Editorials
Tuesday, October 12, 1999Hokule‘a crew arrives
at its final destinationCOMPLETION of the Hokule'a's 9,000-mile journey at the tiny Chilean island of Rapa Nui completes an historic retracing of migratory routes that took ancient Polynesians to far corners of the Pacific. Navigating through stars, waves and other signs of nature, like their ancestors, crew members of Hawaii's first traditional voyaging crew spotted the postage-stamp island 17 days after embarking from Mangareva, French Polynesia.The issue: Hawaii's traditional voyaging canoe arrived in Rapa Nui, where Polynesians settled centuries ago.
Polynesian navigators from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia are believed to have settled in Rapa Nui from 400 to 800 A.D., about the time frame that their cousins came upon the warmer and more lush islands of Hawaii. The first Europeans arrived on Rapa Nui's shores on Easter Day 1722, giving it the name of Easter Island. While the huge stone heads, called moai, created by the ancient peoples of Rapa Nui are uncharacteristic of Hawaiians, linguistic similarities provide convincing evidence of lineal ties.
The trip began from Hilo on June 15. The journey from French Polynesia had been expected to take up to 40 days, but good winds, a skilled crew led by senior navigator Nainoa Thompson and perhaps a fraternal chemistry among the crew produced the early arrival.
Sighting of the island had spiritual importance to the crew. "Some forces brought us to this point," co-navigator Chad Baybayan reflected on Friday, after spotting Rapa Nui. "Nainoa said this morning that the canoe has mana, its own spirit. It found its way here. It was so strong, being on the ocean with these people."
The Hokule'a crew stepped ashore on Saturday. A formal welcome on Oct. 21, including members of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and a delegation from Kamehameha Schools arriving by airplane, will culminate this important event in the bonding of Polynesian culture throughout the Pacific.
Aid to Serbs
DEVASTATED by NATO's air war over Kosovo last spring, Yugoslavia is struggling to avoid economic collapse. The European Union appears to support providing humanitarian aid without bolstering the despotic leadership of Slobodan Milosevic. The Clinton administration is justifiably opposing any aid that supports the Milosevic regime.
Sanctions that have prohibited trade since the war ended have made it next to impossible for Yugoslavia to recover from NATO'S destruction of bridges, refineries and factories. As winter approaches, Serbia faces severe shortages of electricity, heating oil and coal. Food shortages and spiraling inflation have made basic items unaffordable.
"The overall impact of such shortages is expected to be increased morbidity and mortality, particularly in urban area," according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "The most vulnerable will be the elderly, the very young, the sick and the urban poor."
The European Union's relief office last month pledged $40 million in aid. European officials say such aid will be provided only if it could be guaranteed not to end up in the hands of Milosevic, who has been charged with war crimes by the international tribunal in The Hague. For example, it is considering providing $5 million worth of heating oil to the southeastern Serbian cities of Nis and Pirot, which are governed by opponents of Milosevic's ruling Socialist Party.
Directing aid to cities controlled by Milosevic's opponents theoretically could show Serbs that the international community is willing to help those committed to democracy. The problem is that energy can be easily diverted to the central government. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has insisted that Milosevic's government be barred from diverting the assistance.
The EU's desire to provide food, medicine, energy and even small-scale public works projects to certain cities is laudable. However, the siphoning of such aid to entrench the Milosevic regime could have a deleterious effect. Any such effort should be distributed in such a way that it cannot be diverted.
‘Baby Mozart’ music
WHEN University of Wisconsin researchers issued a report six years ago that people experienced a boost in IQ scores when listening to Mozart, the reaction was inevitable. Georgia Gov. Zell Miller decreed every Georgian baby should receive a classical music CD, and pregnant women took an active interest in the possible prenatal effects of such music.
Harvard neuropsychologist Christopher Chabris has analyzed numerous studies and concluded that it just isn't so.
Chabris' report might be too late. Record stores already have created lucrative sections for "Baby Mozart" videotapes and CDs. A pregnant woman raved on the BabyCenter.com web site, "I can really tell he enjoys it, even though I can't see him yet!"
The rage for "Baby Mozart" music may be based on misinformation but it seems unlikely to go away. Nor should it. After all, what's the harm?
Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited PartnershipRupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
