Anahā - reflection of light

Anahā - reflection of light

This is what I’m going to be calling my reflections of powerful and beautiful moments of my life from now on.

Todays writing prompt for the Aha Kūpa’akalā seven day prayer ceremony is to share about something you accomplished this year.

I met with a circle of incredible women once a week almost every week over zoom for a year to chant, pray, and heal together. To honor our journey and all that we have learned in this space, we gathered in person for the first time to Hō‘ike in ceremony in the face of the mountain that brought us all together. It was the first time that I lead a ceremony like this with the blessing of my mother, my Kumu, and matriarch of our Hale Haumea.

We dyed kīhei with ‘ōlena, cleansed and cleared with pa‘akai, sealed the ceremony with ‘awa. When the last pa’i ka lima filled the spaced, I took a moment to give thanks to all of my teachers for guiding me to this very place in my life. I looked at my mother and couldn’t help but cry in gratitude for all the ways she dedicated her time, heart, and intention to learning and living the ways of our people so that she could pass it down. I thought of Uncle Kalani and all the ways he has guided me in learning how to ground myself, pīkai space, and hold space. I thought of my whole lifetime of hula that set the foundation. All of the lessons that are the pillars and all of the wisdom I have yet to learn from that will fill the space.

This hō‘ike confirmed in my soul, a commitment to continue this practice with this hale and to continue my ‘uniki training to one day become a Kumu Hula.

I am proud of myself.
I am proud of the women of this hale.
I am proud to be Kanaka Maoli.

‘Ie holo ē

📸: @kapuleifloress