This week, we will be at the Tongan Research Association Conference held at UC Berkley, California, starting on Thursday, Dec 3rd to Dec 5th. Read more...
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powerful reminders
9 hours ago
Live Blogging the Tongan Research Association Conference
“I am in no way optimistic but I remain a prisoner of hope”
“I am in no way optimistic but I remain a prisoner of hope”
~ Cornel West
Today I received an email from one of our Pacific Islander youth, the email is simple only a couple of lines, but piercing to the heart. She writes “I know you don’t know me and I understand if you don’t reply, but I have heard you speak a couple of times here in California and I have always wanted to ask you how you remain hopeful in this cruel world. I am only 16 years old and I feel like I was born into a world that was not made for people who look like me. I am half Samoan and half black and in my world that equals not fully human. My parents tell me that my life has just begun but why do I feel like its ending?”
What does one say to a young person who fully recognizes the injustices that are targeting her very existence in this world? How does one begin to make sense of the harsh realities that she was born into simply by being brown, black, female and living in America, yet yearning for her to remain hopeful enough to continue living and to actualize her grandparent’s legacy, her parent’s sacrifices and her own desires and dreams? The paradoxes and contradictions that our young people face on a daily basis are daunting. On a good day they are referred to as the “chosen generation” on the very same day they are often called the “lost/destructive generation” but regardless of how we choose to define them, one thing is for sure, they are undoubtedly the “next generation”!
I have no idea who this young woman is, but somehow her pain is familiar, so familiar that I can name it and feel it. We have become so desensitized in many ways to the pain that young people have to go through on a daily basis, that we have become blinded to it, insomuch that we have accepted it as the norm for young Pacific Islanders. We often place all the blame on them not realizing the ways in which we have contributed and created the situations they now find themselves in.
We have criticized them for not knowing their language and culture, yet we don’t take the time to teach it. I have been in numerous meetings where administrators and teachers clearly do not see a need for multiple histories or epistemologies or anything that is not in par with mainstream culture and values. Yet, the minute our young people show any sign of resistance in this mainstream classroom they are labeled as having a behavior disorder, tracked into ESL and special education courses and their Pacific cultures blamed for their so-called failures. The same culture that they are not allowed to practice or even emulate. The same culture that they hardly even know!
We have accused our young people of being caught up in the “bling bling” world, yet they are being targeted by every corporate marketing campaign who promises immediate acceptance with the stroke of a lip gloss, overpriced t-shirt/pants, shoes that can make you fly, and jewelry that demands envy. They enter into classrooms where capitalistic ideals are the norm, they become consumers before they become students, and still we wonder why they gravitate toward the bling? Why they think that success only needs to be reheated in the microwave…5…4….3…2…1… done!
We get annoyed by their constant need for attention, their low self-esteem moments and we demand that they should be proud of who they are, yet they look around their environment and everything tells them that to be a beautiful young woman one must be skinny, white, tall, blonde, straight hair, etc., etc., basically everything that they are not. Then they come home and the minute their hair looks unruly, we are the first to plug in the iron. When they are out in the sun for longer than a second, we throw a lavalava around their head, make them wear long pants and long sleeves while yelling “don’t get dark”! We spend hours massaging the noses of young babies so that it doesn’t look like a “Polynesian nose”… all of this while telling our youth “be proud of who you are”!
We promise them that they can have it all…the “American dream” yet the moment they walk out of the house they are hit with the realities of racial profiling, tracking, lowered expectations, racism, sexism, classism, and the list goes on and on. They turn to us (parents, educators, community leaders, church leaders, anyone) seeking answers and the most common response whether spoken or unspoken is “something is inherently wrong with you, it must be your culture”! Again, the blame placed on the young person and his/her native culture that he/she has never learned nor even understands. We continue to wonder why this generation, who should have been the “chosen” one appears to be the “lost” one!
When do we finally say “enough is enough” and that we will no longer allow this next generation to move through this world ashamed of their native cultures? When are we going to engage in deconstructing this popularly damaging theory that our young people are a deficit simply because they are of Pacific Islander descent? When do we demand that our children learn their native culture and values from a lens other than that of whiteness/capitalism/colonialism? When are we going to stand up to those who have always been in power, who have passed legislations/laws/policies that have been aimed to limit the dreams and potential of our young people? When do we hold ourselves and those in power responsible for the conditions that we have helped to create that have been extremely damaging to our young people? I hope the answer is NOW!
