Kanoe Nāone

This was by far the best class/discussion/guest speaker of the semester. Kanoe is a great example of a strong, educated, smart, and confident Kanaka ʻŌiwi Wahine that is helping the kanaka community is a very positive manner. I find her extremely inspiring because she has this stupendous ability to strongly articulate her manaʻo, experiences, facts, and her ideas of how our Lāhui can become stronger. This is one skill that I need to improve upon, the ability to articulate my manaʻo and or research that I find to my peers in a manner that will inspire and uplift other kanakas.

Kanoeʻs belief of Kanaka ʻŌiwi using basic common sense; in which every person has a role in society is very true because as she reminded us, in ka wā kahiko every kanaka had a role in society to keep the well-being and balance of the Lāhui. When I thought of these roles in society I automatically thought of Kamakakūokalani and how each Kumu here has a different area of expertise: they are skilled in Genealogy, Oli, Mele, Hawaiian and Western History, Art, Indigenous and Western Politics, Language, Agriculture, Ancient Ecosystems, Laʻau Lapaʻau, Heʻenalu, Makawalu, and list goes on and on. These Kumu teach and inspire us to learn/find a role in society to build and sustain our Lāhui. I know Kamakakū isnʻt perfect but it is a small community where no one is a "throw away," and yet everyone can have a purpose if they chose to.

Kanoe made me think about our Lāhui more critically when she advised us to always question the power structure at be. How can our people benefit from the current power structure at be? We always need to ask the question Why and figure out the root of the problem, a prime example that Kanoe used to explain this was to not keeping placing band-aids on open cuts/wounds, but to stop getting cuts and try to solve the problem. My favorite quote from her was, "Kanakas need to be on it because we are responsible for our Lāhui." I want to help and be apart of Kanoeʻs idea to change the course of history in a single generation by navigating the policy system of the state. This plans sounds amazing.