A STATEMENT FROM HISTORIC HAWAI‘I FOUNDATION
ALU KA PULE I HAKALAU: Standing Together for Justice and Equity
6/3/2020: Since last week we are seeing a massive collective response to systemic racism, with both peaceful protests and destructive acts in cities across the country. We are profoundly disturbed by the horrific death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and that of others who have been targeted for their race. We join with those who strive to ensure that justice and equity are applied to all humankind, and that all people are treated with dignity and respect.
In the face of this crisis—which compounds the health and economic damage already facing our communities—it can feel overwhelming to respond to the moment. But we need to acknowledge these events and talk about how we can collectively address these issues to foster justice and reconciliation with peace and aloha.
A Hawaiian proverb states: Alu ka pule I Hakalau (Concentrate your prayers on Hakalau).
“Whenever concentration and united effort are required, this saying is used.
A sorcerer at Hakalau once created havoc in his own and other neighborhoods. Many attempts to counter-pray him failed until a visiting kahuna suggested that all of the others band together to concentrate on the common enemy. This time they succeeded.” [1]
HHF strongly believes that the history and associated places of all people matter, and that telling the stories of those places and preserving those sites help bring understanding, acceptance, communication, and, ultimately, reconciliation and peace.
Historic Hawai‘i Foundation has an enduring responsibility to do all we can to create constructive spaces where justice and peace can flourish—including in those places that reflect our history.
We encourage acts of aloha to support Black communities, both in Hawai‘i and on the continental United States. Some options include:
VOTE – Information on voter registration and elections, and other civic engagement is found at https://wscc.historichawaii.org/advocacy/
CHOOSE ANTI-RACIST PRACTICES. The National Museum of African American History & Culture provides “Talking About Race” resources for more information on how we can constructively discuss race, question our biases, and begin implementing more antiracist practices in our everyday lives. https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/being-antiracist
LISTEN: Find and create opportunities to engage in authentic dialogue and listen and bear witness to narratives and experiences different from your own.
LEARN about the history, struggles, triumphs and places that are significant to specific groups and cultures. Some resources include:
- The Pōpolo Project: https://www.thepopoloproject.org
- Hawai‘i African American Diversity Cultural Center: http://aadcch.org
- National Park Services’ theme studies on Telling All Americans’ Stories
- https://www.nps.gov/articles/publications-diverse.htm
- African American Heritage Theme Study https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tellingallamericansstories/africanamericantheme.htm
- Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Theme Study https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tellingallamericansstories/asianpacificislanderheritage.htm
- American Latino Heritage Theme Study https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tellingallamericansstories/americanlatinoheritage.htm
- Women’s History https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tellingallamericansstories/womenshistory.htm
- LGBTQ Heritage https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tellingallamericansstories/lgbtqheritage.htm
- Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s resources exploring under-told stories of diverse communities
EXPLORE places that reflect the lives and events of the past that inform and inspire us today.
[1] Pukui, Mary Kawena. ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings. Number 115. Bishop Museum Press: Honolulu, Hawai‘i. 1983.