July 24, 2006

A Hawaiian Tradition of Living

Manoa’s Malcolm Naea Chun published three volumes in the Ka Wana series for the Curriculum Research Development Group—Pono: The Way of Living, A‘o: Educational Traditions and Ho‘oponopono: Traditional Ways of Healing.

Chun uses traditional and historical examples to show behavior, thoughts and values, then analyzes events in both traditional and contemporary contexts. All descriptions are cited so readers can explore them in their original context. Chun asks readers to think about whether we are following those traditions today, or whether we have changed them or are making them up. The implications of his findings will cause some to reexamine and rediscover a true sense of Native Hawaiian values and virtues.

When confronted with the question, “what is the greatest Hawaiian value?” Chun, after a very long period of consideration, decided it has to be pono. In Pono: The Way of Living, Chun explores why pono is the core value for critical Native Hawaiian thinking and decision making. He uses traditional and historical accounts to describe what pono means, how it was valued in traditional society and the key role it has in modern Native Hawaiian society. Pono is the first volume in the Ka Wana series

Chun's next book, A'o: Educational Traditions offers traditional and historical examples that provide insights into the practices of learning and teaching in a native society. Chun brings together cultural and educational perspectives to help parents, teachers and administrators develop new ways of learning that are relevant to a cultural based native community.

The cultural practice of restoring this goodness to what it once was is called ho‘oponopono, now a widely known and respected part of Native Hawaiian culture. But without the advocacy of Mary Kawena Pukui and the Queen Lili‘uokalani Children’s Center, ho‘oponopono might well have been forgotten. In Ho‘oponopono: Traditional Ways of Healing to Make Things Right Again, Chun traces the practice of ho‘oponopono back to the earliest traditional accounts, taking the reader on a journey through the practice’s acceptance in academic circles, and its institutionalization into health and social practices in modern Hawai‘i.

For more information, and to purchase volumes of the Ka Wana series visit the Curriculum Research Development Group website.

—Text excerpted from CRDG's website.

UH In Print

UH faculty and staff who had articles or other works published.

• Manoa Assistant Professor Heather Young Leslie’s article “Bon Baisers De Samoa: Les Bonites de Hina et Le Tu‘iha‘angana de Tonga” was published in the Bulletin de La Société des Études Océaiennes.
• Manoa Astronomy John L. Tonry co-authored “A fundamental Relation between Compact Stellar Nucei, Supermassive Black Holes and their Host Galaxies” in The Astrophysical Journal.

E-mail news about UH faculty and staff who have appeared In Print to newsatuh@hawaii.edu.

Submit news about books or articles by UH faculty and staff

E-mail: newsatuh@hawaii.edu
Fax: 808 956-3441
Mail: External Affairs and University Relations
1627 Bachman Place
Bachman Annex 2
Honolulu, HI 96822


Other Links

UH Bookstore

UH Press

UH Libraries

College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Curriculum Research and Development Group