KAʻI KŪKULU

“On June 24, 2015, we stood gathered before dawn on the mountain. In the darkness, we heard a voice say, “I will lead Line 1,” and another, “I will lead Line 2.” The kiaʻi were readying for how they would stand to protect our mauna that morning. Then the voice of a female called out, “I will lead Line 3, but that line will be only wāhine, only for women,” and the tone of her voice and the words that she stated brought tears to my eyes. The lines that day formed clear up to the top of the mauna. And we stood, protected by our mountain, surrounded by rock altars, strong as the boulders, shoulder to shoulder as people, as pillars. That early morning and the way we stood that day inspired the words and the motions of this kaʻi. We were pillars that day, and pillars we will always be! “