When reading this article, I kept seeing the duality of
Kaona and how it serves two purposes. It reminded me of the article we read on
Maat and how it was both a goddess and a concept. However in this case, I like
how Kaona serves two purposes of resistance. It helps preserve culture through
another language and is a call to action for the natives. Author Lilikalã Kame’eleihiwa states
that “‘there are always several layers of kaona in any good example of Hawaiian
prose’: there is the literal meaning; references to the ancient through myths,
events, gods, and chiefs; the intertextual use of chants and proverbs; finally,
another possible layer ‘known only to the raconteur and one or two special members
of the audience…while everyone else remains oblivious to the message’” (101). I
feel as those this passage describes in essence the whole article and the other
ideas from indigenous articles we have already read. Although Natives may lose
their language keep their identity through the concepts and words spoken in
English, so this act of resistance is a way to keep their culture. However, the
difference between Native America resistance and Hawaiian resistance is that
Hawaiians have a dual function to resistance; “Hawaiians effectively used
writing to assure the continued survival of their culture and express their
resistance” (104).
The example given to us in the article of the writings of
Queen Lili’uokalani is similar to Winnemucca text. Both women who are authors
who are allowing Americans insight into their perspective cultures. Both women
construct themselves as civilized through their education in English and American
culture. In the case of the queen, “she relies on her people’s knowledge of the
Pele tradition to deliver messages of resistance while appealing to the values
of a Western audience, a strategy common in a rhetoric of survivance” (106). Besides
being a translator of culture, the Queen is a fighter for her people, language,
and culture; by playing the game in hopes to gain the edge over her oppressors
to gain back her Monarchy. Although we know this plan failed, it is a good idea
that help preserve the culture of the Hawaiian people but in English, so that they don't fall out of existence.
As a side note:
“Despite
the colonial settlers’ literacy in the Hawaiian language and an awareness that
‘mele often contained metaphorical or figurative language, [they] were unable
to understand the ‘real’ meaning… [Kaona then became a tool] to communicate to
the masses of kãnaka
without detection by the haole missionary community’” (104).
When reading this passage I had the whole hey this reminds
me of how the we used Navajo during WWII. Although the Navajo code was never
broken or understood by the enemy it was just a moment of hey I’ve seen this
before and it worked we won the war. My question then is if Kaona was a tool to
communicate as well as a call to action, why was the Hawaiian monarchy
reinstated? Was it the lack of resources?
Just ask the French, revolutions are won and lost everyday. The true victory is rhetorical sovereignty and rhetorical and cultural survivance. In many revolutions the ideas that spur them are either crushed or flourish, but Hawai'ian's found a way to keep their ideas in spite of the overwhelming colonialistic pressures to destroy them. It's a lesson that can be passed on to many different cultures and modes of thinking.
ReplyDeleteResistance and survivance extend passed "typical" forms of colonization as well. The colonization of young peoples' minds is a real issue in the world. The old saying, "Get them while they're young," rings very true. I think it would be interesting to track rhetorical sovereignty and survivance in contemporary America. As personal narratives have shown from Native American boarding schools, resistance and survivance can begin at a young age. So it may be interesting to track things like "slang" as a type of rhetorical sovereignty by youth.