09/10/2026
Continuing this walk along my lines, and next we are sitting in the 3% Hawaiian lines...
There has always been something about these lands and the people connected to them that has called to me. A pull I've felt since I was a little girl. It's something I've carried with me throughout my life, a curiosity and a feeling that certain places and cultures stir something deep within me. now, as I continue learning about my ancestry and unlearning what i thought i knew, I'm finding myself drawn into the world of Hawaiʻi, its people, its history, and its ancient traditions.
The people of Hawaiʻi, the Kānaka Maoli, have a rich cultural history deeply connected to the land, the ocean, their ancestors, and the generations who came before them. One of the things that has really captured my attention is the concept of ʻāina, the land that feeds and sustains us. A relationship with the land that goes beyond ownership, recognising the deep connection between people, place, and the natural world.
Then there's ʻaumākua, the ancestral guardians connected to family and genealogy, and oli, the traditional Hawaiian practice of chanting, where voice carries stories, history, prayers, and knowledge through generations.
And hoʻoponopono, a traditional practice concerned with restoring right relationship, addressing conflict, taking responsibility, and bringing relationships back towards harmony. Something that i have been drawn to and used many times in my life to navigate grief, trauma and release.
I've also been reading about Makahiki, the traditional season associated with Lono, agriculture, renewal, and community. A reminder that renewal isn't simply about what we want to receive, but also what we nurture, what we give back, and how we care for the world that sustains us it has me thinking about ancestry in a whole new way.
We spend so much time looking at percentages, trying to understand where we come from, but behind every little number is the possibility of a human story. Someone who lived, loved, struggled, raised their children, walked their land, and carried their own knowledge of the world. There a names remembered and names forgotten all of which played a part in us arriving here.
I don't yet know the story behind my Hawaiian ancestry, and I won't pretend that a DNA result tells me everything. I can approach it with curiosity. I can learn about the people, their history, and their traditions. I can listen before assuming, and honour the fact that these are living cultures, not simply ancient practices for us to pick up and use. For me, this journey has never been about collecting labels. It's about understanding the tapestry that brought me here, learning about the people whose lives came before mine, and recognising how much there is still to discover.
We are the ancestors of tomorrow. Where we walk today, guides those who walk after us.part of our responsibility is to become curious about the ones who came before us, to honour what we learn, to acknowledge what we don't know, and to carry forward a deeper respect for the people, lands, and cultures that have shaped our world.
So today, I'm following another ancestral thread, letting curiosity lead the way, and making space for the stories I have yet to uncover.
Some connections invite us to look a little deeper. I've felt this pull since childhood, and I'm finally giving myself the space to explore it, to learn, and to understand more about the people and places that have always stirred something within me.
Elyse Clarke-Elysian
🍃🦅🔥🌊🫂🌀🌐
