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THREE SIMPLE SIGNIFICANT SYMBOLISMS OF PROFOUND PROPORTION

Sgt. Ace Fuimaono

PAU:

As simple as it may sound, I had a difficult time choosing MAHALO three items that can somewhat summarize me. for the Cultural Warriors The first item is a picture of my parents to represent my family. Second, a ring Ace, Naomi, and Ben that was given to me by my girlfriend, which belonged to her father. And lastly, military dog tags to represent the Army. These three things briefly explain who I am and their importance to me. Growing up in the islands of Samoa, family is everything. I have been very blessed to have such loving parents, seven sisters and three brothers. They mean the world to me and they wait eagerly for my return with a BA. The second item (ring) holds dear meaning to me because it was a gift from my girlfriend now known fiancĂŠe. We cannot choose our family because they are given, but the one we can choose is a person to spend our eternity with. And I found that in her.

She is loving, caring, intelligent, talented, kind (in her own way), and beautiful.

I believe four years of dating solidifies that.

Lastly, (re: dog tags) I am proud to be an American Soldier and to have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and have survived. I take joy in serving for I have been serving since childhood and am proud to get where I am now. A son, a student, and a Sergeant in the Army.

Aloha, my name is Naomi, For me, although I am not Chamorro, I was also raised on an island in which family is everything. Even though my family on my Guam is not that large it has shown me to cherish each and one of my sisters, nieces and nephews. My family in the mainland is large, but prior to my dad’s passing I never heard from them. I still hold a bit of resentment because my dad had ten other siblings and none of them came to his funeral. Nonetheless, I hold a significant meaning to my family on Guahan. I know that us islanders put family as very important in all, if not majority life decisions, which makes me proud to be born and raised on one. If it weren’t for my mother, I wouldn’t be here on O’ahu and I will spend the rest of my life making her and my dad proud. The ring from her father is what really touched me, in all honesty I don’t think I could give anything of my dad’s away. I really enjoyed seeing the items brought.

KUMU KEAHI: Sgt Fuimaono, I am by no means surprised that having walked the path you have, you recognize the beauty of simplicity and the value of deep experiences. I submit to you that your efforts to choose something symbolizing you and your belief system is challenging only because of your native upbringing in a world not based in material wealth nor conspicuous consumption. Your endeavor to choose three items representative you would be like painting a rainbow with only one color of paint.

If you examine the conceptual meaning of your items… it is in fact a cultural expression of your… yep, you guessed it.. YOUR MANA. Your AINA and your desire to return to Samoa is absolutely consistent with the aloha you express for your ‘OHANA (and a big one at that)… specifically the responsibility (“kuleana”) to honor your parents is notable. This extends even to your committed relationship and beginning the legacy of your own ‘Ohana. ALL of these factors which has shaped you, inspired you, and focused you now leads you to fulfill your own destiny entirely by your values and choices to precisely what you will be DOING (“HANA”) and why you wish to walk that path. You will likely agree with me that “your story “tells the same lesson we’ve all seen in class recently, doesn’t it? Mahalo for sharing your “symbols” and for protecting our country and our islands. FA’ASAMOA !!

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS (below) Ben → Sgt. Fuimaono, I also encounter the same thing when choosing the three things that somewhat represents me; however, the three things you have chosen really symbolize and represent yourself. The picture of your parents symbolizes “ohana”, “ola”, and “make”. It also represents your culture and the strong attachment or bond you have with your family. Growing up as an islander boy, I know and I can feel the “aloha” you have with your “ohana”. Family is everything, and it always comes first. Speaking of family, reminds me of my own parents and my island. As for the ring, it also significant because it was a gift from your girlfriend which belonged to her father. The ring also symbolizes that you will have your own “ohana” soon. It also holds your relationship strong and it resembles the love, care, and trust that was being shared. For the tags, you are so lucky and be proud of who you are. You are an American soldier, which i dreamt of ever since I was kid, but I did not get the chance to join. However, I have a brother and a uncle serving in the marines, and they rarely contacted our families back home. We know that they still alive, but we do not know why they never keep in touch with the family. My chances of joining the military got spoiled. So, Sgt. Fuimaono, be proud of yourself and I really envy you and all those brave men and women that are also serving in the military. Like I said earlier, the three things that you had chosen really defined and highlighted your life: “a son, a student, and a Sergeant”.

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Pualei, Nora-Lynn, & Mikey Pualei Jackson 1. Pride & Prejudice: The first item I chose was a copy of a classic literature. This is one of my favorite books and is also one that has remained popular over time. To me it represents my love for well-written books as well as how much I admire the ways that a work of fiction can temporarily transport me into another world that the author has created.

2. Owl Necklace: Ever since I was a child I admired owls for the beautiful creatures that they were. I also loved how so many different cultures all use the owl as a symbol for wisdom and knowledge. While I was still living on Molokai, I learned that the pueo is my aumakua. After that, I felt an even stronger love and adoration for this beautiful creature.

3. iPod: Like many people of my generation, I feel that music permeates everything in my life. Music helps me find focus or can help me forget.

Growing up, my parents played a wide variety of music for me and I found that different genres and time periods of music help me express myself in different situations.

Aloha, my name is Nora Lynnn Aquino, ● Your book totally represents you. You made me curious about that book and want to read it.

Reading a book that you admire does make time go by fast. Very good! ● The owl necklace was very cute. The first thing that popped in my head as the movie “The Fourth Kind”, it was funny. Owls are very beautiful. ● I agree with you on the iPod. I can’t go anywhere without music. Music motivates me to work out and distracted from other things. It’s true that music does express us in many different ways.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Ms. Pualei, I must admit that I admire your gravitation to classical literature. And even though few things move me like a good book, I have to declare that I’ ve read very few books cover to cover. I’ve read massively, but they are primarily nonfiction (medicine, physics, Hawaiian history, etc). Having books as your elixir to induce your escapism is very encouraging and indeed a HANA to your MANA. Too bad it wasn’t more contagious amongst our growing population of illicit drug abusers. But in the end, does your choice of this specific storyline possibly mean you identify with the protagonist, the witty intellectualist, Miss Elizabeth Bennet?

Your owl (pueo) necklace is a fairly intense representation of your cultural identity in this ancestral symbol (ho’ailona) of your family ‘OHANA. You originally identified with the owl for its representation of wisdom (“intellectual” like Elizabeth?). However, I’ve yet to see Hawaiian cultural references indicating those qualities. The pueo seems to have a strong value system and reliance on family. They voraciously protect their family and friends. Indeed a worthy symbol of your own cultural identity.

“Music soothes the savage soul!” Yet, when it comes to ear-plugging experiences, I suppose I simply hear the beat of a different drummer. But I too am extremely influenced by music to the point of utter distraction, music from my parents’, from classical, to Hawaiian… I remind myself of its purpose, its potential, and my susceptibility to immerse in it almost to a fault. Music is a drug and in the right time and place can be a panacea for most of life’s ills. But without discernment or discretion may prove quite an antithesis. You clearly possess the discipline, the discernment, and the due diligence to not let anything get in the way of your true “life path.” IMUA ! Mahalo for sharing.

MIKEY MARRS ⇒ Aloha Pualei, Even though I haven’t read the book “Pride & Prejudice”, the way you described the book made me want to go and read it also. Also coming from a Moloka’i background, love is a strong and unbreakable trait that the “Farmers” have and will remain to have. When you stated that the work of fiction can transport you to another world or place, it reminded me of how I ran away from home and went to Moloka’i to see my grandparents. Moloka’i was/is a great place to get away from all the problems or just a nice getaway.

Aumakua is such a powerful tradition that hawaiians have and the fact that you loved pueo since the beginning shows how powerful it really is. Without even knowing or realising that owls are watching over you and that it is your aumakua shows how strong your background/hawaiian ancestors really is. Growing up, the pueo was my elementary mascot, we learned that they are very strong and wise at the same time. Just from class and learning about your personality, I can already tell that you are also strong, wise and independent such as the pueo.

I believe that music is a channel directly to ones soul if the song will match. I was literally going to put my speakers in our bag also but I seen a band-aid and thought it fit me more(hehe). But I also believe that music is another great way to escape reality. I absolutely agree with you when you said that music expresses yourself in different situations because it does that exactly for me when I feel stressed or need to get away from life itself.

Thank you for your wonderful input. MAHALO

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Emily, Teagan, and Kaleo Emily Dippold, I brought in the Dayton pendant because Dayton is my home, my aina. I grew up 20 minutes south of Dayton, but my mom has worked there for about 15 years. I can remember going in to work with her when I was little, and I'm so lucky to be attending our sister school here at Chaminade. My grandfather, my father, a few of my uncles, my sister, and some cousins have gone there, so I Dayton also gives me a tie to my family.

The headphones not only represented my love of music, but also my participation in theatre and choir from middle school and high school. I've been in choir ever since my school offered it. I've made some of my best friends in choir and musicals that I've done.

The passport represents my love of travel. My best friend gave it to me when I went to Ireland and Scotland during my senior year of high school. I like to experience and learn about new places and cultures. Each place tells its own story, just like people have their own story. In the future, I really want to be able to travel the world as much as I can.

Aloha, My name is Teagan, I really admire you and the fact that you chose to come to Chaminade, and study a semester. Your items were very personal, and explained your personality well. I enjoyed finding out that Chaminade had another school within its family (Dayton) and as I read, Dayton is a big part of your family which is wonderful. I admire the fact that you like to travel, and that you go to learn about other people, and their cultures, because most people could care less. Good luck with whatever you chose to do after your time here at Chaminade, I hope you enjoy your semester, and find something wonderful that Chaminade has to offer, as you do it! Good luck Emily KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Ms. Emily, your story was bubbly and engaging and accomplished the rare sensation of wanting me to leave Hawaii (temporarily of course) and go visit Dayton.

