Notes From Under the Oaks | April 2015
Pacific University’s Nā Haumāna O Hawai’i hosted their annual Lu'au on the second Saturday of April. As it does every year, the Lu'au puts us all in an island state of mind. It’s got me thinking about the Hawaiian language. I’ve been fascinated by Hawaiian language since I was a student and a friend taught me to say humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa. Years later when I saw the Hawai'i state fish, humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa, at the Maui Ocean Center I actually jumped for joy.
What fascinates me about the Hawaiian language is not just the capacity to create such a spectacular word as humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa, but the ability to create incredible significance and meaning from each word or even syllable. (The fact that the Hawaiian language manages this with just 13 characters is astounding in itself.) For example, the word aloha has a vast array of meanings, including, but not limited to love, affection, compassion, mercy and, of course, hello and goodbye.
Many of the attributes alumni cite when describing why Pacific is special, can be best be described with Hawaiian words.
‘Ohana is a favorite word as it describes any group of people with a common bond. It is common to substitute the word family when trying to explain ‘ohana. The word community could also be used. Both family and community are routinely used by alumni when trying to articulate what makes Pacific special.
Kōkua can mean help, aid, provide assistance, but depending on context it can mean assistant or helper. Our community here at Pacific is infused with kōkua. Not only can students count on support from their professors, they can count on each other.
Kōkua also brings to mind the incredible level of service provided by our students to those in need out of true kindness and desire to help. This spirit can be found in the work of optometry students traveling overseas to perform eye exams and in the work of dental hygiene providing services to children in Washington County. It can be found in the work of our sororities who each support a different cause and in the work of students who spend their spring break helping provide food and shelter to the homeless.
When they learn that 21 percent of this year’s freshmen hail from the state of Hawaii, people unfamiliar with our specific university culture, will ask why so many students from Hawai’i choose Pacific. We can provide myriad of reasons, but the defining response is often that the culture and values of Pacific so closely mirrors that of the islands.
Although many Pacific students may have never been to Hawaii, we all feel a bit of pride about being part of a community that embraces so strongly a spirit of kindness and service.
Next time you visit one of Pacific’s campuses in Oregon, make sure we know you’re coming so we can show you some true Pacific hospitality and if you ever find yourself on Ala Moana in Honolulu, make sure you stop in at the Hawai’i Office where you can be shown true island hospitality.
In the meantime, make sure to practice reciting humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa and send us your story about aloha, ‘ohana and kōkua.
A hui hou,
Martha Calus-McLain '03
Director of Alumni Relations