Aloha. ‘O Brylyn ko’u inoa, no ewa mai au, noho au ma Ewa, 16 o’u makahiki, o Maunu’unu ka inoa o ka makani o Ewa. O wa’ahila ka inoa o ka ua o Ewa. My home is here in the islands. The mountains are where my feet wander and frolic through the greenery; the white sand beaches are where I bask in the sun; and everything in between, is where I find who I am. I grew up learning the principles of my Hawaiian culture, the language of the land, and the importance of taking care of my home. I was immersed in the culture and walked in the footsteps of my ancestors through the kalo patches, and learned to build the mighty walls of a loko’ia. Before attending Kamehameha Schools, I knew nothing about myself; the importance of the land I called home, I never understood why we needed to care for our land, and why we need to learn the hawaiian language. Malama honua means to take care of the land; from the clouds that billow in the sky to the creatures that roam the ocean floor. Malama honua means to respect each and every life force that calls this earth home. To be kind to the trees that give us oxygen, to be sweet to the flowers whose fragrance permeates the air, and to be gentle to the water that gives us life. To truly care for our land we must have the mindset that everything has a soul. “Every time you pull a petal, it cries” In one of my favorite books, Reverence for Life I learned about the language of the earth, and my connection to it. Nana Veary spoke of her experiences of being one with the earth, knowing how to communicate with the wind, the flowers, and stones. She shared the importance of asking for permission, to use things for a purpose. This reminds me of my favorite quote, “If you love a flower, don't pick it up. Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love. So, if you love a flower, let it be. Love is not about possession” Reverence for life is to acknowledging the spirit in all things. Being a senior I now realize the importance of taking care of the land; it’s not only to save the earth, but it’s about saving the culture, and preserving the hawaiian history. Aloha ‘aina means to love the land and to respect it, if you love the land and respect it will respect and love you. In my life I love the land by planting our native plants to bring beauty back to our land, work in the land to spend time and get to know my home. I love the land knowing that it is a part of what makes me who i am. My aspirations as a student of Malama Honua is to make an impact. I hope to be a part of something bigger than myself. I hope to serve the hawaiian people and the hawaiian land. I hope to learn more about why we need to preserve the land. I want to learn more about sustainability and more things that I can do to take better care of my land. I hope to learn more about my ‘aina, the history about the land I call home.