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Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

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  • Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

    Ok, first of all long time no see. Been B-Z.
    K - so - I'm born hapa Hawaiian in Waianae, HI...and...so are my children. My husband (pure PI) born in the Philippines (father Navy - retired in HI) grew up in Mililani.

    I can remember in my hanabaddah days my grandfather and my parents teaching me about Hawaii's history (learned it in school too). My husband knows just as much Hawaiian history as I do!!! God Bless him that he embraces my culture and it's history as his own.

    Now, I've been living on CONUS since 1999. My children's enrichment & edu has been here in Seattle. I love what Seattle Schools has to offer. I love it when my children come up to me telling me about US.: Black History, Native American History, How America came to be, Fact(s) about the states that make up America.

    What gets me is the information they don't receive about Hawaii in our public schools - - The 50th State. Here I am today, doing "part-time homeschool" teaching my kids on what they need to know = the truth about Hawaii and it's history. Explain to them...why the drama in Hawaii today.
    <<My sister's children went to school in KY and my sister reports the lack of Hawaii history teaching there too.>>

    Here my kids' school seem to teach everything but that, Why? Through our observations, all the individual Americans we met seem to know about Hawaii is: Hula, grass huts, leis, getting laid, beaches, volcanoes, palm trees, vacation, etc. They know nothing about the dark mark that rest on the land. Many foreigners come to the island to retreat, retire and make nest and have not even begun to embrace the deep wounds that Hawaii has - let alone seek to learn about them.

    American History is taught in our schools isn't it? Hawaii does make Am. 50th state, right?! So why is it that Hawaii's history (how Hawaii illegally became the 50th state (overthrow)) is not apart of the schools curriculum?

    Today, I hang the Hawaiian flag (upside down) w/ Ku I Ka Pono on the rear of my van...people ask why is that so (really) then my husband and I have to go about a quick lesson in Hawaiian History of that and then some. All of whom we have spoken to had no idea of Hawaii's past. Umm, lack of education I reckon?!

    Please help me in this. I have not found a thread or article pertaining to this matter. This topic infuriates me and I do plan to write to my children's school paper about this. I'd really like to see and hear the truth about Hawaii being taught in public schools.

    Pikake
    Last edited by Pikake; September 8, 2005, 10:35 PM.


  • #2
    Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

    It's been over 30 years for me being in high school and a public one in Hawaii at that too. While we had American history and a history of Hawaii, what we didn't have was a history of the other 49 states like the depth we had for Hawaiian history. I am going to make the assumption (and it might be a wrong one at that too) that another state's school system would teach their own state history at the approitate time and the other 49 state's history would be glossed over in summary.

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    • #3
      Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

      Yeah, I know what you mean. When I was in school on the mainland, there were no lessons about my state (Washington), either. Or Arizona. Or Minnesota. I didn't learn about Minnesota at all. Or Oklahoma, where my Cherokee family is from. Or Alabama. We didn't learn about Alabama at all. Or Texas. So I am appallingly ignorant about Texas, even though my great-grandmother grew up on a plantation there, which you'd think would be a significant part of my family history. But nooo ... I didn't find out about that until just recently, at age 44. The public school system really failed me there. We were too busy focusing on how other cultures and societies in the world function, rather than obsessing about ourselves, I guess.

      I also don't really know anything about California, except the nasty stuff people say about it these days, which can't all be true or so many people wouldn't live there, right? Would any of these people in HT actually walk up to someone from California and tell him (or her) that he's just mainland scum and not worth getting to know as a person? I have never lived someplace where such bigotry exists as it does in Hawaii.

      And what about Rhode Island? It's not even an island! What were those people thinking? Who lives there? What is their culture? I don't know, and honestly, I almost don't care. Almost. But whose fault is that? Yes! The System's! For failing to pry open my reticent mind!

      I also have found that most people who went through the Hawaii public education system have no knowlege of any of the cultures (Scottish, Swedish, Cherokee) of my family. They just look at me and sniff, "Oh ... well, you're Caucasian." As if "Caucasian" is a culture. They also don't know about any of the other cultures of the entire country! French, English, Belgian, German, Yugoslavian, Irish ... and on and on, and ignorant masses from other places (non-mainland) lump them all into the same category -- "mainland" -- while completely ignoring each culture unique characteristics. It's really sickening. And oppressive. Try telling an O'Hare that he's the same as a MacLaren, or a Witherspoon, or a Hirschfeld. When I think of the millions of ethnic Europeans running around the continental U.S. and how oppressed and ignored they are, I just want to fall down and weep. And to think that the great Asian oppressors in Hawaii keep perpetuating the myth that "haoles don't have culture" and "caucasians are all the same" ... oh God, it just makes me so ... arrrgh! so impotent with unspent rage!

      I can just imagine the red marks spooling up in the muddy paws of the unwashed ignoracenti. Oooh ... to be so ignorant as to miss the point! Such carefree joy they must feel!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

        Originally posted by MadAzza

        And what about Rhode Island? It's not even an island! What were those people thinking? Who lives there? What is their culture? I don't know, and honestly, I almost don't care.
        Well...you've got a 4th generation ex-kama'aina, albeit haole farmboy, from the Big I, living here in Rhode Island.

