Saffery/kanoa Ohana: MY grandmother Cecil awapuhi my dads mom was born on Maui. Keanai to be exact. She was a homestead girl cleaned kalo everyday they own huge land on kula as well. the land on keanai stretch from the top of the valley to the bottom towards the ocean. our family are burried their at the keanai church. When we visited maui in 2012 we went their because my grandmother was getting sick and wanted to see her hometown. Being their jyst gave me the most happiest feeling, we cleaned up their home,it was a 1 bedroom so small cute lil home with a huge land surrounding…their was a waterfall that provide water through out the kalo feilds it was so beautiful. something i can not forget.

Mainaaupo/Machado Ohana: My grandfather Joseph Limaloa my dads father was born here on Oahu yet his grandfather was a paniolo on the big island. they would get cattle from the ships and take them up to Parker ranch. My dad told me that our family were one of the greatest paniolos back then. Sometimes i wish i phones were invented back then so we could see our families and pictures videos of how life was.

It is very important to know where your family came from, stories are the most precious thing we can get from our grandparents and we should always continue to share them.

“His stories shaped my understanding of the family I come from ” Sienna inspired me to write my post. When she says this she is talkign about her grandpa, the bond and stories shes heard and grasp. I myslef had an amazing bond with my grandpa and it brings me back to when my grandpa would also tell me stories how he grew up working hard, being able to take care of his family, his mother, growing up without his father, His stories has shaped my understanding of the family I come from and the man that has taught me how to work hard.

Thanks sienna for the inspiration on my recent post.

So, when looking through the book, I examined my last name Saffery. I learned that I am not familiar with them at all however, Much like uncle kealoha, he is just like my uncle irwin saffery they know how to fish, hunt and they give with their hearts.Much like the stories about them I learned how similar we are, the love we leave and memories we share it gives me chills and makes me smile. So much connection and I do not even know them. I was alwasy told though my saffery family are all related.

Another stories about uncle kealoha in the book was when came to his funeral is was packed, with food, family, and friends. Soemthign much like my grandma awapuhi saffery. The entire fmaily was their her clothese friends.. i know how much good friends ships she must ahve had.

Knowing that their was a story and the name saffery in the book it made me keep on reading.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE…as for me i think i would have a very hard time to just look at a home that was once my families to constantly go back and clean up. I know it takes an amazing amount of respect and heart to go back to that certain place to clean up and maintain. Thinking about it, it is like having your home stripped right out of your hands. You know you never know what you hand until you loose it.

Just like going to the beach you clean up throw your trash away and like always someone leaves trash and what do you do..You pick it up and throw it away…however to ever think that our homes can be taken and bought out by the rich is crazy we own our homes not the land we live on.

In class we were explaining to each other about who are you elders you look up to and why would we want our neighbors(classmates) to know about them…

In class i explained how my grandpa Joseph was one of my elders that I look up to. He took in my uncle knowing that he was not his blood child but stayed with my grandmother and had my dad and my two aunties. He provided everyday, same how my dad is, something I really look up to these two men. They provide everyday for my family and I not a day they would grumble about waking up and going to work. These men have showed me determination from a very young age. I was always told by them to never give up through any struggle.

my partner sarah in class explained how her grandmother was one of her elders that she looked up to, she said “even though growing up they may not have had everything they wanted but her grandmother had so much support and love towards her growing up that she never knew how much they were struggling.

When sarah was telling me about this i think she wants me to never for get where you came from, and respects those who support you through life, nothing matters more than the love family may give to you.

for me, I think i tell most people this story because It shows how much determination to provide and be the better person.

“Listening to people’s experiences then sharing them distilled to their essence helps people see places and one another in new ways” (xvii)— Mehana Blaich Vaughan

I remember staying up late with my grandpa, while he was teaching me how to bake his famous blueberry cheese cake. He was the very one who taught me how to chef up (his Hawaiian style)shoyU chicken. I remember him teaching me how to separate my white clothes from my colored one, and being able to wash clothes from the age of 12. He was always teachign me how to do soemthing.

My mom told me a story when I was two years old, I would take my blanket with me walk out of our room, walk down stairs into my grandpa house. I always ran to him to get out of yelling s from my parents. I remember jumping out of my window, just to go to his room. I would always make pillow, cushion and sheet castles on the side of his bed and fall asleep.

My grandpa taught me how to clean up after myself. I got yelled at, I got the belt, and you know what he taught me to have respect on not just family but everyone.

The stories and the memories that I hear and sometime share, I want people to know how much someone means to me. How much someone can teach you. My grandpa never had too much while growing up but what he has taught me, I will never forget.

When Mehana talks about these kupunas and people, I Believe Mehana wants the readers to show that these people from specific places had the ability to teach someone how to fish, weave, hunt, etc..and to show how much to appreciate and take in what you can learn. Our Kupunas, parents will not be here for too long and to hear and learn what they are able to teach you, we should grasp it.

The most meaningful place to me would be my hometown Waimanalo. What makes this place very meaningful is my family and somewhere the fondest memories have been made. The sun rises and it is amazing. Waking up seeing my dad head off to work coming home from school to a freshly cooked dinner by my mom. Sundays my dad would leave for about 20 minutes and come back with 2 dozen donuts from Ken’s bakery(not open now). Church was at our house,  learning about God has made Waimanalo to me one of the most meaningfullest places I have lived as well.

The reason I am going to school is to possibly make it into the Rad tech program at Kapiolani community college. An example of the community that help guide my action towards this goal is my family and school. My family help guide me by reminding me how successful it is and will be When I make it, hopefully. School guides my focus on staying on tract the people I meet here as well. we are all on the same mission, get a degree and live life, do what we love.

To go to work as well, I seen a lot of situations that I do not want to be in. Like living on the streets seeing my family members struggle. Seeing my dad all my life make a living for us. The good and the bad I seen from people who work and do not work they guide my focus on going to work give me the determination. yes, to make money for bills but its not just that. work for me I try to make the best of it, I still have fun and I enjoy what I do.