Mayor Tavares Proclaims the event Maui County’s first annual celebration of earth, life and all things sacred.

More than 200 (750 official count) people gathered at Kamehameha Schools’ Maui Campus Jan. 20 for the opening day of an event Mayor Charmaine Tavares proclaimed Maui County’s first annual celebration of earth, life and all things sacred. HonuaOla Day festivities included panel discussions and speeches by local and international leaders, music and dance performances, and information booths provided by local non-profit organizations.

“We’re here today to celebrate our diversity, our unity, our love for each other, and our love for peace in the entire world, and I’m very happy to be a part of it,” Tavares said before presenting the official HonuaOla Day proclamation to the event’s producers.

(left to right) McCarty Baker, Lesley Michaels, Mayor Charmaine Tavares, Maydeen Iao, Lei’ohu Ryder“

I think we all realize that what we do today influences what happens to our kids and our grandkids and our great, great grandkids and seven generations forward, and we must take our responsibility very, very seriously and ensure that there is a future for our keiki, for our kupuna, and for all of us.”

Panel discussions for the two-day event included “Aloha: What is it Really?”, “Demystifying Power Imbalance,” “Dreaming for Our Children,” and “Indigenousness: What Does it Mean?”

“What I’ve been finding interesting is that every time the question of difference comes up in any context here today, the conversation immediately shifts over to, ‘You know, we actually are the same,’ ” said HonuaOla Day Producer and Director McCarty Baker.

Coordinators also include Founding Visionary and Executive Producer Lesley Michaels, Cultural Visionary and Indigenous Emissary Lei’ohu Ryder, and Administration Director and Event Manager Maydeen Iao. Baker’s idea of “oneness,” of finding similarities among diversity, became apparent during some of the day’s panels.

“Stories are universal and it’s amazing how similar they are regardless of culture and background,” panelist and Maori Chiefess Raina Ferris said during the “Story Telling” discussion. Ferris performed a traditional Maori Haka as well.

Maydeen Iao, photos by Shasta Rose

During the “Demystifying Power Imbalance” discussion, panelists pointed out the similarities between the sexes despite cultural gendering.

“Our culture creates a great deal of imbalance between the sexes. Inherently, we aren’t so different. Each of us has the seeds within us to see our similarities,” panelist Kevin Noonan said.

Michaels pointed out the importance of recognizing and acknowledging people’s differences as well. “When we do encounter differences we can look at them as something that empowers us. We don’t want to be mimeographs of everyone else. How boring would that be? So if we see our differences as our point of empowerment, it would be a wonderful thing for people to embrace and take away from here,” Michaels said.

Some of HonuaOla Day’s contributing non-profit groups included Friends of Haleakala National Park, GMO Free Maui, Recycle Maui County, and Oneness Deeksha on Maui.

Local reggae singer Marty Dread and musical time traveler, Makana, performed during the celebration as part of a wide variety of international and cultural performances.

“This is awesome. It’s a wonderful experience, one that we all need to embrace within ourselves so that we can share it with others,” said attendee Karen Alohihani, Kahului resident. “It’s so good to know that so many others have the desire to create a wholesome world.”

Copyright © 2007 The Haleakala Times.