S P R I N G 2018 KA HUE ANAHĀ JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH WRITING

KAPI‘OLANI COMMUNITY COLLEGE Board of Student Publications

S P R I N G 2018 KA HUE ANAHĀ JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH WRITING

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Works selected for publication were chosen TO FUTURE AUTHORS to reflect the ideas and quality of writing The KCC Board of Student Publications looks across a wide range of courses here at the forward to reading your work in subsequent College. The Faculty Writing Coordinator editions of Ka Hue Anahā Journal of Academic and the Review and Editing Staff would & Research Writing. It is your efforts that keep like to congratulate the authors whose this publication going, and your support and papers were selected for the Spring 2018 enthusiasm are sincerely appreciated. edition of Ka Hue Anahā Journal of Academic & Research Writing, and to acknowledge Remember to follow the College’s News & and encourage all students who submitted Updates (https://www.kapiolani.hawaii.edu) papers. We regret not being able to publish for information and calls for submissions. You all of the fine work submitted this semester. can also submit work anytime by contacting We hope that you will continue to write, the Board of Student Publications: https://www. and to engage with the Board of Student kapiolani.hawaii.edu/campus-life/student- Publications by submitting more work in publications the future.

Furthermore, and with much appreciation, TO FACULTY we would like to extend a sincere thank you to the faculty, staff and administrators, Please encourage your students to read and without whose support these student voices critically analyse works published in Ka Hue would not be heard. Thank you for your Anahā, and to submit their own work for dedication and commitment to learning! possible publication.

Kūlia i ka nu‘u: “Strive for the highest” PUBLICATION

FACULTY WRITING ADVISOR ABOUT KA HUE ANAHĀ Normie Salvador Ka Hue Anahā Journal of Academic & Research Writing, published LAYOUT COORDINATOR by Kapi‘olani Community College’s Board of Student Elizabeth Nakoa Publications (BOSP), honors student writing from across the curriculum. Other BOSP publications celebrate student voices LAYOUT TEAM in more specific areas. Pueo o Kū Journal of Science, Technology, Stephan Bradley, Coleen Lochabay, Engineering and Mathematics publishes technical writing in Kimi Lung & Allyson Villanueva STEM fields, and Lē‘ahi Creative Arts Journal provides a venue for students’ creative writing and art. REVIEW COMMITTEE AND EDITING STAFF The name Ka Hue Anahā, was determined by Arts & Sciences Dawn Oshiro & David Uedoi Dean and Professor of Hawaiian Language Nāwa’a Napoleon, and translates as “The calabash of light” or “The wellspring SUPERVISOR of reflected light,” and is meant to reflect the diversity of Cheri Souza opinions and cultures our island state fosters, and also pays homage to the concept of ‘welcoming ideas from across the PUBLISHER curriculum’ previously engendered in a 2004-2006 publication Board Of Student Publications called Spectrum. Kapi‘olani Community College Ka hue – (n.) gourd, water calabash, any narrow-necked vessel for holding water. A way of connecting net sections by interlocking meshes.

Anahā – (n.) a reflection of light.

Please note: The views/claims that are presented in Ka Hue Anahā are those of the respective authors and are not meant to reflect the views or opinions of the UH System, B.O.R., the College, its administrators, faculty, staff, publishers, B.O.S.P. advisors, entities and subsidiaries.

The BOSP solicited individual student authors’ and artists’ input about the ability to revise and edit student work; therefore, student work may have been copy-edited for clarity, length, and flow.

The University of Hawai‘i is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and is committed to a policy of non- discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran.

© Kapi‘olani Community College. Students retain all publication rights to their work. TABLE OF CONTENTS

06 Polygamy in Early Islam 34 The Darkest Roast, By Leinad Arakaki Yet a Perfect Blend By Alexis Ella Matundan 11 Gender Roles and HIV By Katlin Cilliers 38 Kāneana Cave By Sabrina Oliveira 14 Bridesmaids By Sarah Hendrix 40 You Are Not Alone By Nataliya Panova 18 From a Woman’s Perspective: Adrienne Rich’s 42 An Approach to Tackle “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” the Trash Dilemma of the By Shevis Ishihara Philippines By Nadine Rapusas 20 ‘Umi A Liloa, Leadership of a Great King 46 Fish Out of Water: a Classic By Kristen Izumigawa Story Retold By Kiyomi Sanders 25 Uptown Girls By Sarah Kim 51 Artistic Freedom, A Fight for the Right to Express... 28 How Does the Use of Yourself? “I” Language Influence By Sora Shimabukuro Communication in Friendship? 56 The Risks of GMO: Generally By Daniel Laufenberg Misinformed Opinions By Rey D.E. Urbano 31 The Introduction to Magic: the Gathering 60 Editor’s Note By Kenneth Lim POLYGAMY IN EARLY ISLAM

LEINAD ARAKAKI REL 209: Understanding Islam

enturies ago, while on an annual month of been, and in some places continues to be practiced solitude a pious Arabian man in his early around the world for various reasons. Historically C forties by the name of Muhammad was some of these, according to Vallely, are believed to be abruptly awaken by an angel named Gabriel. After due to agrarian societal needs where large families being strongly persuaded to recite, he was given the were desired to help with subsistence farming. Other first verses of what would later become the Qur’an, reasons include increased infant mortality rates and found in Sura 96. How did such a humble beginning the need for heirs, loss of life due to wars followed of revelation to one man, who was later recognized as by the need to quickly and effectively repopulate a Prophet, grow to become the world’s second largest the society, forming military and political alliances, religion today, as well as the fastest growing, with an and to display wealth and status. Historically then estimated 1.6 billion followers? While it is believed polygamy had clear strategic purposes, and we can there are several key factors that could have played start to see possible reasons why and how this would a role in this, one clearly seems to be the practice of benefit a new and rising religion. polygamy, or more specifically polygyny—in which a man has multiple wives. Polygamy then appears As mentioned earlier, Islam began in the midst of to be a strategic and key factor in the protection and a people that were already well established, with advancement of early Islam, which ultimately helped deep roots in their own beliefs and customs. Among foster its resulting success. these was the practice of polytheism, the very thing Muhammad’s new message spoke against. For the Islam was birthed in the heart of pre-Islamic Arabia, first three years following his initial encounter amidst polytheists who were already well into these revelations were shared quietly, building up a practicing polygyny, in addition to “several forms of steady following until Muhammad was eventually marriage” according to Omran (15). Polygamy then instructed by God to share it publicly (Aslan 42–43). was by no means a new concept when it later became But again, religious and cultural roots run deep, and practiced by Muhammad and his followers. It has this message that spoke against some of their primary

6 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing beliefs and customs was not well received, and was of Islam. In Medina however the circumstances and in fact actively persecuted. While Islam did win times were quite different. Here the message had some significant converts and continued to grow, the become better established, accepted, and Muhammad, general lack of support and persecution hindered now an even more mature man and astute leader, had the Muslims from freely and fully engaging in their clear plans and goals in moving Islam forward. He beliefs, eventually leading to the great Hijra. This had strategies. was a pilgrimage that would lead them to a new land, Medina, where things would take a significant turn The Prophet already understood the strength of allies for the blooming religion. and family solidarity back in Mecca, as was the way of the Quraysh, and as he himself came under the Medina from the start provided a more conducive protection of his uncle and guardian Abu Talib, at the environment for Islam, allowing for the clear rise of Islam (Bogle 7–8). Following the deaths of his establishment, growth, and strengthening of the beloved wife and uncle, his main sources of support religion through the umma, new converts, instituting and protection, it became quite clear that he and his the first masjid, and through its political and military followers would have to seek a new base and allies aspects, among other things. This was due in part to elsewhere (Williams 69). It was also around this time, the fact that the residents of Yathrib, soon to be known just before the Hijra, that the Muslims were given as Medina, had themselves extended an invitation to the very significant ‘game-changing’ command from the Prophet, “...to live among them and arbitrate the God allowing them to fight for the cause of Islam. differences that had led to constant unrest and some Prior to this command Muhammad, “...had simply violence” (Bogle 10). Here, he and his followers found been ordered to call men to God, endure insult, and themselves in a more welcoming environment. It was forgive the ignorant” (Williams 70). However, after also here that Muhammad’s political and military years of insolence toward God and ill-treatment of prowess could be more fully realized as just before Muhammad and his followers, they were now allowed the pilgrimage he was pledged allegiance by twelve to fight back and protect themselves (Williams 70). Medinan leaders. This gave him more support and These two factors supported a clear conclusion, that free rein than he had experienced in Mecca. “For more strength and thus a better chance of success, at the first time...Muhammad was acting as more least in part, would be found in unity and numbers. than just a messenger. Now he was also acting as a Polygamy provided this in a few ways. leader, assuming the political role that his Meccan opponents had feared all along” (Hazleton 174). Why For one it created allies, and not just the kind of then in the face of an environment and society that allies that spit on their palms and shook hands. clearly allowed for the establishment and growing Marriage in Islam was a lifelong (divorce permissible, success of Islam was the practice of polygamy only but strongly discouraged and rare) bond, “...a now incorporated? contractual relationship or agreement” (Nigosian 72). Muhammad himself practiced this in his own Looking back a bit, the majority of Muhammad’s marriage to Aisha, the daughter of one of his first life was spent with one wife by the name of Khadija. and faithful companions, Abu Bakr, who would later He married her at the age of 25, she being 40, in become the first Caliph following Muhammad’s a union that lasted 29 years until her death in 619 death. Bakr was “a deeply loyal and fervently pious A.D. before the Hijra of 622 (Omran 43) . Here it has man…” (Aslan 41), and Ibn Hisham describes him been shared that Muhammad had need of an older, as, “…[showing] his faith openly and [calling] others more emotionally mature and loyal wife during to God and his apostle” (as qtd. in Aslan 42), clearly the beginning stages of Islam in Mecca, as the first someone the Prophet would have wanted in his message he received “terrified” and “perplexed” him, trusted circle. Another wife of Muhammad, Hafsah and Khadija then “...comforted him [and] reassured was the daughter of yet another important figure him…” (Omran 43). This was a specific need met in a in early Islam, Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second specific time of his life as well as in the early growth Caliph. This went on to include the marriages of two

