Among the deeply moving personal accounts presented here, one woman shares her experience of paddling her canoe out on the ocean as usual that morning, aware of the incoming attack and, as was her usual practice, calling out with each stroke to the Ancestors to be with her in her journey into the new day…
Na ‘Aumakua
Na ‘Aumakua mai ka la hiki a ka la kau! Mai ka ho’oku’i a ka halawai Na ‘Aumakua ia Kahinakua, ia Kahina’alo Ia ka’a ‘akau i ka lani ‘O kiha i ka lani ‘Owe i ka lani Nunulu i ka lani Kaholo i ka lani Eia na pulapula a ‘oukou ‘o ka po’e Hawai’i E malama ‘oukou ia makou E ulu i ka lani E ulu i ka honua E ulu i ka pae’aina o Hawai’i E ho mai i ka ‘ike E ho mai i ka ikaika E ho mai i ke akamai E ho mai i ka maopopo pono E ho mai i ka ‘ike papalua E ho mai i ka mana. ‘Amama ua noa.
(Adapted from Hawaiian Antiquities by David Malo)
Ancestors from the rising to the setting sun
From the zenith to the horizon
Ancestors who stand at our back and front
You who stand at our right hand
A breathing in the heavens
An utterance in the heavens
A clear, ringing voice in the heavens
A voice reverberating in the heavens
Here are your descendants, the Hawaiians
Safeguard us that we may flourish in the heavens
That we may flourish on earth
That we may flourish in the Hawaiian islands
Grant us knowledge Grant us strength
Grant us intelligence Grant us understanding
Grant us insight Grant us power
The prayer is lifted, it is free.