2 cultures share one artifact?

[Miulang]

This story is very interesting.
"...At the center of the cultural divide are the Wahiawa Healing Stones. Once a tongue-shaped boulder from a historic site north of the town, it was broken into pieces, all enshrined in their present home...."

The kanaka maoli and Hindus both revere the remnants of the stone. The issue is how both can practice their traditions without impinging on the other. The issue is over whether the enclosure in which the stones reside should have a roof (which the Hindus installed) over them, or be left to the elements, as some kanaka maoli believe.

How they resolve the issue will be interesting to watch, since both sides perceive the stone as icons in their traditions.

Miulang

[Palolo Joe]

Re: 2 cultures share one artifact?

Star-Bulletin version:

http://starbulletin.com/2005/03/25/news/story2.html

One point of clarification - the Hindus didn't install the roof. They refurbished the shed that was there for years.

[kimo55]

Re: 2 cultures share one artifact?

That's why I get both papers, One misses what da odda one gets most of the time.

If.. it went to vote I would lean towards giving kahu status to the malama groups. At the risk of the inevitable: being characterized as displaying raging racist feelings against Hindus, (or gay Hindus), I would also prefer to see the pohaku open to the elements, and have no semblance of any oil, incense, candles or anything like this near da stone. Or have it ever in the future soaked with honey or milk. (donate the consumables to needy homeless, please) (Uh.Oh. Now I am racist towards da homeless. Oh welllll...)

The Hindu group found this stone 17 years ago.
Hawaiians found it seventeen hundred years ago. (or sumpin li dat)
The Hindus worship it "because it resembles Shiva".

[AbsolutChaos]

Re: 2 cultures share one artifact?

As a Hindu (and not a gay one, last I checked, not that I care one way or the other about that), I have no problem with having the stone exposed to the elements or having holes drilled in the already existing roof. I think both cultures can share the artifact.

There is significance to the honey/milk/liquid:

"The formal worship consists of bathing the Lord. Lord Shiva is considered to be the Form of Light (which the Shiva Lingam represents). He is burning with the fire of austerity. He is therefore best propitiated with cool bathing. While bathing the Lingam the devotee prays: "O Lord! I will bathe Thee with water, milk, etc. Do Thou kindly bathe me with the milk of wisdom. Do Thou kindly wash me of all my sins, so that the fire of worldliness which is scorching me may be put out once for all, so that I may be one with Thee - the One alone without a second."

Every religion has its own symbols and rituals, and I respect other religions and try not to judge, especially as I do not know the significance of their rituals and symbols, and I hope others would accord the same respect to my religion.

I also respect the malama groups wishing to have the stone bathed in substances that are easily washed off, and I see no reason why there can't be a few days in the year that are for Hindus to perform their ceremonies, at least the major Shiva-related Hindu religious days. I'm sure a compromise could be reached where only substances that can be washed off are used on the artifact, as is already being done, according to one of the newspaper articles. The malama groups can have the artifact for the rest of the year as they wish it, completely unadorned and with no accessories near it.

Sigh, as for "resembling Shiva," it's not like somebody thought they saw Shiva's likeness in a cinnamon roll and suddenly decided it was sacred. The lingam is a stone that has ALWAYS represented Shiva, and "Shivalingams in several temples are swayambus, or that which appeared on their own, or that which is untouched by a chisel." That is why it holds significance for the Hindus here once they discovered the artifact.

Just wanted to add more to the info in the articles, since they don't really explain a lot of things simply because the reporters aren't knowledgeable about the Hindu religion.

That's why I get both papers, One misses what da odda one gets most of the time.

If.. it went to vote I would lean towards giving kahu status to the malama groups. At the risk of the inevitable: being characterized as displaying raging racist feelings against Hindus, (or gay Hindus), I would also prefer to see the pohaku open to the elements, and have no semblance of any oil, incense, candles or anything like this near da stone. Or have it ever in the future soaked with honey or milk. (donate the consumables to needy homeless, please) (Uh.Oh. Now I am racist towards da homeless. Oh welllll...)

The Hindu group found this stone 17 years ago.
Hawaiians found it seventeen hundred years ago. (or sumpin li dat)
The Hindus worship it "because it resembles Shiva".