Rebuilding the Auwai/Pacific Island Economies

I really liked the Auwai reading....just in the introduction alone there were so many good points as to why it is important we learn and practice what our kupuna once did. I think especially as Hawaiian Studies/Hawaiian Language students, it is important for us to be able to articulate these key concepts. Often times I think that educators over look the importance of teaching haumana the these practices. Not only does it teach the obvious (like with the auwai example), it also alleviates many surrounding problems that might be so obvious. Like she mentions, not only does this revivification of the auwai help the lo'i, but it also influences the removal of non-native plants, teaches an educational lesson to the kids about the aina, and also allows for a spiritual connection to our kupuna as well as our aina. It is clear that as we introduce what seem to be not so common practices today, we can perhaps make them ma'a mau. Just as once was with olelo hawaii and hula, maybe other practices can be brought back through things such as bringing back the auwai. And in the process learn and grow as well.