meaning the beauty and splendor of the Lani (Heavens; notice linguistic hint). "Au" meaning channel (of the Universe to experience), "I", one process, one thing, infinity, infinite time.
• We are to recognize that we are in a cyclic nature of time. Hawaiians, among many other aboriginal cultures hold time on all levels including measurement by the sun, the moon (28 day cycles), the seasons...unconfined by mechanical time.
• Hawaiian spiritual traditions all founded in nature- ex: ancient tradition where woman and men would sleep in separate structures. Females would sleep in the house on the left, towards the West (where our mother moon rises), while the males would sleep in the house on the right, facing the East (towards the rising of the masculine sun).
• In ancient Hawaii, women were not allowed to cook, not because they were lesser, but because they were the bringers of life. A vessel of life should not deal with dead bodies. Also not allowed to eat the Pololu banana, which was found to result in defective births.
• Aloha: "A" meaning the beginning, creating space. "Lo" refers to the frontal lobe (notice linguistic hint; also interesting to mention this is the area where the "seat of the soul" is said to reside). "Ha" meaning breath of life.
• Aloha can be translated to the recognition of God in another that is also in me (very similar to "Namaste")
• Lokahi: "Lo" referencing the frontal lobe. "Kahi" meaning one, which is why we mean it to mean Unity.
• Honi: literally "to kiss", practiced by looking another in the eyes, meeting forehead to forehead, and breathing in the person's Ha (breath) so you are not disconnected, you are one experience.
• Manamanalima: literal definition is fingers. "Mana" meaning life force, power. "Lima" meaning hand. "Manamana" refers to the space between the fingers. I stress, the space between that gives forth Mana. (Interesting concept that I had not connected until this presentation, I have been and currently am practicing the tradition of blessing/charging water with your hand above the water, fingers outstretched, noticing the energy exchange between your form and that which is mutable).
• There is a direct and visible connection between Hawaii sacred sites and powerful sites around the world including with the pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Volcano Colima in Mexico, and Mecca city in Saudi Arabia (referencing ley lines and astronomical alignments, also refer to sites on 21.3 latitude and 19.41 latitude).
• Kaneilio Heiau- built in alignment with Orion and Canis Major constellations (Kane also meaning man, ilio meaning dog)
• Story of Isis (Inana) and Osiris: Isis traveled to the other side of the world to find Osiris on a "sacred hill that rolls out of the ocean", this is reference to our Hawaii.
• "Allah", which is Arabic for God, a corresponding symbol of which is the Sun (sun-worshippers). "La" is Hawaiian for Sun.
• "Ua kapu ke ola na Kane" - "All life is sacred".
• Kanawai: the laws dictated by nature. First Kanawai- "Kaiohia", Kane proclaimed he will never take the land by sea again.
• Kapu: Laws given by chiefs.
• Hawaiian meanings for numbers reveal the natural order of this basic foundation and the constant interconnection between us and the earth:
• Kahi (1), meaning first light, ray of light
• Lua (2), meaning hole (dig a hole)
• Kolu (3), meaning to plant my seed
• Ha (4), stem, breath of life
• Lima (5), meaning branches, hand (work the land)
• Ono (6), to eat
• Hiku (7), meaning stand up with energy, embrace
• Walu (8), meaning next planting
• Iwa (9), meaning the storm that comes

   This presentation was concluded with a field trip invitation for March 10th, accompanying members of Marae Haa Koa to sacred sites on the west side of Oahu. I've since contacted them with interest in joining them and  found out we will be visiting (please excuse the non-Hawaiian way of spelling) Kaneilio Unu Temple, Kaneana, Kulailai, Keawaula, and Punanaula. The field trip will be focused on the female sacred sites and energies and we will be learning about the feminine aspect to Kaananiau, Marae Haa Koa's belief system.
   I can't help but notice the synchronicity surrounding learning more about this group and the beliefs they hold dear and this year's forecast by psychic and master Elizabeth Jones. Within the next few months we are to ask ourselves, what are the keys between the higher and lower, between my physical body and my higher self, between heaven and earth? What is happening right there at the crossover, which is like a link (think infinity sign)? We are to look for that portal, that opening. It's not just about us experiencing the higher realms but also bringing that light down to earth, the physical. At the crossing over of that infinity point, there will be guides and gatekeepers there to help us. March, she predicted, is a turning point, a crossroads reached. She also says that we will be compelled to align with natural rhythms and cycles and we will be aligning ourselves with a deeper truth to our innermost being, and that much is already proving true. She mentions that our spiritual being is deeply connected to the earth and the Cosmos are sending us a message to connect with our true essence and wonders of the physical realm such as our body and direct environment. By honoring, exploring and attuning to that, you will then stabilize that at your very core. And take note she says, that physical matter is not only the final descent but the beginning of the ascent. I won't presume to know, but I am hoping that Marae Haa Koa will be my guides and mentors, those gatekeepers of knowledge who merge the higher realms (of spirit) with the physical (our aina). I believe that when we come back to our roots, as people of the earth, and we connect with natural cycles, we place ourselves into this state of flow and synchronicity where we are fully able to embrace Source, receiving blessing and direction to guide us on our journeys as the powerful and authentic natural beings that we are. I can't wait to experience what's coming next...