Polygamy in Early Islam | 7 of his daughters to Uthman ibn Affan and Ali ibn due to the high rate of violence and revenge killings, Abi Talib, the third and fourth Caliphs respectively often carried out by and between men (Souaiaia (Armstrong 15). 50). Add to this the prior mentioned days of Islam in which multiple, though often successful, attacks and It could be assumed the reason each of these men raids were carried out and one can see how the gap later came to hold such a powerful role in Islam was could widen considerably. Multiple Islamic men lost because of their direct connection to Muhammad prematurely to battle created an unbalanced ratio through marriage, however it would not take much between the two genders, as well as leaving multiple to discover it was quite the opposite. Rather, it was widows and children in need of patrilineal support what Muhammad saw in these men to begin with and protection. For this reason, “...Muhammad clearly that caused him to want to forge a bond, the closest accepted polygyny (within limits) as necessary for the and most solidifying way possible, through marriage. survival of the Ummah, especially after war with the From early on in Mecca these companions proved Quraysh resulted in hundreds of widows and orphans their loyalty to the Prophet and to the cause of Islam. who had to be provided for and protected by the Along with this Muhammad recognized valuable community” (Aslan 63). As will be addressed further, attributes in them, traits that later proved, for the they would not be left behind or simply forgotten by most part, to help unify, strengthen, and advance Muhammad, nor the whole of Islam. Islam. Armstrong shares that for Muhammad “...most of these marriages were politically motivated. As he On the other side of this dilemma was the need formed his new super-tribe, he was eager to forge and desired assurance of heirs and descendants. marriage ties with some of his closest companions, to Again, God had given Muhammad and his followers bind them closer together” (15). It should also be noted permission to fight, and fight they did. The Muslims that these four men were in fact just a part of several showed strength and skill time and again defeating alliances formed by the Prophet through marriage, their opponents who came in far greater numbers “Many of his other wives were older women, who than they had. Multiple successful raids and attacks were without protectors or were related to the chiefs were carried out, but there were also losses. While of those tribes who became the allies of the ummah” any loss is substantial, the young developing religion (Armstrong 15). As in other countries throughout had less numbers to begin with, and defeats may have history this marital, contractual bond created ties been felt and weighed more heavily. Facing the very between families, tribes, even nations. Polygamy then, real possibility of being killed for their faith placed at least in this context provided the same results, but emphasis on the already common desire of producing in a more effective way. Multiple marriages meant heirs, as this more likely assured their lineage would multiple unions, contractual bonds, and alliances all continue on. Polygamy here brings an efficient under one roof, or in the case of Islam all within this solution. The physiology of childbearing, of course, new and expanding religion. is obvious. Nine months to carry, therefore almost a year to bear a child. Multiple wives allowed for the In 623 A.D. along with the command from God to reproduction of more offspring in a much shorter defend themselves the Muslims took things a step amount of time. further and actively sought out and raided Meccan caravans. “It is unclear whether they adopted this To note, one given to ‘problem solving’ could suggest direct approach to improve their impecunious that a Muslim man simply take as many orphans as conditions or to accomplish some political goal” he could support to carry on his name, and while that (Bogle 12). Regardless, they were clearly not just did happen as will be discussed, it was quite different laying around passively waiting for success, but rather from having a biological child. Muhammad himself is went out and seemingly pursued it. This brought a believed to have had four daughters and two sons by significant dilemma to early Islam in a couple of ways. birth, both sons of which died very early in life. This For one, pre-Islamic Arabia was thought to have had “...meant that Muhammad would remain what was three times more women than men to begin with known as abtar, literally curtailed, cut off, or severed.

8 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing Without male offspring, that is” (Hazleton 76). Having commend marriage, as part of his way found in the heirs, especially a male heir was clearly important, Sunna (Omran 16), but condemns any that would emphasizing again the desire to produce as many of purposely avoid it for selfish reasons. “Self-imposed one’s own, which could be and was accomplished permanent celibacy is not the Islamic way. It was through the efficiency of polygamy. Another issue solemnly prohibited by the Prophet” (Omran 16). with simply pairing men with widows and children Marriage then was, and remains, an essential part of is that it did not necessarily bring increase or growth Islam, and polygamy contributed to this exponentially. to Islam in terms of numbers. It did however benefit Within this family unit, multiple members would the growing religious community in other ways, again also assure the children were reared in the faith of through the practice of polygamy. Islam, an upbringing that would very likely be carried on. It is also worth mentioning, although apparently As discussed earlier widows and orphans were by no it does not pertain to all Muslim men, that from a means simply brushed aside, neglected or forgotten. more social perspective having a large family was a Rather Muhammad himself set the example by sign of prosperity, visibly displaying wealth, status, marrying Sawdah, “...an unattractive widow long past and power, if not simply grace for those married the age of marriage [which] served as an example to widows with orphans. “In Medina, Muhammad to the Ummah to marry those women in need of became a great sayyid (chief), and was expected to financial support” (Aslan 64). It seems the protection have a large harem…” (Armstrong 15), as this was and support of widows and orphans was an issue more apt to command respect. very close to the Prophet’s heart, as not only was he orphaned himself, but growing up in Mecca he In conclusion, various issues and circumstances witnessed firsthand what it meant to be in that social surrounding the rise of Islam have been discussed. category. “...for those with no formal protection—such Its earliest stages were met with a great deal of as orphans and widows, neither of whom had access persecution and turmoil, followed by the deaths to any kind of inheritance—the only option was to of the Prophet’s two biggest supporters, and God’s borrow money from the rich at exorbitant interest consent then allowing Muslims to defend themselves. rates, which inevitably led to debt, which in turn These factors acted as a type of catalyst, propelling led to crushing poverty and, ultimately, to slavery” Islam in an effective and purposeful launch forward. (Aslan 32). This was not to happen in Islam. Each man, Muhammad and his followers took active and according to the Qur’an 4:3, was allowed to marry strategic steps to strengthen and build the budding up to four women, as long as each would be treated religion, and this clearly included polygamy. It created equally. By Muhammad’s example, polygamy not alliances within Islam itself among its top influential only provided that very protection and support of men, as well as with those outside of Islam. It brought multiple widows and orphans, but ultimately brought an increase in numbers as multiple children were stronger unity and cohesiveness within the religious birthed and reared in the faith. And it brought an community, as well as increased morale in general as effective solution to the significant loss of life due to not even the ‘weakest link’ would be left behind. battle, as it protected Islam by protecting all of its people, widows and orphans included. In fact, the very Another significant reason for polygamy in early “...community that Muhammad was trying to build Islam, that holds true even today, is the very emphasis in Yathrib [and ultimately Islam] would have been placed on the family unit within the Islamic religion. doomed without polygyny” (Aslan 63). Polygamy then “In Islam, the basic unit of society is the family, and was clearly a strategic and key factor in the protection the foundation of the family is marriage” (Nigosian and advancement of early Islam, which ultimately 121). In fact, the Prophet himself is said to not only helped foster its resulting success.

Polygamy in Early Islam | 9 WORKS CITED

Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History. Modern Library, 2002.

Aslan, Reza. No God but God. Random House New York, 2005.

Bogle, Emory C. Islam Origin and Belief. University of Texas Press, 1998.

Hazleton, Lesley. The First Muslim: the Story of Muhammad. Riverhead Books, 2013.

Nigosian, S.A. Islam: Its History, Teaching, and Practices. Indiana University Press, 2004.

Omran, Abdel R. Family Planning in the Legacy of Islam. Routledge, 1992.

Souaiaia, Ahmed E. Contesting Justice: Women, Islam, Law, and Society. State University of New York Press, 2008.

Vallely, Paul. “The Big Question: What’s the History of Polygamy, and How Serious a Problem Is It in Africa?” Independent, 6 Jan. 2010, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/the-big-question-whats-the- history-of-polygamy-and-how-serious-a-problem-is-it-in-africa-1858858.html.

Williams, John Alden. Islam. George Braziller, 1962.

10 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing GENDER ROLES AND HIV

KATLIN CILLIERS ENG 100: Composition I

t has been thirty-five years since AIDS —or lack thereof—that supposedly try to control and materialized in South Africa. Despite being the reduce the spread of the disease. The curbing and Irichest in the continent, the country bears the reduction of the virus in future generations would burden of having the highest incidence of HIV and be the very tip of the issue, and understandably, the AIDS: according to UNAIDS, approximately 12.5% of one people seem to place greater focus on. In the South Africans are living with HIV (214). Of those, upcoming passages, we will delve into the nitty- about one-fifth of are women in reproductive age, gritty of what constitutes the views of South Africans between 15 and 49 years old. The fight against the with regards to women, HIV, and the expectations epidemics is still far from coming to an end. The surrounding both. health issues must be tackled from different angles; one of them is the empowering of women, which Cultural views of gender roles in South Africa are involves a change in mindset and the reassessing of quite particular and sustain conservative views. In cultural values that have been deeply ingrained in the country, it is a common belief that men can have people’s mentality through generations (Albertyn, multiple partners, even when married. On top of 595) since the current views perpetuate and enlarge a that, the possibility of paying for sex is regarded as a social, economic and gender gap in African societies. symbol of power. These situations portrait the cultural norm, where dominant alpha males are granted with Let us draw an analogy to the HIV issue in sub- subservience from women. The conviction that they Saharan countries through graphically representing are expected to attend to the husband’s sexual desire South Africa’s society shaped as a pyramid, where is also ingrained in the African mindset, portraying a the “basis” is made of beliefs: the cultural concepts of clear gender gap and unequal social scripts. (Shand et women, gender roles, public awareness and opinion al, 53). Essentially, women have little to no voice over about HIV are ideas that permeate all spheres of the circumstances and conditions for the sexual act. society. These principles sustain the next level in the It is something to be fulfilled as part of their roles as triangle: the state’s public policies (Albertyn, 607) wives and partners, and often done despite the risks

Gender Roles and HIV | 11 involved. When that is the case, the demand for safe limited financial resources drive many to using the sex is hardly verbalized or falls on deaf ears. There is only exchange resource they have: by performing an urgent need to delve into the debate about gender sexual favors, they are often provided with basic roles, the perpetuating cycles of conservative and needs, such as food and shelter (Albertyn, 602). The patriarchal norms, whose deconstruction should aid intangible notion of security and protection, even women in their choices to prevent from contracting when derived from an abusive, violent relationship and potentially spreading the disease. often seems to be the remaining option.

