OHANA

‘oha – to sprout, the primary corm of the kalo plant, staple food of the Hawaiian diet.

na – plural, many – as in offshoots of the original corm.

The consciousness of the same “root of origin” was deeply the felt, unifying force or glue that held fast the concept of ‘ohana.  All members of the family clan, within the same generation are classified as brothers and sisters as opposed to the western relationship of cousins.  The core of the ’ohana is the extended family of pili koko (blood relatives).  Membership in the ’ohana is also extended to include hānai (adopted) and ho’o (a category of friendship that included those outside the blood line).  Included also are the forbearers or aumakua, revered for their wisdoms and spiritual guidance.  The ‘ohana includes: makua – of the parent generation, kupuna – of the grandparent generation, kama or keiki – the child generation and aumakua – all ancestors of the genealogical line. 

Historically, the smallest land division that could function as an independent economic unit is the ahupua’a, pie sliced sections of the Islands beginning from kuahiwi (highest mountain) extending along the valley ridges and following an imaginary line to moanakea (deep blue ocean).  Each ahupua’a then were accorded all the natural resources that the native Hawaiian came to identify as necessary for his mainstay in the business of living.  Having these resources and developing them for usage, required full time human enterprise.  Within the ahupua’a several to many ohana were in residence, living on plots allocated to their family groups by the ruling chiefs or alii.

Within the ’ohana, the functional unit is the kauhale or housing compounds, consisting of: hale mua – men’s eating house, hale ’aina – women’s eating house, hale noa – sleeping house, and various other structures depending on the status of the family.  Collectively, these families worked certain lands for the benefit of the chief – but the family lands were maintained for the benefit of the ’ohana.  Family units lived at various levels within the valley to specialize in localized production – ie: ko kaha kai – fishing and coastal gathering, ko kula kai – lowland propagation, ko kula uka – upland farming and harvesting of wild forest products.  Projects requiring many hands, such as the harvesting of a forest tree for a canoe, the building of ’auwai (irrigation ditches), or the building of a hale (house) would bring the entire clan together to kokua (help, participate).  Between households, the sharing and exchange of food and utilitarian articles progressed; consequently, it was the ’ohana thru which the economic life within the ahupua’a moved. 

The ’ohana functioned as the most practical of social – economic educational units.  The haku (elders) taught the youngsters the practical functions and the specialized arts.  Here also is where the foundations of social and cultural behavior, the rituals and rules that when abided by, maintained harmony within the ’ohana and larger social community.  Hostilities and discord were dealt with thru ho’oponopono, mediated spiritual cleansing, admission, confession and forgiveness,– ritualized and formal, each member knew and understood the rules of conduct if they were to receive the benefits of the family group.

He iwi, he’ i’o, he koko – bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood.