Asia Pacific Dance Festival

Hawai'i: our beautiful island state, a picturesque destination for vacation, home of the hula, a haven for surfing and tropical fruits. That is how I once knew it. History is written by the victors, or so I've been told. My own perception of Hawai'i was a reflection of this principle. The first day of the Asia Pacific Dance Festival, I was handed a tote bag decorated with the words "Hula, like all forms of dance, is a form of resistance." I had been taught it was the very embodiment of a welcome to the islands. Our Kumu Hula (master hula teacher) Vicky Holt Takamine rejoiced one day in class when the news arrived that the U.S. military would not continue their lease on a piece of sacred land on Oahu. Hadn't the Hawaiian colonization been peaceful? Weren't Native Hawaiians grateful for the protection of the military on their lands? The history that I had learned, the Hawai'i that I had understood was misconstrued by a few for the conscience of a nation. Far from peaceful, the illegal annexation of the Hawaiian islands is an example of the misrepresentation that victors are keen to employ to ensure that history shines brightly in their wake. When we wake to listen to the stories of Hawai'i, we discover a tale of heartbreak, with sacred grounds destroyed, traditions uprooted, and culture banned. This is not a tale to wipe away, to cover beneath happy stories of peaceful dealings. This is a story that must be remembered, for it has yet to be redeemed. Without the truth, how can redemption occur? How can forgiveness and healing take place? The "victors" must stay silent in the telling of this history, so that truth can come from the voices that know it well, and there can be hope that such an act will not be repeated.