Let me start out by saying Lilo is a boss and Nani is the realest.
Now, growing up may be quite different for people who aren't from the pacific islands, here's what I mean.
Family. When you have so much family you don't know what to do.
Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. That definition for ohana is so overused but its actually really true. I have a billion and one aunts and uncles and quadruple that amount of cousins. It's like that for most pacific islanders, you can be related and not even know it. So its more like a tribe, so if you invite a pacific islander to a party expect an additional 10 people.
Discipline. I got disciplined and now I'm a better human being.
It really amazes me on how some kids act up with their parents. I would never ever cross my parents, If I did I hoped and prayed for better days. All Polynesian kids know what I mean.
Food. This is why I can't ever diet.
We find any excuse to eat. Because eating brings people together and let me tell you our culture has some BOMB food. I went to hawai'i for three weeks and came back to college 10lbs heavier but I don't regret anything. They have some delicious, rich and creamy food to DIE FOR.
Dating. So you want to meet my family. Haha. No.
It's really a struggle dating. First of all they have to get past your brothers who look like George Butler in 300, ripped and ready to beat you up. Then there's the uncles who look like wolverine and will again rip you to shreds and last the father who acts like The Rock and will not hesitate to throw-down some wrestling movies. If you get past all that and still are intrested I applause you, it was definitely a journey.
Dating Part 2. You're related. Sorry.
Dating within your race is also a struggle because well.. you might be related, so yeah there's that.
Dancing. Go up there and dance for your aunty.
Our culture has beautiful dances that take hours to learn. We make it look easy but it's intense training. If you mess up you get something thrown at you. When you do master it you end up dancing it at every family function or anytime an elder asks to see you dance, obviously you can't say no and it repeats and repeats til you just want to hide in the car to sleep.
Singing. We don't all sound like Dinah Jane.
Some pacific islanders are blessed with a set of pipes, and they sound like angels. I on the other hand cannot sing, so thank god I can dance.
Becoming famous. Dude, that's my cousin.
Most of the times when a pacific islander becomes families they suddenly get an influx of new relatives claiming that's there cousins. So if you didn't know yes my uncles are Dwayne Johnson, Jason Momoa, My Aunt is Nicole Scherzinger and yes my cousin is Dinah Jane.
Hair. Unleash the beast.
Like many Polynesians our hair is super curly and really long. It has a mind of its own and what the hair wants the hair gets there is no negotiating. You have to pray that it looks tamed because its literally a mane.
Graduating. I got Lei'd.
Graduating is probably the highlight of my life only because I barely could see, I had so much leis I had to take some off, I had two inner tubes and a haku lei. You know who are pacific islanders on graduation day, and if you're friends with them you'll likely get some leis too.
I'm lucky enough to have been born in the most raddest race ever! There is so much pride with being a pacific islander like many other cultures obviously, but no matter what part of the Polynesian triangle you land on, you'll meet some amazing people filled with love, life and culture.
