E’onipa’a…i ka ’imi na’auao (Queen Lili’uokalani)
“Be steadfast in the seeking of knowledge.”
The other day, September 2nd, marked the birthday of the last (and only female) reigning monarch of Hawaïi, Queen Lili’uokalani. This tidbit was posted on Instagram by Kona Bike Works, and my hubby helpfully sent notice of it to me, thinking I might find her, and her motto, an interesting topic for this week’s blog. After some research into her life and works, I felt inspired to do justice to a Queen who has, in the West, become little more than a footnote, or Instagram post, in Hawaïian history. Not so for present-day Hawaiians. With a little investigation I came to realize that the Western translation of Lili’uokalani’s motto, that of being steadfast in the pursuit of knowledge, does not do credit to the broader meanings embedded in her message. Or their continuing relevance to the people of Hawaïi.
For one thing, her motto was penned at a time of great personal duress: after only two years on the throne, Lili’uokalani was forced to abdicate her queendom and country to the unilateral — and some would say illegal — annexation of the Hawaïian islands by the United States. When certain Hawaiians raised an insurrection, the Queen was convicted of treason and sentenced to five years of hard labor in prison. This was soon commuted to nearly a year of house arrest. Still, it was a dramatic fall from grace, by any standards.
This is not the place to comment on those historic events, but I was fascinated to learn how Lili’uokalani persisted in a quest to recover her sovereignty, and how, even under such adverse circumstances, she led a productive, purposeful life that left a lasting legacy for the people of Hawaïi. She wrote a great number of songs and poems, notably “Aloha ’Oe” or “Farewell to Thee”, which has become a common cultural symbol, and authored an autobiography Hawaïi’s Story by Hawaïi’s Queen.
Written during her imprisonment, the book documents the course of events that led to her overthrow, and, together with Aloha ‘Oe, has become an unofficial rallying cry of the current sovereignty movement in Hawaïi. Among other things, her efforts contributed — in part — to a posthumous apology from the U.S. government. In the 1993 Apology Resolution, it was acknowledged that “the native Hawaïian people never directly relinquished to the United States their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people over their national lands…” (Wikipedia).
What is significant to me about all of this is the message of conviction and persistence that is embedded in Lili’uokalani’s songs and letters, and especially in her motto: “E’onipa’a…i ka ’imi na’auao.” To better understand her message, I was compelled to delve more deeply into the actual language the Queen used to express her views:
“Onipaʻa” is a combination of “oni”, or “to shift”, and “pa’a”, which means “to set solid”. Literally translated, then, onipa’a means “fixed movement”. Seemingly an oxymoron, this concept was explained metaphorically by one Hawaiian source as the seaweed that clings firmly to the rocks below, and yet sways to and fro with the current’s ebb and flow. It could be interpreted as Lili’uokalani’s steadfast belief in the rightness of her cause, as well as her resilience to ride out the era’s shifting political currents. In sum, she had the courage of her convictions, but was also willing to listen and learn, which is a skill-set which we could all use, and which relates to the latter half of her motto: “’Imi na’auao”.
According to one description: “‘Imi na’auao’ means to seek enlightenment, wisdom and education. The quest for knowledge and enlightenment is an essential factor to get you where you want to go and reach your goals!” (Sep. 14, 2011, Jon Kimoto – KS Blogs).
Hence the oversimplified translation of Lili’uokalani’s motto might expand the “search for knowledge” to include a “quest for enlightenment, wisdom and education” which, again, are values one might well embrace.
I may be guilty of cultural appropriation, but to me a broader view of Queen Lili’uokalani’s motto might read: “be grounded in one’s core beliefs and values, yet remain open to new information and interpretation, in the pursuit of enlightenment, wisdom and understanding”. And, I might add, “with an openness to other ways of knowing”. I have always been drawn to investigate the complexities of the Hawaiian culture and language, to explore the deeper meanings embedded in simple expressions like “aloha ’oe”, “onipa’a”, and “’imi na’auao”. These deeper meanings point to Indigenous ways of relating to the world within and around them, so that an understanding of the latter might inform my Western-oriented education, and expand my POV.
Author Lilian “Na’ia” Alessa addresses the dichotomy between Western, scientific ways of knowing, and the traditional, intuitive wisdom of Indigenous cultures: “Western science and Indigenous worldviews are often seen as incompatible, with the Indigenous view usually being far less valued by society at large. But an inside look at Indigenous ways of knowing shows that they offer unique and dependable insights, in precisely the areas where Western science is often weakest.”
She continues: “Western science excels at unraveling the unseen — our medical technology a testament to this precision — while traditional knowledge reveals the dynamics of larger systems, particularly animals, plants, and habitats, and the wisdom of our place among them.”
It comes as no surprise to me that my Western education was lacking in some key ingredients. After several years of studying Western psychology, I noted that the latter made no mention of a soul journey, or the evolution of consciousness, which is why I long ago gravitated to Eastern psychology, philosophy and spirituality. Though not conclusive in the way that scientific experiments and results can (usually) be universally replicated, the Eastern approaches to the mysteries of our existence point to an inward journey, and to being one’s own laboratory. Not to do so risks living according to our instincts, or cultural conditioning. Neither of which lead to anything but a caricature of ourselves, a weak intimation of what we have the potential to be. I’d rather embrace Queen Lili’uokalani’s philosophy, in hopes that my legacy will inspire and motivate people to remain steadfast in their search for enlightenment, and reclaim sovereignty over their own “life territory”.
P.S. I was going to reward myself with a chocolate peanut butter cup when this blog was done, but I ate it half way through. Maybe even closer to the beginning…