Hawai‘i Wisdom — May 2018

Ho‘i hou i ka iwi kuamo‘o

“To return to the homeland or family after being away.”

Source: ‘Ōlelo Noʻeau, by Mary Kawena Pukui

In 1990, by request of Lawa‘i International Center, the Hindu Temple in Wailua became the temporary caretaker of the center’s Nade Botoke statue, which was created by Japanese immigrants in 1904. The statue returned to the center in 2013, where it was placed in a specially built shrine. Nade Botoke, a popular Bodhisattva from India, was known for his healing abilities. When he reached Japan, he was so highly revered by the people that they considered him to be a Buddha. This particular statue is significant to the historical blend of the Japanese and Hawaiian cultures due to its Polynesian eyes from Rarotonga.

Nade Botoke’s permanent home at Lawa‘i International Center.