Huliau - The Return Voyage

Those of you who have followed this website know that ‘Iokepa acts always and only at the behest of his ancestors.  These Grandmothers–long gone–direct his footfalls and his word choice.

For ten years, he and I lived on the beaches of these Islands without any source of income, among his often homeless people, in the face of an oppression that the Native Hawaiians experienced from the moment the first Calvinist missionaries wrote laws that created ownership where none ever existed (with the undisguised intention that this fertile Hawaiian land become their cash crop)–an oppression that continues to this moment.

For those ten years–and in these past two, when we have traveled and spoken of the Native Hawaiians, of their transcendent cultural gifts, and of their extreme suffering–print journalists have asked ‘Iokepa for interviews highlighting his choices and his life.  The first to ask was Paul Curtis, here on  Kaua’i, five years ago.

At each request, the Grandmothers have told him:  “It is not the time.” ‘Iokepa  listened.

That changed a few weeks ago.  And on the day after Christmas (the first day of our thirteenth year together),  Paul Curtis’ interview of ‘Iokepa appeared in the Garden Island newspaper, here on Kaua’i.

It was long:  A forty inch story, with a fifteen inch sidebar.  Below are the links to both stories.  Enjoy.  Let us know what you think.

http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/12/26/news/kauai_news/doc4b35cab04757f660855711.txt

http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/12/26/news/kauai_news/doc4b35cbbead606976439963.txt