The Second Hawaiian Renaissance
By Elaine Brown
On August 19, 2006, I attended the Ho’ike 2006, a hula halau performance presented by Kumu Kawaikapuokalani Hewett at the Castle High School Auditorium. As the performance began, God began to reveal to me the following. The Holy Spirit showed me in my spirit that a Second Hawaiian Renaissance has been birthed. This Renaissance is all about His Love and how we will experience His Love, which many of us would consider the true essence of Aloha. I don’t know if this Renaissance was birthed during the performance or it has recently begun. Nonetheless, it certainly is here and it is a special time in history where there is a move of God among the people of Hawaii.
The first Hawaiian Renaissance, which began in the late 1960’s, as I can understand it, was about our identity with the Hawaiian culture and our love for the aina (land). It was expressed in the re-emergence of hula, an evolution of Hawaiian music and entertainment, and movements such as malama aina, Protect Kahoolawe, and Hawaiian Sovereignty. A Renaissance, as referred to in historical measures, is a re-awakening in all facets of man or society in the way of thinking, doing things, inventions, and sharing of knowledge that causes the affected society to have a better standard of living or outcome. Such renaissances are the result of man and his efforts (based on God-given talents), occurring at a specific period of time.
This Second Hawaiian Renaissance; however, is not a cultural-motivated movement but a spiritual-inspired movement. It is not due to the movement of persons employing their talents but rather, it is a movement of God filling us with His Love. For only God can move over people and fill them with His Love. On our own, within our own control and power, we cannot fill ourselves with His Love. This infilling occurs rather quickly when we desire to experience God in His fullness.
When filled with His Love, we will be transformed and be able to see life differently because we are seeing things and understanding events through His eyes and Love. We should not be afraid but express His Love and many will think “Oh, this is what true Aloha is all about.” This means the Second Hawaiian Renaissance could occur rather quickly, sweeping across our State. We will witness it happening and hopefully as you read this, you too will witness and experience this Renaissance. With humility and a repentant heart, we should ask our faithful God to show us and bring to our understanding through His eyes and Love.
For those who seek Hawaiian Sovereignty for our aina, the Holy Spirit told me that we already have the land. The Bible says in Matthew 6:26-34:
“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span? And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’ For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
The Hawaiian Islands have already been dedicated and consecrated for the Kingdom of God. The Kings, Queens and spiritual leaders who were given divine authority over the lands have dedicated these lands to God. God honors such declarations and covenants and will allow His good will to come to pass and bless us because He loves us deeply and His grace is upon us. Only through Jesus and His sovereignty over our hearts and land do we truly receive our inheritance, riches and blessings.
As noted in the book, Perpetuated in Righteousness: The Journey of the Hawaiian People from Eden (Kalana I Hauola) to the Present Time, by Daniel I. Kikawa (Copyright 1994) -- I hope I paraphrased correctly and included some excerpts below:
The book describes history to be that God destroyed the Tower of Babal and scattered the people by making the different tribes unable to understand each other. Thus ‘Io (The One True God) gave each group a chance to live in righteousness again. One of the group, Mene hune, chose to migrate to the Star of Gladness (Hokule’a) to establish the Kingdom of God. Under this star were the Hawaiian Islands. Over time, a migration from Tahiti came to Hawaii, including the priest Pa’ao, who built the first luakini (human sacrifice) heiau (temple) in Hawaii and established the Kapu system. The bondage created by Pa’ao’s new religion took a terrible toll on the Hawaiian people and the ali’i (chiefs) were enticed to pride and greed.
A fearless young chief Kamehameha, was the instrument of the all powerful ‘Io to unite the chiefs and set the stage for the coming of His Son, Iesu Christo (Jesus Christ). On October 3, 1819, six months after the death of Kamehameha the evil system of Pa’ao was broken by our ancestors. The heiaus were desecrated and the idols destroyed. The One True God, whom Hawaiian had worshipped long before the coming of Pa’ao was preparing the way for His coming. Meanwhile, a Hawaiian orphan named Henry Opukahai’a made his way to New England, America, learned of God and translated the Book of Genesis into Hawaiian. Upon his natural death, due to his impassioned pleas to bring the gospel to Hawaii, the missionaries set sail to Hawaii on October 23, 1819.
The book notes that within a few short years of the missionaries’ arrival, there were more Christians per capita in Hawaii than in the continental United States. The Hawaiian people had the great distinction as being known as one of the greatest Christian nations of that time. This revival was so great that it was said, “One could scarcely go in any direction, in the sugar cane or banana groves without finding children praying and weeping before God.” An 1853 census showed that 96% of the Hawaiian population of 71,019 claimed membership in a Christian Church. This period was dubbed the Great Awakening.
