KAENA: The Warrior’s Reflection

Kii: Ku'ialuaopuna

According to Pukuʻi’s puke (book):Kaena (vt): To boast, brag, glorify, praise; to be proud. No koʻu ʻike i ka maikaʻi, koʻu mea nō, ia i ʻōlelo kaena ai—"As for my knowledge of beauty, that is something I brag about."

For the warriors of old, kaena was one of the greatest public displays of skill a person could witness. If a practitioner feels awkward performing it today, it is often because of their own internal expectations. We must remember that lua was practiced daily to sharpen one's ‘ike (knowledge). In battle, there were no second chances; life could end in an instant, and therefore, perfection was the standard for every individual.

The Trial of the Kahua Kaua

Any flaw in skill is ruthlessly exposed on the kahua kaua (battlefield) for an opponent to see. We see this demand for perfection in the kali‘i ceremony. During the greeting of an ali‘i to their ʻāina hānau (birth land), the best warrior was chosen to cast ihe (spears) at the visiting high chief.

The warrior was expected to strike with absolute accuracy. In turn, the ali‘i nui was expected to pale (ward off) or seize the ihe out of mid-air. This act proved to the entire island that the leader possessed the physical and mental prowess to protect the land. It sent a clear message: if the ali‘i is ‘eleu (alert and nimble), his fighting force is equally ‘eleu.

Training for the Kūpuna

Today, we study this art for different reasons, yet the internal drive remains: we want to perfect ourselves as living examples of our kūpuna. To do this, we must:

• Refine form and balance.

• Block out distractions and the self-doubt that hinders growth.

• Embrace Kaena as a critical part of training, for it reveals your true self.

When we are in motion, it is our kūpuna who truly matter. They are the masters and the skilled judges. When we perform, the people of today should glimpse the ancestors of old standing before them, momentarily transformed by the power of the past. Kaena is similar to what we see in the Maori culture, their display in their body and arm movements to instill fear and awe into their opponents. The kaena is a boast or yourself, your lands and environment as with the boast of your skill.