The distorted notions of HIV in South Africa are a Lastly, it is worth noting that change happens call to action: over the years, the disease has been organically and does not follow a script, despite our regarded as linked to “prostitutes” or “women.” expectations. While in rural areas of South Africa Deeply associated with promiscuity, these views have AIDS is still widely believed as witchcraft, other places led women to hide their status in the fear of being throughout the continent display higher levels of stigmatized, abandoned and in extreme cases, even awareness, with numerous institutions providing help killed. Popular superstition adds to the dichotomy and support to HIV-positive citizens and focusing on of women being painted as either saints or sinners: stopping the illness from spreading. Several initiatives around the early 2000s there was a spike in rape have been created and present successful rates, such rates when it was believed that by having sex with a as the “No Means No Worldwide*” movement, that virgin, men would be cured of HIV (Albertyn, 602). educates children in Kenya about rape, aiming to For many years in South Africa AIDS was seen as reduce it by means of awareness. Public policies, along work of demons and witchcraft, and witch doctors with religious movements, also contribute their share— in rural areas would come up with unorthodox spiritually, emotionally and economically—in the fight treatments for the disease, or just plainly deny it and against AIDS (Haddad, 5). That adds to the reasons credit evil spirits for the body’s illnesses (Kielburger, to believe that controlling the global epidemics might Craig & Marc, 2008). These are some of the factors be closer than we think. To make progress, there is a that perpetuate the cycle of ignorance and closed- need to re-evaluate values and expectations, providing mindedness to a very real problem that needs to be women with choices that derive from a level-playing addressed and prevented. field, due to having more access to quality education, community support for those who have children, and The patriarchal societal values ingrained in South simply put, a general sense of ownership of their Africa, also mean that women have fewer choices in bodies, life and reproductive choices. Development is the areas of employment, less voice in family decisions directly intertwined with a more gender equal society. and end up in poverty situations more frequently Less disparity will better equip people to face the and easily than men. Being more vulnerable to social challenges that will surely appear in the decades and disparity and limitations, they fall prey to HIV more centuries to come. easily, both physiologically and socially. Consequently,

12 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing WORKS CITED

Albertyn, Catherine. Contesting Demcracy: HIV/AIDS and the Achivement of Gender Equality in South Africa. Feminist Studies. Fall 2003, Vol. 29 Issue 3, p 595-615. 21p

Haddad, Beverley. The South African Women’s Theological Project: Pratices of Solidarity and Degress of Separation in the Context of the HIV Epidemic. Religion & Theology. 2013, Vol. 20 Issue 1/2, p2-18. 17p

Kielburge, Craig & Marc. HIV in Africa: Ditinghishing disease from witchcraft. Toronto Star (Canada). 02/08/2008

Naidu, Maheshvari. I am circumcised so HIV/AIDS can’t touch me!? Young Black African Universety Men and Narratives of Masculinity. Oriental Anthropologistis. 2016, Vol. 16 Issue 1, p163-181. 19p.

*No Means No Worldwide Project: https://www.nomeansnoworldwide.org/

Rakgoasi, Serai Daniel & Odimegw, Clifford. Women Get Infected but Men Die …!” Narratives on Men, Masculinities and HIV/AIDS in Batswana. International Journal of Men’s Health. Summer2013, Vol. 12 Issue 2, p166-182. 17p.

Schatz, Enid, Gilbert, Leah and McDonald, Courtney. ‘If the odctors see that they don’t know how to cure the disease they say it’s AIDS’:How older women in rural South Africa make sense of the HIV/AIDS epidamic. African Journal of AIDS Research (AJAR). 2013, Vol. 12 Issue 2, p95-104. 10p.

Shand, Tim et al. The HIV Blind Spot: Men and HIV Testing, Treatment and Care in Sub-Saharam Africa. IDS Bulletin. Jan2014, Vol. 45 Issue 1, p53-60. 8p.

UNAIDS The Key Populations Atlas http://www.aidsinfoonline.org/kpatlas/#/home

Gender Roles and HIV | 13 BRIDESMAIDS

SARAH HENDRIX COM 201: Introduction to Communication

magine that you just lost the job of your dreams, Annie and Lillian’s interaction while eating lunch you absolutely hate your roommates, your life is together sets the stage for the rest of the movie. It I completely falling apart, and you find out that the shows that Annie goes to Lillian for a lot of support one person you depend on for your sanity is getting and direction in life. Their relationship is put to the married. In the movie Bridesmaids, Annie has had her test when Lillian gets engaged and Annie needs to fair share of disappointments. Her love life consists of step up to the plate and become the supportive maid her going back to toxic relationships, and the business of honor her friend needs. she invested her life savings into came crashing to the ground. While her life continues to spin in a downward spiral, she finds out that her best friend ANALYSIS Lillian is getting married to the man of her dreams. Annie, Lillian, and the other bridesmaids are on a Annie accepts the position of maid of honor and plane to Las Vegas for Lillian’s bachelorette party. immerses herself into a world of rich elite people that Because Annie does not have enough money, she is do not agree with her choice of bridesmaid dresses, the only one in the group who cannot afford to fly bachelorette party ideas, or choice in presents. Annie in first class. Her best friend Lillian is sitting in first finds herself drowning in a world of people who she class with the one bridesmaid Annie absolutely hates, does not fit in with and the movie depicts her struggle Helen. Up until this point Helen has been flaunting to try to communicate that with her best friend Lillian. the money that she has and blatantly trying to come A few different communications processes examined between Annie and Lillian’s friendship. While Annie are Annie’s kinesics, oculesics, and facial expression. is back in coach, a random woman she is sitting beside begins scaring Annie with the dream she In the beginning of the film Annie is having a one- had about a plane crashing. As Annie becomes more night stand with a guy that refuses to go on a date fearful, Helen decides to give her drugs to calm her with her. Afterwards she meets up with her best down and then suggests that she also take the rest friend Lillian for lunch and Lillian tries to convince of her Scotch. Annie becomes completely drunk and her that she deserves a man who treats her well. paranoid because of the combination of alcohol and

14 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing drugs and ends up causing a huge scene on the plane. Lillian is in first class. All of her body movements are The nonverbal communication used to communicate communicating that she is not meant to be there and her distress comes through kinesics, oculesics, and that she is not good enough to be there. The reason facial expression. she was not in first class to begin with was because she could not afford it. Her nonverbal communication not only communicates her intoxication, but it also KINESICS communicates that she desperately wants her life to Kinesics is the term used to describe the study of start coming back together. nonverbal communication sent by the body, including gestures, posture, movement, facial expressions, and eye behavior (Alberts, Nakayama & Martin, 2016). “A OCULESICS person’s posture is meant to convey their immediacy “Oculesics, a subcategory of kinesics, is the study of and relaxation in a communication event” (Alberts eye movement, eye behavior, gaze, and eye-related et al., 2016). An example of kinesics would be a non-verbal communication” (Newsome, 2014). People crossing guard communicating that they want a car use their eyes to communicate happiness, sadness, to stop, they will hold up their hand with their palm confusion and a wide range of other emotions. “Eye forward and their fingers together. Using their hands behavior is especially important in conveying to communicate is an example of using kinesics to try messages for humans as well as animals. For example, to communicate. both humans and dogs use prolonged eye gaze (a stare) to communicate aggression, and they avert their While on the airplane Annie has had some liquor gaze when they want to avoid eye contact” (Alberts et mixed with a pill Helen gave her to calm her nerves. al., 2016). Eye behavior plays a huge part in nonverbal Before she does anything, she slowly peeks her head communication because it can communicate how a through the curtains that divide economy and first person truly feels. “A well-known expression is that class. She does this because she is trying to check a person’s eyes are the windows to their soul. Thus, and see if the flight attendants that sent her back to most people believe a smile is only genuine when the her seat are around. Once she does not see them she eyes “smile” as well as the lips” (Alberts et al., 2016). If steps through the curtains into the first class section. a person is smiling but their eyes show sadness it is As she walks into the first class section of the plane not convincing that they are actually happy. Oculesics her movement is very slow and fluid. She does not is a very important part of non-verbal communication have complete control over her body, so she is leaning because a person’s eyes communicate where verbal slightly back and moving her shoulders back and communication is lacking. forth in an exaggerated way. In a situation where most people try to make themselves look small she While Annie is sitting in her seat on the plane, she is actually making herself look bigger. She takes as begins to look out the window. As she looks, her few steps as possible while walking forward so that eyes begin to focus on what is outside. She goes from she can get to the seat without anyone noticing her. just gazing to peering out the window. Her eyes go She then slides herself into the seat, hoping to have from being very relaxed to tense. Her eyelids begin arrived in first class without the flight attendants to squint only slightly as she is trying to focus on recognizing her. what she believes she is seeing. Her eyebrows begin to furrow as she is concentrating. When she realizes All of these examples of kinesics are meant to that she sees something her eyes begin to widen. communicate an underlying theme happening in She begins looking to the left and the right, her eyes Annie’s life. Annie feels like a massive failure at this darting back and forth, trying to confirm if what she point, whereas her best friend Lillian’s life looks very is seeing is correct. The motion of her eyes darting successful. Annie does not feel like she belongs in happens very quickly. She then focuses her eyes first class but she wants to try and belong because

Bridesmaids | 15 again on what she believes is outside. As she begins bathroom. Annie begins closing her eyes and pursing to confirm things in her own mind, her eyes begin to her lips. She nods her head quickly acknowledging open very wide, her eyebrows are very furrowed and that she is listening to the woman talking. Her head her gaze is stuck on whatever is outside. is facing forward, not turning towards the woman that is trying to talk to her. Her head is pressed back At this point, the alcohol and drugs Annie has taken against the seat back with her eyes still shut. Her begin to set in and cause hallucinations. As she mouth is very tight and then she slowly opens her is peering outside she believes that she is seeing lips just enough to begin inhaling and exhaling very a colonial woman on the wing of the plane. This slowly. Her mouth is not open wide, only the center communicates the intoxicated state that Annie is of her lips are open and forming a slight “o” shape, in. The reason behind her intoxication is her fear enough for air to get in and out. It looks like she is of flying. In her life, she has recently gone through holding an invisible straw in her lips. Her lips keep many failures and finds herself afraid to try again. the same shape as she continues to breath in and out She is afraid of baking again because her business heavily. The rest of her face looks relaxed but her completely failed. She is afraid to get into a healthy mouth gives away the fear that she is feeling. relationship again because the last guy she was with left when her bakery went under. She is also afraid Annie is communicating her fear and anxiety with her because her best friend Lillian is getting married facial expressions in this scene. She is feeling fearful and she does not want to feel left behind. The fear because she does not like flying. This communicates communicated is not just a surface fear because she the pressure she felt to fit in, when the rest of the mixed drugs and alcohol, but the fear that she has bridesmaids convinced her to change the bachelorette chosen to approach her life with. party to Las Vegas. Annie has been trying to fit in with Lillian’s bridal party but feels like she cannot because her life sucks. Everything has been going FACIAL EXPRESSION wrong for her but everyone in Lillian’s bridal party “Facial expressions communicate more than perhaps is rich and seem to have their lives together. Annie any other nonverbal behavior. They are primary is very fearful and communicates that through her channels for transmitting emotion… some research facial expressions. The communication about Annie’s suggests that facial expressions of happiness, sadness, character is that she is afraid to fall behind and out of anger, surprise, fear and disgust are the same across Lillian’s life. So she is willing to do whatever it takes cultures and, in fact, are innate” (Alberts et al., 2016). to stay apart of it by doing whatever the rest of the In communication, it is important to understand bridal party wants to do. what a person’s facial expression is saying. The ability to accurately recognize others’ emotions gives individuals an edge in their interpersonal actions CONCLUSION (Alberts et al., 2016). If two people are having a This movie shows the amount of information conversation a key component of their communication communicated from a person without ever using comes through their facial expressions while they are words. Annie’s use of nonverbal communication talking. Whether they are smiling, frowning, pensive shows that the desperation and hopelessness she or even sad, their facial expressions can give an feels in her life can be communicated without her understanding of how they feel about the interaction. ever having to say anything. Through Annie’s use of kinesics, oculesics and facial expression, the viewer Annie is sitting in her seat and the airplane has just is able to understand the struggle she has trying to taken off. She is feeling very nervous and decides to communicate with her friend Lillian. In only one take the pill Helen gave her to calm her nerves. While scene of the movie, the reader is able to understand she is sitting there the woman next to her begins Annie’s character and the communication behind talking about how she once heard of a woman on a her actions. plane that got sucked into the toilet trying to use the

16 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing WORKS CITED

Alberts, J. K., Nakayama, T. K., & Martin, J. N. (2016). Human communication in society. Apatow, J. (Producer), & Feig, P. (Director). (2011). Bridesmaids [Motion picture]. United States: Universal.