The famous saying ‘Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka ‘Aina I Ka Pono’ (our State’s motto) means ‘The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness’. This legacy, to the care for the people and the land in righteousness, was first given by the highest ali’i in the land and the first Christian, Ke’opuolani. If her full legacy is read, then our State motto should read, “The Life of the Land is Perpetuated by the Righteousness of Iesu Cristo (Jesus Christ).”
If we look at subsequent events in Hawaii even up until today, we can see that God has kept His promise. You too may know of many events where you could see God’s acknowledgement of the declarations and covenants offered by our ancestors and good people of Hawaii. God’s Will shall come to pass for His Word never goes void. When we allow God’s perfect and complete Love fill our hearts, we will have spiritual sovereignty and thus, sovereignty over the aina. The land is ours to possess because He has kept the covenant with us. Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.”
As we see in the news, this world is in turmoil, where nations hold fast to their lands, and their religious beliefs and rights – it would be so unique for the world to see the Hawaiians respond with gentleness and in submission to God. Is it possible for a Hawaiian race to give up their claim to the land only to receive it back from The Sovereign and One True God? After all, was it not the intent of the people of the first migration to Hawaii to establish the Kingdom of God on the land they found by sailing to the Star of Gladness (Hokule’a)? Did they possess the land for God or did they possess the land for themselves? The Kingdom of God is not limited to the shores of these islands, separated by ocean. The Kingdom of God is not bound to a geographic location.
On January 17, 1893, forces overthrew Queen Lili’uokalani and imprisoned her in her own palace, and she refused to allow armed resistance. She wrote The Queen’s Prayer: “Your love is in heaven, and your truth so perfect. I live in sorrow imprisoned, you are my light, your glory my support. Behold not with malevolence the sins of man but forgive and cleanse. And so, O Lord, beneath your wings be our peace forever more.” Would God not hear her prayers and faithfully respond by shining His love, truth, glory and peace on us and our islands? Imagine how we would be affected by His outpouring! Hawaii would become a heavenly paradise. A blessed Hawaii could provide us with a tiny fraction of a glimpse of what Israel and the world would be like when Christ returns to rule the earth. A precursor, starting in Hawaii? Why not, especially if the Hawaiians are a remnant people of God whom migrated to Hawaii to establish the Kingdom of God.
Can we understand and believe that the Hawaiians and the people of Hawaii have a special role on earth? Do we dare to believe that through this Second Hawaiian Renaissance, the rest of the world would come to know the true essence of Aloha, God’s Love? People throughout the world know of Hawaii and hear about our spirit of Aloha. We cannot even begin to imagine that, with God’s Love in our hearts, how the people of Hawaii could have a great impact on the U.S.A. and rest of the world! There is something so unique and spiritual about Hawaii, and what it can offer the rest of the world.
As I sat there watching the Ho’ike 2006 program, two hula halaus from Japan came out to dance the hula. It was mentioned that one of the two hula halaus won first place in a recent hula competition in Waikiki. As I watched them dance the hula, I could see their love for hula, an expression of Aloha, and how it has connected them to Hawaii. Japan, the country that bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, is now a country closely drawn and connected to Hawaii. Kumu Kawaikapuokalani referred to Japan as the ninth Hawaiian Island. How powerful is the extension and acceptance of this Aloha, to bring two countries, once at war, together again in respect, grace and love. And since Japan is considered by some as the ninth Hawaiian Island, could we pray and believe that God will bless Japan with a revival too?
There are many social issues and concerns that plague our state and families. Although we acknowledge that we have the awareness, knowledge, ability and resources to address these problems, there is limited success. What hinders us is the need to hold on to our greed, pride and power, because of the fear of giving in to the unknown. But in God’s love, there is no fear. 1st John 4:18-19, states “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.”
Also, you may have read or heard about 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by my name would humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This may seem unattainable by many who think they are not worthy or the journey is too hard. But it is not hard if you permit God to fill your heart with His Love. It is in the presence of His Love do we see our own imperfections, and only then, could we truly ask God to forgive us and for His Will to be done. Jesus said “For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” (Matthew 11:30). God has compassion for the people of the Hawaiian Islands and at this time He wants to move upon us as a people, and fill us with His perfect and complete Love. This is the Second Hawaiian Renaissance.
* * * * * * RESOURCES * * * * * *
Perpetuated in Righteousness: The Journey of the Hawaiian People from Eden (Kalana I Houola) to Present Time, by Daniel L. Kikawa (1994).
Memoirs of Henry Obookiah, by E. Dwight (1970).
Revival in Hawaii, by Pastor Jim Morraco, www.kingscathedral.com