Honu, a Turtle Tale

~Photo by Byron Kay Honu pulled himself from the sea and wriggled through the warm sands. As he climbed up the beach, he ran into a friendly human who said, "Aloha!" and offered him a generous array of the island's designated greeting beverage, the Mai Tai, in its different forms.

~Photo by Hawaiian Oasis B&B Honu tried one and fell in love with it. He decreed the Mai Tai to be the premier cocktail to greet all guests to Hawaii. The tradition henceforth would be to present the cocktail, saying "E komo mai" (welcome). Basic Mai Tai Recipe - 1 oz Dark Rum - 1 oz Light Rum - 1 1/2 oz Triple Sec - 1/2 oz Orange Juice - 1 oz Pineapple Juice - Splash Grenadine Put all Mai Tai ingredients into a shaker with plenty of ice and shake briskly. Pour the cocktail drink into a tall glass. If you wish, you can garnish with cherries or orange slices. ~by Danielle Capps

Honu then was destined to meet the island's spiritual leader. They each felt a deep rapport for one another. She gave Hona the following mantra to chant at night: "Eia no ka makuahine. No lailia, ua hanau ka po." Essentially, Uranus is the night sky (chaos), and Earth (Gaia) represents day time (order).

Photo by Jessica Wilson The lush foliage, especially the delicately-scented ginger shown here, represents new life and the garb of luxuriant leis to be worn at weddings.

Honu asked the conch blower to blow firmly and emphatically to each of the four directions: North, a time of contemplation and rest; East, the time to wake up and enjoy spring; South, summertime and abundance; and West, time to harvest in autumn.

~Illustration from The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks The baby turtles are part of the cycle of life, too. They instinctively know they need to reach the ocean. Mahalo, Honu, for your example of honoring the earth and sea, turtle-kind and mankind. Ho'oponopono.