But in essence, it seems that your absolute love of travelling becomes contagious.

Yes, you are right.. DAYTON is your “AINA” where you have set DOWN roots and also go to power UP. It is your ancestral lands and the base of your OHANA. I submit that your intrigue and curiosity integrated with humbleness with provide you pathways to foreign places and different cultures will be very exciting and meaningful. Your passport is the key/gateway to that eventuality. I’m most certain that people travel abroad to distant horizons to actually recognize their own inner self and discover their life’s purpose… similar to a native American coming of age ceremony found in their traditional Vision Quest. Your attachment to music may well be the panacea for you to “tame the savage soul”. Music along with your desire to travel are your personal choices (HANA) which will most definitely shape your destiny, sharpen your legacy, and build your dreams.

Your story reinforces what we discovered in class, YOUR MANA, MAHALO for sharing a bit of Dayton, a bit of you, and a bit of your dream.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS

KALEO Aloha Emily and others reading this summary, my name is Kaleo O’ “Kanaka” Kalani hehe. I enjoyed listening to the ahhs when the Dayton pendant got brought out because everyone knew who it was at that point but also the fact no matter where you go your pride of where you from is flown high to show everyone you are from Dayton, Ohio. The headphones represent music a similar thing i enjoy! The passport is something that is awesome, i enjoy traveling and think that you must enjoy learning and experiencing new cultures just like i do too. These are items that i can honestly say wow thank you for sharing them with us it truly shows us who you are and what experience you look forward to showing us.

JOE LYNN

PAU MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors

The item that has the biggest impact on my life was the : karate fist guard. It represents (obviously) my training in martial arts, but also mind/body exercise in general.

For almost half of my life I have been training in karate, and for the last 5 years, yoga. Unfortunately, only the mental benefits of have really stuck with me from all this training. I am not very flexible or strong, and if I were to get into a fight, my only hope would be that someone breaks it up very soon before I get completely annihilated. Like I said in class, a black belt is not for everyone: certainly not me. I will never get the rank.

Progress I have seen, however, is in the mental and emotional parts of my life. Because of the constant discipline I have to put on my body to train as much as I do, I feel that it has translated very well into my daily life. I save money, making sure I always have a positive cash flow even if that means not doing things I would like to, never drink excessively at social outings, and other things that most people say makes me sound like I’m in my mid 30s. Also, I feel like I have become a much better person than I would have been because I make sure to think about others and how my actions are affecting them. And certainly, training has helped me control my emotions, something I am very proud of. Whether angry, sad, frustrated, or any other negative emotion, I feel like I am much better able to control how I behave than I would without the constant mind body training. The larger idea of discipline and self-control are also represented by the fist guard.

In case you couldn’t tell by my previous paragraph, I am not very popular with people my age, who tend to be a little more reckless. The second item, the Petzl bag, represents climbing, which is probably the most social activity that I do. Even though it’s considered a mind/body exercise by some people, since I’m usually joking around with the people I’m with or blasting some dubstep, for me it’s more of a fun exercise. Even though I only climbed around twice a week back in Chicago, it seems like anyone who I established a really firm connection with back home also loved to climb. All of the friends I would hang out with often climbed (probably because we would always do it together), all of my girlfriends learned to love to climb (it also keeps us friendly: I still climb with some of my exes), and I even got my mom into it even though she’s super afraid of heights. Everyone else was just an acquaintance back home. I’m usually pretty quiet and don’t meet a lot of new people in social situations because I keep to myself, but when I’m at a climbing gym, I find it much easier to start conversations with complete strangers, so I have met many friends climbing, which is more than I can say for any other activity.

Finally, the fork. Much less deep than my other 2 items. It basically just means that I like to eat. But more than like to eat. LOVE to eat. REALLY LOVE to eat. It’s a passion. In a perfect world, I would be a food critic, but since that involves writing and I can’t do that very well, I’ll have to settle with getting a real job and then just paying for the food I want to eat. Despite all of the discipline I talked about in the first paragraph, eating is the one weakness that always gets to me. But I figure since I’m working out so much, it’s ok to cut loose in that department.

Joe, Valerie, and Ace

Aloha, my name is Valerie Faumuina.

I decided to write only after reading about each item so that my thoughts can be focused on each one and not have “scattered” thoughts.

Although I was not in class the day of your presentation, through reading about your KARATE FIST GUARD, I believe that what you gained from taking karate classes, mentally and emotionally, are far benefiting than being able to physically harm another. Though you speak as if you are not capable of fighting if it were to happen, I strongly believe that if that were to happen, your inner strength would take the greater judgement and act on your behalf. And with the type of person you seem to be, I don’t think anyone would start a fight with you.

You have a “good head on your shoulders”. Being able to discipline yourself in your priorities in life is something not everyone can do. You are wise beyond your years (I’m not saying you’re old). And that is something I admire most in a person.

Upon meeting you in class, we had to do an introduction for each other. I immediately learned that when socializing with people you are unfamiliar with, you speak only when asked. Please do not take this offensively. Had I asked about your interests, and “rock climbing” had been one of your interest, I don’t think the conversation would have ended that day. Climbing has become like a sanctuary. It’s what belongs to you. You’re the first person I’ve met that loves to climb or climbs at all. I see that climbing is your social ground and what keeps you and others at a common level.

It’s funny that you should have a LOVE for eating! I LOVE FOOD! :) My question to you is this: WHERE DOES ALL THAT FOOD GO? Or maybe its because you work out alot. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I understand the passion you find in eating.

My family can testify to this. I would spend alot of money on eating rather than shopping.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Bruddah Joe, your story sort of set me back each of the 4+ times I read it. I became unusually distracted not by WHAT you said, but it instead left me wondering WHY you would say, do, think, or believe the way you do and HOW it relates to this course curriculum. For the first time in this course, someone spent this time and space introspecting not on “what items symbolically defined them” but on what “actions” (HANA) will define who you wish to become and how you wish to be. Your path is and has been entirely about your efforts and how it is a process still actively in the making as it has been for years. It is the quintessential example of what “Papa Haipule” WILL discuss, address hypothetically, watch a movie or two about, etc. So your classmates who read this now, will most certainly read it differently by the end of the semester.

I chuckled as you recognize that you may not fit into your usual peer group. IT is that you are now where most of them won’t be for another decade or so, and that is if they ever get to this “inner” peace and quiet space by which you now define yourself. I felt similarly misplaced growing up and entirely “out of place” after coming home from USMC Basic Training. I remain curious if your “self-declared personae” is more a product of “nature” or a product of some external “nurture” (or event)... or maybe more likely an amalgamation of both?

In Native American perspectives, you started remarkably early on your life’s Vision Quest. In Western thought, you appear somewhat to be a Gestaltist (truly in the “here and now”). Yet, in Eastern thought, it seems you exist in an active state of Zen almost as a product of karmic reincarnation (The “old soul” type). You often note “mind/body” but did not mention the other portion of Yin/Yang… the “spirit.” I suspect this spirituality is the truest part of your life journey you still seek to clarify… and you will find it in those things you do ((HANA))...such as...

- CLIMBING: a comfortable place for self-identity with its challenging moments of self-reliance - KARATE: quiet time of self-awareness with disciplined moments of self-empowerment Now...this issue of food runs deep evolutionarily, socially, and in Polynesia, CULTURALLY !! A healthy attention to our body’s needs at its fundamental level is a reward when enjoyed with discretion and moderation. There is a purpose to eating which if debased or warped leads to the plethora of disease, morbidity, and dysfunction. It is clear you have found a balance in your body, your mind, and the discipline required to sustain harmony in both. I wish you continued insight and profound revelation on your spiritual Vision Quest.

SUMMARY: Ace Fuimaono ⇒ Mr. “Self-Control” Joe, you surprise me. Upon meeting you in class, as Valerie stated, you seemed to be to yourself and only spoke when asked a question. However when you did talk it showed the intelligence within. After taking karate for five years I truly believe that if the time came you would be then able to defend yourself. Most people think that karate is only physical, but it teaches more of self control and to stay calm in the middle of any situation. A peace of mind is harder thing to master than any physical aspect. You think that you are not strong physical, I refuse to think that. I tried climbing and more than once did I feel muscle failure. You are more than capable of what you think.

Now eating is something I can easily relate too, as you can tell. Maybe sometime soon we can introduce you to some of our dishes and we can put your stomach to the test, Samoan test that is. Your mature for your age and the only reason why you maybe cannot relate to some of your peers is because you have surpassed them in maturity.

PART 1

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Nora, Pualei, and Valerie

Nora Lynn Aquino, The three items that I presented in class that tells something about me are: handmade sea shell necklace, mace, and hand sanitizer. The seashell necklace was handmade by my auntie. It symbolizes where I’m from which is the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Island, Tinian (located in the Pacific Ocean near Guam). Guam is its own territory so Tinian is not part of Guam. The necklace came from my great grandma’s store where she sells all kinds of handmade accessories and other products.

The mace represents standing up and fighting for me. I’ve been through fights and have people trying to kill me and kidnap me whenever I’m alone. I have over 100 “first cousins” alone, but I’m the kind of person that does not get my family involved with my problems and I don’t tell them. I’ve been on my own for seven years with no help from my parents and never had a shoulder to cry on. My great grandma taught me to never depend on anyone else but myself. So the seashell again reminded me of her. She passed away years ago, and I’m still in denial that she is gone so I try to not remember the date of her death. In my heart she is still alive.

