One may not be happy with what they learn when studying their history. It does not matter what we perceive as good or bad. We still learn; and learning our history need not be only about one’s direct family. Just learning the history of your people, what they did, where they were, even if not a direct ancestor, our antecedents will help learn about why we do things that we do; our antecedent-behavior-consequence model. It is part of our tale (or tail – in the legend of Kamapuaʻa and Moʻo, Kamapuaʻa cuts off the tail of Moʻo, making him lose his balance and sense of direction; the kaona being his “tail” is his history)
Some of my friends in Germany spent years ignoring their ancestors and their past because of shame and fear of what they may have learned. When they finally allowed themselves to examine the past, they were surprised at what they learned. Now, where there was shame, there is also pride. Not in the things that were wrong, but of the many valorous and giving things that so many did in the past. It has helped them to build their mana and spread good. They have found their tail.
Remember as a child, you may have been afraid of the dark. When you turned on a light, the fear went away; you could see that there was nothing to fear. That is what learning your history is. The dark places are scary. Learning your history is like turning on the light. The more that you know, the more light you shed, the less to fear.
Likewise, a dear friend in Sweden learned more of his past. It prompted him to learn more about his Inuit ancestors’ musical instruments, forest craft and beliefs. He shared much of this with me and especially with children around him. It builds his mana and that of those around him.
So you see, learning your history has everything to do with building your mana. The more light you shed, the better you can see, the more good you can do and the greater your mana.
See more in my book "Light of the ʻAumākua"