Newsome, D. (2014). Oculesics. Retrieved April 10, 2017, from https://prezi.com/t_iiumzjpkmz/oculesics/

Bridesmaids | 17 FROM A WOMAN’S PERSPECTIVE: ADRIENNE RICH’S “AUNT JENNIFER’S TIGERS”

SHEVIS ISHIHARA ENG 100: Composition I

century ago, the world would have laughed tigers are as clear as night and day. The poem ends at the thought of gender equality, mocking with the thought that even though Aunt Jennifer A anyone insane enough to claim that, one will, one day, die—still held back by her unhappy day, women would be able to do something as simple marriage—the tigers she brought to life “will go on as vote. Women’s rights have made astounding prancing, proud and unafraid” (12). advancements since the early 1900s, thanks to women like Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou, and Coretta This empowering literary piece revolves around the Scott King. Poet Adrienne Rich was no exception. oppression of feminist ideologies—more specifically, Rich’s poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” highlights the the second wave in the feminist movement which oppression of feminist ideologies; after all, this highly focused on the right to be seen as an equal. This influential literary piece was written at a time when wave began in the early 1960s, and while the poem women were expected to conform to their standard “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” was published in 1951, Rich primary role as a wife and mother. notably paved the way for second-wave feminists with this remarkable literary piece which showcased Rich’s narrator tells the story of Aunt Jennifer—a her distaste with the idea of becoming a standardized woman who uses sewing as an outlet to escape housewife. her unhappy marriage. This story is accentuated by symbolism—more specifically, tiger symbolism. Two years later, in 1953, Adrienne Rich married Alfred Rich’s narrator states that Aunt Jennifer’s heavy Conrad. The marriage was, no doubt, her attempt to and “terrified” hands sew tigers that are depicted conform to society’s expectations. Throughout the as fearless creatures (09). The contrast between the 1960s, Rich began using her poetry as a platform to portrayal of terrified Aunt Jennifer and her fearless vocalize her opinions as a radical feminist. Then in

18 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing 1970, Rich left Conrad, who committed suicide that confident—one of the many traits that weren’t same year. Six years later, Rich met her life-partner, deemed acceptable for women who lived in the 1950s. Michelle Cliff, and was finally able to be her true self. Unfortunately, many women in the early 20th century were never able to stand up for themselves—for their In the context of Rich’s life, her poem “Aunt Jennifer’s caged tigers within. Rich’s narrator ends the piece Tigers,” was truly the beginning of a ripple that with the following: started a wave. Aunt Jennifer was the woman that Rich was afraid she would become if she succumbed When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie to society. Rich’s narrator claims, “The massive weight Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by. of Uncle’s wedding band / sits heavily upon Aunt The tigers in the panel that she made Jennifer’s hand” (7–8), which could be considered Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. a reflection of Rich’s own lack of desire to wed; she (9–12) depicts the wedding band like a manacle—a binding force of oppression. The tigers that Aunt Jennifer had These final lines create a sense of immortality for Aunt sewn symbolized the fierceness within every woman— Jennifer’s tigers. Although Aunt Jennifer will someday an idea that Rich wholeheartedly believed in. Rich’s die, her tigers will live on, unbound by the oppressive narrator paints the tigers as “bright topaz denizens society that poor Aunt Jennifer had come to know all of a world of green,” meticulous word choices that too well. directly give life to those fierce beautiful creatures, Rich was trying to portray the idea that despite the making it known that they were brought to life to oppression of society, women of the world need to find stand out (02). a way to set their caged tigers free. After all, a fierce Rich’s narrator continues, “they do not fear the and beautiful creature such as the tiger that resides in men beneath the tree; / they pace in sleek chivalric every woman should never be kept hidden—the world certainty” (3–4), further expanding on the fierceness should revel in their marvel. of such remarkable creatures. These tigers were

WORKS CITED

Rich, Adrienne. “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers.” Literary Analysis Handout, English 100, Davin Kubota, Kapiolani Community College, November 2016.

From A Woman’s Perspective: Adrienne Rich’s “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” | 19 ‘UMI A LILOA, LEADERSHIP OF A GREAT KING

KRISTEN IZUMIGAWA ENG 272M: Literature of Hawai’i, Oceania, & Asia

he story of ‘Umi takes place on the Big Island ‘Umi, causing him to leave in search of a new place to of Hawai‘i. Starting in Waipio with his father live. ‘Umi settles with a few of his men in Waipunalei, T the great chief Liloa. ‘Umi is conceived in they still do not let him do hard work. ‘Umi takes Hamakua to Akahiakuleana, a cousin to Liloa. ‘Umi is two wives and his in-laws think he is lazy. ‘Umi then the second son, his older half brother is Hakau. ‘Umi decides to go out and work, only then he offers all is given all the temples and gods of his father. This the fish he catches to his gods. A kahuna, Kaoleioku, story is one of leadership, but what makes a Hawaiian notices and asks if he is the missing chief ‘Umi. Once leader? After examining ‘Umi’s story it is clear that his identity is discovered he becomes the steward of great leadership comes to be when one is a good this area. Kaoleioku then starts to plan for ‘Umi to listener of advice and instruction, connected to the become the king. During this time Hakau continually people, patient, and religious. mistreats his subjects, forcing Nunu and Kakohe, two men who were loyal to Liloa, to search for ‘Umi. Once In the story, as presented by Abraham Fornander, they arrive in the ahupua‘a ‘Umi is said to dwell in, ‘Umi does not know he is the son of the great ali‘i they wait to meet with him. Unknown to them, ‘Umi Liloa. He causes many problems for his stepfather, provides the men with food and awa, preparing thus causing the stepfather to beat ‘Umi. Only everything in spectacular fashion. When they ask then when talking with his mother does he learn to meet him they are in awe and embarrassed for the truth. After which he decides to seek out his not realizing sooner. They hatch a plan to dethrone father. Akahiakuleana details what ‘Umi must due Hakau. They give specific directions to ‘Umi on what for Liloa to recognize him. She gives ‘Umi Liloa’s to do and when to come. He follows the directions belongings and sends him off. Hearing ‘Umi’s with immaculately, and easily takes out Hakau. He tale, Liloa recognizes him and takes him in. ‘Umi becomes an ali’i through ceremony. obediently listens and learns from his father. Hakau becomes jealous and hates ‘Umi. After the death of Na Mo‘olelo Hawai‘i o ka Wa Kahiko Stories of Old Hawai‘i Liloa, Hakau receives all the lands and ‘Umi receives by Roy Alameida describes a number of Hawaiian the gods and temples. Hakau mistreats all especially myths. The book is ordered by eight sections. The

20 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing myths and legends that are brought up deal with the enough amount of information to start arousing elements such as earth, fire, and water, continuing into interest and curiosity. The legends vary as they do the belief systems. Next is plant usage and importance not pertain to a specific island, nor are they ordered to fish and fishponds. Then are the general crafts and by island. There appears to be no real reason for push through into weapons and warfare. Lastly is the order in which the stories appear. Only that the entertainment in the form of sports, games, music, order does prevent one from becoming bored as the and dance. All the stories contained in this book are stories following each other are very different. This brief and stimulate further questions for research. text contains a summary of ‘Umi’s entire life and The occurrence of ‘Umi takes place in the war and discover what types of challenges he has encountered. warfare section. The short story “‘Umi, Son of Liloa” Armitage and Judd briefly explain why ‘Umi was so can be seen as a prologue. It details ‘Umi’s beginnings great. Though only one page of text, many points are starting with conception to life with his mother, the skillfully extracted leaving one with a need to know journey to Waipio, and finally meeting Liloa. Though the full story. rather short, this story pulls some details that are often left out in other versions and notes definitions of The Fornander Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Hawaiian words used. Folk-lore contains many different myths. There are six volumes and the myths are all told with great The Hawaiians of Old by Betty Dunford is very detail. These books contain the English and Hawaiian technical. It does not tell much about what the translations. When reading the English is on the Hawaiians believed in the way of myths or legends. left page with the accompanying Hawaiian on the The book is like a short documentation of different right. Volume four was used for this project. “Story Hawaiian life and times. The book addresses the of ‘Umi” is a great in depth version of this story. This Hawaiian islands in a scientific way, explaining is the book to read to understand ‘Umi from before the growth and vegetation pre Polynesian contact. conception until he becomes king. Then it goes on to Included is a detailed list of what the Polynesians tell the side stories of the rest of ‘Umi’s life. brought to Hawai‘i and what each was used for. The chapters explain the many rules Hawaiians had to From the Ka Wana series, Alaka‘i: Traditional Leadership follow as well as what type of people there were. For by the Curriculum and Development Group, example, farmers, fishers, etc. It details how things University of Hawai‘i describes the characteristics and were made to aide production. Then it explores the actions that make a Hawaiian leader. This seemingly many types of weaponry and war customs. After this small book contains a massive amount of information. is a segment on the games that were played and how Included are ample amounts of example for readers each was run. Lastly it mentions that Hawaiians loved to fully understand the trait presented. This text is stories and music while explaining what stories meant important to understand what made ‘Umi a great to the Hawaiians and the musical tools that were ali‘i. The book also references to other Hawaiian used. The Hawaiians of Old is a book that should be legends that may be of interest to readers for more read together with Na Mo‘olelo Hawai‘i o ka Wa Kahiko background knowledge. Stories of Old Hawai‘i. The books go together, and when From Ross Cordy comes Exalted Sits The Chief: the reading them at the same time one can understand Ancient History of Hawai’i Island. There is a lot of the different aspects of life in Hawai‘i while learning archaeological data included within this book. It about the necessities of ancient Hawai‘i. This is speaks of different sites, heiau, and artifacts that have important to determine why ‘Umi did been discovered. For the stories that are brought up, what he did. there are genealogical representations. In relation to Ghost Dog and Other Hawaiian Legends by George ‘Umi, it skips the details of how ‘Umi came to be a king Armitage and Henry Judd provides a generous and goes in depth on how ‘Umi conquered the rest of number of differing Hawaiian myths. The stories are Hawai‘i island. It is a good comparison book that shies quite short and can be broad but present an ample away from the main storyline.

