The Cry of the Huna

The Cry of the Huna invokes the author's personal history as he recounts the decline of his people's spiritual tradition as a result of colonization. The breakdown of the Hawaiians' ties with their sacred land led them to forget not only the teachings of their ancestors, but also the chain of Na au Makua they form, which connects this people to both the earth and the realm of the gods. While the Na au Makua can be viewed with reverence it is not seen or worshiped as a God. Rather it is seen as a part of the chain of life that arose from one god's vision of creation. Au Makua is a compound of Makua (parents) and au, the endless ancestral chain that stretches through time. Each individual on earth represents a temporary end to that chain. As we age and our vision of life slowly looks toward death, our descendants come forth to provide the next eyes in the chain of witnessing and transmission. The Cry of the Huna shows how the rupture of this chain has led to widespread alienation. An endless cycle of resentment and revenge is fueled by the loss of the Hawaiians' spiritual birthright. The connection to the au Makua, however, can be reforged, but only by untying the circular cords of revenge to allow forgiveness to occur in the present so that healing can take place in the future.