Kupuna =Kumu=Haumana

We (the lei artists) have created a new language. " park the needle, park the key, transition stitch, sponginess, reveal feather" etc....

In Hawaiian art the only way to learn is from Kupuna or the next generation called Kumu, the artist has no validation (lineage) if they are self taught or learned only from a book. What does that mean? The Art's strength is in unbroken lineage. 

Kumu means teacher & resource, his/her role is to perpetuate the art as taught by their Kupuna to their own haumana.  (We the ) Resource are only  a vessel to pass on the skill, just a middle man so to speak. 

Once I was Haumana and taught the skills to be honed over the years, I was important to my kumu/teachers the ladies of Keokea because I was passing along their teaching. When I became teacher, I lost Haumana status. 

Like a tree - healthy roots (kupuna) create healthy branches (kumu) the leaves (haumana) bring sunshine and gather water/nutrients, without all 3 they don't exists they are all dead.  First generation is Kupuna, second generation is Kumu, third generation is Haumana. One can never be without having been one of the three. 

The knowledge and experience, the language we speak will not be found in a book nor be learned if one is self taught, the terms will not be ingrained, a valuable resource is lost. 

I was taught not by today's standards, I was shown how to stitch, how to choose feathers, then weeks possibly months went by before there was another lesson. I continued to sew and learn from my own mistakes.

The lesson may have only been a few minutes, I cant remember anymore.
I do remember not doing feather work for 10-15 years, pursue career goals and raising children. Looking back, I realize why I didnt do any featherwork.

I would not have been able to "settle down" and commit to lei making.... 

Kaunoa senior center asked if I would teach, it took many many months for what I learned as a child to be able to teach as an adult.