‘Umi a Liloa, Leadership of a Great King | 21 The beginning of the story before ‘Umi is born chat ‘Umi asks Piimaiwaa, “Will you be my adopted presents a glimpse of the importance of listening to son?” (182). Through this trip ‘Umi is improving upon detail and instruction in Hawaiian culture. Fornander his relations again. He has taken a maka‘ainana he explains that Liloa tells leaves before ‘Umi is born has just met as a son. The three boys form a close and tells Akahiakuleana “You live on, and should you relationship causing ‘Umi to be attached to the give birth to a boy, give him the name of ‘Umi” (180) maka‘ainana as they endure hardship together. and “Here are the tokens for our child. When it is full grown give these to the child as his” (180). If she chose Arriving in Waipio at the home of Liloa, Fornander not to comply with this or misplaced the tokens and explains, “When the officers of Liloa saw the boy’s life overall forgot these instructions perhaps ‘Umi would was forfeited to the king, because he had climbed over not have become a king. the fence … they chased the boy with the intention of killing him, but ‘Umi boldly entered and sat on the lap Early in life ‘Umi is described as a mischievous boy of Liloa … Liloa then asked :What is your name? The by his stepfather. He is a boy who plays games all boy replied: I am ‘Umi” (184). It is clear that amongst day then gives all his food to his friends once they the chaos ‘Umi was able to quickly complete the set are done. An action it seems he has done countless of directions given to him by Akahiakuleana. Chun times. This is upsetting to his stepfather even though emphasizes, “listening and heeding good advice must the Hawaiian culture is based around working be added to the list of qualities of a good leader” (18). together and sharing resources. Another component of ‘Umi demonstrates a strong understanding of the Hawaiian leadership is the relationship to the people. importance of listening and taking action since each It is said that “There were many ali‘i who were killed action was achieved exactly as his mother told him by the maka‘ainana because they were oppressed” to do. After ‘Umi begins to live with Liloa he further (Chun 3). ‘Umi is already forging good relationships portrays his skill in listening. It is said, “he obeyed by sharing with his friends. ‘Umi’s innate leadership all of Liloa’s advice” (Fornander 184). A skill his older skills are shining through him before he learns he brother Hakau never held. Prior to his death, Liloa is royalty. “willed all the lands of Hawaii to his first son, Hakau; but left the temples and the gods to his younger son Next in the story ‘Umi learns he is of royal blood. ‘Umi” (186). It is believed that being haipule, religious, Wanting to meet his father, he decides to take a is another trait a good leader must have. Though ‘Umi journey. Before ‘Umi sets out to Waipio, he listens is handed down the temples and gods Liloa must have patiently to his mother Akahiakuleana. ‘Umi must done this knowing ‘Umi would dutifully tend to them. follow instructions with extreme attention to details. She directs him on what he must do for Liloa to After the death of Liloa, Hakau seized all the lands recognize him as his son. While handing ‘Umi Liloa’s and treats ‘Umi with a strong hatred. Through this possessions she says, “... you will see a house facing ‘Umi endured thus showing his patient spirit. We see you; that is Liloa’s house. You must not enter in by the virtue of patience grows with ‘Umi over time. the gate, but you must climb over the fence. You Patience is one of the larger traits a leader must have. must not enter in by the front door, but you must go Chun remarks of another myth, “He chose patience around and enter by the back door … the old man rather than the kingdom. That is the nature of a true that is being guarded, with kahilis around him, that chief” (15). Finally the bullying is too much, saddened is Liloa… Go in and sit on his lap, and when he asks by the inability to get through to Hakau, ‘Umi leaves for your name tell him you are ‘Umi” (Fornander 182). Waipio. Keeping with his connections to the people, Akahiakuleana has taught her son well as he listens ‘Umi once again takes his companions Omaokamau carefully to what he is told. and Piimaiwaa with him to look for a new home. On this journey ‘Umi’s group adds yet another, “they met Journeying to Waipio, ‘Umi’s friend Omaokamau Koi, a young man, and he was taken along by ‘Umi” accompanies him carrying Liloa’s warclub. Along (Fornander 186). Every time he sets out, his personality the way they meet a boy, Piimaiwaa. After a small attracts more people.

22 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing The boys settle in Waipunalei and marry, never to impress the two. ‘Umi absorbs all the advice given explaining who they truly are. ‘Umi is prevented to him by this high kahuna. On the day of arrival, from hard labor by his friends and marries two ‘Umi takes great care in providing for the elderly women. Unfortunately his in-laws do not like his men. Displaying great feats of strength, they become idleness. In an attempt to be fair when ‘Umi is asked impressed. Listening to Kaoleioku has won ‘Umi’s, to help paddle a canoe on a fishing trip he obliges. Nunu’s, and Kakohe’s favor as they exclaimed, “If the During this trip, he is displays his great strength. ward of Kaoleioku is anything like this fellow, what When dividing up the catch, ‘Umi insists, “Here, take a blessing! Our bones would indeed be saved” (195– my aku in exchange for your’s, mine is a larger fish” 196). When they discovered ‘Umi was indeed the one (188). By doing this, ‘Umi displays a moral attitude who had cared for them, they made plans to revolt towards his fellow men. This is another component against Hakau. of attending to the relationships with people. Though engaging in labor is encouraged by his family, “‘Umi Before Nunu and Kakohe left for Waipio, they did not, however, take the fish home to be eaten, but explained what ‘Umi and his men must do to defeat took it and gave it as an offering to his god, Kaili” Hakau. These instructions were to be followed (188). In secret ‘Umi keeps up with his duty to care for explicitly if they were going to be successful. ‘Umi has the gods. This action eventually attracts Kaoleioku, a shown his skill at listening and memorizing advice, high kahuna. This is a milestone in the story of ‘Umi, to putting it into action. The plan called for ‘Umi to as Chun quotes, “if all the people knew that he was once again be patient in waiting for the correct timing. an ali‘i haipule, who properly took care of the god, By caring for the men as he had, ‘Umi was given the then all the people desired that ali‘i”(15). Kaoleioku chance to become an ali’i. He had known the deeds makes it known to the people of Waipunalei that the of his brother and understood Hawai’i needed a fair prince, ‘Umi, has been found. From here the kahuna ruler. As a powerful leader, ‘Umi took his men to thinks of how to gain control of the kingdom for ‘Umi. Waipio and easily destroyed Hakau and his men. The Kaoleioku being a high kahuna supporting ‘Umi ease produced by being a great leader to his people. represented ‘Umi’s religious connections. The great king ‘Umi a Liloa of Waipio on Hawai’i Hakau has been treating the people of Hawai‘i with island has demonstrated repeatedly the makings tyrannical cruelty. He would kill people for simply of a superior leader. There were many humbling being handsome. The old men who once served challenges that ‘Umi faced, but as he persevered, he his father Liloa were mistreated in their age. The brought out his full potential. He reminds us that men Nunu and Kakohe were denied food and care. great leadership comes to be when one is a good After which they decide to travel to meet ‘Umi with listener and acceptor of advice and instruction, conspiracy on their minds. News of the travel quickly connected to the people, patient, and religious. Thus caught wind. Kaoleioku knew these men were the story of ‘Umi is one of exceptional leadership. advisors to Liloa. Together with ‘Umi they planned

‘Umi a Liloa, Leadership of a Great King | 23 WORKS CITED

Alameida, Roy K. Na Mo‘olelo Hawai‘i o ka Wa Kahiko Stories of Old Hawai‘i. The Bess Press, 1997, pp. 93–95.

Armitage, George T. and Judd, Henry P. Ghost Dog and Other Hawaiian Legends. Advertiser Publishing, 1944, p. 17.

Chun, Malcolm N. Alaka‘i Traditional Leadership. Ka Wana Series, bk. 7, Curriculum Research and Development Group, University of Hawai‘i, 2008.

Cordy, Ross. Exalted Sits the Chief: The Ancient History of Hawai‘i Island. Mutual Publishing, 2008, pp. 183–218.

Dunford, Betty. The Hawaiians of Old. The Bess Press, 1980.

Fornander, Abraham. Fornander Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-lore. Translations revised by Thomas G. Thrum, vol. 4, no. 2, Bishop Museum Press, 1917, pp. 178–235.

24 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing UPTOWN GIRLS

SARAH KIM COM 201: Intro to Communication

he power of supporting another individual discovers that her father’s accountant stole the money. has the ability to create a strong, passionate The financial situation leads Molly to work as a nanny T relationship regardless of the differences the for a girl named Ray. Yet, the relationship between individuals may have with each other. In the film, her and Molly is complicated as their differences Uptown Girls, an immature, grown woman named separated them. In the short clip, Molly and Ray Molly Gunn struggles with reality as she has no desire clearly demonstrate how they communicate by to grow up. However, when Molly loses her house applying facial expression, haptics, and proxemics. because of financial reasons, she is forced to become a nanny. Caring for an obstinate adolescent named Ray, Molly learns the importance of becoming mature ANALYSIS and eventually establishes a deep connection with Ray. Despite the shortness of the clip, the scene of Molly In the beginning of the film, Molly was profoundly and Ray on the spinning teacup ride in Coney Island impulsive. Molly was unemployed, and she constantly clearly demonstrates the relationship between the invested an excessive amount of time into social two individuals. The clip does not involve any verbal events and relationships with men. However, Molly communication, but the nonverbal communication is originated from a depressing childhood when she prominent and it holds a deep meaning. Molly applies discovered the tragic news about her parents’ death. proxemics, haptics, and facial expressions to represent Dismayed, young Molly left her home to a getaway the amount of care she has towards Ray. known as Coney Island without the knowledge that the location was actually an amusement park. The only ride that Coney Island let her on independently PROXEMICS was the Spinning Tea Cups and all that night she spun Proxemics is the manner in which people use out her bewildering and melancholic emotions. From spatial cues (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, 2016, then on, Molly grew up living with solely the money sect. 6.3). The concept has the ability to demonstrate that remained from her father’s death. Occupied by interpersonal distance, territoriality, and other the continuous partying and lack of responsibility, space relationships (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, Molly was unaware of her financial issues. She soon 2016, sect. 6.3). Furthermore, even though proxemics

