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Ke Kukui Nānā i Luna AHA's motto contemplated
At the Academy of Hawaiian Arts, the kukui tree is the symbol chosen to represent "cultural enrichment and enlightenment" at the hālau. Within that sentiment, the words of Ke Kukui Nānā I Luna has been the hālau’s guiding intention. This phrase translates to "The light looked up to," but what does that really mean? What is the light looked up to? After much pondering, a few more questions needed to be answered first, such as what is light? Light is a source of illumination. Is it the source that allows one to see out of the dark? It could be the sun, a flame, your child, your parents, or a lesson well learned. It could also be your hopes, your love in this world, or the driving fire within. Also, why do we look up to something in the first place? People tend to choose things or people to look up to because of the qualities or principles they possess. These inspiring qualities and principles often represent, for whatever reason, what we wish for, in our own lives. As I asked other haumāna what "the light looked up to" means, I received a wide range of responses. This diversity wasn't reflective of right or wrong thinking, but rather a reflection of the beauty of perspective and choice. The answers differed but there was an underlying similarity. Their responses varied because the "light" and qualities and principles looked up to reflected the individual choice of what rang true for his or her life. I was once told that there are four kinds of people in this world: people who are in the dark and seek darkness, people who are in the light and seek darkness, people who are in darkness and seek light, and people who are of light and seek light…and if we are in the latter two, we’ll always go forward. As we seek the light looked up to, we naturally strive to be our best, and begin to understand this expression, not through blind faith of a hālau motto, but through knowing why we choose to believe and do the things we do. That is the beginning of the light looked up to. That is Ke Kukui Nānā I Luna…
	"It makes you wake up" Leilani, age 5 keiki dancer
"Path to wisdom and peace" Melinda, Level II Class
	"It flashes, it rises." Ryan, age 5, AHA keiki
"Looking at beauty and reflecting that" Juan, Level I class
	"It’s natural to seek light, when in darkness" Ken, Pro Team
"Makes the world bright." Kaylyn, age 10
- by Jessica Joson