Eō mai e nā wāhine! The first ever wahine-only conference is set for August 2012 with a mini-ʻAha Wahine just around the corner. Hereʻs a preview.
To register or for more information visit ʻAha Wahine. Or contact Mehanaokalā Hind at AhaWahine2012@gmail.com or by phone at (808)392-1861.
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“He mau kuleana ko ka wahine i hiki ʻole ke walaʻau ʻia me nā kāne,” wahi a Mehanaokalā Hind, kekahi o nā mea hoʻolālā ʻAha Wahine.
“Maʻa mākou i ka hui ma nā pūʻulu liʻiliʻi no ka hula, ʻulana lauhala, a kuku kapa,” wahi a Mehana, “He pōʻaiapili kēia e ʻākoakoa makawalu ai a walaʻau i nā nīnūnē e pā ai mākou. E laʻa hoʻi me ka hoʻokele waiwai, mālama olakino, hoʻonaʻauao, a pēlā aku.”
ʻO ke kālele nui nō naʻe ʻo ia ka hoʻopili ʻana i nā wāhine i ko lākou ʻano Hawaiʻi i mea e ʻimi ai i ke ala hoʻoholomua no ia mau nīnūnē.
“ʻO ka ʻiʻini ʻo ia ka hoʻoulu ʻana i ka pīkoʻu ʻōiwi Hawaiʻi,” wahi a Mehana.
E kahua ana ka ʻaha i kaupalena ʻia i nā wāhine i ka nui holomua i ʻike ʻia ma ka ʻAha Kāne, he ʻaha mālama olakino i kaupalena ʻia i nā kāne.
“Ma muli o ia ʻaha, ua ʻike kākou he kūlana maoli nō ko ke kāne a me ka wahine ʻōiwi Hawaiʻi ma kēia kaiāulu, a he koʻikoʻi nō,” wahi a Mehana.
ʻAʻole i paʻa nā lāliʻi a pau no ka ʻAha Wahine nui e mālama ʻia ana ma ʻAukake, eia naʻe ke mālama nei ʻo Mehana mā i ʻaha liʻiliʻi ma Pepeluali ma ka Hale ʻĀkoakoa o ke Kula Kaiāulu ʻo Koʻolau i mea e hoʻomākaukau no ka ʻaha nui.
“Ke holomua kākou wāhine Hawaiʻi, holomua pū nā ʻohana Hawaiʻi,” i hoʻōho ai ʻo Mehana.
No ke kāinoa a no ka ʻike hou aku e kele aku iā www.AhaWahine.org.
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“There’s just certain things that we can talk about amongst eachother that we can’t talk about in the presence of men,” said Mehanaokalā Hind, one of the coordinators of the ʻAha Wahine.
Hind is leading the charge to implement the first ever ʻAha Wahine.
“Native Hawaiian women have been gathering in smaller groups in their particular practices. Whether that be hula or lauhala weaving or kapa,” explains Hind, “But to have one on a grander scale that dealt with larger issues that all of us as Native Hawaiian women deal with. Socioeconomic issues, health issues, education issues and so forth.”
The focus is reconnecting women to their Hawaiian culture to help them prosper.
“What I want the women to walk away with is a sense of of, a growing sense of their Native Hawaiian identity,” said Hind.
The women’s-only conference is largely based on the success of the ʻAha Kāne, a males-only health conference.
“That was a really good push because it let people out there know and especially men that there is a role for men. There is a role for Native Hawaiian women in our, in our society, and they play very pivotal roles. So why not gather and highlight those roles?” asks Hind.
While all the details are being worked out, Hind is organizing a mini-ʻAha Wahine in February at Windward Community College.
“I want Native Hawaiian women to thrive. I want Native Hawaiian families to thrive and I see this as one of those steps in making that possible,” said Hind.
To register or for more information, visit www.AhaWahine.Org.
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