Kū ka ‘Ōhi‘a i ka ‘A‘ā—‘Ōhi‘a That Stands amid the Lava Fields

Abstract

With haliʻa aloha and sincere gratitude, a few of us sat together to share personal reflections about Kekuni Blaisdell, a beloved man who had mentored and nurtured us for many years. The gathering was reminiscent of previous afternoons in Nuʻuanu when Kekuni had welcomed haumāna to his home—a kīpuka where kapa hung on the wall and conversations flowed freely. Memories of these precious times together were still vivid: Kekuni’s dark red ink pen to correct our manuscripts, perhaps a camera to capture a moment in time, his reclaiming of the phrase Kānaka Maoli to describe the first peoples, his persistent reminder that Hawaiʻi is the “mainland” and, most significantly, his leadership in establishing strong pilina that connect the lähui and will continue to unite us. The essay that follows is our expression of profound aloha, respect, and appreciation for Kekuni Blaisdell.