The hand sanitizer represents that I love to clean. I don’t mind getting dirty, but my apartment needs to stay clean before I go to bed. My boyfriend is the Marine Corps Infantry Reserve. Whenever he comes home from monthly drills I have to be the one to clean and take care of his cammies and other stuff, because I prefer my cleaning than his.

Aloha, my name is Pualei….

First of all, your mana’o (thoughts) are very beautiful. I think that your story about your necklace is very much connected to the idea in this class that our elders are such valuable sources of knowledge. It also is a lovely way to represent your culture, which is a very important part of this class.

The mace is very edgy! And the way that you were able to open up about your past is very brave. As a woman, it is great that you are capable of being independent and strong enough for yourself. In a way, I think that your mace is a physical representation of your mana. As we have discussed, what you do is infinitely more important than your family is or where you come from. As you said that you don’t rely on others, the mace represents the strength that you have to be on your own and handle yourself.

As for the hand sanitizer, I think it shows the respect you have for your belongings and your surroundings.

Perhaps your cleaning is your personal way of expressing mālama ka ʻāina, caring for the land. It also shows your personal sense of kuleana, as you care for your responsibilities of maintaining your living place. Mahalo for your manaʻo! I feel like I have come to know you a little more personally.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Ms. Aquino, Your seashell necklace seems deeply significant in that it was made (HANA) by your great grandmother to whom you note you were extremely close. We often keep similar symbols of our family (‘OHANA) members which hold considerable intrinsic and personal value. However, we often keep them for several or different reasons. Whether we keep them because of who gave them to us, why they gave them to us, or how we felt when it was given to us. I suspect that you have similarly multiple memories on many levels embedded in this single icon. It seems truly profound that the HANA of your Great Grandmother (‘OHANA) was given to you as a way of sharing her MANA. The symbolism of “mace” seems more relevant to your staunch independence and nearly dogmatic self-reliance despite the fairly extensive ‘OHANA you have been born into. Your emphatic declaration that you have lived on your own without any help from your family nor lean on them emotionally is laudable but also seems somewhat isolating. Is this a choice you prefer, or is this a condition which you may have had no control. Given the “maternal” advice of your Great Grandmother to rely only on yourself, does it allow for the option wherein others may be able to come to you for emotional support, personal advice, or assistance (a.k.a. “OHANA”)? Regardless, your strength of character and self-assurance is clearly a product of your experiences and your strong positive self-image.

I’m certain your propensity for a germ-free surrounding is not only extremely common but may well stem from the long-time adage, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” And it could possibly be a genetic predisposition that your boyfriend’s level of hygiene may not quite meet your level of scrutiny. I am curious where such a disciplined drive towards sanitation extends to your thoughts on tidiness, orderliness, cleanliness, etc?

Mahalo for sharing your generational mana, your perceptions of self-reliance, and your strive to make the world a cleaner place, even if it is by addressing one pair of USMC boxers at a time...hehehe

PART 2

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Nora, Pualei, and Valerie

Nora Lynn Aquino, The three items that I presented in class that tells something about me are: handmade sea shell necklace, mace, and hand sanitizer. The seashell necklace was handmade by my auntie. It symbolizes where I’m from which is the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Island, Tinian (located in the Pacific Ocean near Guam). Guam is its own territory so Tinian is not part of Guam. The necklace came from my great grandma’s store where she sells all kinds of handmade accessories and other products.

The mace represents standing up and fighting for me. I’ve been through fights and have people trying to kill me and kidnap me whenever I’m alone. I have over 100 “first cousins” alone, but I’m the kind of person that does not get my family involved with my problems and I don’t tell them. I’ve been on my own for seven years with no help from my parents and never had a shoulder to cry on. My great grandma taught me to never depend on anyone else but myself. So the seashell again reminded me of her. She passed away years ago, and I’m still in denial that she is gone so I try to not remember the date of her death. In my heart she is still alive.

The hand sanitizer represents that I love to clean. I don’t mind getting dirty, but my apartment needs to stay clean before I go to bed. My boyfriend is the Marine Corps Infantry Reserve. Whenever he comes home from monthly drills I have to be the one to clean and take care of his cammies and other stuff, because I prefer my cleaning than his.

- CONTINUED SUMMARIZED Valerie Faumuina. Ms. Aquino brought a seashell necklace, a mace, and a hand sanitizer to class telling us about the person she is today. The seashell necklace was handmade by her aunt which can be sold at her great grandmother’s store in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. The necklace also represents her place of origins which is Tinian (not part of Guam). Her remembrance of her great grandmother reminds her to depend on no one and live strong as an independent woman. Ms. Aquino shows how deep and close her relationship is to her great grandmother in coping with her passing (denial of passing) and her passing date. The mace tells us about her independence and how she lived a hard life fighting off people out to hurt her, growing into adulthood without depending on anyone, her parents included. The hand sanitizer represents her cleanliness. In other words, it tells us she’s a “neat freak” (positively speaking) :) She has good morals in terms of keeping everything clean and with her boyfriend being military, sometimes a woman’s way of cleaning far exceeds the cleaning of a man.

Ms. Jackson spoke about how the necklace and its relation to Ms. Aquino’s grandmother connects to some of the lessons learned in class: our elders play important roles in terms of knowledge and wisdom and that culture is a big part of our class. The mace, according to Ms. Jackson, is a physical representation of Ms. Aquino’s mana (her abilities to stand alone and live independently). The hand sanitizer to Ms. Jackson tells us about Ms. Aquino’s respect for her belongings and personal surrounding, and that she has a sense of responsibility in caring for the land and maintaining order in the living space.

Kumu brought to attention Ms. Aquino’s great grandmother’s HANA and by being given to her, it represents the passing of her great grandmother’s MANA. We are all tied to our OHANA through the things given to us regardless of how we felt when it was given, who gave it to us, or why it was given to us. The explanation on how the mace represents Ms. Aquino screams INDEPENDENCE yet whispers ISOLATION even with Ms. Aquino’s ability to stand emotionally independent and her large family. He questions whether this could be personal preference in choosing to live independently or could it be something she has no control over. Given the maternal advice to rely only on herself, are others able to open up to Ms. Aquino and turn to her for advice, a shoulder to lean on, etc? Regardless of these conditions, Kumu points out that Ms. Aquino’s strong positive self-image and her experiences in life have led to her strength of character and self assurance.

Ms. Aquino’s cleanliness brings “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” to life. Kumu points out that Ms. Aquino’s observations of her boyfriend’s level of hygiene may well be a genetic disposition and is curious about where she gets this extensive measure of CLEANING. SIDE NOTE: I admire your ability to live past the troubles you’ve faced and find your perseverance quite astonishing!

Your being able to live to see and be with your great grandmother (GG) is envied because not many people can live to see even their grandparents. And to have received her necklace, that is truly an honor. I admire your need to clean. :) And its true, military spouses find that their version of CLEANING is better than the soldier’s, marine’s, airman’s, sailor’s cleaning. I do the same for my soldier and literally get deep into soaking uniforms, scrubbing out dirt, cleaning boots, etc. We pay attention to detail and behind every great man, there’s an even more awesome WOMAN! hehehe

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Kaleo, Ben, Nora, and Teagan Adrian “Kaleo” Narvaez, The 3 items I brought that meant value to me were headphones, Patriot key lanyard, and my surf shorts.

All three of these items I use on a daily or weekly basis.

The first item the headphones represent a lot to me more then just listening to music. When I lived in Rhode Island I was part of a hip-hop group called the Night Enders.

I still write and send music to the remanding members and also give them advice when they ask me for it. Currently now, I am writing more into the reggae genre and less hip-hop, but I enjoy freestyling hip-hop often. The headphones represent the music I have created in the past and currently, in addition to the listening of other artists lyrics and beats.

The Patriot key lanyard symbolizes more to me then just a representation of my favorite football team.

The lanyard holds my house keys, I am constantly running in and out of my house whether its to help a neighbor, make it to school on time, running for a bus, or just talking story outside. My keys are the protection to my home, where I keep my possessions and lay my head at night. The fact that they are my favorite football team also lets people who found my keys know hey these are Kaleo's keys, I'd had better return them to him.

The last item my surf shorts are very valuable to me. Not only are they my favorite surf shorts out of the few I own, but they have two of my favorite fish(Marlin and Mahi Mahi) I love to fish for, printed on the shorts. The last time my father saw my surf shorts, he was like “Ho boy, them shorts is mean ah! I like one pair lil' dat!” since then I already knew that they were my favorite. They have brought me luck in time that I needed it most. I can remember this one day, I had almost drowned on a 10-12ft day at Makapuu. After I had barely survived and flung myself on the rocks to throw up all the saltwater I drank, I looked at my shorts and said to myself that I was lucky I was wearing my favorite pair of board shorts or I might have drowned.

Aloha, my name is Ben. I just read your story and I really do not know what to say or comment about. I believe these three items that you had chosen were really valuable to you and represent you at the same time. So, I’ll start off with the headphones. I also love music and I bring my headphones wherever I go. Music does a lot of things, in general. If I will try to name all the things I think music does,I will be writing and essay instead of just a response to your story. LOL! In addition to that, everytime i see you, on campus or off campus,your headphones were plugged in. That already proved that you do love music. You mentioned that you were part of a hip-hop group when you were still in Rhode Island, and you still helping your crew when they needed help from you, which is COOL!. You are an artist and my suggestion is GO FOR IT and NEVER BACK DOWN. For the second item, you chose the Patriot key lanyard because Patriot is your favorite football team. Aside from that, like you said, it holds your house keys, which is significant. Using your favorite football team as your marker for your house keys is a good idea. So, if you lose your house keys, you are more likely to get them back,because of your favorite football team. For the surf shorts, i think it is your lucky charm, so wear it or bring it with you wherever you go.

