This is the appropriate reddish color on the Mauna for the akua Kukahauula in the traditions I have known... his manifestation is the reddish tinge of the snow reflecting the sunrise or sunset (usually) on the Mauna. Before his deification he was an Alii, a God on earth, married to a Chiefess Lilinoe. Their bodies were consecrated and hidden at the summit. We have historical first-hand accounts of Kamehameha III and Queen Emma both visiting these remains. It is said that the remains were in such perfect environmental conditions that they were intact as if alive. They are no longer to be found, as is appropriate for the sanctity of ancient Hawaiian burials as disturbance by inappropriate outsiders would cause the soul of the departed and the defiler to wander the earth in a type of purgatory forever... I digress... this shade of red is opposed to the Pele-Red. I feel more comfortable and sure of not offending the goddess Poliahu, Peles mortal enemy, by being respectful of the symbolism that certain colors innately carry and now wearing Pele colors because like Kukahauula they symbollize her presence and she would be including on Poliahu if she were there and we know this because of our oral traditions and face to face traditions from knowledgeable and kupuna and kumu specifically trained in the symbolism of color and design. The Hawaiian mind was a mind that took into account the desires of the Akua and symbolism far beyond that which we understand as occupied mentalities today. I must remember that in Poliahus memory, it is as it was. She did not wake up in occupation. Neither was she born in our occupied mentality. She is who she was. As the Hawaiian world of color differs greatly from the maoli period till now, the manaʻo period- you are welcome to follow my traditions if you dont know of any that are multi generational, and of course if you would like... as they are as old as time, from what would eventually be our mutual kupuna at some juncture, and they are intergenerational. In my sharing they may now be yours... I will be wearing a Kukahauula pink/red tinged kihei by our artist of much naau pono Kamaka Pili. Those who plan to stand in this tradition of color with me will also be wearing the same kihei touched by his mana and naau pono. Some other colors that area appropriate in my teachings are lighter shades of blue and grey as well as white. Poliahu, the goddess of the snow would be manifest in these at the Mauna. Brown for earth, Papahanaumoku. A little black if we must... to symbolize the reality of the pohaku. To explain a little more, Mauna Kea was already there when Pele arrived from Kahiki. Among other places she made her home in the kulaiwi of my ascendants, Mauna Loa- and technically she is still in Mauna Loa as Kilauea is an offshoot of the same lava source and it is located on the flank of Mauna Loas massive slopes. I look forward to other traditions mai kahiko mai that we will see on 10/7 and some other traditions that may be nice, although new to me. Other colors I avoid on the Mauna are golden-rod yellow as I believe that they are manifestations of Hiiaka, the sister of Pele. The entire Pele clan is just not pili with Poliahu in all the different traditions I have learned. One more color I will avoid as much as possible is black- I have been taught that black symbolizes the end of a life... I want new life to continue there on our Mauna... and in this I must respect the traditions I was given to steward, continue them and share them while being respectful of those who also have traditions that are as time-honored and multi inter-generational... Mana is a chain to the mana paid forward from before. We can break that chain and start anew but then we loose all the links that the life forces of our kupuna had attached their mana to... the Hawaiian concept of color- what is it to you and is it knowledge or manaʻo?
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 09:02:28 +0000
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