2004-05-28 TNAKAKURA - Laserfiche WebLink

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“Therefore, out of distinct respect to our ancestors, we are opposed to having a crematory in this area.” Thank you. FUJIKAWA:Commissioners, any questions? SPRINGER:Mr. Chair? FUJIKAWA:Commissioner Springer. SPRINGER:Aloha mai. VINCENT:Aloha. SPRINGER:I have some questions on your paragraph that starts, “In 1832.” Your second sentence reads that the ancestors had not yet been introduced to religion. Are you speaking of Christianity? VINCENT:Yes. SPRINGER:Thank you. VINCENT:Yes, because their belief was on their own. Now, as you know, in the history of the Hawaiians -. NOMURA:Microphone. VINCENT:Oh. As you go back into our history the Hawaiians did not have any Gods, other than what they believed in. Now they entered in the time of, before Capt. Cook. At that time that Capt. Cook came, he recognized in Kealakekua roughly about 200,000 people. Now it was only one shoreline. He had many shorelines right along the line, which how many more Hawaiians were in that area. But their belief was what they saw, was the sun, moon, sky, earth; and that’s what they believed in. So they started doing some sculpturing of making their own gods, Lono and Kapua and the rest of them. So this is what the, we’re referring to. SPRINGER:Thank you. And further down there’s this sentence discussing a kapu which stated that there would be burning of bodies. Was this the law of the land or, in 1832, or was this the law of the family? VINCENT:Well, before my grandmother passed away she and mother were always talking about the kapu and burning of bones on the property; and, at that time, I was only about maybe 13, 14 years old. Then grandma passed away and mother always did say that respect the aina and carry on our tradition. And from this, that’s what we went into that; and after reading Mary Pukui’s book on that, and this was how we put that together. 15