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Aloha spirit to inspire President Obama with planetary changes
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Barack Obama Bodysurfs at Honululu, August 14, 2008. AP Photo
Barack Obama was born and raised in Honolulu Hawaii. A person of mixed race in a racially mixed society, Obama was raised in the unique spirit of tolerance and openness that is evident to all that visit the magical isles of Hawaii. Aloha is the most common term used to describe Hawaii’s unique spirit and the values that make up those who have lived for any extended period in Hawaii. Aloha means many things, love, greetings, tolerance, harmony and openness. It sums up for many the unique way in which the people of Hawaii interact with each other and outsiders.
Obama has summed up best the definitive role of Hawaii has played in his life. In a 2004 speech, he said, "No place else could have provided me with the environment, the climate, in which I could not only grow but also get a sense of being loved." There are many, including this writer presently living on Hawaii’s Big Island, that agree with that statement. The spirit of community I have found in Hawaii is second to no other place I have found in five decades on this planet.
While some continue to debate whether Obama was actually born or not in Hawaii, there is no doubt that he spent 14 of his first 18 years of life living and studying in Hawaii. His family, childhood friends, and fondest memories are all firmly associated with Honolulu, the urban metropolis where he was raised. Obama’s emotional and mental outlook was firmly shaped in Hawaii, and defines his personality. As Michelle Obama said: "You can't really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii." So the key question is how will Obama’s Hawaii upbringing and its unique spirit of Aloha shape an Obama administration?
The most obvious answer is that he will promote a more racially tolerant America that better deals with the legacies of racism. He will also adopt a more culturally sensitive set of policies whereby America can better deal with the complexities of international relations where many countries still chafe under the legacies of colonialism.
There is another aspect of the spirit of Aloha that needs to be emphasized for an Obama administration. That is the flexibility to be open and respond to changing circumstances. Life for those on a small island chain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean can be unpredictable at the best of times. Those expressing the Aloha spirit understand the need to deal with changing circumstances in an open way. For native Hawaiians, this is etched into memories of how the Kingdom of Hawaii dealt in the 18th century with white explorers, traders and missionaries that came. Hawaiian society experienced rapid changes in the face of outsiders who came in increasing numbers. Hawaiian’s quickly learned they were not alone and had to adapt to a very large outside world.
Hawaii was well led by its first king, King Kamehameha I,in dealing with the enormous changes brought by thousands of outsiders coming to the shores of Hawaii. He chose to deal with outsiders using the spirit of Aloha, where foreign ideas and practices were openly welcomed and integrated into Hawaiian society. King Kamehameha was a wise leader. He knew the importance of being open to the best of what outsiders can bring, while preserving the unique cultural values that made up Hawaii’s identity.
As I sit here writing at the time Obama formally assumes the office of President of the United States of America I am filled with awe at the magnitude of changes that await American society and the planet. The biggest the Obama administration will ultimately have to deal with is that we are not alone in the Universe. Just as Kamehameha I had to openly deal with the influx of foreigners, so too our planet has to now openly deal with outsiders. President Barack Obama is the right man to lead America at this time. He will inspire the planet with the spirit of Aloha in dealing with enormous changes that lie ahead, as we openly welcome outsiders to our planetary shores.
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