Another passage from "The Artist and the Dreamer"

“Have you ever heard of Mana?” she asked in reply.

“Yes, isn’t that the ancient Polynesian belief that everything is alive?”

“I call it life-energy. Each and every thing has this power, these beautiful stones, the grass and the trees, the blue whale--the largest creature on earth to the smallest grain of sand. Each thing, whether we think of it as living and inanimate, has Mana.”

“So are you saying your paintings have Mana?”

“Of course they do. Didn’t I just say everything has Mana?” she waited a moment and then began again, “Some things have more than others when they are created and some things can gain Mana over time and experience. For example a plastic toy made in China has little Mana. There are literally billions of these little toys, manufactured on assembly lines with little thought or care, but when you buy the toy and give it to your child, its’ Mana increases. As time goes on and your child uses his imagination to play with the toy its’ Mana continues to grow. If the toy survives and your child keeps it until he is an adult, it becomes even more powerful.”

“The older an object is the more Mana it has?” I ask.

“As with most things, the answer is yes and no; some things have a great power when they are first created and this power diminishes over time. The volcano is a good example. When Kohala, Hualālai and Mauna Kea first burst forth from the ocean depths, they were great and powerful. Together they had enough Mana to create this beautiful island. The mountains’ Mana flowed through the hot lava. Now, millions of years later they are dormant and their Mana is overshadowed by their brothers Mauna Loa and Kilauea.”

“The mountains still have Mana though, don’t they?” I wonder out loud.

“Yes of course they do, and believe it or not, the Mana of Mauna Kea has been enhanced, not diminished, by the establishment of the observatories on her Summit.”

“Oh, that sounds controversial. I’m sure there are native Hawaiians who disagree with you.”

“As with most things, the answer is yes and no…” she replied with a smile.

I looked to her for further explanation.

“It's a matter of balance. The ancient Hawaiians were great students of the heavens…skilled astronomers. I believe they would understand and appreciate the research done on the mountain. But, they would also want the scientists to respect the scared nature of the place, to preserve and protect the land—not over develop."

"A difficult task," I said.

"Yes, but worth the effort." She shifted her small frame on the flat surface of the rock, straightened her dress and continued. "But, what about your original question-- How do you think my paintings help you?”