Aloha, my name is Nora Lynn Acquino: I loved how you expressed about the headphones. I would have never thought that you write music. It’s nice I would love to hear some of your songs that you have written for the band you’re writing to. I am definitely on the same boat as you. Keys are everything to me and where I live my belongings and personal items at home. My home is my safe and comfortable place where if I want to get away from everything. As the patriot I’m not a football fan, but your team is pretty popular. I definitely see you as a beach boy. I liked how you presented about your shorts. It was a pretty nice one and it totally explains everything about you.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Bruddah Kaleo, It is most intriguing that your headphones provides not only a favorite pastime (music) but also an activity to which you invested your efforts (hip-hop). It suffices to theorize that music charges you up but in conjunction with your already HIGH basal energy overloads, the combination possibly drives you to move physically… presto… HIP-HOP enters your skillsets. To complete the cycle, you even write music… to then listen to it… and finally to move to it. This seems almost consistent with Pa’a ka waha, nana ka maka (write), ho’olohe ka pepeiao (listen), hana ka lima (dance)... and a Hawaiian is born. Your HANA is your MANA. Though you flippantly note the “Patriot” key lanyard, it seems the “key” to this symbol is the “keys”. You are emphatic as to your reference to your house, your sanctuary, your treasure chest, and your personal place for respite, recreation, and and rest. This is truly a symbol of the piko to your AINA. You are the quintessential Gestaltist in that you experience life “in the here and now.” Your surf shorts not only represents your pastime activity in surfing, but it is printed with another pastime activity of fishing. The surprising revelation is how moved you were by your father’s assessment of those shorts… you must really look up to your father with an almost big brother sense of admiration? How does one top a connection with a pair of shorts you almost died in? And as you continue to wear them and have additionally moving experiences, these shorts will practically become a family heirloom...hehe. This is yet again another HANA of your MANA. Mahalo for sharing it.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS -Teagan Waialeale Kaleo is very energetic as we see in class as well as the description of his items. If I were to close my eyes I’d hear Kaleo saying the words from the screen in front of me. Kaleo values music, security, and comfort as he’s demonstrated in his items.

Ben leaves Kaleo encouraging words when it comes to following his dreams of music and to bring his “lucky charm wherever he goes” Nora tells kaleo how she can relate to him with his connection to his house and his personal property, as well as how she would love to hear some of his music, and ties it up with a sincere message of who he is.

Kumu gives a meaningful connection to Kaleo, and ties in some of the lessons we’ve learned thus far in the semester in our class in his mana’o.

Also draws a connection for Kaleo and his Papa Haipule.

Mahalo for your mana’o Kaleo and sharing a part of yourself, and a little about who you are with our class.

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors‌ Rory McCarthy

Rory, Joe, and Leighton

Last Tuesday, September the tenth, we were asked to bring in three items that were symbolic to us.

The items which I brought were a keychain from Madeira, a coin from Saint Louis School, and two crucifixes.

The first item, the keychain, is symbolic in that it represents Portugal. I am almost three-quarters Portuguese and I do believe that it is important to remember where we come from. Therein, the keychain is a symbol of my ancestors and my family history.

The coin from Saint Louis is also a connection that I have to generations past. My grandfather attended St. Louis, but had to leave to work and help support his family, received an honorary diploma from the school. My father also graduated from the school, as well as my brother and myself. Saint Louis is a connection that we share which is especially important because I never met my grandfather and really one of the only things I know about him is that he attended St. Louis.

Finally, the crucifixes hold much importance to me. I have about twenty crosses in my room alone and my faith is something very important to me. Not necessarily religion, but faith because religion can be destroyed but faith cannot.The silver-colored crucifix was given to me by a Marianist brother with whom I shared many talks about faith. The second crucifix, the gold one, was given to me as a present from my parents. They (the crucifixes) both serve as reminders to me of who I should strive to emulate and also that the only life worth living for me is a life devoted to others.

Aloha, my name is Joe Lynn <postscript> I am adding this paragraph after finishing my response because after reading it I felt like it might be taken as insulting. So I’m just clarifying that whenever I mention I’m confused or don’t understand something, it’s not because I think it’s stupid, it’s because its very different from what I’m used to. <end postscript> The meaning behind the keychain really intrigued me. Being someone of extremely mixed blood, I have always wondered what it would be like to have a strong ethnic identity. In my house, we have very basic American culture, no ties to other countries except the Philippines (through my aunt), and no ethnic identity. I’m not even sure what ethnicity my last name is.

It’s interesting for me to hear someone else discuss how important their heritage is because I have no idea what that’s like, and it’s cool to hear about how different other families are from mine. Probably because I have such little connection with my heritage, the idea of keeping mementos from the past confuses me as well. The coin from Saint Louis school was interesting to hear about too. The idea of a family heirloom passed down connecting generations is something I have seen in movies before, but never experienced for myself. It made me think that maybe having something to pass down in my family should be a tradition that I should start.

What I DO understand is the crucifixes and the meaning behind them. I also believe that faith is more important than religions, because everyone has their own beliefs and should change or create religion depending on what they believe. But the faith behind those actions is what actually drives them to push forward with their beliefs.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Crusader Rory, The clarity of your symbols along with their representative meaningfulness was eclipsed only by your abundance of dedication and belief in your cultural identity and your spiritual faith. Your reference to the Portugal keychain speaks strongly to your ancestral ethnicity of Portugal (‘AINA) and the ties to your family (‘OHANA).

Your unwavering dedication to the Crusader Ethos is reinforced by the long proud tradition of your other family members in following a path of service (HANA). So as these symbols of your MANA are clear… the depth of this committed faith is exemplified by the path you choose to emulate; that journey symbolized by the crucifix (“Legacy”). You also deepen these symbols by relating them the honorable or laudable mentor figures in your life who may have contributed to the formation of yourself and your destiny.

Mahalo for sharing your committed faith, your deep inspirations, and your dedicated motivations to contribute to the rich Christian Crusader legacy of which you are an inexorable part.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS -Leighton Chang: After thinking about the three items Rory brought, it really made me feel where he was coming from. His keychain is a big part of his life being almost 75% Portuguese. Everyone has a sacred item that represents our culture. The Saint Louis coin represents his family history. Many of Rory’s relatives attended Saint Louis, and he has continued that tradition. I understand what this tradition is truly about being a Crusader myself. There is no greater bond than the Saint Louis ohana. Saint Louis is also a big part of my family as well, and I believe that it is the most prestigious school to graduate from. The crucifixes represents Rory’s faith. The question “Do we choose our religion?” was asked and I remember what Rory’s words were. He said “The religion chooses you.” After his explanation it really made sense where he was coming from.

BEN FREDERICK

PAU 1: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Ben, Ace, Rory, & Kaleo

I chose three things that I believe that are significant to me to share with my class. The three things that were chosen are hand sanitizer, hard drive, and a pig tooth or whatever the name is. So, let’s start off with the hand sanitizer.

The hand sanitizer was given to me by my niece as her birthday gift for me. It was given to me on my birthday during the first year I came to Hawaii. She saw all my relatives and friends giving me gifts and she asked them why are they giving me so much stuff. So, they told her that it was my birthday, and if she will give me something, I will give her something nice on her birthday in return. So, she ran into her room, and came out with a hand sanitizer. She walked up to me, calling “uncle”, “uncle”, and handed the hand sanitizer to me and said, “Happy Birthday Uncle!” I was shocked, because I did not expect that she can actually do that.

Second is the hard drive. The hard drive was a very last minute thing. I really did not know what else to put in the bag, so I just threw it in the bag. However, the hard drive was the first hard drive that I had used to store all my works in. I got my hard drive when I was a senior in high school. At that time, most people cannot afford hard drives or things like that because it was very expensive back in those days. I have been holding this hard drive for seven years now, and all my works from senior year through college years were stored in it.

So, the chosen of the hard drive was not a mistake at all.

Last but not the least, the “pig tooth”. Back home, if you possess something like that, resembles that you are something in your community or in your village. In our culture, there are three prestigious foods that we considered important and they are yam, kava (sakau), and pig. If a guy has all these three, he is a man and he is considered rich. However, this was given to me by my great grandfather before he passed away. He gave me a lot, but this is the only one I have left. My great grandfather loves farming, and he had a big farm. He planted so much stuff on his land. His pig pen was so huge, and it was made up of rocks. When he was still alive and still strong, he had about 100 + pigs in his fence with different sizes. So, when comes to a special ceremony, gathering, or funeral, he always showed up with the biggest pig, yam, and kava (sakau). No man ever defeated him when come to these three prestigious foods since the day he passed away.

Therefore, these are the three things that I considered significant. However, among all the three things that I chosen, the pig tooth was the only one that represents me, because it resembles my culture.

Aloha, my name is Ace Fuimaono.

I can imagine the importance of these things to you Ben and I can somewhat relate. The fact that your niece got you a present for your birthday can be unheard of to some people and the fact that you made it your first item of choice shows to me that you appreciate everything in life. That is a hard quality to find in people nowadays. Maybe the hard drive was a last minute addition to your list of item but your reason behind it made a lot of sense. If anyone has an item on them for more than one year it already means the world to them, you on the other hand have kept it for seven years. The “pig tooth” from your great grandfather is the your most cherished piece, your right of passage to manhood. I wish I could have met my great grand parents or at least one of them. You are a blessed man to have had life experience with your great grandfather. Most people take many things for granted including myself, thanks to your story I can reminded to appreciate the little things in life.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Mr. Bensner, I chuckled about how diverse your three items where and what a variety of symbolisms they entailed. Something as innocuous as PINK hand sanitizer became suddenly significant when you mentioned it was given to you by your niece on your birthday. Surprisingly, the plot thickened with who is this “niece”, how thoughtful she was, how modest the gift, and how meaningful she must be to you. Aloha within an ‘OHANA can truly be transformative at any age from persons of any age. Your surprise became the epiphany of this item.

