ALAKAI CENTRAL

A Baptism Ritual

1. Bless the space.

a) Prepare a bowl of seawater, fresh water with a pinch of Hawaiian salt or sea salt, or fresh water with a pinch of regular salt.

b) For spinkling, provide a ti leaf, a fern leaf, or any leaf, (if necessary, use your fingers).

c) To maintain a Hawaiian feeling, wear a lei, at the very least.

d) Let everyone present know the purpose of the baptism.

e) Lightly sprinkle the corners and the center of the room or space while saying: "E ho'omaika'i i keia kahi me ka malu o ke Akua Nui" (Bless this place with the peace and protection of the Great Spirit/God)

2. Bless the person to be baptised (PTBB).

a) In addition to the above materials, prepare a lei for the PTBB (to be used at the end of the ceremony), 3 strings or cords about one meter/yard long, a symbol of spiritual power (crystal, stone or other appropriate object), and a symbol of success/luck/goodness. Both of the latter must fit in the PTBB's hand, or be something the PTBB can hold onto.

b) Select three people to represent the ancestors, the descendants and the people of the present. If necessary, one person can play all three roles.

c) Wet the leaf or fingers with the water and touch the PTBB on the shoulders, hips, and navel (over the clothing is fine) while saying:
"Auhea!" (Listen up!)
"E na kupuna" (All the ancestors)
"E na mo'o lau" (All the descendants)
"E ka po'e manu nei" (All the people of today)
"Auhea!" (Listen up!)

d) Place one end of each of the strings on the navel of the PTBB and place the other ends in one hand of the person or persons representing the ancestors, the descendants and the people of the present. Brush each string with the leaf (or fingers) from the PTBB's navel to the representatives and back again while saying in turn:
"Eia na kupuna" (The ancestors are here)
"Eia na mo'o lau" (The descendants are here)
"Eia ka po'e manu nei" (The people of today are here)

d) Touch the power symbol wih the wet leaf (or fingers), place it in the right hand of the PTBB, and say the first statement below. Touch the success symbol wih the wet leaf (or fingers), place it in the left hand of the PTBB, and say the second statement below. Touch the lei with the wet leaf (or fingers), place it iaround the neck of the PTBB, and say the third statement below.
"E aloha e" (Let there be love)
"E mana e" (Let there be power)
"E pono e" (Let there be success)

e) Touch the forehead of the PTBB with the wet leaf (or fingers) and say:
"Amama, ua noa" (So be it, it is done)

3. Party.

NOTE 1: This is a guideline and may be modified at will.
NOTE 2: In Hawaiian rituals, sea water or water with sea salt added, especially "alaea" or red sea salt, is used for cleansing and purifying, while fresh water or kava tea is used for consecrating and strengthening. For a baptism use your own preference.
NOTE 3: "Piko" is a term meaning "center" used for the navel (the connection to the ancestors), and as an alternate term for the crown of the head (the connection to spirit and the present world) and as an alternate for the genitals (the connection to the descendants). In this ritual the navel symbolizes all three connections because a) it is very inappropriate in Hawaiian tradition to touch the top of someone else's head, and b) it is very inappropriate in modern society to touch someone else's genitals in public.