COMMENTARY
The gifts of the ali'i to their people should be honored
By Robbie Alm
My name is Robbie Alm. I am Danish-Norwegian-Scottish-Irish. I have no Hawaiian blood. I was born here and, with the exception of two brief years early in my life, always lived here. My wife is from Hawai'i, and our two daughters were born and raised here.
Last Sunday I got up, drove to Waikiki, got my red T-shirt and spent the next two hours being part of a march to support the Kamehameha Schools and the ali'i trust legacy. A number of people asked me why I did so. At the time I didn't think about it; it felt like the right thing to do and I did it. I did not get a special invitation to be there, but I was clearly welcome. And it was an awesome experience.
Afterward, I found a way to communicate what compelled me to join the march:
1. Honoring the host culture.
Our host culture is the Hawaiian culture and our hosts are the Hawaiian people. The Hawaiian people and their culture took us in and welcomed us when we arrived. That is what we need to honor.
For me, it is therefore not about race, it is not about affirmative action, it is not some form of equal protection argument. It is all about a respect due to the people of this land. And if the challenge is how our standard application of laws handles this imperative, then let us meet that challenge on its terms. Any sense of integrity demands no less of us.
And that is especially true in honoring the gifts of the ali'i. What Queen Lili'uokalani, King Lunalilo and Princess Pauahi gave of their legacy and gifts of immense caring and love. Their leadership requires leadership from us in return.
2. The Life of Aloha.
We all speak of the aloha spirit, of what makes Hawai'i special, and of the spirit of the people of Hawai'i. We travel the world, we live for short or long periods away from here, and we come from all over the globe; and we all say that when we return here we feel even more strongly Hawai'i's special qualities. And yet have we truly reflected on and understood the fragility of those special attributes?
Aloha emerges from the very soul of the Hawaiian culture. The Hawaiian culture is the reason this place stands as a special place in the world. Will these values survive the dismantling of Hawaiian institutions and the dishonoring of the legacy of the ali'i? We would be foolish to think so. It is dangerous to even contemplate such a risk. More bluntly, it is dishonorable to extol the values and virtues of Hawai'i but to diminish and disrespect their source.
3. An Act of Aloha.
We find ourselves today in a position where key Hawaiian institutions and legacies are at risk. We have even heard from some that the legal odds are against the Hawaiians. In fact, it is clear that many of the opponents of these Hawaiian institutions feel they are on a roll and are closing in for the kill. Auwe!
If ever there was a time for the rest of us, for non-Hawaiians, to step forward and stand up for these institutions, this is the time. And even if you can't agree with the legal arguments, even if you intellectually struggle with some of the concepts, and even though the rhetoric sometimes seems hurtful and off-putting, make a true act of aloha. Give your heart and that sense of deep justice that lies in our guts to the Hawaiian people. Take the moment and begin to repay the great gifts that we have received.
Robbie Alm is Hawaiian Electric Co.'s vice president for public affairs.
