Hawaiian Culture

A Traditional Hawaiian Story told to Hawaiian Children through the Generations:

THE BOWL OF LIGHT

 

Each child born has at birth a bowl of perfect light.

If he tends his light, it will grow in strength

and he can do all things --

swim with the shark,

fly with the birds,

know and understand all things.

If, however, he becomes envious or jealous,

he drops a stone into his bowl of light,

and some of the light goes out.

Light and stone cannot hold the same space.

If he continues to put stones into the bowl of light, the light will go out and he will become a stone.

All he needs to do is turn the bowl upside down
and the stones will fall away and the light will grow once more.

 

 

This chant is for the beginning and the ending of a session

 

Ka Lei Aloha I Na Kupuna

This original chant is used by the Pono Halau O Na Leo O Puna. Each line in Hawaiian is first delineated by the “kahea” or Call and then chanted. Each line is said twice. Just before the last time of the last line, “lawa” is called to signify that the chant is ending and that the last word is to be drawn out. Then the closing call.

Ka Lei Aloha
Ka Lei Aloha i Na Kupuna

Noho au
Noho au i ka Manawa

A me na manawa
A me na Manawa iki ko'u Pono

Mahalo nui
Mahalo nui no pomaika'i nei au

Ka Lei Aloha
Ka Lei Aloha i Na Kupuna

Lawa...
Ka Lei Aloha i Na Kupuna

HE INOA NO ... I NA KUPUNA

 

In the Circle of Love are the Ancestors,
I am (I dwell) in the moment...
And my moments are Pono.
I am so grateful for all the blessings that surround me.

In the Circle of Love are the Ancestors
(and it is understood that I am of this Love!)