Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 2007 — Hawaiian in Alaska [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian in Alaska

Nine years ago, I was stuck with many problems, both personal and frnancial. I was in denial of my practice of my Hawaiian culture. I was searching in vain to frnd an organization, hālau or sovereign group that I could identify with in Hawai'i. I found myself getting into more trouble, more problems, more deep in debt. I lost all respect for the way Native Hawahans aie forced to live day in and day out - constant frghting for rights in court rooms, constant bickering. I am sure many aie tiying to make sense of how any Native Hawaiian could survive in their own homeland, or, like my family, aie just making it in Hawai'i today. I hate the thought of how people of Native Hawaiian blood aie being treated with disrespect today. I sure don't know what the Akaka Bhl will do to improve the lives of thousands of Native Hawaiians still living in Hawai'i, but I'm hoping that NOW, TODAY in 2007, the people of Native Hawaiian blood will take no moie disrespect in the continuous legal challenges facing us. As for me, I found a new life of practicing my Native Hawaiian culture heie in Alaska, and I found a new sense of belonging with the Native Alaskans. We frsh, we sing, we woik together, we teach eaeh other. We have wide open plaees, and peaceful days and nights. Many Native Hawaiians live heie in Alaska. Aloha to all Native Hawaiians straggling for a sense of identity. Mahle Kaaihue, Fairbanks, Alaska