5 out of 5 stars
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What Would Our Kupuna Do? And What We Can Do For Future Generations is a non-fiction book by Richard Ha and Leslie Lang. This amazing work details the author's genealogy, the family business, which consisted of the production of bananas and tomatoes, the problems that popped up along the way, and the proffered solutions.
"Kupuna" simply means our forefathers, those who have gone before us. One of the authors, Richard, opened up the book with his family history, then went deep into his dad and his personality. The teachings of his father paved the way for him to go through life unharmed. It made him alert to problems before they happened, and as such, he had solutions for each of them. The lesson he picked up from his uncle, Ulrich Kamahele, was to establish what the problem at hand is and know how to solve it. The family business boomed because of the beneficial teachings of his dad and other reputable personalities. The farm was able to withstand the storms associated with the fluctuating economy because they were able to adopt new strategies that enabled them to stay on top of the harsh, changing economy.
One of the lessons I took away from the entire narrative was that all the decisions taken as regards the running of the farm were sustainable. Before any decision could be taken, it was thoroughly pondered to ascertain whether it would be a wise one in the long term. Another important lesson contained in this book emphasizes the need to adapt to changing situations. This is because people who don't see the need or are reluctant to adapt to the ever-shifting conditions will see themselves invariably replaced by those who don't waste time adapting to new trends.
It's worth mentioning that all the decisions Richard took considered how they would affect his environment and the generations to come. I'm pleased that he was big on the need for education. Education is what closes the gap between people. He advocated for programs that would make education accessible to his people, and I commended him for this gesture. I appreciated that Richard first of all gave an outline of his family. This book acquainted readers with how he grew up, what his family believed in, and the things that shaped his thought process and actions.
I wouldn't fail to mention that I encountered no displeasing aspects in the book. This book can be taken as a guide that will instruct us on how we can create a sustainable future for ourselves and the generations to come. I noted only one error, and this indicates the book was professionally edited. For the above-listed reasons, I'll rate it five out of five stars.
I recommend this book to readers seeking a well-written piece that teaches how to make sustainable decisions. Although it is mostly centered on agriculture and the economy, some of the nuggets presented here can be applied in our daily lives.
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What would our Kupuna do?
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