The pressure to conform to the “American way of life” and to speak English in order to live and work in Hawaii is strong. This can lead to many children not growing up fluent in Hawaiian. However, exposure to culturally important stories and legends in early childhood can provide children with a deep sense of respect for their home and the opportunity to engage with the culture that surrounds them. The revitalization of Hawaiian is a growing effort that is based on what is preserved in memory, in Hawaiian archives and libraries, and on recordings.
This allows children to internalize their culture (or the culture of the place where they live) and appropriate it, taking it with them wherever they go. Learning about the cultural context is valuable for those who visit Hawaii. Not only can they take this knowledge and educate others, but they can also develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the cultures of their own home. Hawaiian music had appeared at the Columbia World's Fair and, by chance, included two sounds that were new to Hawaiians. Access to and participation in Native Hawaiian stories empowers children of Native Hawaiian descent by providing them with knowledge to help them navigate their world as indigenous people.
The tradition of Hawaiian storytelling is vast and dynamic, but finding accessible sources of Hawaiian storytelling for children can be difficult. After reading the texts and starting to work on my own books, I began to understand the privilege of learning their culture and language for children of Hawaiian descent. This blog post represents the informed perspectives of several authors, each with backgrounds such as native Hawaiians and people from marginalized communities that have deep roots in Hawaii. All of them manufactured in a foreign country, such as China, use Hawaiian culture to make the sale and are bought with cash, so taxes are not recorded, how the economy is built, and more visitors raise prices, making it difficult for the locals to survive. Tourists come to spend and leave there every day, having to deal with the high cost of living from food to gas, rent, car registration, etc. If a child understands the world around him from a cultural point of view perspective, not only are they able to engage more deeply with their culture, but also create a more meaningful connection between cultures.
I have a lot of friends in high school who are in the military or who moved here and had no choice; most of them are nice or want to learn about my culture and they know that as long as they're willing to learn or are respectful, Hawaiians don't have any resentment toward them. It's important to note that these concerns aren't universal; some Hawaiians welcome tourists who show respect for the culture and environment of the islands. The importance of making Hawaiian culture accessible to all readers cannot be overstated. By providing access to culturally important stories and legends through books, recordings, archives, libraries, and other sources, readers can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for Hawaiian culture. This understanding can help bridge cultural divides between visitors and locals alike while also empowering children of Native Hawaiian descent by providing them with knowledge that will help them navigate their world as indigenous people.