Your hard drive is an archival storehouse of your growth, your setbacks, your successes, your failures, your thoughts, your projects, and a contiguous assortment of your academics from high school into college. What a profound symbol which you almost didn’t bring of the HANA which symbolized your building MANA. I had to chuckle because I monitored the costs of such items over the last half decade… and I can only imagine how much you paid for that thumb drive with that capacity. I suspect today you could purchase something 10x more memory for half the cost. But in the end, the irreplaceable content of your current memory drive is absolutely PRICELESS. The boar tusk became your deeper dive into cultural relevance and the symbolism that item held back in your native ‘AINA. You also accentuated that your Great Grandfather (‘OHANA) gave you this gift. But then you went into recollecting all that he had done, accomplished, and succeeded in… and though he passed away, the memory of his HANA and the value of his MANA lives in you. You exude such pride in your great grandfather that you morphed into the truest form of a native storyteller. Mahalo for sharing.

BEN FREDERICK

PAU 2: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Ben, Ace, Rory, & Kaleo

I chose three things that I believe that are significant to me to share with my class. The three things that were chosen are hand sanitizer, hard drive, and a pig tooth or whatever the name is. So, let’s start off with the hand sanitizer.

The hand sanitizer was given to me by my niece as her birthday gift for me. It was given to me on my birthday during the first year I came to Hawaii. She saw all my relatives and friends giving me gifts and she asked them why are they giving me so much stuff. So, they told her that it was my birthday, and if she will give me something, I will give her something nice on her birthday in return. So, she ran into her room, and came out with a hand sanitizer. She walked up to me, calling “uncle”, “uncle”, and handed the hand sanitizer to me and said, “Happy Birthday Uncle!” I was shocked, because I did not expect that she can actually do that.

Second is the hard drive. The hard drive was a very last minute thing. I really did not know what else to put in the bag, so I just threw it in the bag. However, the hard drive was the first hard drive that I had used to store all my works in. I got my hard drive when I was a senior in high school. At that time, most people cannot afford hard drives or things like that because it was very expensive back in those days. I have been holding this hard drive for seven years now, and all my works from senior year through college years were stored in it.

So, the chosen of the hard drive was not a mistake at all.

Last but not the least, the “pig tooth”. Back home, if you possess something like that, resembles that you are something in your community or in your village. In our culture, there are three prestigious foods that we considered important and they are yam, kava (sakau), and pig. If a guy has all these three, he is a man and he is considered rich. However, this was given to me by my great grandfather before he passed away. He gave me a lot, but this is the only one I have left. My great grandfather loves farming, and he had a big farm. He planted so much stuff on his land. His pig pen was so huge, and it was made up of rocks. When he was still alive and still strong, he had about 100 + pigs in his fence with different sizes. So, when comes to a special ceremony, gathering, or funeral, he always showed up with the biggest pig, yam, and kava (sakau). No man ever defeated him when come to these three prestigious foods since the day he passed away.

Therefore, these are the three things that I considered significant. However, among all the three things that I chosen, the pig tooth was the only one that represents me, because it resembles my culture.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS = Rory McCarthy => Perhaps the most important point, as pointed out by both Ace and Kumu, is Ben’s emphasis on his family. As shown through his hand sanitizer and boar tusk, which were given to him by his niece and great-grandfather respectively, Ben has ranked his family as being of higher value than anything else. Family is perhaps the most important because they are the ones who help you grow the most and are the most influential, and it doesn’t hurt that they love you unconditionally either. Kumu mentioned the pride that Ben feels in his great-grandfather and it truly is exemplified through the use of the boar tooth. The next idea, relating to the idea of family, is that Ben not only values family but he appreciates them. Ace put it best when he said: “That is a hard quality to find in people nowadays.”

The hard drive may seem out of place, but can also be related to Ben’s values of family when spoken about in respect of history. Both Ace and Kumu wrote about how the hard drive, which was kept for seven years, is a collection of the past and to have kept it for so long reveals his feelings on the importance of the past. The past is not something to be forgotten, but rather something to be looked back on and used to critique our behavior today which is something that Ben makes clear with this item.

All in all, Ben has placed a large emphasis on history and a larger emphasis on family. The values are a strong foundation from which an enriched and great life can be built upon. We must never forget where we came from if we are to know the path ahead, and Ben seems to have learned this and applied it to his own life.

EXTRA CREDIT: Aloha my name is Kaleo, Ben brought three personal items to class that were so interesting that i had to do a paragraph for him. The first item he brought was hand sanitizer. At first i was like ok who is somebody that has ocd like myself and the ironic thing was that it had nothing to do with being ocd, but family. The fact that an item so simple as hand sanitizer could hold so much personal value means alot to me. It really helped me to remember how much value something may hold not because of the item itself but the value of the person who might have given the item as a gift. The second item was a hard drive. I personal think that my computer also holds alot of value to me. It has pictures, music, and information that reminds me of what i enjoy in life. I wish i owned a hard drive as well because sometimes my computer contains too much information and i should transfer some of it on to a hard drive like Ben. The last item which i was mostly intrigued by was a pig tooth. This pig tooth holds cultural value to him as i felt it would hold the same for myself if i owned a similar necklace. This necklace must be his most prized item out of the three. The honor and value it must hold to him is unexplainable. I wish i had a gift from a great grandfather like Ben. I really do envy him on the fact that he had the opportunity to meet a family elder and recieve something so special from them, because i have not experienced something similar. I thank you for bring this personal items to class and sharing them with us it is a honor to be able to share this experience with you Ben thank you!

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Mikey, Kaleo,

and Pualei

MIKEY MARRS

The first item that I chose was the beer cap that stated “lolo”. I chose that item because I feel like I am a little crazy but in a good way. “lolo” to me is someone or something that can express them without the concern of what others are thinking about me. I like to live on a positive vibe and stress free so being a little “lolo” helps me keep myself sane from all the stress and problems around me.

The second item was a band aid. I chose a band aid because for some odd strange reason I seem to get injured. I get injured a lot because I play sports constantly and always try to play my hardest, even putting my body on the line for a victory or just a chance to win. I always try to be careful with my body but it’s really hard to think about my body when all I want to do is play hard. I guess the band aid ties into with hard work, dedication and giving everything my all.

The last item I had was the beer opener. I do like to drink beer but that was not the purpose of that item. I work at Duke’s Waikiki and I’m a bar back. I love my job and I prefer to do that than most things. The beer opener represents me taking pride in my work and what I love to do. It also represents the hard work and maybe a future that I might have.

Aloha, my name is Adrian “Kaleo” Narvaez I had the pleasure of reading Mikey Marrs’ personal story about his 3 items. He chose a beer cap that has “Lolo” engraved in the bottom of it. He feels that the expression lolo describes himself, because he can get a little crazy sometimes (in a good way). It shows that he is a stress free person and doesn’t dwell on what others may think of him. The second item that he chose was a band aid. He chose this because for some odd reason he always seems to get injured. He plays a variety of sports at which he knows no fear and is very competitive when playing on the field, this might be the main reason he is an injury prone athlete. He a hard worker and is dedicated to whatever he does. The third item is a beer opener. He works at Duke’s Waikiki as a bar back. He is passionate about his job and thoroughly enjoys it. Beside the establishment he works at the beer opener also represents we he kicks back with a few beers and relaxes. I have known Mikey for a few years now and i can honestly say those 3 items represents him well. Mikey is a proud, hard working, individual, who is friendly, and enjoys the company of others whether its on the field or behind a bar, you can be sure he will give it his all. I think the “lolo” engraved in the beer cap perfectly describes Mikey’s characteristics when he is not working and hangin’ around with da boyz. He is adventurous at the same time responsible. Although his constant injuries make Mikey seem like an irresponsible kid, it is the exact opposite, he give it 100% when it comes to hard work, even if that means getting hurt to win a game he will sacrifice his body to make the game winning shot.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Mr. Mikey, I was taken aback by your unusually cryptic set of choices for representative symbols. Similar in style to one of your fellow Cultural Warriors, it screams the Gestaltic War Cry of “Live for the Here and Now !!” The beer cap exudes a sense of playful “lolo”-ness of being comfortable in your own skin. A more common perception of “beer” in a beer cap symbol is the propensity for partying to help keep a “positive vibe” and reducing “stress” in a world ubiquitous in both. However, “discretion” is also a worthy stress prophylactic lest an overindulgence results in a healthy portion of stress and a chronic level of a “negative vibe.” In throwing caution to the wind, be sure not to be blown over by your own youthful exuberance. It also bears noting that “lolo” can also mean “brain” in Hawaiian. But I am pretty certain you are not trying to push the nerdy intellectual motif here.

The injury-prone band aid symbolism was a interesting if not clever segue for someone discussing the therapeutic value of beer consumption. It reminded me of a friend who got severely cut with me when I took him to gather ti-leafs. He said “I’d rather be injured by a machete romping through the jungle than getting a papercut in the office.” Your “go-fo-blood” motivation manifesting in the “GO BIG or GO HOME” athleticism is notable. You would sacrifice all for the team and pull out all stops for the win. It is as though the team has become a sort of “surrogate” ‘OHANA to which you will not withhold an ounce of energy in support of it. However, as the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure.” Remember while immersed in this warrior spirit, to be sure that you consider that one option of “living to fight another day” does also has some redeeming qualities and worthy features.

