Learning from the lauhala weavers ...
In the superb June/July issue of Hana Hou!, the magazine of Hawaiian Airlines, Catharine Lo writes about the art of lauhala weaving on the Big Island. I love hearing the voices of Auntie Elizabeth Malu'ihi Lee (seen here in Monte Costa's photo) and the other weavers in the article, and I am struck by these words from Michelle Zane-Faridi: "All your life—that's what it takes to be a master."
Michelle has been weaving for 12 years, and I imagine that she is on the path to becoming a master weaver. Auntie Elizabeth, who is 80, talks about the day she began her lifelong work with the hala leaf, when she was 6. So that's 74 years of lauhala weaving. She is clearly a master weaver.
I read Michelle's words again: "All your life—that's what it takes to be a master." Now I doubt that 74 is the magic number of years for becoming a master, although that is a long and wonderful career. Catharine Lo writes that Auntie Elizabeth is still going strong, so her lifetime of lauhala weaving is growing each year.
What does it take to be a master, a master of weaving or painting or dancing or singing or composing music or writing poetry and fiction? Michelle gives us the answer, "all your life." Clearly this is the work of a lifetime, living with the materials of one's chosen passion, always learning, always growing. Always practicing one's craft or art. It's like the answer that the Manhattan native gives to the tourist who asks him "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The native smiles and says, "Practice, man, practice."
If we look at that phrase "all your life" in a new and different way, however, we might see the artist on any given day, working on any given creation, pouring all of her life and passion, all of her mind and heart and soul, into the creative process. The artist living, and working, in the moment, totally engaged.
Imagine the first great creative act, the creation of the world. Imagine God as a master artist at work, deciding perhaps on something new and dramatic like a Big Bang. Imagine God painting the stars across a massive canvas, singing the music of the spheres, crafting the beauty of our own planet, then bringing to life the first male and female characters to begin an epic narrative that continues today.
The creative journey is not about speed. It's not a race. It teaches patience, and humility. Does anyone believe you can master a craft or art overnight? It's not like winning the lottery, or earning a college diploma. A college degree typically takes at least four years, but education is a lifelong journey.
As Auntie Elizabeth weaves her lauhala hats, and smiles, we would do well to remember her long, ongoing artist's journey. And also keep in mind Michelle Zane-Faridi's words: "All your life—that's what it takes to be a master." I find these words warm and comforting. And inspiring.
Tags: Catharine Lo, lauhala weavers, Michelle Zane-Faridi, Sister Elizabeth Maluihi Lee
