'Oiwi Volume 4 Reading @ Native Books, Ward Warehouse Monica Keawe Kaluakini Lee's poems

2.27.2011, end of Makahiki readings

The Feast: Was written on Her Royal Highness Queen Lilu'okalani's birthday in 2010 in a creative writing class taught by the very talented Ida Yoshinaga. It is a poem that reflects the way many Kanaka Maoli feel and is my view toward our history and our current situation as na 'Oiwi.

What's God Got To Do With It? Was written as an answer to a segment that was on the news, where people were sitting around debating about God and commenting that if He exists, why doesn't He do something about the environment, the people and the overall state of the world?

Fingernail Hawaiian: By American standards, my grandma, a Keawe was 50% Kanaka Maoli. My grandpa was 75% Kanaka Maoli. Although I don't look it to some, I am more Kanaka Maoli than any other ethnicity I have but I am not "enough" Hawaiian for some government agencies and people. This poem is a reminder to those people that American blood quantum equates to nothing because we are what we are, and our ancestors were who they were, period.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• poetry
• author reading
• hawaii
• hawaiian poetry