Virtual Island

  Polynesia for Black Lives Matter by Sierra Van Rossem May 25th, 2020: It was Memorial Day, which meant I was able to sleep in and get a day off of work and school. The sun outside my window peeking behind my pillowcase, sought attention from me in the early morning. I reluctantly ignored her until I couldn’t help but feel her warmth through my closed eyes. It was an extra Sunday, that happened to fall on a Monday. My mothers’ pittering footsteps on the cold tile in the kitchen and the growling rumble of the coffee machine sputtering out the ambrosia of life pulled me up and out of my deep slumber. My mother walked in a somber pattern, reflecting on the significance of today’s Holiday. Each step had a little drag, each breath had a little sadness, eyes looking down into her cup of life in remembrance. Remembrance of my Papa, a man who lived with blood on his hands but never spoke a word that was filled with hate. While he never uttered the words, “I love you”, his heart beamed through

  Video by Sierra Van Rossem. Music by Sierra's uncle Aisea Taimani.

Benefiting From Black History by JaNay Wooten of Houston, Texas Racism can be defined as discrimination, the history of oppression and the institutionalization of that oppression based on skin color. The lack of knowledge of Black history and the appropriation of black culture has created a loss of identity in many black individuals. White people in power have undermined the importance of Black history, altering certain historical events or skewing them completely. The loss of cultural identity has severely altered the way black people are depicted in society. The systemic racism in many areas of life continues to favor people who are not of color. The importance of learning Black history is not only to benefit people of color, but also to benefit all by helping everybody understand the history of the world so we can all better ourselves by learning from our past. Many of us were educated in schools in which the perspectives, experiences, and discoveries of Black Americans were not an

  From the Safety of My Armchair  by Shaquille Peralta of Los Altos California In March of 2020, the world experienced a shit-show that is the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of isolation and monotony deteriorated the world as we knew it. For a time the idea of working from home, spending all day with your pets, the lack of traffic or picking up new trades like baking gave our world as we knew it a sense of normal and comfort. With that new sense of normal and comfort came the greater awareness of how to protect ourselves from the ease of transmitting COVID-19. . As society's awareness grew so did the divide between those who believed in the virus and those who did not. Little did we know that this was only the beginning to an even greater divide, George Floyds death. May 25th, 2020, Officer Derek Chauvin pinned down George Floyd, restricting his ability to breath for several minutes. Ultimately leading to Floyds murder. This divided the fuck out of the world. As half of the world

 Musician Aisea Taimani and Minor Islands' Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/pg/weareminorislands/photos/?ref=page_internal

  Jimblah - 'Black Life Matters' (live for Like A Version) Ft. Ellie May (Australia)

  Black Lives Matter | @AaronFromGuam

  https://redditblog.com/2015/12/09/new-study-shows-armchair-activists-actually-make-a-difference/ New Study Shows Armchair Activists Actually Make a Difference Social media "slacktivism" plays an important role in social movements. b y   Gabrielle Canon  •  December 9, 2015  

David Bowie's Let's Dance featuring members of the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre, Sydney, Australia

  Paddle out for George Floyd -We are in this together (Santa Cruz, California)

(image caption: Google Doodle from May 4, 2019).................. Lit 306, Literature of Hawaiʻi & the Pacific Islands, begins the celebration of Eddie Aikau with an examination of the effects of colonization on Hawaiʻi for the lesson  Colonialism Through the Lens of Surfing.  Students first responded to the following prompt: think about what has interested you so far about this documentary Hawaiʻian the Legend of Eddie, Aikau (ESPN 30 for 30, Season 2, episode 9). For this assignment write down and submit one or two points you would like to discuss about the documentary. From what we have watched in the Eddie Aikau documentary so far, I was heartbroken at how the Native Hawaiians were not welcome on Waikiki, their own land. One of the effects of colonization was that it eventually brought tourists, whose growing numbers threaten the culture, the land, and the identity of Native Hawaiians. Tourists are often not aware of how they overtake and under appreciate the native culture. 

  Predawn Waikiki, Roland Merrill, Waikiki, Hawai’i.................... It’s usually right before sunlight touches the south coast when my parents and I wait by the Duke Statue ‘til what is the right time to get in some sets. I find the darkness refreshing, the moonlight fading, sending its last streaks of white light along the sea to the horizon. With its dive into the sea, it takes the winds with it leaving behind still glassy water. Trees like statues stand along the peaceful shore. The only sound you hear was waves, washing up and down the sand. The sun never wake up yet, it’s soul filling warmth still climbing up the east side cliff faces radiating enough light to change the sky from black to blue. The blue of predawn is the right time.  The paddle out is like a dream, I feel weightless, my board gliding across the surface of the sea. My arms reaching down into the water, the ocean resisting my pull, each stroke taking me further and further out. I reach my spot and sit up on my b

Courtney Yamaguchi Legends of Hilo   https://youtu.be/BRmo8JpfXok

  Courtney Yamaguchi, Hilo, Hawai'i................ Mini Curation Music is a form of media that allows Hawaiians to tell stories of hula, nature, gods and goddesses, love, monarchy, and culture     https://youtu.be/WbMX_LoT_YA (A song that represents what it means to be a proud Hawiian) A song (music) called Kū Haʻaheo is a song that tells the meaning of being strong and proud Hawaiians standing up for your rights against foreigners, claiming the land that rightfully belongs to Hawaiians.  I believe that this song is a great representation of the situation with the TMT up on Mauna Kea. The “foreigners” or the people who are for TMT, want to build a Thirty Meter Telescope on top of one of Hawaii's most sacred landmarks that there is. Mauna Kea is what connects the earth or Papahanaumoku to the sky, Wakea. Mauna Kea also holds a watershed that could supply the people of Hawaii with fresh water for years on years if the waters go bad. The Hawaiians and allies to the Hawaiians are