5 stages of decolonization
Direct to:
Shana is still enjoying her morning fruit bowl, while I sipped a few sips of the warm brown broth where the Americans declared coffee. We waited for the waiter to bring us the bill. But until he finds the time, we enjoy the open view of the ocean and on Waikiki. Exciting people from different countries in different colorful and patterned clothing of Elegant, Sporty, Summery, slippery up to swimming trunks and surfboard under the arm, carrying on his head to watch and watch. A huge crowd of people who are looking for their best place on the beach and set out with their bath towels and bathing utensils on the beach their territory. Quick, the places under the shady palms are forgiven. Unfortunately, we, Shana and I, have no time today to confiscate something from the beach and fry our bodies like poulets on a skewer in the sun, no, we have an appointment with Poka Laenui in Chinatown for lunch time. The bill was paid and we also pack our utensils like camera under the counter and in fresh light steps we walked to our secret parking lot, where our rental car stands under the shaded trees in Honolulu. Honolulu is a generous cosmopolitan city, but here too the parking meters have to be fed.
With a few turns and driving along a beautiful park, we thread ourselves into a huge tin snake, which winds northwest through the city of Honolulu. Quickly swivel on the second lane of three or four car strips, so that you are taken in a swift, always moving river. For the first lane is occupied by the public bus, which is obliged to stop at a stop. Past the Hawaii Capitol, past the Iolani Palace, continue straight on from the South Beretania St. to the North Beretania St. and arrive between the modern and old Chinatown. We turn left at Maunakea St. and disappear into the old Chinatown neighborhood. Chinatown is one of my favorite neighborhoods in this city, but if you’re unfamiliar, be more careful. Right at the intersection of houses, we parked our car. We had plenty of time to take a closer look at the old houses before we met at Chinatown Cultural Plaza.
This Chinese district is the oldest known in the USA. At the end of the 18th century, Chinese came to Hawaii. China was trading with Hawaii very early, including Sandelwood. In the 19th century Thousands of Chinese workers were imported for the extremely hard work on the imposing sugar fields. Honolulu is still known in Chinese traditionally as 檀香山 (Tánxiāngshān), which means Sandelholzberg. In 1886 and 1900, two gigantic, murderous fires destroyed almost the entire quarter. In early 1900, a bubonic plague raged in Chinatown, causing 13 people to die. As a result, 7,000 people were evacuated, schools closed and, under the supervision of the local fire department, deliberately burned down the contaminated houses. Due to the strong winds, the fire got out of control and Word literally destroyed more buildings in no time.
„It’s time,“ Shana said to me, „we have to go to the meeting.“ We left the old town and walked again the Maunakea St. up to the Cultural Plaza. Shana has purposefully gone into this restaurant and elegantly crossed like a dancer the room with large round tables the direct path to poka locked. I love the pervasive smell of Chinese cuisine in this room, which floats like a soothing perfume in the air. It was not hard to find Poka Laenui in this huge bar because he was the only guest here. The normal lunchtime was over for the workers where they had to go back to work.
So we had this cozy space almost to ourselves. Only the waiters and the cooks watched us from the counter over there. When I saw Poka for the first time with his sympathetic, radiant and infectious smile, as he received us with a hearty friendliness in the restaurant, I knew immediately, this is a terrific interview. We sat down at the spacious round table. As soon as our body fell into a sitting position, we were taken to our place with an extended, fully laden with a rich selection of Chinese delicacies.