Uptown Girls | 25 is not verbal, it has the power to communicate & Martin, 2016, sect. 6.3). Social-polite touch is part several messages such as affection, aggression, and of daily interaction (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, dominance (“Nonverbal Communication,” n.d.). If 2016, sect. 6.3). Friendship touch is more intimate than the individual is more familiar and comfortable social-polite touch because it conveys a sense of care with one another, there will be less space between (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, 2016, sect. 6.3). Finally, them (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, 2016, sect. 6.3). the love-intimate touch is applied to romantic couples Proxemics is a concept that demonstrates two distinct which can include kissing and cuddling (Alberts, purposes which include the level of comfort one has Nakayama, & Martin, 2016, sect. 6.3). The forms can with another and to show how intimate they are with demonstrate a positive quality, but they can also touch another individual. (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, to convey negative messages (Alberts, Nakayama, & 2016, sect. 6.3). The distances between individuals Martin, 2016, sect. 6.3). can be intimate, personal, social, or public (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, 2016, sect. 6.3). Haptics is an important type of nonverbal communication between Molly and Ray in the scene During the short clip, Molly displays proxemics with because they demonstrate the positive and negative Ray many times. In the scene, they are in Coney Island qualities of their relationship. After they conclude on the spinning teacup ride while they both mourn their ride, Ray threw up in a trash can as she was there together about each of their father’s deaths. Because for almost the entire night by herself. Molly supports of their complicated relationship, Molly makes it her by applying friendship touch when she gently apparent to sit across from Ray as the ride’s steering places her hand on Ray’s back and moves it back and wheel makes a distinct separation. Even though the forth as her hand warms to show that she cares. Molly steering wheel is small and the seating is cramped, is demonstrating her concern for Ray because she their hands never make skin to skin contact. Molly sits genuinely cares for her like a friend would. Molly’s across from Ray because she is uncomfortable with the hand on Ray’s back is a sign of support and it displays situation that they are both struggling with. Not only a strong emotional form of contact. However, Molly is Molly uncomfortable with Ray, but she is reliving viciously slaps Ray when Ray instantly turns around her dark past. Molly does not want Ray to be more and slaps her for her emotional stress that she was upset about the situation she is emotionally struggling being challenged with. Molly is still demonstrating with. Molly solely wants Ray to see her as an that she is the adult by showing Ray who has higher individual she can count on to be there for her in any authority. Molly is demonstrating a negative message situation, whether if it’s to be a nanny or a genuine because Molly is distressed with the situation and how friend. Molly desires for Ray to feel comfortable her relationship with Ray has been highly problematic around her. Thus when the ride concludes, Molly and because of Ray’s stubborn personality and Molly’s lack Ray share an intimate distance and a psychological of maturity. closeness as they are only inches apart and eventually make skin to skin contact by hugging. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS Facial expressions are the primary channels for HAPTICS sending and understanding emotions (Alberts, Haptics is a type of nonverbal communication that Nakayama, & Martin, 2016, sect. 6.3). The human represents touch (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, face is profoundly expressive without having to 2016). Touch can be categorized into professional communicate one word (“Nonverbal Communication,” touch, social-polite touch, friendship touch, and love- n.d.). Unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, intimate touch (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, 2016). facial expressions tend to be universal (“Nonverbal Each form of touch is different as they carry a distinct Communication,” n.d.). Furthermore, eye behavior form of communication. Professional touch is the least plays an essential role in expressing emotions, and intimate because it is solely a type of touch that is context and culture shape the meanings people attach used as a part of their livelihood (Alberts, Nakayama, to eye behavior (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, 2016,

26 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing sect. 6.3). Individuals learn when it is appropriate to because Molly is distressed. The relationship that reveal certain facial expressions and they learn how Molly has with Ray can be seen through her eye to manage them (Alberts, Nakayama, & Martin, 2016, behavior. Molly’s eye behavior shows the amount sect. 6.3). of care she has towards Ray because of the essential lessons Ray has taught her. Molly’s facial expressions Facial expression is the most fundamental tool in the communicate that she only desires for Ray to be scene depicting Molly and Ray’s relationship. During emotionally well and that she genuinely needs her in almost the entire scene, viewers can clearly pinpoint her life. the hints of tears in Molly’s eyes, her continuously clenching jaw, her eyebrows coming together, and her sorrowful glare that never leaves Ray. Molly is CONCLUSION demonstrating her psychological pain of not having Uptown Girls shows the relationship between the best relationship with Ray even though she placed the individuals and the importance of how a profuse amount of effort to improve it. Somehow, it communication can be powerful even when it’s not seems that Molly can’t manage her facial expression of verbal. Through Molly’s use of proxemics, haptics, and sorrow and pain because she is emotionally stressed facial expressions, viewers can comprehend what Ray with not only Ray, but her lack of being an adult. meant to Molly. However, the circumstance is highly appropriate

WORKS CITED

Alberts, Jess K., Thomas K. Nakayama, and Judith N. Martin. Human Communication in Society. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2016. Print.

“Nonverbal Communication.” Nonverbal Communication: Improving Your Nonverbal Skills andReading Body Language. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2017.

Uptown Girls. Dir. Boaz Yakin. N.p., 2013. Web.

Uptown Girls | 27 HOW DOES THE USE OF “I” LANGUAGE INFLUENCE COMMUNICATION IN FRIENDSHIP?

DANIEL LAUFENBERG SP 181: Interpersonal Communication

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION he use of an “I” in a conversation, known as English is a one of the unique languages that always “I” language, influences the interpretation of emphasizes the subject. This means that when T speech in the English language in our everyday someone talks about something, that subject is already life. It can either positively or negatively affect the indicated, otherwise the sentence would not make interpretation of a sentence depending on the usage. any sense. Consider the phrase “I hate this,” this In an interpersonal communication, we always try short phrase may not seems to show any significance our best to give positive interpretations of ourselves in relation to the subject, however, each part of the to others, however, the most troublesome part of this sentence plays role in expressing the meaning. For is that we do not know when and what can render a example, if I take out the subject and say, “Hate this,” positive interpretation when using an “I” language. the phrase does not make sense at all, not just because The research tries to approach this problem by it does not resemble the normal sentence structure conducting an interview with two male participants of English, but more notably lack of a subject make as well as by handing out surveys regarding the topic. it impossible to tell who is taking the action of the The survey participants included 24 males and 17 verb. If one has learned or knows another language, females, all from Kapi‘olani Community College. The especially the languages of Asia, he/she realizes that result showed significant difference in the likelihood the lack of a subject is not a big issue when expressing of people preferring “I” language when the statement a sentence, however, this particular language always indicates the speaker’s thoughts and opinions, but the requires the subject whether it be “I,” “We,” “He/ opposite for a general statement. she,” or “It,” otherwise the listeners would not understand the sentence. Furthermore, what makes this more fascinating is that this particular grammar

28 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing forms different interpretations depending on the something about the speaker, whereas in the other subject, which can not be accomplished in some types of statements, the listener would have to languages, where the subject is merely an emphasis assume that the idea or opinion is that of the speaker. in its grammar. Therefore, the research focuses on the Therefore, my hypothesis for this research is people influence that the subject has in others’ interpretation, prefer “I” language statement over, third-person particularly the “I” languages, which has most statement because it indicates the speaker’s direct influence on the perception of the speaker. thoughts and opinions.

RESEARCH QUESTION METHODS The research seeks to understand how does the use of For the sake of finding the most accurate of result “I” language significantly influences communication to the research question, I conducted an interview in friendship. For instance, when someones wants in my qualitative research, where I can directly ask to express the idea to a friend that he or she loves the participants which type of statement they would playing sports, he or she can either say, “Playing prefer to hear. I recruited two of my close male friends sports is awesome,” or “I love playing sports,” which in school to be the participants for my research. both contain the same meaning, but differ in context. The interview included a single question, “Which The significance of the first statement is that the statement would you prefer a friend to say”, with five speaker points out the fact that sports is fun, which sections, each section consisting of two statements, may be interpreted as if he or she likes playing sports, one being an “I” language statement and other a however that interpretation is not necessary, since general statement. For the quantitative research I the subject of the sentence does not indicate who made surveys to pass out to my SP 181 class, and, likes playing sports. Whereas in the other statement, with the help of my instructor, another class. All the subject “I” already indicates that the speaker the survey participants were students of Kapi‘olani loves playing sports, no other interpretations can be Community College. The surveys consisted of same made. The reason why I picked friendship as a type statements, except the instruction was “Please select of relationship to conduct a research on is because the phrase that you would consider more positive”. disclosing thoughts and opinions among friends is I tallied the result by finding the percentage of the one way to enhance an intimacy, and I was curious “I” language statements participants chose in each to find out how the use of a different subject plays section, which was separated by gender. The overall a significant role in a friend’s interpretation. To result of the survey was separated by gender as well. influence communication means that whether that The statements for sections on both the interview either “I” language statements or the other statements and the survey included, “I love playing sports” v. give positive or negative impression towards the “Playing sports is awesome” for number one, “I am listeners. By doing this research I can figure out what responsible for my homework” v. “Homework is a big type of language is most effective when disclosing any responsibility” for number two, “I can tolerate pain” information with friends. or. “Pain is tolerable” for number three, “I hate being judged” v. “Being judged sucks” for number four, and “I think smoking is bad for health” v. “Smoking is bad HYPOTHESIS for health”. From my experience of listening to my friends disclosing information about themselves or their opinions, whenever I heard “I” in the beginning QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH RESULT of the sentence, I found their sentence to be more Firstly to provide the result for each section, 58% trustworthy and genuine. The reason for this is of males and 29% females chose the “I” language probably that “I” indicates that whatever ideas statement for number one, 70% males and 76% or opinions being expressed is meant to describe females chose “I” language statement for number two,

How does the use of “I” language influence communication in friendship | 29 62% males, and 58% of females chose “I” language CONCLUSION statement for number three, 66% percent of males It is hard to say whether my hypothesis my correct and 52% of females chose “I” language statement for or wrong, since the answer depends on the type of number four, and only 30% males, and 11% females sentence being expressed. Although the result showed chose “I” language statement for number five. The that males prefered an “I” language statement more result was tallied out of 24 participants for males than a general one, there was only a 12% difference, and 17 participants for females, which averaged out which is not a notable amount in determining that to overall result of 58% males choosing “I” language more males generally prefer an “I” language statement statement, while 45% for females. The interesting than females. The difference was even worse for thing I found was that on the last section, where females, who only demonstrated a 5% difference the statement is rather a fact than an opinion, great in preferring general statements. One factor that amount of males chose third-person statement, while brought down the overall average was the last section, almost no females chose “I” language statement, which caused a huge drop in the percentages and which shows when a statement is a fact, people tend resulted in a vague result. Therefore, when finding to prefer a third-person statement. As for the overall an answer to my hypothesis, it is best to look at the result there was not significant gap between gender, percentage of each section. Then looking at all the however, the result shows that slightly more males results, I can finally conclude that people prefer an prefer “I” language statements than females. “I” language statement over a third-person statement when the statement is about the speaker’s thoughts or opinions. When the statement is a fact or common QUALITATIVE RESEARCH RESULTS belief, they prefer third-person statement. The The first participant, Male A, chose “I” language concept of this research can be applied when I want statements for numbers one, three, and four, and to render a positive interpretation in an interpersonal choose general statement for numbers two and communication by knowing when and when not to five. He explained that the reason for selecting “I” use the “I” language. After all, one should keep in language for the majority of his selection is because “I” mind that this concept can only be applied on the “I” signifies the speaker’s thought and opinion, whereas language, not “We” or “You” language, which will the general statement such as “Playing sports is require further research. awesome” does not necessarily mean that the speaker loves playing sports, which lack the component to understand speaker’s thought. The second participant, Male B, chose ‘I” language statement for numbers one, two, and four, and general statements for numbers three and five. Notice both participants selected the general statements for number five, and “I” language statement for number one, which complies with the survey result. Male B said that as a student athlete himself, hearing people saying, “I love playing sports” is gratifying, and in contrast, “Being judged sucks” and “Pain is tolerable,” which he considers general known facts or unbiased opinions, is dependent on the speaker’s mentality, in other words, whether or not the statement applies to the speaker is based on how he or she feels about the idea, which in this case the participant prefers to hear it in a general statement.