        I have to say that you probably know more about life in Rhode Island than you might believe. In the time I've lived here in RI, I see many of the same traits, qualities (mainly the laid back "non-mainland" attitude, at least here in Bristol County, RI) , and negatives that I saw in Hawai'i; I think the states are very similar...they are both small, tightly populated, with a provincially thinking population. Everybody knows everybody here, and like Hawai'i, there is the same initial be wary reaction to the "malahini" who come here. I've been here for more time than I care to admit (I thought I'd be back in Hawai'i by now, for sure) and I can say with conviction that I haven't been 100% accepted by the locals. Tolerated yes, but not totally accepted.

        I understand that Rhode Island is not the focus of your post; rather it is the frustration in our history education that you've documented in an insightful and thought-provoking manner.

        I was just surprised when you made reference to RI in it and made the "Who lives there?" comment. You just never know where ex-Hawai'i farmboys are making it at now days.

        Also: A good portion of RI is in fact an island. (RI has numerous other islands; the most famous would be Block Island, a tourist destination 10 miles off of the mainland reachable only by ferry or plane.) Aquidneck Island, which is the major island ritzy and tony Newport is found on, is an island of considerable size that can only be reached by 3 very large and expansive bridges. (At one time, years ago, one could only get to Aquidneck by ferry.) Aquidneck Island is the island from which "Rhode Island" got its name..it is the "Rhode Island" in the state of "Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations", the official name of the state.
        Last edited by Surfingfarmboy; September 9, 2005, 02:51 AM.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

          What in the heck was going through my head in the middle of the night??

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

            Yes, it's awful that Hawaiian history is not taught, broadly, in American public schools. But from what I've seen, the larger problem is that American history is barely being taught in American public schools.

            We're failing our kids in teaching them about the very basics of their nation's history, first grade George Washington, Declaration of Independence stuff here. So while I wish, say, the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II was a required component, or the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, or a multitude of other very important, "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it" lessons, I don't see the absense of Hawaii from textbooks in Arkansas and Rhode Island aso some kind of specific discrimination against our specific history... just part of an overall weakness in our educational system.

            This coming from a guy who graduated from college without a rudimentary understanding of U.S. mainland geography. My wife is constantly apalled when I ask stuff like, "Idaho, is that like up by New York?"

            I'm glad Hawaii history is generally taught to Hawaii students. And while I'm sure our schools could do a better job, I don't think there are many other states where "regional history" is as focused on or as unique as it is here, and that's something.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

              Originally posted by MadAzza
              What in the heck was going through my head in the middle of the night??
              I dunno, but whatever it was I sure enjoyed your post and agreed with it!
              Tried to give you reputation points for it, but the thingie says I have to spread more points around to others before I can give 'em to you again.
              .
              .

              That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                Originally posted by LikaNui
                I dunno, but whatever it was I sure enjoyed your post and agreed with it!
                Tried to give you reputation points for it, but the thingie says I have to spread more points around to others before I can give 'em to you again.
                Thanks, LikaNui! I didn't even remember writing that when I saw it this morning. Yikes!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                  Originally posted by MadAzza
                  Thanks, LikaNui! I didn't even remember writing that when I saw it this morning. Yikes!
                  The doctors say drinking one glass of wine is good for you - not the whole bottle!

                  Kidding... but kinda scary when you no even remember writing something on HT...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                    Originally posted by Palolo Joe
                    The doctors say drinking one glass of wine is good for you - not the whole bottle!

                    Kidding... but kinda scary when you no even remember writing something on HT...
                    Yeah, but it's just 'cause I was so tired. Every now and then I get zombie-like when I'm sleepy, and if I don't go to bed right away ... posts happen. It's sort of like sleepwalking, I guess. Stream-of-consciousness brain dump.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                      Originally posted by helen
                      It's been over 30 years for me being in high school and a public one in Hawaii at that too. While we had American history and a history of Hawaii, what we didn't have was a history of the other 49 states like the depth we had for Hawaiian history. I am going to make the assumption (and it might be a wrong one at that too) that another state's school system would teach their own state history at the approitate time and the other 49 state's history would be glossed over in summary.

                      When I was in elementary school/middle school in the 80s, I had KY History as a subject in KY and OH history in as a subject in OH. Can't speak for other states, though. Yeah, I'll agree that there's appallingly little about HI in any of the history classes I took growing up--including my advanced modern history of the world class in college, where we learned all about coups in South American countries and the effects of industrialization--but not one word about HI (except WWII Pearl Hearbor attack.)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                        Originally posted by AbsolutChaos
                        When I was in elementary school/middle school in the 80s, I had KY History as a subject in KY and OH history in as a subject in OH. Can't speak for other states, though.
                        That's okay, but your experience does show that some places do teach their local histories at some point in time. There could be others that do and other places that don't.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                          Originally posted by AbsolutChaos
                          When I was in elementary school/middle school in the 80s, I had KY History as a subject in KY
                          What?? They're teaching that in our schools?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                            Originally posted by AbsolutChaos
                            I had KY History as a subject in KY and OH history in as a subject in OH.
                            I want to know the history of Astroglide. I like Astroglide.

                            "Motormouth" status, here I come! Add another tally to my post count!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Hawaiian History in Public Schools (ABSENT)

                              Sorry, guess I didn't really stay on topic, did I?

                              Oops.

                              My apologies to all.

                              Moderator please delete.
                              Last edited by AbsolutChaos; September 10, 2005, 07:21 AM.

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