For me, this kind of „menu card“ and selecting was new, as well as this compilation of food. Poka was so friendly and heartily accepted this job of decision. I just wanted to get a few words out of my mouth to make myself aware that … um … I do not like! And this is exactly what has landed on my plate as the first selection: fried chicken legs! Well, bravo, I thought. Here I have to go through, also decency. I looked at Shana with open mouth and big eyes, hoping to find out how to eat those things. With chopsticks or with bare hands. Why does not she look at me? Why does not she look at her plate with the chicken legs and talk to poka? I looked at my plate again, where centered on the round white these yellow-brown roasted legs with claws rested. No reaction from either Poka or Shana. I was left alone at this table with this problem. I waved my eyes to the right of the plate next to the bamboo sticks, looked at my hands and …. And decided me, whether decency or not, for my fingers. Without hesitating, I grabbed a leg, slowly led it to my flicking teeth and … scarred as little as possible at the very slender leg. I think everyone has seen that I have struggled hard, as well as this was not an everyday food for me. Shana smiled at me now … and said, „Oh, I see, you like this dish. You are welcome to have my part! “
… While we ate the other dishes, we were now deeply immersed in our preliminary talk for the upcoming interview. Poka Laenui told us humorous his story, where we heard tied up and did not come out of amazement. Suddenly poka paused, looked at the clock and said that he will soon have his talk broadcast in the radio studio. Of course, we are sincerely invited to join him in his broadcast and if we would like to actively discuss with them.
We dodged the delicious restaurant and walked around the same block to KWAI 1080AM radio station.
At the top of the building there was a view of the city and the residential areas on the mountain slopes of Liliha Kapalama and Nuuanu Punchbowl. Beautiful view! While Shana and I watched the simply built radio studio, Poka prepared for his broadcast. He handed us two more headphones to track the program. As soon as we put these over our ears and made ourselves comfortable in the armchairs, the music signet was already running. After a few seconds, it was turned slightly in the background and quieter and you could clearly hear the warm,friendly, relaxed voice of Poka with his greeting of the audience. He talks about an article in the paper and soon after the first listener calls the program. Now begins a 40-minute philosophical, political, critical conversation on the station, interrupted from time to time by Hawaiian music.
After the tense broadcast, we arranged for the interview appointment, out in the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and said goodbye to Poka Laenui.
After a few days of preliminary talk, today was the day we had our meeting north of the island of Oahu in Waianae. We had to get up early so we could arrive in time with the slow-moving brass avalanche through the city of Honolulu. It’s a long car drive there.
After 40min. Driving intensively we drove back to my wife’s house. It’s easy to find, because there’s a small market shop on the street that’s always painted in the same color.
Shortly thereafter we crossed the Mai’lii’lii River and just after that we turned right up the hill to the Coast Comprehensive Health Center where for the first Poka Leanui is the head of this health center and secondly for our scheduled interview. We parked our rental car in the steep terrain and marched to Poka’s office and boardroom, where we also filmed our dialogue.
I do not want to torture you any longer for this top-class talk about the 5 points of decolonization. With a very different perspective from Poka, he introduces us to a whole new logical, simple world where our Western management should study it.
For me, Poka is almost the second Dalai Lama, not only by his wisdom, but also how he speaks and especially how he laughs. Every time around Poka’s smirk and laughter, it reminded me of the time when I had the great luck to meet and work with the chief Dalai Lama. For me an identical pool … look for yourself:
THE 5 STEPS
- Rediscovery and Recovery
- Morning
- Dream
- Engagement
- Action
Colonization is an on-going process in which the central power system dominates and colonial cultures and institutions replace indigenous cultures and institutions, using indigenous peoples, land and resources for the benefit of the colonialists. Across the world, our struggles against poverty, violence Addiction, suicide, climate change and poor health are a direct result of colonization, which remains strong worldwide. Decolonization is the elimination of oppression systems.
Regardless of how your customers have been marginalized, and even if they were white settlers or oppressors, these 5 steps will help you deepen the coaching process. We will use group coaching for self-reflection at every stage of Laenuis process:
1. Rediscovery: Discover your personal list of „disturbing“ things, including the physical, mental, mental, and spiritual aspects of colonization.
2. Morning: As a social process, participate in deep mourning. Some people like to avoid feeling anger or grief, but uncovering emotions is crucial to the healing process. We will make the connection between intense anger, deep sadness and sweet longing.
3. Dreaming: Explore the innate human impulse to move towards freedom. You can decolonize your mind and bring in your own new ideas instead of recycling the ideas introduced by colonial manufacturers.
4. Commitment: Establish the intention to manifest the dreams of your church. You can work to regain human dignity and create the world in which we want to live, where all people can thrive.
5. Action: Select the steps you take to make a meaningful change. What you do next can change the world from within.
Tales of Hawai'i 