How it all Began

Being born into a native Hawaiian family structure, it was mandatory that I was immersed into the culture. From looking the part to acting the part. My earliest education was at the most prestige Hawaiian immersion school; Kamehameha School(A school system that was created by one of our monarchs herself; Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop). Attending Kamehameha schools, our primary education was not in English, but in Hawaiian. Though it may not sound that different, it affected the was that I read and pronounce certain words in the English vocabulary. The Hawaiian alphabet contains much less letters than the English alphabet does. Other than that, the way that the vowels in the Hawaiian alphabet are pronounced differently. Soon after attending Kamehameha schools, I transferred to an English-speaking school that was in my neighborhood. In the next upcoming school year, I went to a school down the street from where I lived called Waimanalo Elementary and Intermediate school. It was different there, it was no longer just students in the same grade who surrounded you. There was now people who were much older and those who were younger. Realizing that I would be at my new school for a while, I figured I would try and make the best of the situation.

            Adjusting to the new language that it was crucial to learn quickly; I did my best to blend in and not speak unless spoken to. From those years of my life, all I remember is hating and dreading to go to school. I was the weird new kid who didn’t know how to communicate with others and I hated it. I was student who was removed from regular class and placed in remedial classes just to learn how to be able to talk to the others. I was also the student who was behind in every subject because of how I grew up.

            Years later, I was now adjusted to my new life that wasn’t so new to me anymore. I blended in and I liked it. Everyone knew who I was, I had made a name for myself. No one wanted to be the outcast kid and neither did I and so in that is where everything changed. Being as young as I was, I wanted to fit in just like everyone else at school. Knowing I had to work harder than the others was worth it and a challenge that I had accepted in the third grade. It was a difficult year, but I powered through knowing that it would eventually pay off in the end. I know, how hard could it have been in the third grade? I say, as hard as it would have been to be in this situation at any grade level. When I was finally old enough I took the Hawaii State Assessment and I was the top scorer in the state. This is the moment when I realized that my past and everything I went through to get here was well worth every frustrated tear.

Crucial Decisions

            Passing through my junior high school phases of my life, I kept my first language under wraps and hidden. Not having time to attend things that were considered normal events with my classmates because I had hula (a dance performed by Hawaiian women, characterized by six basic steps, undulating hips, and gestures symbolizing or imitating natural phenomena or historical or mythological subjects) practice late into the nights. From there, it was homework and off to bed. My schedule consisted of English culture in the day and Hawaiian culture as soon as the school day ended. While my friends were off to the mall or going to the beach for the weekends, I was conditioning or practicing numbers for competitions or a show that our Halau (hula dancing group) had. In junior high my Halau was the only one in my city for those who had attended Kamehameha schools previously. We were called Halau Kawaianuhealehua and we entered every competition there was in the state. So, one could only imagine how much free time I had. We were under the Direction of Kumu Hula Colsen Kanei.

            Upon entering high school, I again found myself in a surrounding that was very different from the previous that I was used to. It was called Sacred Hearts Academy, a college prep school. It was even more diverse than my last two schools that I had attended, there were students that came from all over the world and could not speak any English. The school offered a Hawaiiana (Hawaiian speaking and history class) course, which of course I enrolled in right away. I figured it would be an easy “A” class and I would feel comfortable there. I loved having Kumu (teacher) Kahaku Asing, he originated from the same city and the same street that I come from.

            After class one day we had a conversation that changed my view on languages. He basically told me that being placed in that class would not be helpful to me at all and I should consider switching courses. I thought about what he said all night. In that moment is where I realized that language has helped me to accomplish things I never thought I ever could. Now there was a decision to be made. Whether to choose the easy “A” that I was guaranteed if I was to continue to stay in the Hawaiiana course or to expand my knowledge on languages and fins a different course to fill the credit I needed. The next I dropped the Hawaiian course and enrolled in the Spanish course. In the only way I knew possible to say thank you to Kumu Kahaku Asing, I became a part of his Halau he was offering. He became new Kumu Hula because I had outgrown my previous Halau due to being older now. I enjoyed dancing and competing with my new Hula sisters. It was the only all girl Halau I have ever been a part of. It was my new second home for the next four years while I attending high school there at the Academy.

My Saving Grace

            I continued with the Spanish course until graduation though only two years were required. The first year was the roughest. Every year after that I received special recognition for the course. At the honor awards ceremony held at the end of every year, I was more than happy to receive a letter saying that I was invited to attend. The topics at the ceremony were all core classes and elective classes. Though I never received an outstanding award for a core class, I always got one for the courses in which held a culture behind them. The first year that I was asked to attend I received the certificates in the second level of Spanish course and the afterschool Hawaiian chant and dance class.

            After attending this event, it was just more motivation to do the best that I could. The year after, I received the same awards as the last. During my senior year is where I needed the motivation, and so I picked up another variety of languages. I figured that when I am learning new languages or a culture is when I excel at things. The languages that I decided on was two that I have grown up around but never had the interest in completing. My second culture is the Filipino culture. I have a grandmother who always spoke to me in Filipino and raised me by the culture at a very young age, before I attended school. In recent years, I have embraced the Polynesian side of who I am and so the next culture and language I took on was that of Samoa. These were both languages and cultures that I was familiar with. A place where I was able to be in my own thoughts was under Makai pier in the city where I lived. A was a secret spot and I could get things done here and be peaceful.

            The last honors ceremony at the end of the year finally rolled around and I was invited to attend. The saying “hoping for the best but expecting the worst” sat in the back of my mind as I awaited m name to be called. The certificate round passed and I was still not called on. At this point I didn’t know what was happening. They were now announcing the student who was named to be the top student of the course, the student who received a pin of excellence. When the Spanish and Hawaiian chant and dance courses approached, I was named top for both! Finally, I received the recognition that I had wished for all along.

            Graduation ceremony rolled around and I could not have been happier to look back on my education and all my accomplishments. The one thing that had set me apart from those around me, the thing that had caused me most of my struggles yet helped me through struggles; the power of language. Who would have guessed that the one aspect of my life that I never realized had any impact on me would be the thing that I use to define a part of who I am today.