Being Hawaiian means being strong.
Before the Kingdom of Hawaii was illegally overthrown in 1893, they were a people of rich, flourishing culture. They lived in a highly organized, self sufficient social system with a sophisticated language and religion. Although they were eradicated and hundreds of thousands died from disease, they were able to maintain their culture and survive. I am proud to call myself Hawaiian, because I know that we are survivors.
Although being Hawaiian has never hindered my opportunity to achieve, my native family has not had the academic privileges that I have been able to receive. I will be the first person in my father’s family to attend college. My father, Kalei Kuheana was born in Honolulu, HI in 1975 to a single teenage mother, Jonella DeLimas. My grandmother is Portuguese and her family emigrated to Hawaii before she was born. After having my father and being estranged from her own family, she developed addiction issues. My father was frequently left on his own from a very young age for sometimes days at a time. He did not graduate from high school and never obtained his GED, …show more content…
The stereotype claiming that Hawaiians are the least intelligent among the United States’ population - claimed by the Washington Post in 2015 - needs to be put to rest, and I have every intention of not only overcoming it, but representing my ethnicity through my accomplishments. For example, I am very excited to wear a Melia lei (plumeria traditional lei), and a Haku lei (head lei) for my high school graduation. I hope to represent my ethnic background during my time at KU and to bring more attention and appreciation to the Hawaiian culture. By earning a degree in women’s studies and studying law, I plan to travel to countries where women are in need of a voice, and I hope to help them and fight for women’s
Before the Kingdom of Hawaii was illegally overthrown in 1893, they were a people of rich, flourishing culture. They lived in a highly organized, self sufficient social system with a sophisticated language and religion. Although they were eradicated and hundreds of thousands died from disease, they were able to maintain their culture and survive. I am proud to call myself Hawaiian, because I know that we are survivors.
Although being Hawaiian has never hindered my opportunity to achieve, my native family has not had the academic privileges that I have been able to receive. I will be the first person in my father’s family to attend college. My father, Kalei Kuheana was born in Honolulu, HI in 1975 to a single teenage mother, Jonella DeLimas. My grandmother is Portuguese and her family emigrated to Hawaii before she was born. After having my father and being estranged from her own family, she developed addiction issues. My father was frequently left on his own from a very young age for sometimes days at a time. He did not graduate from high school and never obtained his GED, …show more content…
The stereotype claiming that Hawaiians are the least intelligent among the United States’ population - claimed by the Washington Post in 2015 - needs to be put to rest, and I have every intention of not only overcoming it, but representing my ethnicity through my accomplishments. For example, I am very excited to wear a Melia lei (plumeria traditional lei), and a Haku lei (head lei) for my high school graduation. I hope to represent my ethnic background during my time at KU and to bring more attention and appreciation to the Hawaiian culture. By earning a degree in women’s studies and studying law, I plan to travel to countries where women are in need of a voice, and I hope to help them and fight for women’s