Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 3, 1 March 1997 — Don't take Hawaiʻi for granted [ARTICLE]

Don't take Hawaiʻi for granted

I left the islands in 1988 on my way to basic training in the Air Force. In those first eouple of years, all I could think of was home, my family, and my life as I used to know it. At the time, my only eoneem with being Hawaiian, was my identity at home. Over the next few years, I leamed about different eultures, met different people, different ways of thinking. I learned that most of the people I met were not mueh different than you or I. I started to look at Hawai'i from all angles, and I eame to a conclusion. Most Hawaiians do not see past their daily lives. They have somehow forgotten what it means to be who we are. They take a lot of important things for granted. I went home dressed in my "blues," forgetting that military was a dime-a-dozen at home. I went to visit my friends, telling them about places, people, things I did and experienced. The

response was a big surprise. Their biggest worries were about who was going buy the next case beer, or who was talking stink about them. I couldn't believe it. Did the boundaries of our Iives end at the waves? Did no one care about anything else that impacts us daily? Then it dawned on me that this was exactly the way that I was before I left. Experience the world outside of your secure, safe little bubble. Then you will really appreciate your heritage, home, and who we all are. We all have our plaee in the saving of our culture and heritage; don't let ourselves die out. I want my daughter to eome home to a strong, thriving Hawai'i. Let's not let our kids down, for they will have to take over when we are gone. SRA Dwayne K.Q. Elisaga Panama City, Florida