Hawaiian Values
Embracing Hawaiian Values at PPS
Ancient Hawaiians had an authentic and compelling way of viewing the world. They held that: All things are connected to one another and to the Source.
Pacific Primate Sanctuary is founded on the same worldview and we have discovered that our practices reflect many traditional Hawaiian beliefs, principles and values.
The Kumulipo is the Hawaiian Creation and Genealogy Chant, it tells of the beginning of our world and recites the birth order of all different life forms as they are born. The Kumulipo begins in Pō (darkness/night) before life existed, and the very first being that is created is the coral polyp, a tiny organism that is the building block for life in the sea. The chant continues to describe the different organisms that are born, in the order they come into being, each one increasing in size and complexity. Kānaka, or people/humankind, is the last to be born. Kānaka is born into the same family as the sea, the land, the plants, and all the other animals. We all come from the same Source, Pō, and therefore we are all related and connected.
Since Kānaka is the last to be born, humans are the younger siblings of the ‘Aina (Land), and all other living things. As the youngest in this family, it is our kuleana (responsibility) to serve our older siblings, this refers to both the Beings created before us in the Kumulipo, as well as the other humans who came before us (our elders). We observe, listen, respect and learn from the natural world and our ancestors, and in return, they care for us and provide for our needs. The Hawaiians consider themselves stewards of the ’Aina, this Earth, and, are responsible for caring for it, and protecting it for their children.
At Pacific Primate Sanctuary, we embrace this philosophy, and believe it is our kuleana to protect and nurture the land, and care for other Beings with respect. The following beliefs and ideals are central to the Hawaiian Culture, as well as to the Sanctuary’s mission, philosophy, and practices.
Aloha- One of the most commonly used and most powerful words in the Hawaiian language. Aloha has several levels of meaning. On the surface, aloha means- love, affection, compassion, mercy, charity. When broken down, the meaning deepens (Alo—presence, front, face) + (ha=breath, or life energy)- The presence of (Divine) breath, giving aloha a spiritual context. A further meaning of the Aloha Spirit includes:
Ala— Mindful Awareness of the Moment
Lokahi— Balance and Harmony
Oia’i’o— Truth, Authenticity and Honesty. Being Authentic to Yourself and Responsible to Others
Ha’aha’a— Being Humble. The multiple, repeated root Ha refers to you as a Spirit Having a Human Experience.
Ahonui— Patient and Enduring
It is our kuleana to care for the other Beings with whom we share our precious planet
Aloha guides the way Hawaiians interact with one another, the animals, the plants and the Earth itself. It creates a feeling of mutual respect and compassion. At Pacific Primate Sanctuary, we make every effort to “Keep the Aloha Alive”. The animals are always treated with love, respect and kindness. As a volunteer organization, every person who helps the monkeys is doing so purely out of the goodness of their heart, with no rewards or incentives other than a desire to contribute their compassionate care. This positive, selfless service is healing to the monkeys, as well as to their caregivers.
At PPS, everything is done with Aloha, from feeding the animals to working in the office or planting the garden; daily tasks are accomplished with mindfulness, respect, and compassion!
Pono- Harmony and balance, to do what is right, meaning upright, goodness, righteous, to correct, to set right. To work towards an enlightened and positive path in Life.
The most important guiding principle at PPS is to always do what is right for the animals. We strive to rectify the wrongs, the harms they have experienced, and provide them with a home where they can live in the natural world with others of their own kind. This is their birthright.
Ho’oponopono- This is a Hawaiian forgiveness and healing ritual, which can be done on one self, or between individuals. The meaning literally is to make right, or to “set on the right path for the greater good of everyone”. Ho’oponopono is a form of mental and emotional cleansing, which allows a person to “clear the path” or remove obstacles and burdens that hinder him/her.
Traditionally this was often used to resolve family and social conflicts in Hawaiian society. It was also regularly used by healing practitioners, or Lapa’au, to remove any personal obstacles before working on a patient, in order to be in the right frame of mind to offer help. Ho’oponopono was then done on the patient, releasing inner turmoil and pain in order to allow healing (physical, mental and emotional) to occur. Hawaiians believed that illness was the physical manifestation of spiritual and emotional difficulties such as stress, anger, guilt, etc. Healing must tend to all three levels- physical, emotional and spiritual to be effective. The physical healing was the most basic level- this includes medications, application of bandages, etc. Far more important was the emotional and spiritual healing, which Hoʻoponopono addressed.
The most important thing we do at PPS is to heal, using our hands, hearts and spirits! Before entering any animal care areas, the caretakers stop to center themselves and become fully present, and aligned with the animals. The practice of Ho’oponopono is central in all that we do for the primates.
The physical aspect of care giving is important; we provide the monkeys with food, shelter and medical care, without which they could not live. However, the aloha, love and intention that go into the making of the food, providing the medications, and keeping the enclosures clean is what truly heals the animals. It is vital to the wellbeing of the animals, that the people who care for them be in the right state of mind, connected to the Source and focused on the physical and emotional needs of the animals, and not on their own personal concerns or difficulties.
Malama ‘Aina- to care for and nurture the land so it can give back all we need to sustain life for ourselves and our future generations, to live in harmony with the land. Here at the Sanctuary, we nurture the land, growing fresh fruits and vegetables for the animals, as well as propagating plants for their enclosures. We utilize non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning supplies, reuse and recycle as much as possible. The Sanctuary minimizes the impact on our precious resources. Many of the monkeys at PPS have become endangered in their native rainforests, which are disappearing at the fastest rate in history.
At Pacific Primate Sanctuary, we believe that caring for the land and the animals is vital to restoring our planet and returning it to a state of equilibrium.