Aloha,
I’m responding to a reader request today, for a reprint of an article I had written about Koa as the Hawaiian value of courage within Alaka‘i, as the leadership value “of Hawai‘i of old.” I believe this is what you were looking for: It first appeared here on Say “Alaka‘i” within one of my earliest articles, in November of 2008.

Thank you for the question. I enjoyed revisiting this as well, especially as I think about the election season coming up for all of us here in our “Hawai‘i of new.” Do we define courage in our emerging leaders in the same way? Would their definitions match up with yours?

Koa; “Courage begets courage”

There is one more book I strongly recommend to all who choose to study Hawaiian value alignment, for it was written by someone I believe to be one of our greatest teachers. Kū Kanaka, Stand Tall, A Search for Hawaiian Values by George Hu‘eu Sanford Kanahele should be in every Alaka‘i Library.

This is what Dr. Kanahele has to say about Koa [courage] as a value of Hawaiian society:

“In a society whose chiefs were trained in the arts of fighting from childhood, and who proved their mettle on the battlefields, physical courage can be expected as a badge of leadership. But courage has two sides: the physical, and the nonphysical, that is, the emotional, moral, or spiritual. Opposition to a hero comes in many different forms.”

The Hawaiian value of Koa is more than bravery and fearlessness. It is also resolution, conviction, and emotional strength. When we manage and lead with Alaka‘i, Koa is a value we constantly must draw from if we are to lead with ideas of nerve and daring in times when our world largely cautions us to tread lightly —and when our own voices of self-doubt caution us to tread lightly. We call on courage from within.

To make a difference for someone else, we must make a difference for ourselves first. We must wear leadership like a warming coat when our bones rattle with inner fears. On a more basic level, this means that we have to welcome our mistakes from day-to-day for all they can teach us. Have you noticed how you remember and retain more when you emerge victorious from what was a mistake at first?

In Kū Kanaka, Dr. Kanahele discusses intellectual courage, moral courage, and the courage of conviction and bravery with examples demonstrated by King Kamehameha. He ends with this:

“No one surpasses Kamehameha the Great in leadership, historic achievement and lasting impact, or in having a transcendent vision for his people. ... Kamehameha no doubt recognized that courage begets courage; the more you use it, the more of it you produce. Conversely, the less of it you use, the less you have. This is a truth that every leader learns sooner or later, although not every leader learns this hard lesson in time.”

Photo (and more on Kamehameha I) from Wikipedia

Also from the Say “Alaka‘i” Archives:

1. Kamehameha’s Legacy of Values (June 2009)
2. And in Aloha our government officials shall lead us (February 2009)
3. The Challenge of Political Leadership (December 2009)