With a beer opener as your final item leads me to believe that you worked the previous evening in that your selections of three-items seem to revolve around your work venue. Many people define themselves by their “work” (HANA). And your clear dedication and enjoyment of your work speaks to doing what you do WELL, because that is how it should be done. High-expectations of yourself when you work (and apparently when you play) is an almost paradoxical mix of agenda but most certainly implies a healthy level of maturity while maintaining a youthful grounding in living life to its fullest. This is the collective MANA of your HANA. I feel now as though I want to have a beer… the power of Mikey’s symbolisms.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS byPualei Jackson Mikey Marrs’ items of significance and his manaʻo behind them create the picture of a very ‘gung-ho’ individual. Between his explanations and the interpretations shared by classmate and friend Kaleo, it can be understood that much of what Mikey does in life is done so with purpose and determination. To some people, his behavior may in fact be considered “lolo,” but the point is that people notice when Mikey walks into a room, or nails a guy on the field. His life is his own, and he steers it powerfully. Sometimes his mana is so strong, however, that there is some collateral damage to his own person. Kumu’s advice to potentially exercise discretion occasionally and save some energy for later is done so with care, while fully understanding and sympathizing with the steadfast determination one has to be victorious in all aspects. Tying into his dauntless and motivated behavior, his beer opener completes the image of a motivated individual who understands kuleana and hana. Not only does he meet his responsibilities at work, but he does so with a genuine sense of happiness, pleasure, and achievement. Knowing that his joy here is only a stepping stone to a greater future, his path is well-paved, albeit with a few potholes from sprinting down the road a little too hard from time to time.

PAU: Mahalo to the Cultural Combatantsâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;Ś Reilly, Leighton, Nora, & Joe Reilly Vohasek, I brought a Chicago Blackhawks phone case, headphones, and a Vans hat.

I brought the Blackhawks case, which is the professional team for Chicago hockey, because I am from Chicago. The case reminds me of home and the family and friends that I miss and care about. I am Chicago-minded and I am definitely a product of Midwestern attitudes and lifestyles. I love Chicago and although Honolulu is great, I miss my home along with the people that are there.

I brought the headphones because I absolutely love music and could not go a day without it.

The first thing I do when I get up is turn on music while I get ready for the day. As I leave my apartment I put my headphones on and disappear into my own little world as I walk to campus. Music has a way of effecting my mood greatly. When I am down it can bring me back up, and when I am already up it can make my night amazing.

I brought the Vans hat because 1. I love my hats, 2. I love the brand Vans, and 3. it has sentimental value. I bought it at a store in Reno, Nevada, while shopping with my cousins and sister. My grandma also lives in Nevada. Since they all live so far, I only get to see them a couple times a year if I'm lucky, so any memories I have with them are special to me. The hat reminds me of them and the crazy amount of fun we have together.

Aloha, my name is Leighton, I think your story on the Blackhawks case was a great reminder of where you come from. I think it is important to always remember where you are from, and to never forget the homeland. Chicago is a place I would definitely love to visit sometime.

The headphones really shows your love for music. I think we all enjoy music, and it plays an important role in our everyday lives.

Music can really change the mood of a person. There are many times when I rely on music to lift my spirit up when I am feeling down.

The vans hat does seem to have sentimental value to you just as my toy basketball is to me. I have family members on the mainland, and I enjoy visiting them whenever I travel. I believe that every item we own has its own story behind it.

Aloha, my name is Nora Lynn Acquino The black hawk case was very touching, because when you talked about missing home, family and friends it made me miss my family and friends too. My youngest brother loves the Chicago Bulls, so it reminded me of my youngest brother.

I understand you when it comes to music. I do the same thing too when I listen to music. I live in my own world and ignore my surroundings. I love music, and because there’s always a meaning to the song.

The Van’s Hat was interesting. Talking about your grandmother made me miss my great grandmother. It’s always nice to buy souvenirs and gifts from other states and countries. Memories are what’s best.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Ms. Reilly… when you said that you were excited about this assignment that day, we could all see it in your eyes. When you picked up your Blackhawk case or your Vans hat, you almost “disassociated” (out-of-body) and dove immediately into the that time or that place where those persons were first connected to your objects. I noted specifically, that your case brings you all all the way back to where you call home, your ‘AINA where you recollect your upbringing and and the basis of your personality.

Your love of your “aina” was so sincere, it was entirely contagious.

Now, regarding your headphones, they are icons of something you are very attached to; your music. They seem to drive your perceptions of the day, your attitude of the moment, and your emotional happiness or otherwise. That indeed would comprise a strong influence on your attitude and state of mind. And seeing as you are happy almost every moment I’ve ever witnessed you, your headphones and positive attitude may well be a more effective panacea for the world’s ills than the pharmaceuticals we currently rely on to treat major depressive disorder, dysthymia, and maybe hypothyroidism… hehehe. LONG LIVE THE HEADPHONES !!! This is definitely a HANA which sustains your MANA SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS (below) Joe Lynn IN SUMMARY: Reilly’s blackhawks case represents her home Chicago and how it is a part of her. The headphones represent her love of music and how big a role it plays in her life, and the Vans hat represents her love of hats, vans, and people close to her.

Leighton was interested in Chicago, what the blackhawks case represented, as well as noting the importance of noting where you are from, relates to Reilly’s love of music, and understands how keeping mementos of people in your past is important to some people.

Nora-Lynn connected the blackhawks case with her brother,who is a Bulls fan, understood the love of music because of the meaning behind it, and connected the mementos of people from the past to her great-grandmother.

Kumu noted the excitement with which Reilly participated in the assignment, and how connected she was to her ‘Aina. Also, he commented how the music must really be working for her because she always seems to be upbeat and it is much healthier therapy than modern drugs Americans tend to overprescribe and rely on.

My name is Naomi Omara, The item that I brought that was of utmost importance to me, was the Star of David necklace my father gave me in the fifth grade. I originally didn’t care for it, for I labeled myself as Christian and my dad was pursuing the Jewish faith. But, because he bought my nephew one, I demanded one for myself out of jealousy.

I still remember him placing it on my neck, I was so happy to get something that meant a lot to my dad. He actually has the Star of David instead of a cross on his plaque at the graveyard in Guam. It was the last thing he gave me before he passed away. I wore it whenever I could throughout middle school and high school, but due to sports I constantly had to take it off. Now it’s just a reminder of one of the most important influences in my life: my father.

The second item that I brought was my stitch charm, I bought it in Japan. Stitch actually reminds me of my dad as well, mainly because my dad flew here to O’ahu for heart surgery and brought me back all these stitch stickers, which up to this day I still have. Since then I love stitch themed anything. I have stitch pillows and dolls back home that bring me great comfort. Though I can’t say my character is similar to stitch, seeing him does bring me back to when I was a child; nostalgia that I absolutely cherish.

Lastly, I brought my cinnamon girl bag. Mainly because I love my job almost as much as I do school.

Interacting with my customers on a daily basis allows me to improve my communication skills and talk to people from all over. Although Cinnamon Girl is a bit of a high-end clothing store, I come across a whole array of characters. Not to mention my co-workers are quite a great group to work with. Every day is a reminder to fill your life with things that bring you joy.

PAU: MAHALO for the Cultural Warriors Naomi, Rory, Nora, and Reilly

Aloha, my name is Rory McCarthy We only have one chance at life, one chance to get everything right. If I was to make a judgment on how Naomi is doing in that department based upon the three things listed in this slide, I’d say she has her priorities straight and is doing a good job. In regards to the Star of David Necklace and the Stitch Charm she prioritizes family, or at least her father, since these two make the third the odd man out. Naomi remembers where she comes from and can recognize who has influenced her and the fond memories she has of him. Her father seems to have provided a foundation of stone, rather than sand, for her to set her life on and to pursue her goals from. It’s said that to succeed is to make at least one person happier knowing that you have lived, with that said, I believe that Naomi has a perfect role model of success in her father as he seems to have profoundly touched her life. We must never forget where we came from or who we are, and Naomi seems to have a very fond grasp of that concept (which is very refreshing as we seem to be losing that as the generations progress). After all, when we boil life down, we really only have our character and our word; two things we should never break for anybody. Continuing on to the Cinnamon Girl Bag, work is something we have to do regardless of whether we want to. Especially common amongst younger people is a desire to stay out of the workforce for as long as possible, but once again Naomi breaks that mould. She loves the place she works at which is one of the keys to success. To love something will make you passionate and if you follow your passions then there is not a soul on this earth which can stop you from achieving your dreams. Naomi has a good head on her shoulders and should she continue on the path before her, she has a great future lurking on the horizon.

Aloha, my name is Nora Lynn Acquino <EXTRA CREDIT> ● This was a very touching story about your necklace. A father is the most important man in our life. My father moved to the mainland and whenever I see something that reminds me of me it makes me think of my dad too. Very nice. ● Aw, that is so sweet. Keeping and cherishing something that belongs to your father and talking about it is very touching. I hope everything is ok with your father. ● Very nice. I love Cinnamon Girl too. It’s nice that you love your job very much, because most people don’t.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Ms. Naomi, It is amazing how you reinvented the Star of David icon of Judaism into something far more powerful… ‘OHANA. You melded its Christian basics with a tie to your father… even though it seems the genesis of this transformation was in juvenile jealousies. This is enhanced by yet another deeply meaningful Stitch Charm. As a “charming” reminder of your father stems from and returns you to those most impressionable childhood years of your youth. This most certainly deepens and undoubtedly will be expressed in your interaction with your future children.

The Cinnamon Girl Bag was entirely foreign to me, but in your description and expression of what it represented, its meaning became clear. You are indeed a social person and build those skills to improve your interactability. You also note the privilege it is to work with an effective and amiable team.