30 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing THE INTRODUCTION TO MAGIC: THE GATHERING

KENNETH LIM ESL 100: Composition I

o you like strategic games or fantasies? Then Modern is a format that uses cards from the Core Set Magic: The Gathering (a.k.a. MTG) is the and from the Mirrodin Block to the most recent block. D right game for you! MTG is a card game that The rules are the same as in the Standard format. The has lots of critical thinking and strategies, which only difference is the amount of the card pools. The can entertain you and your opponent. MTG is a card larger the card pool, is larger, the more combos you game that was created by Richard Garfield and was can do to help you win the game. published in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast (1990). Before MTG was made there was a role-playing game Legacy is a format that allows you to use all the called Dungeon and Dragons (a.k.a. D&D) and it’s a cards except some cards from specific packs that are role-playing game that needed a lot of preparations. non-legal and cards that are banned. Some cards are But, Garfield wanted to play a game that was easier to banned for reasons like it can do something ridiculous play with, and so MTG was created. and make the game unfair. Or, those cards are banned because those cards can make the game’s power Magic: The Gathering is a card game with couple of level unbalanced. different formats. Each format has different rules and different card pools. The most popular format is the Vintage is the most powerful and ridiculous format in Standard. Standard uses most recently released cards the game because it can use all the cards including the within a year. In each year, there are four magic sets “power nine.” The power nine are 9 cards that are so released. Those sets are released in two blocks as a very powerful that they are non-legal to use, except in group and when the new block is released the prior Vintage format. block that was released earlier that year will be rotated Commander is a format in which each player chooses out from the Standard format. The other formats are one legendary creature as their commander/leader of Modern, Legacy, Vintage, and Commander. the deck. Most of the formats require a minimum of 60 cards as a deck but for Commander it requires 99 cards as a deck and 1 card as a commander.

The Introduction to Magic: the Gathering | 31 Commander has special rules compared to the other For example, Timmy’s commander dealt 15 points formats that I introduced. The difference is the of damage total to Spike. Johnny’s commander then number of cards that requires as a deck and besides dealt 6 points of damage to Spike. Spike has 15 points the basic land you can only have one copy of each card of commander damage from Timmy and 6 point of with a given name. Commander is a fun format to play, damage from Johnny. Timmy will need 6 more points because it is a multiplayer game. Other formats are of commander damage to take out Spike and Johnny more competitive than Commander. In Commander, will need 15 more points of commander damage to each player starts with 40 life points because the game take out Spike. is meant to be at least 30 minutes to 4 hours in length. What’s so fun about this format? In Commander it Spike dealt 19 points of commander damage to is not only about winning the game—this game also Timmy. Spike then used his commander’s ability includes a lot of politics. You can make a deal with to shoot 2 extra points of damage to Timmy. Now another player by asking him/her, if you will do “this,” Timmy has 21 points total of commander damage then if they will do “that” for you. from Spike’s commander. Timmy loses the game by commander damage. For example, I have 5 big creatures on the board and those 5 creatures can do fatal damage to you. You Magic: The Gathering helps you socialize in your local can give me an offer by asking me not to attack you game shop (LGS) by entering a tournament, trading until another player loses. In return you will help me cards or buying cards from other players, or meet by removing this spell that is in my way. Now, I can new people through MTG. Every Friday, there is a say yes to your offer or I could decline your offer. But tournament called Friday Night Magic (FNM) at your I must think about it wisely. If I say yes to your offer LGS. The event is also known for prizes like foil cards you can remove that spell that’s been in my way for a or other special supplies for the winners. Depending couple of turns, which will help me a lot. If I decline on which tournament you enter the prizes are your offer I would just deal you this fatal damage and different. If you enter the free tournament, your prize end my turn with you exacting revenge or you might would probably be a foil card or couple of booster tag up with other players since I might be the greatest packs. If you enter the regionals tournament, your threat on the board. This situation really depends on prizes would probably be 3 booster boxes, a couple your plan. Plus, the other player can betray you, but of promotional cards, US$500 to $1,000, and an entry once a player betrays someone, no one trusts that ticket to the semi-final tournament that is usually held player. No one would probably trust that player when on the Mainland. The tournament with the biggest we know that player likes to betray others. But it is prizes is the World Championship, where the prize for not against the rules to betray others; you will just the 1st place winner is US$100,000. lose trust and call for more hatred. Commander is a If you are not interested in tournaments and winning very unique format. Any player can hate target you for prizes, MTG can also educate you, your children, or something silly like, you did something to that player your students. Magic: The Gathering can help with at a mall last week or embarrassed that player for the English language, because some of the cards something last year. have better English than some books have. Each Starting life at 40 sounds a lot, but in Commander card has artwork to help the player remember what there is another way to win the game besides decking it does. It is a strategy game, so the player needs to out your opponent’s decks or having them lose all think and calculate a lot throughout the game to win. their life points. In Commander if your commander The players need to be aware of their own and their dealt 21 points of damage to the opponent, the opponent’s resources all the time. Players need to opponent loses the game by “commander damage.” choose their words strategically to gain advantage. Commander damage can be only dealt by the commander. This damage will not add up even if another player’s commander attacks you.

32 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing For example, Johnny wants to activate his resource’s Magic: The Gathering is a fabulous game. It helps ability. Johnny tells Spike he wants activate his your English language, critical thinking, math, resource’s ability and asks Spike does he have prediction, and creativity. Some cards have awful anything in response? In response, Spike casts a effects like, “discard your hand” or “if this spell was spell (each card in hand is a spell) that stops Johnny’s casted or put into play besides your hand you lose the resource by countering its ability, so Johnny cannot game”. You can be creative by using those cards by activate his resource’s ability. The mistake Johnny did making up your own combo or have a slight change was how he approached Spike. from another player’s combo to entertain yourself and your opponent. MTG has millions of possibilities to For example, Johnny activates his resource’s ability help you. Besides education, achieving prizes, being to play a spell in his hand. Johnny then asks Spike, social, or even investing by collecting valuable cards. does he have anything in response? Spike can negate This game has millions of possibilities. Only you can Johnny’s resource’s ability by countering it, but he decide if it’s a worth a try to find out the possibilities cannot stop the card that was put in play by Johnny’s of Magic: The Gathering. resource just now, because Johnny activated the resource’s ability before asking Spike if he wants to Imagine–you are a wizard. You have a spellbook with stop Johnny from activating his resource’s ability 60 to 100 pages. In each page, it has spells you can cast before he put into play his spell. to obtain that victory. You can be the Goblin Shaman to cast voodoo and send curses to your opponent Magic: The Gathering can be complicated because of for calamity. You can be the Elf Leader and summon how people try to gain advantage by choosing their your elf soldiers or pack of wolves to defend your words. In English, there are words that look similar forest. You can be the Necromancer and call the dead but have different meanings depending on how from the graves with your dark spells. You can be the you approach to them.it. Same goes for this game. King and use the knights to save your kingdom. You, Depending on how you approach your opponent, you can even be the Fairy Queen to send your fairy you can change your disadvantage to advantage or soldiers or magical dragons to protect your fairy land. the opposite. In Magic: The Gathering you can be anything that you desire to be.

WORKS CITED

Game Pedia. 2017. MTG Wiki. https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Main_Page

Garfield, R. 1993. Magic: The Gathering Website. https://magic.wizards.com/en

Wizards of the Coast Games. 1990. http://company.wizards.com/

The Introduction to Magic: the Gathering | 33 THE DARKEST ROAST, YET A PERFECT BLEND

ALEXIS ELLA MATUNDAN ENGLISH 272Q: Culture and Literature: The Heroic Journey

THE PERFECT BLEND id you ever feel like you just can’t stay up, but you really needed to and you just didn’t know Drip, how? Maybe you should try drinking a cup Drop, D or can of caffeine to get you through this dilemma. Thank you, Caffeine has been around for centuries. Many people For keeping me on top. in the world today throw their money around at big With you, companies like Starbucks, Folgers, or Red Bull to I can stay awake, fulfill their desperate, daily dose of caffeine. Although I need you, caffeine is beneficial to one’s productivity, it also has For my grades, adverse effects on consumers, both financially and Are at stake. health wise. My “The Perfect Blend” poem illustrates how caffeine is my personal savior while my “Dark With you, Roasted Breakup” depicts the negative impacts that I’m always on track, caffeine has on myself and others. I do all my assignments, I’ll never fall back. WHY I WROTE THE THE PERFECT BLEND POEM As a student juggling 14 credits and a job, it’s hard to stay energetic every single day. I find the need to drink coffee on a daily basis simply to stay awake. Caffeine is my personal savior because drinking coffee allows me to get through a busy week of eight hours of either school or work. Without coffee, I tend to lose focus regarding what I’m doing or staying

34 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing DARK ROASTED BREAKUP on track to get work done. Instead of getting a regular iced coffee, I get three shots of espresso at Starbucks. Dear Espresso Shots, These shots have more caffeine in them than a regular You’re a backstabbing best friend. cup of coffee, and just barely seem enough to keep while supporting me, me going. keeping me motivated, you secretly take away my independence and money. WHY I WROTE THE DARK ROASTED BREAKUP POEM Dark, dark, black roast, So thick of caffeine, Caffeine also serves as an unhealthy friend for it also Too thick to see through, affects me psychologically and financially. As a daily Too thick to see the evil within. consumer of coffee, I have noticed that my anxiety increases when I consume large amounts of caffeine. I crave for something I know not much about, This anxiety that I get from coffee does not stand For all that I know is your sweet taste, alone; it adds to the anxiety that I already experience Your power to keep me alive is so strong, from school. This is not the only frustrating or Keeping me away from procrastination, unpleasant experience that I deal with due to caffeine. Some good there is that you do for me. After several consecutive days of drinking coffee to Slowly drifting away from you, get through busy weeks, my life gets a brief grace Slowly growing a pain, period from work and school. For instance, I do not A pain that grew in my head, drink as much coffee during winter or spring break. A pain that I could not solve without having During these times, I don’t drink coffee because I don’t more you. need to get anything done or need to stay up all day. I save about $28 a week because of this grace period. I Soon bitter, wake up feeling uneasy, however, as the week goes I found you bitter, on. By the time noon rolls around, I begin to feel an Utterly bitter. aching pain in my head. As the day continues, I’ll feel nauseous and my headache will grow in pain. This Plotting you way into my system, results in me drinking coffee to relieve this pain. Sipping my money, More than I sip you, Slowly draining my wallet, DEPICTING A SIREN Killing my healthy independence.

