The Listener creates mutual understanding.

Communication is necessary to participate in a community. The most active part of communicating is listening. Speaking is only a small part of communicating. Most of us non-verbally broadcast how we feel with our body language and tone. Like mo‘olelo, communication is best done in person, where we can fully express ourselves with our presence.

The Listener uses all of her senses. A good listener will consciously recognize what is being communicated beyond spoken words. She is aware of all the messages being sent to her.

Knowing how to listen informs how to communicate beyond words. A great listener can consciously express herself through her body and her words. She will be able to communicate with animals, plants, and the land.

The Listener represents the importance of community and belonging. We can affect our community by recognizing other people, and expressing ourselves so that they recognize us. A community can provide for the needs of its members only if they recognize their true needs. People can only experience each other if they listen.

Sharing stories helps us to form bonds of mutual understanding. The Listener actively listens to other people’s stories. She asks questions and shares her understanding. She recognizes their point of view, even if she does not agree.

Dealing with thorny people

We should be open to listening to a diversity of views, but also recognize that some people are best avoided. It’s a good idea to limit time with people who are manipulative, abusive, reckless, and often lie. The Hawaiian proverb, “Plants with fine roots are harmed when left to grow with the rough, long-rooted thorny ones,”³ is a warning that we can become damaged by people with wicked intentions.

Thorny people can steer you into difficult situations. The more time you spend with a difficult person, the more likely you will find it necessary to act like them to defend yourself. The best defense is to put a safe distance between yourself and a dangerous situation.

The mo‘olelo of Kaululā‘au describes one way to deal with a difficult person.⁴ It can also be a lesson about listening to yourself and developing positive traits.

Mo‘olelo of Kaululā‘au

Kaululā‘au was a young mischievous kolohe son of the king of Maui. Ka-ulu-lā‘au means “the grove of breadfruit trees.” Kaululā‘au was constantly playing pranks on people. He would push empty canoes off shore to drift in the sea. He would trick people into believing they were cursed, by secretly putting bad omens in their path. He even uprooted a grove of breadfruit trees his father had planted.

Destroying the breadfruit trees that fed the community was too much to bear. The people of Maui complained to their king about all the trouble Kaulula‘au had caused. His father decided to banish Kaulula‘au to the neighboring island of Lāna‘i for a year.

At the time, Lāna‘i was considered a very dangerous place. It was only inhabited by evil man-eating ghosts. People were so afraid of the ghosts that no one would willingly join Kaululā‘au in exile. The people of Maui thought Kaululā‘au would surely be eaten by the evil ghosts of Lāna‘i. They were sad for him, but could not tolerate his mischief any longer.

Alone on the island, Kaululā‘au used his trickery and strength to defeat all of the evil ghosts on Lāna‘i. The people of Maui praised Kaululā‘au as a hero when they discovered he had rid Lāna‘i of evil ghosts and made the island habitable for good people.

New people came to settle on Lāna‘i and live with Kaululā‘au as their leader. Some people say that Lāna‘i is named for the day Kaululā‘au rid the islands of man-eating ghosts. Lā-na‘i can mean “day of conquest.”

In this story, even a prince of Maui was not immune from punishment. Justice applied to everyone. The community protected itself by exiling Kaulula‘au.

Kaululā‘au made the best of his time in exile. With the help of the god Lono, he used his skills in mischief and sabotage to conquer the evil ghosts on Lāna‘i. Kaulula‘au became less rebellious and a more responsible person after earning the position of leader of Lāna‘i. He reformed his ways to become a good leader and became a valuable part of the community. A strong community listens and gives attention and recognition to those who live with aloha, even if they have been troublesome in the past.