Pola Hanau (Birth Bowl)
808-966-8108 polahanau@gmail.com
“Pola Hanau a me Kukui Ola”
(Birth Bowl with the Light of Life)
Hawaiian Legend has it that every keiki (child) is born with a Bowl of Light. If the keiki lives their life with Pono (righteousness), anything is possible. With harmony, love, respect, understanding and humility their bowl of light will always be bright.
However, if one succumbs to the seven (7) hewa (sins) of man which is Greed, Lust, Pride, Envy, Wrath, Apathy and Gluttony their bowl of light will be darkened by one or more of the seven hewa.
If one entertains all that is not pono then the bowl of light will become completely dark and the Hawaiian Way will be lost.
But in the circle of life, if one learns to forgive and make things pono, the hewa of darkness will disappear from the bowl and the light will return at the end of one’s cycle of life.
The Pola Hanau (birth bowl) is the concept from this mana`o (feeling), born full of light. However, how one treats the bowl will be reflected at the end of life and their legacy left behind.
The Hawaiian Way has evolved with the changing of times but we have learned to live with change and survive with our kuleana (birthright) intact.
The Pola Hanau mana`o has also evolved. The concept in 1997 was a family heirloom. Then history recorded by the Konanui `Ohana of the Puna District in the early 1900’s revealed the use of wooden vessels (pola) by Hawaiians to transport their children’s piko (umbilical cord) to a placed called Pu`uloa, Panau Nui Ahapua`a on the island of Hawai`i, to be blessed with long life. Then the pola was used as a temporary sanctuary to hold the piko until a final resting place is made according to the family’s belief.
Today, with the awakening of being Pono in the ways of our Kupuna (elders) and the blessing of the Pola Hanau which is “Born the day of my hanai, I hope to bring harmony, love, respect, understanding and humility in the tradition of the Hawaiian way.” It is in reflection of the Kukui Ola (Light of Life) from the Bowl of Light.
This is the evolution of the Pola Hanau as a Family Heirloom, also being a Sanctuary and Bowl of Light.
It is with my most humble mana`o that I share this knowledge of the tradition of the Pola Hanau a me Kukui Ola (birth bowl with the light of life) with all those families that share in this makana (gift).
