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They teach us about kuleana (right; privilege; responsibility). In this essay, I share my stories and vivid memories of the special people in my life, who taught mekuleana, respect, and unwavering faith. These special people taught me that every person is a part ofa whole—a family, a community, and the cosmos. These tales are about the goodness, strength, generosity, and wisdom of my ancestors and other revered küpuna (elders) who inspired and taught me in words, and mostly in deeds. Life comes full circle, as I—a great-grandson, a grandson, a son, and now a father—will one day be a grandfather and great-grandfather. To honor my ancestors, I ask myself,“What kind of ancestor will I be?”  \ncorrespondence may be sent to: Brook Kapükuniahi Parker  \n5332 Uhiuhi St., Honolulu, Hawaiÿi 96821  \nEmail: [kapukuniahi@yahoo.com](kapukuniahi@yahoo.com)  \nHülili: Multidisciplinary Research on Hawaiian Well-Being Vol.7 (2011)  \nCopyright © 2011 by Kamehameha Schools .  \nIhope that what I have to share today* will help you in realizing our kuleana  \n(right; privilege; responsibility) . I was taught that kuleana is never about me, because I really haven’t done anything yet. The ancestors show that their accomplishments belong to them. Their stories inspire and help me. I learn kuleana from them. Kuleana doesn’t happen when you go to school. It first begins when you’re really small, at home. That’s where it all started for me.  \nI was very fortunate to grow up in a stable, loving home. My mom and dad have six sons. I’m the second oldest. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, and dad worked. And at the time, I didn’t really appreciate or notice that when I came home, I always had clean clothes, somebody to help me do my homework, and great meals. I regret to say I took that for granted.  \nMy brothers and I also learned really fast where the line was. Cross the line, pay the consequences. Some of you know my dad. He’s a big guy. My dad was strict. We learned right from wrong. We learned about kuleana. We learned that we were part of the community, as well as citizens of the United States. And we learned that we were part of the cosmos—that we had a place. We were taught where we came from, why we were here, what our purpose was, and the different talents we all had.  \n26  \nWhen I was little, I began drawing. I enjoyed it. My father was an artist. As an artist and painter, my dad painted some really heavy duty Hawaiian stuff, and that left a deep impression on me. He used to do a lot of trading with his art, which meant he brought Hawaiian implements home all the time.  \nDavid and Pat Parker family  \n*This article is based on a speech delivered at the 2010 Research Conference on Native Hawaiian Well-Being in Käne‘ohe, Hawai‘i.  \nOne of my favorite paintings by my dad is the one of Maui’s famous aliÿi (chief) Kahekilinuiahumanu.  \nKahekilinuiahumanu 1979, david parker  \nMy father tells me that when I was little, I used to grab the color crayons from mystash and the paper grocery bags to draw on. I watched him do his art. I tried not to bother him. Hawaiian style. You watch, you’re quiet, and you learn. Practice, practice; that’s what I did. Conan comic books were a wonderful learning tool forme! I loved the stories and the artwork. I still do. I learned how to draw anatomy  \nfrom those comics!  \nMy father was also a Hawaiian historian and talked about the küpuna (ancestors; elders) a lot. Dad had a vast library, all types of books about art, world history, and Hawaiian. I became an early fan of Samuel Kamakau’s Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii (1961/1992) . I loved to read about the different battle stories it contained. In fact, I was recently  \nMy father was also a Hawaiian historian and talked about the küpuna (ancestors; elders) a lot.  \nblessed and honored to do 24 new illustrations for Kamehameha Publishing’s revised edition of Ruling Ch","cbCaiqnToSCTcyp9","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqnToSCTcyp9","pdf",585562,23,"English","# Kuleana and the ancestor connection\n## Learning kuleana at home\n## Family teachings, boundaries, and community\n## Art, storytelling, and Hawaiian history\n## Honoring ancestors through future guidance","[{\"question\":\"What does kuleana mean in the essay?\",\"answer\":\"Kuleana is described as right, privilege, and responsibility. It emphasizes that these duties extend beyond the individual and are learned from ancestors and community.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the author say kuleana is learned?\",\"answer\":\"Kuleana begins in early childhood at home. The author links it to lessons about respect, faith, and understanding one’s place in family, community, and the cosmos.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does the author ask, “What kind of ancestor will I be?”\",\"answer\":\"The question reflects the author’s desire to honor ancestors by carrying forward their stories. It frames life as a cycle where one eventually becomes a parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent to future generations.\"}]","Kuleana: What Kind of Ancestor Will You Be? - Essay | PDF",35]