I have never been an optimistic person, I am too much of a realist to be optimistic, but I would be in denial if I was to disregard the resiliency of our Pacific Island people. We have been through so much, if our history has taught us anything, it is that we will always survive, and for that I will always remain hopeful!
It is this next generation that will lead our pilgrimage as Pacific Islanders, I hope we will stand by them, guide them, support them and love them and in the end, I hope they will never have to question why we were full of hope, even in this cruel world, I hope they would understand that we never gave up, and when it became a choice between living or dying, we chose to live even in the midst of death…and likewise I hope they will do the same!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Reflections on the Pacific Islander Leadership Summit on Criminal Justice
I spent about 3 hours today at the Pacific Islander Leadership Summit on Criminal Justice and I wanted to share some of my reflections about what I observed tonight. I guess we should start with what I felt was very productive about the summit…
Great Food
The food was catered by Lanikai Grill and I loved it!
Great Turnout
It was wonderful to see so many Pacific Islander church leaders, community based leaders, educators, politicians, law enforcement officers, etc. there tonight. It was a strong statement about the fact that people recognize the gang issue as a problem and are looking for ways to collaborate and work together to make a difference.
Keynote presentation
The keynote speaker was an elder from the Maori community who has done extensive work on indigenous cultural interventions in NZ among the Maori population and specifically with prisoners and those in the criminal justice system. It was great to acknowledge the wisdom that elders in our community hold while also deconstructing the popular myth that assimilation to mainstream America is the only avenue for success.
okay now on to what I found extremely problematic about the summit. I begin by recognizing the hard work that was put into this summit. As someone who has worked on a variety of different events, I appreciate and understand the time and hard work it takes to put on an event like this and so my critique is not going to focus on the logistical side of organizing an event, but rather on the idea and insight (or lack of insight) that guides an event such as this.
First of all, whenever those who are organizing the event get up and say “we don’t want you to be offended” or” we are not here to say you are bad people or bad parents BUT…” (I am paraphrasing some of what was said tonight) means that you are going to be offended and they are going to indirectly allude to the ideas that are associated with what they just said they weren’t going to talk about. Lets be real, the only reason why we say things like that in the beginning is to absolve ourselves from being held accountable for the things that we say because we want those who are listening to forgive us by acknowledging that our comments were well intentioned. I understand well intentions, I work with well intentioned people everyday who tell me that the Pacific Islander culture does not value education… yeah, it was well intentioned, but the impact of your well intentioned comment, does not justify the fact that your comment is false, racists, and full of prejudice.
I give that example only to point out, that the summit was filled with many good intentioned presentations, but it doesn’t change the fact that their presentations were extremely problematic. The presentation from law enforcement focused on how to identify gangsters, gang signs, how they dress, their tattoos, how they look, how to identify them in pictures and in real life, etc, etc. In their defense, they were doing exactly what is expected of law enforcement; I mean they aren’t really the people I look to when I think about rehabilitation, intervention or prevention. We all know that law enforcement as an institution is not interested in rehabilitation, they are all about surveillance, their solution to everything is lock them up! This is why it was so problematic for me to watch this presentation, not because I was shocked by the pictures, but rather because, here we are in a room with Pacific Islander leaders (who probably have more insight about what’s happening on the ground), and instead of discussing rehabilitation we want them to take on the role of law enforcement officers and racially profile their own children and community members. Now, I know that wasn’t the intention, but when there is no context fully given for this presentation, and all we see is pictures and the looming idea that “every brown person is potentially a gangster” one leaves thinking that surveillance and imprisonment is the only answer to this issue.
In my opinion, it was a great disservice to Mr. Jones’s presentation on cultural intervention, prevention and rehabilitation to have it followed up with a presentation that focuses on surveillance and imprisonment…and then not allow anytime for further discussion of the issue. I say this to make the point that even at a Pacific Islander leadership summit, we see how our indigenous knowledge is continually pushed into the peripheries while centering and valuing western thought and epistemologies. The truth is that the majority of Pacific Islander kids who are involved in gangs were born and/or raised in the United States, they are products of the American environment, when are we going to discuss the impact that has on their behavior, their choices and the way they view themselves and the world? We talk about how culturally based knowledge and models are the solutions, yet we have a Pacific Islander summit and give the majority of the time to law enforcement and politicians. It makes no sense!!!!!
