Na ‘Ōnohi Pacheco, Papa 12 Ke Kula ‘O Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u
ʻAuhea ʻoukou e ka poʻe ʻimi naʻauao o ka pae ʻāina ʻo Hawaiʻi! ʻO ʻoukou hoʻi nā hoa paio e kūpale like ana i ko kākou moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi. E kūpale ana i ko kākou mauli ola Hawaiʻi. ʻO wau nō ʻo ʻŌnohi Pacheco e noho ana ma ka ʻāina hoʻopulapula ʻo Keaukaha ma Hilo, Hawaiʻi. He pua haʻaheo nō au o ka papa ʻumikūmālua ma Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu. Ua hiki mai ka wā ma koʻu ola i ʻike ʻoiaʻiʻo ai i kēia haʻawina waiwai, ʻo ia hoʻi, “He wā ko nā mea a pau”. Ua hōʻea ka wā e hōʻoiaʻiʻo a hoʻoholo mua ai i nā pahuhopu no kaʻu mau hana ma hope o ka puka ʻana mai ke kula kiʻekiʻe.
Mai ka wā ʻōpua liʻiliʻi ma ka papa mālaaʻo a i kēia manawā ʻānō, ua hoʻomākaukau ʻia ke kahua o ka ʻike no kēia wā. Ua huliāmahi like nā kumu a me kaʻu ʻohana, i hik iaʻu ke kaʻana i koʻu leo aʻoaʻo me ʻoukou i kēia manawa. He ʻiʻini koʻu e puka i waho o Hawaiʻi, a ʻimi hou aku i ka ʻike. Ke haʻalele kākou iā Hawaiʻi, pono e nīnau iā kākou iho i kēia: He aha ana kā kākou e hana ai no ka hoʻomau aku i ka hānai ʻana i ko kākou mauli ola Hawaiʻi? He aha ka hopena inā ʻaʻole hoʻomau i ka ʻike Hawaiʻi? Koʻikoʻi kēia mau nīnau, no ka mea, inā ʻaʻole kākou ʻimi i mau ala e hoʻomau aku ai i ka ʻike kuʻuna Hawaiʻi, ʻaʻohe ola. Ua hana nui nā kūpuna a me nā kumu no ka hoʻōla a hoʻomau i ka ʻike Hawaiʻi i hiki iā kākou a pau ke hoʻomau i ka hoʻoili aku i ia ʻike. Inā ʻaʻole kākou koho i ka hoʻomau aku, ua make hewa kā lākou hana. Inā ʻaʻole kākou hoʻohana i kēia ʻike i hoʻokahua ʻia, e nalowale ana. Koʻikoʻi ko kākou mālama mau ʻana i ko kākou mauli ola Hawaiʻi, ma loko nō o ka haʻalele ʻana iā Hawaiʻi, i hiki ke paʻa mau ka pilina i nā kūpuna a me ka ʻāina. ʻAʻole makemake e poina ʻia nā haʻawina a pau i aʻo ʻia iā kākou.
No laila e nā hoa, he leo paipai kēia iā kākou, e noʻonoʻo, “He aha ana kā kākou e hana ai no ka hoʻomau aku i ko kākou mauli ola Hawaiʻi?”
English Translation
To those continuing the pursuit of knowledge. To my fellow warriors standing strong and protecting Hawaiian culture.
My name is ʻŌnohi Pacheco and I live on the Hawaiian Homelands of Keaukaha, Hilo, Hawaiʻi. I am a student and current senior at Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu.
In these final months of my senior year in high school, I understand the meaning of “there is a time for everything.” I have reached a point in my education where I am considering my plans for life after graduating high school. From kindergarten to this very moment in time, my foundation of Hawaiian language and culture continues to be nurtured. My teachers and family have worked together, so that I can share my voice with my community. After I graduate from high school, I want to continue on my journey and travel the world. Our ancestors worked hard to prepare and build our foundation of knowledge. We do not want it to be lost over time. In order to continue on this path, I remind myself of the importance of taking care of and perpetuating our Hawaiian language and culture.
I strongly encourage everyone to truly consider this question: What can we do to continue to feed and grow the Hawaiian within us?