Indeed an expression of the MANA of your HANA derived from the formative years with your ‘OHANA. Mahalo for sharing the journey and insight.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS (below) =by-> Reilly Vohasek In summation, Naomi brought a Star of David necklace, a Stitch charm, and a Cinnamon Girl bag. The necklace is in remembrance of her father, who gave it to her before he passed away and has a lot of meaning to her. The stitch charm is also in remembrance of her father because he gave her a load of Stitch stickers, which changed Stitch from just another cartoon character into a comfort object that brings back good memories for her. The Cinnamon Girl bag is from her beloved work.

Rory commented that the first two objects are very important because they symbolize family, mainly her dad, and that because of him she has a solid foundation on which to grow and a good role model to learn from. He said that the bag is important because although most people would choose not to work if they didn’t have to, you must work to survive. Because of this, enjoying your job is vital to a personally successful life, and Naomi is lucky that she found a job she is passionate about and thus will go far in life.

Nora commented that it is very nice that Naomi has so many things to remember her father by, and that memories are important in life. She also said that the bag is critical because Naomi loves her job, when most people don’t.

Kumu commented that it is awesome that Naomi was able to transform two inanimate objects into something vital in everybody’s lives, ‘Ohana.

He also said that the bag shows her ability to socialize effectively and see the importance in knowing a good team and good people when you see them, and how getting to know your coworkers can help you combine Hana and ‘Ohana into your Mana.

Teagan Wai‘ale‘ale,

PAU: MAHALO to the Cultural Warriors...

Valerie, Emily, and Nora !!

When told to choose 3 items that represented myself, I couldn’t help but think about my upbringing and where I’ve come from.

The 3 items I chose to represent me were, my purple water bottle lid, a picture of a bible, and a picture of the word ‘Ohana. In choosing these, I gave thought to their significance and what they meant to me.

The water bottle lid was purely for the color purple. I am obsessed with purple! I even have purple hair, but now that I think about it, a WATER bottle lid is sufficient enough being that my last name is WAIaleale meaning, rippling, flowing, fresh water.

The second thing I brought was a picture of the Holy Bible. If only my bible was transportable I would have figured a way to shove that into the paper bag, but being that it’s been put to use (in good ways) I figured an image of one would suffice. Growing up, my family was very heavily involved in our church, and very active in the religion, now I find myself being one of the last of the active members still trying to bring them back.

Ke Akua (God) has yet to forsake me, and has opened numerous opportunities for me, therefore, if it wasn’t for my christian background, and the bible, i’d be lost in today’s world.

Lastly, I chose a picture of the word ‘Ohana. I wanted to include a family picture, but sadly all of them included myself, and since Kumu specifically said don’t bring anything too obvious, I chose to just bring the word and explain it. My family is everything to me, being that I’ve lived away from home since 13, I’ve relied heavily on the support from them, as well as remembering where I’ve come from. If it wasn’t for them, as a whole, I would not be able to accomplish all that I have set out to do. It was a great assignment and I even learned things about myself, as well as my peers that I would have never imagined. It was a great way to bond and share a piece of myself with all of them.

Aloha, my name is Reilly Vohasek. I chose to respond to Teagan for multiple reasons. The first reason is because I too love the color purple. I used to have purple streaks in my hair and I swear that half my shirts in my dresser are purple. I am actually wearing a purple shirt as I type this.

But besides the color connection, I also am really close with my family and they mean more to me than anything. People can do or say things to hurt me, but when I hear of people hurting my family you can guarantee I will do whatever I can to make things right. Even if that just means taking my younger cousin out for frozen yogurt to cheer her up after having some boy problems at school. I think it’s insane that Teagan has lived away from home since 13. I wouldn’t be able to do it, that’s for sure. Not only would I miss my family too much, but I would have also been lost without their guidance. The teenage years are a very hard and confusing time, and without my family’s support it would have been a much tougher road for me. On top of that, I would not have been able to afford to live without them, so I would have been out on the street. For this I give Teagan kudos, because mentally, emotionally, and financially I would not have been able to do what she has been doing. Even now, just being away from my family for a semester is hard, and I haven’t even been here two months yet.

Lastly, Teagan brought a picture of a Bible. I am not very religious, but I do respect what religion can do for people. One of my closest friends went through a really tough time last year. She was drinking too much and doing some bad drugs. She managed to keep her grades decent, but that was a miracle in and of itself. She was in a downward spiral and no matter what I did, I wasn’t enough to get her out of it. She talked to a counselor at school and at home, and even with two professionals helping she was not improving very much. Finally one of her counselors got her to read a book on Christianity. She did it reluctantly, but ended up liking it. She started reading more and more about Christianity and as she did she started to drink less and less. She found reasons and answers that she had not been able to find elsewhere. I can honestly say that I do not fully understand how it helps her, but all I need to know is that it does. She is in a much better place and on her way to becoming a psychologist to help others that are in the same situation that she was. I don’t need to understand religion to understand that it can help people when nothing else can, and I am forever grateful for that.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Ms. Teagan, your multi-meaning “miniaturized” versions of your symbolisms are interconnected to another level. The penultimate example is your “Purple Water-bottle Cap:” The analysis is simple yet deeply complex. You mention a container of water, that which carries a fundamental requirement of not only human life, but of all life, is in and of itself, quite profound. You draw attention to the epiphany that water, or WAI, is the base of your family (‘OHANA) name, Wai’ale’ale. Yet, also important is that you are from Kaua’i (‘AINA) and Wai’ale’ale is the piko of Kaua’i’s water. And on a flippant note, you mention that PURPLE is your favorite color… but it also goes without saying that on an HVB (“Hawaii Visitor Bureau”) Level, “purple” happens to be the representative color for Kaua’i. All these critical connections, relevant references, deeper meanings, and important symbolisms, ALL OF THIS IN JUST ONE BASIC “purple cap.” Very impressive.

Your references to ‘OHANA is fairly expected, given you are from a rural community, Kaua’i island. This is consistent with your connection to the Bible along with its place in your value system.So, in conclusion, you touched on ‘AINA and ‘OHANA, but the most intriguing point of disclosure was your statement that you have lived away from home since 13yo. The idea that you feel extremely connected to a family that you’ve been separated from for so long is profoundly revealing the you hold them deeply, sincerely, and completely within your thoughts and heart. Readers are left wondering, though, under what conditions this separation came about. However, your ability to adapt to being estranged from your ‘OHANA, while still being connected to your ‘AINA requires an extraordinary level of independence (HANA) and adjustment which definitely equates to your growing MANA.Mahalo nui for sharing your thoughts, displaying your values, and taking us on your “purple” journey.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS => Emily Dippold Things are often more than they appear, and that was certainly the case with the purple water bottle lid! I think Kumu brought out connections that even Teagan hadn’t realized were there. This goes to show that we can make many personal connections with the most basic objects. Family and Religion are often at the top of the list when people prioritize their lives. Teagan has a different story than many others due to the distance from her family over so many years. I’m sure her religious background has helped her cope as well as bond even more with her family regardless of the distance.

I thought Reilly’s reflection exemplified that even though we all brought in different objects, we can all relate to and empathize with one another.

She told a story about her life in response to each item Teagan included in her bag.

VALERIE FAUMUINA

PAU: MAHALO to the Cultural Warriors Valerie, Emily, and Nora !!

Finding three objects that tell others about me was difficult because no ONE object can say much about a person but I chose these three things because in one way or another, these things tell about the people in my life, and the bond I share with these individuals.

The first item is a bracelet given to me. It is off white (pearly effect) with my Samoan name engraved with hibiscus flowers and the Samoan “tanoa” and “fue”. My culture means so much to me.

Family is precious to me. All my sisters were given a bracelet similar to mine with their names on them and it is usually worn when performing a “siva Samoa” together. It holds many memories.

The second piece of me is a military dog tag given to me by my fiancé. I’ve known him since childhood and started dating our college years. It was given to me after his deployment (he deployed before we got together). It means so much to me because he never opened up about his experience in Iraq. Talking about it brings so much paranoia with him and being able to break that barrier was a milestone in his life. I heard these stories and they all are captured in this particular dog tag because this is the dog tag he wore while deployed and he came back with it so for him to give it to me means a lot.

The last piece of me is a picture of the man who will always be my hero, my father. The bond shared between my father and I is indescribable because talking about him brings me to tears. He was someone I always believed would live forever. He died in 2006. He is the reason I love God, built a relationship with God and cherish this relationship. My father is the reason I am who I am today. He could never do wrong in my eyes. Although his parents were strong Catholics and all of my grandfather’s family are strong Mormons, my father did what they thought were impossible, he became a Christian through the Assemblies of God. His love for music allowed him to accept Christ even though everyone in my family for doing so hated him. He became a pastor for an Assembly of God church in Samoa and it was here that I dedicated my life to trying to be like him in serving God.

Aloha, my name is Emily Dippold I wanted to reflect on Valerie’s items because when she shared them in class, I started tearing up a little hearing how emotionally important they are to her. All three of her items related to her family and culture, two aspects of life that I believe to be invaluable. I agree that it was difficult to pick items since “no ONE object can say much about a person,” but by sharing these three items, I feel like I have a much better sense of who she is. Her ‘ohana is obviously very important to her, since all three items had family ties. As far as her priorities go, I think it is safe to say that family is #1. She seems like someone who would do anything for her family. She comes across as an extremely caring person who loves with her whole heart.

I respect the fact that she brought in an item from her culture, and I thought it was interesting that she has both a Samoan name as well as an “English” name. I guess that was a cultural difference for us, since I’ve only one name. The bracelet represented a part of her aina as well as her ‘ohana. I understand how having an item in common with her sisters is special to her; I too have items in common with my sister, but it’s so much more than just sharing the object. It’s sharing a memory in time, or a memory of the person who gave it to you. These little connections mean a lot more than just the possession of an object.

