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Mahealani Kuamo'o-Henry, Kumu 'Elele 'O Na Kupuna | |||||
| Shares the traditional“about her culture,and Aloha Spiritual values | ||||||
I hope you don't mind me writing to you. I'm very new to Hawaiian Spiritualism. I recently attended a workshop where the instructor mentioned a book called "the Urban Shaman" by Dr. Serge Kahili King. In the book he talks about the 7 Huna Principles and they resonate a lot with me. Is your teachings similar or related to the Huna philosophy? Is it the same roots? Are there many different "branches" or philosophies in Hawaiian Spiritualism? Do you know Dr. King? I'm hoping to attend your Big Island Retreat, and am excited about experiencing Hawaii in a very Spiritual way. I understand that the Big Island is known as the "healing island" ever evolving with the birthing of new land from the lava & fires of the goddess Pele. I can't wait to visit your island. I hope to hear from you soon! Warmest regards, Michelle
"Huna" is not an origin from the Hawaiian culture. It's roots derive from the Berber Tribe of North Africa. Dr. Serge King (not a Hawaiian) carries forward the claims of HUNA as a Hawaiian philosophy, (not sure if he still does) as did Max Freedom Long who started it. Both did build a successful marketing program on HUNA as a Hawaiian cultural belief system. Dr. King has been said to have received the teachings of HUNA from a Hawaiian family that he was adopted into. Frankly, considering that HUNA is from Africa, it's a bit of a stretch that a Hawaiian family would know of HUNA, much less teach it, especially during a time (20+) years ago. So, since HUNA is not Hawaiian, I don't know how much of our Hawaiian philosophy has been tweaked-incorporated into their "made up" version, beyond the usage of Hawaiian words. As for Hawaiian Spirituality, there are many "expressions" of Hawaiian Spirituality, such as the one that is rooted in our Aloha Spirit philosophy in the teachings of "Ho'opono Pono Ke Ala," with origin in Hawaiian lineage. And by the way, I think it's a good thing that you did resonate with some of Dr. King's Huna principles!! Perhaps, with more such experiences told to Dr. King, he may one day promote HUNA as a North African teachings, thereby eliminate unnecessary and misleading attachments to my native culture, as Max Freedom Long had done before him. Thanks for your letter asking about HUNA. Letters as yours creates the importance for me as a Hawaiian to address this subject and possibly set things in proper order in the human-ness. Today, (unlike 20+ years ago), my people have a "voice, to set things right-Pono." And today, many as yourself, come from all over the world to seek what we are about, along with following their soul journey to the beauty, magic and healings of our islands...to a calling...to an island home from time before time.... So, with the greatest of pleasure, I look forward to meeting you upon your arrival to this healing island...Hawaii!! Blessings, Aunty
Just wanted to thank you again for the most wonderful wedding experience!! Our day really was "magical," and I do believe it was because of You. My beloved and I had diligently planned out every detail: the airline flights, the Cruise ship, the passports, and the perfect person to marry us...but some last minute details resulting in unplanned conditions looked to spoil all of our plans including our wedding event. After 2 months, my passport had not arrived at all; I was not sure if I could board the ship in Honolulu without it. Still, we left, and began the first leg of our flight from the east coast to the west coast with a connecting flight to Honolulu. The weather was awful; east coast flights delayed, and we missed our connecting flight into Honolulu. We arrived too late for us to get to the State Health dept., to pick up our marriage license. Still, I phoned the State office in hopes that somehow we could still get our license, or be directed to some other office location. No luck. So, we decided to meet with you as planned, upon our ship's arrival in Hilo the next day. It was so important for us to have that "once-in-a-lifetime" experience of being married by a genuine native Hawaiian Priestess, even if it meant that we would have to do it again, legally, and back home. Interesting, that when we released our worries, our experiences began to change. We were able to board our cruise ship without much trouble and without my passport. And then arriving in Hilo, and met by the most charming, sweet, and warm woman as yourself, and your wonderful husband. It was as though you both were heaven-sent, and yet so familiar to us. We looked forward to spending the day with you both on our combined Wedding & VIP Tour. And oh boy, what an angel you truly were, when I told you that we weren't able to get our marriage license, and you smiled, and said we'd do our first stop at the State Health Dept., in Hilo town. It was so magical, that within minutes, we got our license!! And the whole rest of the day, the heavens opened up with blue skies, gentle tropical breezes, and you found us the perfect spot on the ocean side for our wedding ceremony. We felt so blessed to have you do our wedding, with the time-honored custom of the lei exchanges with us, and our family members, and the warmth of your voice as you did our wedding vows in Hawaiian, after we said them in English. I can't tell you how honored, & relieved we were to have such special vows said. The words were exactly what we spiritually felt in our hearts. You are truly a treasure, Aunty! And thanks to you and your husband, our trip to Hilo, our wedding, (that did happen, after all), and our tour for the day are the memories we'll treasure forever! Aloha & Mahalo, Mr. & Mrs. Arnett