I am grateful that our communities were able to come together but deeply saddened that we missed an amazing opportunity to share critical ideas with those who work in our communities day in and day out-- about what their different organizations are doing and how we can work toward creating some kind of culturally relevant model that would fit a Utah context.
I know that it was mentioned over and over again that this is only the first meeting, but come on now, how many first meetings are we going to have before we actually move to meeting #2? Having said that, if there is a master strategy and plan behind this that I am totally missing… then please enlighten me and accept my apologies.
Disclaimer: When I say “law enforcement” I am referring to the institution, not the individuals. I know that our Pacific Islander law enforcement officers do the best they can and I am deeply grateful, but there are so few of them, that it would be completely unfair and impossible to make them shoulder all the responsibilities in addressing these issues just because they work for that institution.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Abigail Langi-- Spoken Word Artist
[Abigail Langi performing her spoken word piece and being backed up by her aunty Neti Taumoepeau (676) and her mom Lavinia Taumopeau. Special thanks to Maikolo Ika for the awesome picture!]
In the past few weeks I have been working with my niece Abigail Langi on a spoken word piece that she composed to perform at the Island Groove Concert! I wasn't able to get a video recording of her performance but it was absolutely amazing!!!
I am posting below her poem and her introduction of the H.Y.P.E. Movement which was infused with Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" with a little twist in the lyrics to fit her experiences and her poetry. She is only 12 years old, but she can hold it down with some of the very best poets out there! Much love to the PALE Foundation for creating the platform for her to perform!
Introduction of the H.Y.P.E. Movement
Pacific Islanders in school districts all over the United States represent one of the smallest student populations but are among the highest dropout rates. Since the year 2000 the incarceration rates of Pacific Islander young men have tripled, our suicide rates have doubled, drug use has become common place and the death rates due to gang violence have increased by 110%. The HYPE Movement, which stands for Helping Youth Pursue Emancipation is our way of breaking free from these negative trends and uniting our youth and raising our voices to make a positive change! I dedicate this poem to every young Pacific Islander in the struggle!
[singing]
I’m gonna make a change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
It’s gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right
As I look at my fathers’s eyes
My mother’s fateful cries
Their pain is blowin’ my mind
I see my friends in the street
Without a heart to beat
Who am I to be blind
Pretending not to see their needs
A fatherless Tongan child
Alone and suffering trials
With broken hearts and dreams
There’s more to life than
This I know
And so it’s time to let it go
That's why I want you to know
[Abby's spoken word]
I want you to know about the
Screams of my mother crying
Voices of my father yelling
Me sitting in a corner
Being put through this torture
Many nights I cried
Waking-up with blood shot eyes
Thoughts would race through my head
As I lay silently in bed
I love them both so much
That it hurts to even think
Or imagine
The sadness of separation
Caused by acts and thoughts of desperation
I want to make things better for me and you
But I am just a child—what am I to do?
My friends tell me “not to worry… it’s all good”
As they continue to skip school and do drugs
To prove they are “down for their hood”
But I can’t help but see how there is no gain
In their choices that only bring more and more pain
I want to stand up and make a change
But another day goes by
I suffer alone in silence
As I wonder why
It’s so hard for us to try
To break free
from all the negativity
Just because the color of our skin
Doesn't mean that we shouldn't win
Just because our cousins are locked up
Doesn’t mean that we have to give up
Just because we might have doubts
Doesn’t mean we aren’t brown and proud
Just because we were born and raised on the Westside
Doesn’t mean that we don’t have dreams inside
I know it’s hard sometimes,
Without a doubt
But we are strong and fierce
We know what we’re about
Mou'i manatu ki ho tupu'anga
Means our past is our legacy
But we, we create our own destiny
If you dream it
You can achieve it
If you believe it
You can be it
Life is full of the good and bad
The happy and sad
We don’t win by counting smiles and frowns
We win because we stand up
Every time we fall down
If you hear my voice
Then you know you have to make a choice
Live the H.Y.P.E.
