WAIMĀNALO MATTERS

AUTHENTIC WRITING USING CULTURAL AND PLACE-BASED

CONNECTIONS

What is an important connection to you in the community of Waimānalo? Each person may have one or more connections which may be related to: `Āina, Po`e and Akua.

PO‘EWaimānalo, the Po`e are all the people, from the young and old. What are the concerns of the people in Waimanalo, and how are relationships affected by these concerns?

Waimānalo, Akua is our spiritual connection to and with all things. What keeps your spirit healthy, happy, and at peace?

AKUA

Waimānalo, the ‘Āina the land, the sea and their resources. What are the issues concerning our environment and what is being done to address those issues? How and why do they matter to you?

‘ĀINA

‘‘‘‘‘

Reflect on having harmony through:• caring for one another, • caring for the land and the sea• having a spiritual connection with all things.

Q: How does writing matter to me?

Family, Community, World

Write about what matters to you!

A: Focus writing exercises on the world students know.

LōkahiLō – to obtain, kahi – one (oneness). Lōkahi is having balance, harmony and unity between Po‘e, ‘Āina, Akua, and all things.

Akua

Po‘e‘Āina

Our natural resources which the land and sea provide.

Our sense of what is meaningful and valuable in life.

People, all mankind.

• What are some examples of lōkahi that we see today?• What are some non-examples that we see today that are not lōkahi?

What matters to you?

Write about it!

Mana‘o The mind, our thoughts, where all ideas begin, where all knowledge is kept.

Mana - energy, spirit power a‘o – “to learn,” power that comes from our mind

Choose a prompt

•What are some ways we use our mana‘o to strengthen our lokahi? Or to weaken it?

•How can my mana‘o contribute to the lōkahi of my family or community?

•Who or what may have inspired my desire to learn?

“He ipu kā‘eo”/“The calabash is full.” (A knowledgeable person)

Kino Physical health and personal well-being.

Eating right, keeping physically active, seeing the doctor when needed. These are all key practices in staying healthy and staying in balance.

Choose a prompt•How do you keep your kino balanced?

•When your kino is not well, how might it affect the other parts of your lōkahi?

•What are some ways that having love has strengthened your mental and physical health?

“Ua ola loko i ke aloha.”/“Love gives life within.” (Love is imperative to one`s mental and physical welfare)

Kuleana Responsibilities to our self, family, school, and community.

Choose a prompt•What are some of your responsibilities?•In what ways do you strengthen our lōkahi by completing your responsibilities?•Think of a time when you did not take care of your responsibilities. How did that affect your lōkahi?•What are some responsibilities you enjoy, and why do they bring joy?

Every community member has certain responsibilities, from being a family member or friend, being a student or an employee, and many other roles. Kuleana does not have to be a burden if we have aloha in everything we do.

“‘Ai no i kalo mo‘a”/”one can eat cooked taro”The work is done; one can sit and enjoy himself.

Choose a prompt•Have you ever had the experience of your na‘au helping you make decisions?•What might be some examples of when you followed your intuition?

Knowing something deep within you is different than just learning something with your mind. Na‘au brings intellect and feeling together.

Na‘au Intelligence, mind, intuition, or the feeling in your gut.

Example: Tommy’s parents taught him how to cross the street safely, but when walking home with his friends they wanted to jaywalk. Tommy knows what he should do but his friends are doing something different. Will it keep him safe to follow his gut feeling?

‘Ohana Family, close friends, and close relationships.

Choose a prompt

•Who are the people that are part of your ‘ohana ?

•What are some examples of lōkahi in your family?

•What may be some examples of when an ‘ohana is struggling with lōkahi?

•What are some ways to regain your lōkahi?

‘Oha- new offshoots from the kalo plant -na “many”

ManaPower, inner strength, determination, & inspiration.

Choose a prompt•What are some goals you have achieved using your mana? •How has your mana helped others?

We all have mana, the inner power, inner spirit of determination which uplifts and inspires us to continue. Mana helps us on a personal level. It builds self-esteem, and it becomes a strong foundation when times may be difficult. It helps us when we may not have anyone to to back us up.

What might you do to help build lōkahi in Waimānalo?

Akua

Po‘e‘Āina

Write about it!

Lōkahi

E waikāhi ka pono i mānalo

It is well to be united in thought that all may have peace…