This is a wonderful story from a woman Mahealani had just married. My Experience with Olelo, the Honu (turtle) by Liz (Nanila'akea) 8/9/04 The day after our wedding at Eva Parker Woods Cottage, my husband and I are on the beach at beautiful Mauna Lani Bay Hotel. Finally, a chance to relax! Lo and behold, I see a honu close to the shore, and Dennis goes to investigate. I follow to the water, and the honu is very close to the place I am standing. Respectively staying still, I am amazed as the honu comes right up to where I am, and continues moving right up to my feet! I slowly bend down and shyly touch his shell, while hoping my sister would get here soon as she is an animal communicator. Carolyn, my sister appears and says she is already "talking" to him. The honu says that he came to see me," and has a message for me. "You are a strong and independent woman. This is an important part of your life. Keep going in the direction you are going--stay on course. You are emerging. I've come to tell you this and to wish you luck! (on behalf of everyone)" He says that we have been on a long journey together and is glad to be reunited. He can take me "way out" to swim like we used to. Carolyn says, "thank you for coming," and he says "I had no choice!" He tells Carolyn the other people are a distraction and that he wishes they would leave, he came to see Liz. Carolyn tells him I had just gotten married the night before, and the honu says, "I want to marry her, too!" I tell Carolyn to tell him that of course, I would marry him. At this point, I am sitting in the water, and the honu, who I named Olelo, keeps floating over next to me. When he "hears" my message from Carolyn about marrying him, he comes over to me and literally sits in my lap and sort of kisses or nips a little and touches me with his flippers. He often sticks his head out of the water and looks at me--such lovely, wise eyes! He tells Carolyn (or shows her) a picture of me lighting candles and says "keep doing that." This was the night before my wedding when unexpected guests showed up at our house and I wasn't "up" for entertaining so I thought to change the energy by lighting candles. I must say, it did work! I felt better interacting with Dennis's guests and didn't get "snippy" as I sometimes do. I told Carolyn to tell him that Aunty Mahealani, who married us, is from the Honu Clan. He responded, "You don't have to tell me THAT--I already know that........." I am so blessed to have had this experience. It was truly transformative. I named the honu "Olelo"--although it's only "my" nickname for him--(I would not presume to really know his name). The name Olelo means to talk and that is exactly what he did with me! I also drew the "walk your talk" card, or "Hele Ka 'Olelo" from Aunt's wonderful Pono cards that she uses in her classes, the day of our wedding ceremony. Thank you--Mahalo nui loa to spirit for this! Aloha 'Uhane and Malama Pono...
Spiritualism Hawaiian Style came to Australia in the form of a tornado that ripped through the suburbs of Melbourne last weekend. A path of irreversible changes was carved through a certain part of the population, forever changing their lives with no chance of returning to a "normal" life as they knew it.
While a few are a little shaken by the impact of the spiritual tornado, most feel that their lives are better for the experience and will push on in the direction that has now been carved out for them.
One person was heard in the aftermath saying "this was inevitable, the pressure had been building for a long time and something had to give." And give it did, in the form of Aunty Mahealani.
From her opening “Aloha” to her closing Hula, it was obvious that she has special gifts and a very special connection to powers beyond the norm. Her upbeat and witty style had the room mesmerised and transfixed, creating more "chicken skin" (as she called our "goose bumps") than Colonel Sanders.
Tears welled in people's eyes as she re-connected all the souls present back to their spiritual homeland. Some experienced ghost hands while taking notes and others had “visitors” that weren’t just from out of state. It was quite an atmosphere as for most it was the first conscious reconnection to who they really are.
As Aunty said “UDABEST” and “you have never made a mistake. Her main message was that everything is “Pono” or everything is perfect as it is, no need to wish it any different, no need to have regrets over past “mistakes”.
No one has ever made a mistake, everything has happened because there is a greater purpose behind all happenings. Part of this message is also that we all need to “Live in Trust” and to do so is to be “in the Same Canoe as Spirit”.
That means that the universe was created to serve us, yes that’s right serve us human beings. We can have anything we want! Sounds great doesn’t it? Well she also emphasised that the universe hears everything and that means EVERYTHING.
So be very careful what you wish for. Once you think it, it is done; as long as you “live in trust.” And “don’t go pulling a seedling out of the ground to see if it has roots”.
As are you, the universe is perfect, it is Pono, everything is as it should be, so once you put it out there, relax in comfort knowing that it will be manifested as long as you “Live in Trust” i.e. be in the “Same Canoe as Spirit”.
For some this is contrary to their current belief systems, so how can one hop into and stay in the “Same Canoe as Spirit”? Aunty Mahealani put it simply “to build trust, you must feed the heart and mind “Soul Food.” This can be done in the form of meditation, music, dance, helping others or maybe swim, the message is so simple, “do whatever makes you feel good”.
Does Aunty practise what she preaches? Well according to the staff at a small pub in Brighton, someone looking suspiciously like Aunty Mahealani was seen on Monday night cracking jokes, singing and dancing and laughing till her sides almost split. Call this “Soul Food”, I do.
Ancient Hawaiians considered spirit guidance a fact of life - a belief which didn’t gel with Christian missionaries so Hawaiian healing was driven underground and for many generations passed down in secret through families and taught only to other Hawaiians.
But with the revival of interest in pre-contact Hawaii, many traditional healers are now publicly practicing and teaching the ancient forms of lomilomi (massage), ho’oponopono (making right) and la’au lapaau (herbal medicine), making their hereditary skills available to modern day non-Hawaiians.
Spiritual teacher Mahealani Kaiwikuamookekuaokalani, a ninth generation native Hawaiian Elder from Puna on the Big Island of Hawaii is an elele o na kupuna - a messenger for the ancestors. From a strong family lineage of traditional healers, she was taught by her grandfather who still remains her teacher and guide.
From the office where she sees her patients - the warm ponds of Ahalanui on the southeast of the Big Island where cool seawater’s heated by underground lava to a perfect liquid bath of natural healing energies - Aunty Mahealani describes her work as an ancient Hawaiian therapy that releases painful memories and limiting beliefs to reconnect people with their authentic spiritual identity.
‘We need to understand the greatness of who we really are so we can use the challenging conditions of the present time to evolve – if your mind and heart are receptive to the healing messages, it’s not difficult. I work consciously with my spiritual ancestors and the spirit guides of others in the original Hawaiian spirit of aloha lokahi, love and unity, the recognition that we are all human and spiritual beings’.