Let go of the fear and pain
Live the H.Y.P.E.
We have so much more to gain
Live the H.Y.P.E.
Only we can make this change
I’m getting up
I’m taking a stand
For once in my life
I’m livin’ the H.Y.P.E.!
[Singing]
As I look at my fathers’s eyes
My mother’s fateful cries
Their pain is blowin’ my mind
I see my friends in the street
Without a heart to beat
Who am I to be blind
Pretending not to see their needs
A fatherless Tongan child
Alone and suffering trials
With broken hearts and dreams
There’s more to life than
This I know
And so it’s time to let it go
That's why I want you to know
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Omi Photography on Pacific Eye Radio Tonight (06/25/09)
It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but if you are extremely good at what you do as a photographer than a picture is worth more than just words--its about capturing a moment- a memory (or a series of moments and memories) that will last forever!
The work of Naomi Masina is reflective of this philosophy. We are very fortunate to have her on our show this week to discuss with us her journey into the world of photography, her artistic process, what she is most passionate about, what she hopes to capture and emulate through her work. Read more here.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
G.I.F.T.ED Camp
The G.I.F.T.ED [Grid Island Football Training & Education] Camp was a huge success and it was FREE!!! What more can you ask for??? Here are some awesome photos from the camp taken by Naomi Masina!
Check out more photos at www.naomimasinaphotography.blogspot.com
Monday, June 22, 2009
Pacific Eye Radio Show--Pasifika Voices...
Mark your calendars people...you won't want to miss next week's Pacific Eye Radio Show (May 28, 2009) as we talk story with some of our amazing young Pacific Islander Poets -- Vaimoana Niumeitolu, Jamaica Osorio, and Andrew Vai!!!It is no secret that one of the daunting challenges our young people face, especially for those who live outside of the Islands is accessing information about their own history, culture, and genealogy. It is one of the most damaging legacies of colonization -- who in their process to "civilize" the natives sought to strip them of anything and everything that they possessed including land, families, language, stories, history and even memories... but we have proved over and over again, that our voices can never be destroyed, perhaps deferred and even silenced but never destroyed!
Read more about the show HERE
This show will be dedicated to all those who have refused to be silenced in an era where silencing voices of dissent has become the norm. Our guests this week are three amazing young Pacific Islander poets/spoken word artists who will talk to us about their poetry, what inspires them, why they do what they do, and what they hope to achieve. These brilliant young poets are using their God-given talents and gift of words to bring about awareness, to reclaim history, and to retell the stories that have often been marginalized but never fully colonized!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Mother's Day Dedications on Pacific Eye Radio
This week's Pacific Eye Radio Show will feature your Mother's Day dedications!
Please feel free to send your dedications to PacificEyeRadio@radiofreeutah.org
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
20/20 What Would You Do / Racism In America
It's sad that this does not surprise me at all...
No commentary from me on this post...I think the videos speak for itself...
PART-1
PART-2
Create Your Own Destiny! Live the H.Y.P.E.
The H.Y.P.E Movement presents 4 extraordinary Tongan dancers who are living the H.Y.P.E!
(in order of appearance)
Hefa Tuita of Nickelodeon's "Dance on Sunset"
Tessi Toluta'u - Miss South Pacific 2007
Tony Pututau - from Dancing with the Stars on Tour
CJ Tonga Bair - from Center Stage Dance Studio
Music: Ote'a Tivuri by Nonosina
Directed and Edited by Richard Wolfgramm
Filmed by Richard Wolfgramm, Tanelle Lindquist and Daela Tipton
There should be no limit to what we can achieve!!!
Create your own destiny!!!
Live your Dreams!!!
Get On The H.Y.P.E.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Today is the Day...
Don't forget to tune in!
You can listen to us live by going to www.utahfm.org and look on the top right hand corner to find out the different ways you can stream it on your computer!
See ya tonight!!!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Really Missing My Grandparents Today...
[Miss them so much!!!]
I am really, really missing my grandparents today!!!
It has been a year since my grandpa passed away and almost 10 years since my grandma passed away, and there isn't a day that goes by that I haven't thought about them or wondered how they would have advised me on certain situations or decisions I have made or just what the overall conversation would be like about different world events that have taken place.