I thought what Valerie said in class about the dog tags was so special. By the way that they spoke about each other in class, it is obvious that both she and her fiancé mean the world to each other. I believe the connection between a father and a daughter to be one of the strongest out there. I can’t understand the effects of losing a father, but I can imagine how hard it would be. I think Valerie and her father have an extra bond to each other through their faith. The fact that he lead her to her current faith and belief system shows that they will always share that connection.

During the first day of class, we learned about our Mana and that it is our Hana that determines our Mana. Although Valerie didn’t share much about her hana, she spoke a lot about her ‘ohana and some about her aina. I would venture to guess that her hana revolves directly around her ‘ohana. I believe this class is going to teach us about ourselves more than any other topic/subject of discussion. This assignment forced us to symbolize who it is we think we are in this moment. Valerie showed that she is a caring person who loves her family, her fiancé, and her culture.

KUMU KEAHI: Aloha Ms. Faumuina, I commend your brave honesty and profound personal disclosure. It became immediately clear that your items were extremely emotional in the HERE AND NOW. The depth of your connection of your ‘OHANA and its ongoing identification with your culture. There is a familiar Christian saying that “A family the prays together, stays together.” Well, in Polynesian societies where “religion” is ubiquitous, having a family exercise cultural practices together may well be equivalent to the Christian belief. Having a bracelet as a reminder of your father which you associate with cultural practices your ‘OHANA participates in is deep.

The reference to the military dog tag was fairly heavy and it permeated the classroom. Your feelings, your fears, and your aloha were real, respected, and rare as to its authenticity. To have the object of those affections sitting next to you left many of us feeling a bit warm and fuzzy inside. Your long term commitment, your sincere connection, and your triumphant efforts to opening lines of communication was the success story of the day. (“I ka ‘ōlelo nō ke ola…i ka ‘ōlelo nō ka make”) You close your story by returning to your “indescribable” love for your father and how he was the genesis of your faith. He was not only your father, but your mentor, your pastor, your hero, and your teacher. And though he crossed his final horizons in 2006, he lives in your heart, in your actions, in your beliefs, in your thoughts, but also in your bracelet and your picture. We should all be so lucky to have someone with such significant influence. And equally, we all felt for a brief moment that loss you have carried for these past few years. Mahalo for sharing your view from the depths of your valleys to the tops of your mountains. It was a privilege.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS => Nora Lynn Aquino, I chose Valerie Faumuina. Her bracelet represents where she is from and her family. She carries it with her everywhere she goes. Shows that she is proud of her race and she is family orientated. Her bracelet has her Samoan name besides her English name. It runs in the family where her and her sisters all have bracelets with their Samoan names. The bracelet is about the connection with her family. The military dog tag is a very special meaning and it’s about faith, loyal, love, and honesty. That special bond between her and her fiancé is very strong and powerful. Giving away a dog tag to another woman is a huge step in life and that’s holding on to another part of his/her life. Her father is the most important man in her life.

After the death of her father she became closer to God and that believes her father is in a better place. Her reason for pursuing to succeed in her life is her father. Every three of her items are a big inspiration in her life. Her stories were very meaningful, touching and respect. Emily spoke what’s so important is Valerie’s values. She was on point and it was all about herself and her Ohana. Her story touched Emily and it was very meaningful. We learned about our Mana and it’s our Ohana that determines our Mana. She spoke the three important things Mana, Ohana and Aina. Kumu spoke about commitment, love, ohana and religion. It’s what Valerie presented in class that represents her that’s very important to her. Valerie represents herself as a loving and caring person. Her father is who made her become stronger and wiser.

PAU 1: Mahalo to the Cultural Combatants… … Leighton, Mikey, Nora, Naomi, & Kaleo

Leighton Chang My first item I brought in was a penny. This was symbolic to me because I like money. Without money we can’t buy anything.

People know me as being tight with my money. I like to save my money because I want to be financially set in the future.

My second item was a crusader necklace. This helps me to remind myself where my roots come from. Many of my family members went to Saint Louis, and I continued the tradition. It also reminds me of my days back in high school with all the funny and stupid things our class did. Saint Louis school was the best six years of my life.

My last item was a basketball because I am a big basketball fan.

Without basketball my life would be empty. I use basketball as a motivation in life, and it helps me to free my mind and relax.

Aloha, my name is Mikey Marrs, I wanted to reflect on the items that Leighton brought into class. Even though it’s hard to tell a person’s personality and who they are. But by Leighton bringing these items gives me a better sense of who he is and what his priorities are. With the crusader necklace tells me that he is in a great relationship with his brothers and school. This ‘ohana that he has with his is one of the reasons why he is the person he is today. It help shape the man he is, even though I don’t really know Leighton, I know that he takes pride in his school and it seems like he is repping his school very well. I myself am a little jealous of him and his school pride because I wasn’t as close with my school as he probably is. And knowing that St. Louis is such a strong school in athletics, he is probably good at sports as well.

Motivation is key in the finding of success. I learned that Leighton’s strive is to become wealthy. I’m unsure of his desires with this wealthiness but I do know its probably to better himself and loved ones. I kind of get the impression from these three items and the way he precedes himself in class that he is going to do something good in his life because he is motivated and has good character from his high school. The last item which was the basketball in pretty inspirational for me. He takes this item, cherishes and remembers the good times that he had with his family members in Vegas. I have an ukulele that I took up to Vegas and jammed on the MGM bridge with a sign saying “We need go back to Hawaii” and actually made $20 but the black on the roulette table wanted the money more than us. But the point being is that we need to remember the good times that we had to share with our friends and our ‘ohana, because in actuality is that they are the best times that you have in life.

KUMU KEAHI: Mr. Leighton “Crusader” Chang, You express quite an unusual respect for fiscal stability. It is a level of maturity not common in young adults. In fact, financial irresponsibility is not uncommon in the adult masses. Your “penny” symbolism is a deep representation of seeing value where few recognize it. I remain curious if you embody this prudent character through “nature” or through “nurture”... or maybe even both. In the USMC, we would often say, Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.” Well, you are well on your way with the right mindset of saving and preparing for your future. Do also reflect that not all happiness is found in a robust financial portfolio, but then again, neither is it found in bankruptcy proceedings.

Your choice of a Crusader necklace has multiple symbolisms for you here. Not only does it convey the deep experiences and entrenched values of the “Crusader Man,” it has become an honorable family tradition. It is rare that your MANA deriving from your HANA following from an ‘OHANA tradition while reminiscing as to how it was so fun and rewarding. Consequently, whenever you return to St. Louis, you most certainly recollect longingly, feel connected, and stand proud on your own Crusader ‘AINA. The B-ball reference was profound in that you state its absence would leave you “empty.” I’m unsure if you are really emphasizing the importance of basketball to a level of being the only thing providing fulfillment in your life. This seems strangely juxtaposed in light that St. Louis was so full and rich with experiences. High school was indeed a hard act to follow and the adjustment from young adolescence and young adulthood takes time and offers a completely different set of freedoms, experiences, and rewards. I do envy that you have something which assuredly provides you that release, that reward, and that relaxation for which many people spend their whole life searching. It indeed will be a personal HANA through which you will pave your destiny to build your MANA. Mahalo for sharing.

PAU 2: Mahalo to the Cultural Combatants… … Leighton, Mikey, Nora, Naomi, & Kaleo

Leighton Chang My first item I brought in was a penny. This was symbolic to me because I like money. Without money we can’t buy anything.

People know me as being tight with my money. I like to save my money because I want to be financially set in the future.

My second item was a crusader necklace. This helps me to remind myself where my roots come from. Many of my family members went to Saint Louis, and I continued the tradition. It also reminds me of my days back in high school with all the funny and stupid things our class did. Saint Louis school was the best six years of my life.

My last item was a basketball because I am a big basketball fan.

Without basketball my life would be empty. I use basketball as a motivation in life, and it helps me to free my mind and relax.

SUMMARIZED CONCLUSION of COLLECTIVE CONTEMPLATIONS Hafa Adai my name is Naomi, I took quite a few things from the summarizations displayed.

Money is of utmost importance in our culture; we need money to survive, to thrive and to grow in most cases. Though you do not need money to be happy, there are stresses in the world that can only be cured if you have money, as superficial as that may sound it is the harsh reality I have come to.

School spirit has a lot to do with remembering where you came from, for me personally, that is a very important aspect of life. Who helped you grow? Who have you crossed paths with that helped you get to where you are today?

Lastly, what in your life do you enjoy to do? If you have nothing in your life that makes it worth living you will go about feeling empty inside. Personal experiences are what is needed to deeply enrich your knowledge and wisdom when you get out into the world. That is all deeply connected in all three of Leighton’s items.

EXTRA CREDIT Aloha my name is Kaleo: Leighton brought three personal items to class that really caught my eye and was very intriguing.

The first was a penny, which he said symbolized his passion for money. In this fast-paced world, money is something that everyone needs to survive, however to be fascinated by it is another thing. He leads me to believe that he doesn’t want to be struck with a financial burden so he saves now so he won’t have to worry about it later on down the line.

The second item he brought was a crusader necklace. As a graduate from St. Louis, he is proud to be a crusader. The necklace reminds him of his high school years and how much it meant to him. I never had the chance to be in an all boys school, but I have been to Ft. Sill where it was all males, so i understand how close everyone who went there feels.

The last item he brought was a basketball. The basketball represents his passion for the sport and how it may help him to relax and free his mind of all worries that may overcome him at times. I thank you for sharing your personal items with us Leighton as it helps me and others to understand who you are and how much it may mean to you, thank you.

"MAI KALI A PAU KA NIHO"

EMAIL KUMU kumukeahi@gmail.com