Malama ka 'aina

Aloha on this Earth Day 2008!

I have a deep connection to the Earth as it has for generations supplied my ancestors with an exceptional bounty in so many ways. Born of fire in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, my ancestors discovered the land that many now consider to be paradise after many, many weeks at sea. These islands were plentiful in resources and provided the people of Hawaii with everything that they could ever desire. Because of this, it instilled in the Hawaiian people a spirituality that includes a reverence for the land, ecological fishing and farming techniques, sensible water use, and the concept of a spiritual power that permeates everything.

Last week I was in a meeting with the company that produces my DVDs and the subject of being "green" came up because of a recyclable packaging that we are considering for the packaging of our DVDs. Someone brought up the fact that "being green" is just a marketing ploy and the trend will not last.

While it is true that this trend toward "green" is one that many companies seem to be embracing because it is a trend, I say GREAT! The important thing is that companies are embracing it. I encourage everyone - corporations, families, and individuals - to look to the indigenous people of the world for inspiration on how to gain control over our resources. The Hawaiian people and other indigenous people throughout the world have an approach that is fundamentally different from that of the Western approach. The people of Hawaii recognize the necessity to emphasize balance, reciprocity and sustainability rather than domination, exploitation and exhaustion.

It is important for us as citizens of the world to malama ka 'aina or "care for the land". This was a concept that my ancestors developed not just for themselves, but for future generations.

So the "green" trend gives me hope. Hope that the world is discovering that we need to protect the Earth because if we do not, the Earth will not protect us. The little things we all do - recycling, driving hybrids, public transportation - they all help but we all know we need to do more. No matter how big or small or how simple or how difficult the effort may be, the effort makes a difference. I encourage all of you to find what you can do to make the difference in your land -Malama 'aina to care for the land and Aloha 'aina to share with others about the land.

Mahalo!

Alika


For the record - we made the decision that we will be offering the recyclable packaging for all of the DVDs.