Today is their birthday. They were born on the same day just different years and although they shared so much in common their personalities were very different. My grandmother was very outspoken and assertive and my grandfather was much more quiet and reserved, but they both shared a deep love for the Lord, their family, the Tongan culture and especially for Education!
Last week I was looking through my piles of paper and came across a note that I had written to my grandpa on his birthday back in April 2007.
My note to him read: [sorry to those who don't speak Tongan... I dont really feel like translating what I wrote]Ala si 'eku kui 'ofeina,
'Oku 'ikai ha lea fe'unga ke fakamatala'i 'a e 'ofa mo e ongo'i hounga'ia ‘oku ou ma'u koe'uhi ko ho'o akonaki'i, tauhi 'ofa mo poupou'i au talu mei he 'eku kei si'i. 'Oku toki 'asi tahataha mai ki he'eku manatú 'a e ngaahi feilaulau lahi kuo ke fakahoko koe'uhi pe ko au pea mo hoku kaha'ú!
Thank you for loving me, for raising me, and for being the best grandfather a girl could ask for! I hope to always make you proud!
'Ofa lahi atu!
your granddaughter
'Anapesi Ka'ili
A week later when I returned to visit him he gave me back the note I wrote to him with a note he had written to me on the back of my note which read...
My dear granddaughter,
I am blessed to know you. You are a rich girl because the Lord loves you and I love you too. If I teach you to love the Lord then I am a rich and happy old man. I am proud to be your grandpa.
'Ofa atu!
Tonga P. Malohifo'ou
Oh... how I miss him and my grandma dearly!!! I truly have been blessed to have them in my life! It is only now, when I reflect back on my life, that I realize the importance of what they have taught me. I realize more than ever before how keenly aware they were of the world and how focused they were on their goal to raise a next generation of young people who would be rooted in our native Tongan culture but learn to carve out their own space in this new society.
They valued indigenous Tongan knowledge and even when it seemed that assimilation was the only way to be successful in this society, they refused to conform-- but instead engaged in personal acts of self-determination by making the Tongan language mandatory in our home, by telling us stories of their upbringing, by teaching us traditional Tongan proverbs and history, and by teaching us respect, love, and kindness, from a Tongan perspective.
I cannot deny how much this has shaped my consciousness, influenced my choices and has guided the work that I do! When you are raised around that kind of environment, you cannot help but to innately know that you must give back some how!
I know that they are rejoicing together today and I hope that they both know how much I love, respect, and honor their memory, everything they stood for, and all that they have taught me!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA & GRANDPA!!!!
'OFA LAHI ATU!!!!
[back in the day kickin' it with Grams and Gramps... LOL!]
[another generation of kids kickin' it with Gramps]
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Pacific Eye Radio Debut
The Pacific Eye Radio Show with Richard and 'Anapesi features not only the lovely music of Pacific Islands, but also discussion of critical issues that affect Pacific Island communities globally. Tune in also for news, sports, entertainment reports and any information relevant to the Pacific Island communities.
Join us online at Utah Free Media - www.utahfm.org where you can access every show and also download the feed to your favorite online streaming software.
**NOTE: The show will be on Utah Free Media every THURSDAY evening, starting April 23, from 9:00 pm to 10:30 pm.
ALSO, there is no radio required for Utah Free Media - it's all online! If you miss a show, past broadcasts can be accessed via Utah Free Media's website. So you have no excuses.....the only acceptable excuse is if you live in the islands, in a remote village with no electricity.
Utah Free Media website: http://www.utahfm.org
onair@utahfm.org
801-878-0506
866-716-1991 (toll free)
Check out our blog at http://www.pacificeyeradio.com and tune in next Thursday! Aloha to all :)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Happy Easter... from Crenshaw Blvd...LOL!
This past week I was in LA for the Pacific Island Symposium at UCLA! On Saturday my good friend and I were looking for someone to do some airbrush t-shirt designs for us and found ourselves out on Crenshaw Blvd. where we came across the largest Easter Baskets ever...LOL!!!
Just in case you don't believe me... Here is a picture! I so want one of those next Easter....so if you live near Crenshaw...you better send me one next year!!! LOL!
