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Hawai'i Alaka'i Project (Community Mentor Program) 2004

HAWAI'I 2006 The Arts of Life

In 2004 we sat down with Hawaiian mentor, musician and friend Brother Noland Conjugacion to plan a new “menu” of programs, camps, concerts and events for Hawai‘i and elsewhere in the years to come. Our ideas have manifested themselves (!) and we are now calling our collaborations “TTPHI 808” (translation: The Tracking Project Hawai‘i, area code 808). In three separate visits in 2006—February, June and October—we traveled to O‘ahu for a whole array of gatherings that carried our Hawaiian Arts of Life programs to a new level.

We will summarize in this report our Arts of Life work in February and October. Our mentoring work— especially our presentation for the Hawaiian Supreme Court sponsored by the Alternative Dispute Resolution group—is included in the Nurturing the Roots: Mentor Outreach report.

The Grade 1 students review the art of stalking at Halona Point, O’ahu.
photo by Jade Stokes

Our 2006 visits marked twenty consecutive years of work with the traditional movement in Hawai‘i Nei. Since our early work in the ‘80’s with cultural activists, land issues and the sovereignty movement, our programs have continued to evolve and adapt to island life. Guided by our Native Hawaiian Advisors Mililani Trask and Yuklin Aluli, together with local cultural practitioners and artists, we have put together a package of survival/awareness skills that appeal to the youth, training their senses to experience the natural world in a way that cultivates connection, understanding and empathy with the remarkable environment of the Hawaiian Islands.

As we continued to deepen our ties with land and life, highlights of our visits included:

February

✿ Joining Brother Noland to work with all the Grade 1 students from Kamehameha Elementary School (KES) on two separate days at Halona Point, east of Sandy Beach, as we took the skills of silent movement, tracking, nature awareness and meditation that we shared in the Fall with the students and applied them to the shoreline. Noland opened the morning with the Thanksgiving Address and shared the names and meanings of the sites surrounding our “outdoor classroom.” Later he demonstrated the art of kiloi upena (the throw net). We stalked as a group to the shoreline and watched as Noland snuck to the rocks and threw his net, assisted by another musician/ fisherman, Mike Ka‘awa. The students learned the names of the most common fish near the shoreline and then had time to explore the tide pools with their parents and teachers. We hope to follow this schedule in the future, going into the mountains with the children in the Fall and to the shore in the Spring. Thanks to the Grade 1 teachers—Anna Lee, Faith, Jackie and Kehau. ✿ Working with the Grade 2 students at KES, playing traditional games of the Americas that draw on skills of silence and observation. These games further the silent movement and observation skills learned in Grade 1. From the blindfold stalking games “Rattlesnake” and “Steal the Firewood” to the stalking of a deer outside the classroom, traditional firemaking, and a circle game we learned from our friend Fernando Yawanawa in the Amazon, these games delighted the students and teachers. Thanks to our long-time friends, Joyce Ahuna Ka‘ai‘ai and all the Grade 2 teachers.

✿ Visiting Brad Cooper and the Grade 7 class at the lo‘i kalo at Punalu‘u, where we met Pomaika‘i Crozier and others who cared for the taro patch.

✿ Our annual visit with Toshiko Takaezu, world famous ceramicist and a National Treasure of Japan. Toshiko has been a teacher and a friend since 1970, when John Stokes studied ceramics with her in the pottery studio at Princeton University. ✿ Performing with Brother Noland and Virgil of One Tribe Aloha on Waikiki for Senator Les Ihara’s bachelor’s party. During the course of the evening we shared Noland’s Lessons of Aloha, Virgil played some of his original tunes and John shared news of The Tracking Project. We met many interesting and influential people that night, especially Mike McCartney and Judge Michael Broderick, who would figure into our June presentation for the Supreme Court.

Brother Noland—“Mystical Fish”

Brother Noland shares his mo‘olelo (story) regarding how to distribute the weights of the throw net, Halona Point, O’ahu. photo by Jade Stokes

We first met Brother Noland and his wife Heidi through the Alaka‘i Project, our Hawaiian mentor program, in 2003. Since that time, we have continued to deepen our mutual work in Hawai‘i and on the mainland. Noland has introduced us to his extensive network in Hawai‘i and he has joined the staff of The Tracking Project. In May of 2005 Noland and Heidi traveled to New Mexico as mentors for our NTR Cottonwood program. Noland’s curriculum, which he calls “Hawaiian Inside” is a perfect match for our programs, “Hawaiian Outside.” So, inside and outside, here are a few highlights from our October visit:

✿ Earthquake! Jade and John Stokes traveled to O‘ahu on October 15, the same day that a large 6.8 earthquake shook the Big Island. The plane actually turned around two hours into the flight and returned to Oakland while power was being restored to much of O‘ahu. Jade and John arrived the following day.

✿ This visit was hosted by Noland, the PowerPlay! program and the YWCA of Hawai‘i. In this sevenweek after-hours basketball clinic, the youth are exposed to mentors and guest speakers with a broad range of knowledge—from wayfinding and tracking to music, hula, cooking and martial arts. This knowledge is then applied to their lives, helping them “take their game to the highest level.” Kulia ka nu‘u. This year we joined the PowerPlay! youth at the Waikalua Loko fishpond with Herb Lee, and Keoki Fukumitsu’s lo‘i kalo near Kualoa. We had time to share lots of stories at night and introduce some new outdoor skills. Thanks to Noland, Coaches Clay & Jeff, Herb, Keoki, Virgil, Paula, Chieko, Judy and the YWCA.

✿ Performing with Noland and his band One Tribe Aloha at the farewell dinner for the Napali program (Hale Koa) and a small jam session at Ko‘olina. Congratulations to the band on the new CD Mystical Fish, released on the Mountain Apple label in April. Thanks as always to the guys in the band—Noland, Fred, Pi‘i, Virgil, Steve, Donnie and all the crew.

✿ Working with a whole new group of KES Grade 1 students over two days at Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Gardens, sharing the Thanksgiving Address, Secrets of Natural Movement, the story of Maui stealing the secret of fire from the ‘alae and a demonstration of hand-drill firemaking. Noland was able to join us for one of the days, and many parents came too. On the way down to the reservoir, we found lots of pig sign and on the water we found ducks, mudhens, and herons.Thanks to the Grade 1 teachers—Anna Lee, Faith, Jackie and Kehau—and all the parents who joined us.

✿ Spending a day with Brad Cooper and about 100 Grade 7 Kamehameha School students from Pu‘ulu ‘Ohe (the “bamboo” group) hiking the Upper Campus trail. While Brad took a group up the trail overlooking the Pali to tell them aspects of the story of the Battle of Nu‘uanu, Jade and John did some natural movement, went over the basic survival needs and demonstrated firemaking. Our thanks as always to Brad and all the teachers of the ‘Ohe group.

Land and sea, land and life. Our work in Hawai‘i continues to nurture and inspire us. Like a cresting wave, our projects from the past seem to be curling back on themselves, creating a spiral of new possibilities. We send our finest thoughts and our deepest aloha to the Hawaiian people for their strength, ingenuity and hospitality.

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