A monster you are, I no longer want you, More harm, Less good, No thank you.

The Darkest Roast, Yet a Perfect Blend | 35 As seen in the picture above of the Starbucks logo, College students in particular are susceptible to this coffee is perfectly depicted in both good and bad ways. dehydration because as their caught winded with The color choice and imagery of the Starbucks logo assignments in one hand and coffee in the other, they coincides with its symbolic meaning. The Starbucks refrain from drinking water. logo is completely colored in green due to its symbolic meaning of “growth” and “good judgement” (Kubota College students are some of the many daily coffee 01). The greener the logo, more growth is suggested. consumers, myself being one of them. According The dark green color associates it with “money” (Color to National Coffee Drinking Trends 2010, “54% of Wheel Pro). Starbucks is an international coffee Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee everyday.” company, and it is earning billions of dollars every That means there are more coffee consumers than day for the millions of coffee cups that they sell there are less. This increased consumption is also due every second. to many coffee shops and convenience stores that are located at easily accessible locations, especially college In order to assure customers that they’re using their campuses and malls. College students resort to any money for something good, companies like Starbucks sort of energy drink to fulfill their need, no matter “uses green to indicate safety when advertising drugs the cost. As for myself in “Dark Roasted Breakup,” and medical products” (Color Wheel Pro). Coffee it’s “slowly draining my wallet” (line 28). I spend at contains the drug caffeine. Starbucks using only the least $28 a week on a cup of coffee at Starbucks. This color green is an attempt to advertise caffeine as a amount of spending doesn’t suit my budget, but it safe drug for people to consume. The color green fuels me to finish my assignments. causes consumers to interpret that it’s a “go”. In other words, like green traffic lights telling you to go My poem “The Perfect Blend’s” line 12 says, “I do because it’s safe, the Starbucks logo is a green light for all my assignments.” When college students are caffeine addicts. Not only does the color green of the bombarded with papers, exams, and projects in a logo attract consumers, but so does the lady drawn short span of time, they’re compelled to indulge some within it. sort of caffeine to juggle these things. With the anxiety and pressure already caused by these assignments, According to Steve M., a senior writer of Starbucks, caffeine increases a student’s anxiety even more. In the woman that you see is a beautiful seductive siren. my own personal experience, I drink coffee every day. Not to forget, sirens are known to be dangerously When I reach a stressful time during the semester, I seductive, often bringing sailors to their deaths. consume four shots of espresso in one cup within an Starbucks coffee is highly attractive these days; they’re hour to finish assignments that I’ve crammed up until a part of the social trend but they are also known for the last minute. After consuming this large amount of their tasty brews. Once you see a cup of coffee with coffee, I feel more motivated and determined to finish a green straw, it is automatically associated with my work. Ultimately, with the daily help of caffeine Starbucks. This association attracts more customers I am able to get work done. Once students, myself to Starbucks which then leads to more consumption included, are done with these assignments or done of caffeine. with the semester, we’ll have already downed possibly over 50 cups of coffee throughout the semester and With beauty comes danger; aside from the beauty only then do they experience adverse effects of of appealing to many consumers like how sirens caffeine withdrawal. attracted sailors to death, coffee leads consumers to “unpleasant psychological effects, such as acute anxiety Although caffeine does have adverse effects, it and even panic attacks” (Carpenter, xi) and financial is in some way good for you: “People who drink problems. Consumers are mentally subjected to these substantial amounts of coffee daily tend to live longer psychological issues when they have guzzled too than people who do not” (Wenk, 125). Consumers much caffeine, especially if they don’t drink water to today are all looking to do beneficial daily routines compensate for the dehydration that caffeine causes. that help them live longer, whether it be changing

36 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing their diet or physical activity. Coffee can now be taken our daily routines. With the world demanding so into consideration for its so-called health-boosting much these days and the little time we’re given, many properties. Along with long living, it can also improve of us have resorted to drinking some sort of caffeine your attention and alertness, possibly also preventing to complete tasks. Although caffeine can help us Parkinson’s disease. As a college student, it fuels me to with productivity, we should not abuse our drug of prioritize things that I need to do. Coffee is something choice due to its adverse effects on our psychological that can be positively effective to productivity. Even health. Caffeine is something that has been around through the process of writing this paper, I needed to for so long, and will continue to be used in the future. drink several shots of espresso just to complete this We need to learn how to balance our use before it assignment and persevere through its side effects. negatively affects our behavior and health.

Ultimately, caffeine is a drug that is not completely good or bad. It is part of many of our daily lives and

WORKS CITED

Carpenter, Murray. Caffeinated: how our daily habit helps, hurts, and hooks us. NY, NY: Penguin Group, 2015. Print.

“Coffee by the Numbers.” News. N.p., 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2017. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/multimedia-article/facts/.

“Color Wheel Pro - See Color Theory in Action.” Color Wheel Pro: Color Meaning. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2017. http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html.

Kubota, Davin. COLOR PSYCHOLOGY in MARKETING and in CHARACTER DESIGN. 2017. Print.

Matundan, Alexis. “Dark Roasted Breakup.” 2017.

Matundan, Alexis. “The Perfect Blend.” 2017.

The Darkest Roast, Yet a Perfect Blend | 37 KĀNEANA CAVE

SABRINA OLIVEIRA ENG 100: Composition I

n Hawaiian mythology, before humankind or the and mystery. Today it lies covered in graffiti, but in Earth was created, all that existed was a void. Out the past “the demigod Māui and his mother Hina Iof this void sprang one of the earliest gods, the god resided for a brief time in Kāneana, a cave that was of creation Kāne. He took a large calabash and threw the site of an altar where traditional ceremonies were it in the air; it broke into pieces and created what we noted as late as 1875” (Becket 61). A seemingly normal, know to be the world. One piece became the sky, the unremarkable cave, legends say that it is where seeds the stars, and the rest of it became the land. On mankind was created, birthed from the womb of the the west side of O‘ahu, right on Farrington Highway goddess of earth. just before the road ends, exists one of the many pieces of his initial creation—a place named after him, It was raining when I got there, a light sprinkle from Kāneana Cave (Pukui 1976). the clouds that were shielding the sky. The ocean shone brilliant blue as always, and the mountains The west side of O‘ahu has always intrigued me. in the distance only served to amplify the feeling of There’s something otherworldly I noticed about it isolation, the lingering unease at knowing that people the first time I went, a feeling of absolute isolation must have died on these cliffs, sacrificed in ancient the farther west you go, surrounded by nothing but rituals or perhaps tripping and tumbling on the the towering, graffiti-covered cliffs and the towns rocks below. of Wai‘anae. I can only imagine how it must be like to grow up in such an environment, the pace of life The cave looks like any other, supposedly carved into matching the crashing of the waves. The languidness the cliff by the hand of Kāne himself, damp and lined of the place is one I have not found in any of my with graffiti, half-abandoned along the road. What travels to any other place. Time stops the farther west about it had caused so many people of the past to you go, and by the time you reach Ka‘ena Point, you’ve pinpoint it as the creation of all mankind? What about made it to the end of the world. it made Māui make it his home? The legends don’t stop there. The cave was once the residence of a half-shark, Kāneana Cave is a place shrouded in equal parts myth half-man being, luring Hawaiians into the cave and

38 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing then devouring them whole. His name was Nanaue, away for long, and perhaps those in the past couldn’t son of the shark god Kamohoali‘i, and he was “a shark keep their eyes away either. kupua who terrorized that part of the coast before being hunted down and killed” (Becket 61). Despite its mythological history, there is a sense of abandonment lingering along the sign in front of the The cave tunnels are narrow, dangerous to explore too cave, the lack of people within its walls. If ghosts exist, far in, but simply staying around the opening of the there is no doubt they haunt those cave paths, their cave was enough to feel it—a mystical warping in the ancient screams getting lost in the crashing of waves fabric of reality, where misery and gore and godliness against the nearby shore. all combined into one, stamped all over the simplicity of the cave with its common rocks and the view of the I realized then that legend can live in the simplest of ocean in the distance, the one factor ever-present in all places. If this rugged cave on the west side of O‘ahu of Hawaiian myth. has inspired all these stories about it, what else could do the same? A ray of sun, a wave crashing on the Could a place so simple really have been so legendary? shore, a piece of dirty laundry lying discarded on my Could a cave that looks like any other really have bedroom floor—can the simplest things in life really attracted the attentions of a shark beast, of Maui be godly after all? After my trip to Kāneana Cave, my itself? Why was this cave chosen to be the source of all answer is yes. The beauty of creation is found in every mankind but not the various others around the island? single thing. And those things, just like the legend of These were the thoughts clouding my mind as I went Nanaue devouring his victims whole, could just as back to my dad’s parked car, looking at the cave from easily turn into something grotesque. the corner of my eye. Even I couldn’t keep my eyes

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Becket, Jan, and Joseph Singer. “Wai‘anae” Pana O’ahu = Sacred Stones, Sacred Land. University of Hawai‘i Press, 1999.

Elliot, Daphne. Hawaiian Creation Myths. Encyclopedia Mythica: Polynesian Mythology, MMIV Encyclopedia Mythica, www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/oceania/polynesian/hawaiian_creation_myths.html.

Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H., Mookini, Esther T. “Kāneana.” Place Names of Hawaii. University Press of Hawaii, 1984.

Kāneana Cave | 39 YOU ARE NOT ALONE

NATALIYA PANOVA ENG 272M: Literature of Hawai’i, Oceania, & Asia

n Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap, his short her irreversible blindness. The diagnosis becomes a stories, “Sightseeing” and “Don’t Let Me Die in turning point in the story for this woman as it makes IThis Place,” portray people who fell victim to their her look back on her life. She thinks for the first time illness or an illness of their loved one. Throughout the what will make her happy, and what she truly wants. stories the characters learn to accept the reality and Her son mentions, “Ma and I know that if things were possibly overcome the hardships of the psychological different, if our lives were simply following their aspects that followed. Both stories explore the role ordinary course, we would never have taken the time of the family—the relationships transform allowing to notice such sights” (“Sightseeing” 73). Life was family members to see each other from the new angles quickly passing by for her as her daily routines and which leads them to understand and support each responsibilities. However, during this journey, she other. These family relationships become fundamental, is present in every moment. Her son supports her playing an immense role in overcoming of the through the journey, and it seems that, for the first irreversible life circumstances, accepting their reality, time, they switch roles, where he now takes care of and moving on. her. Although, the story leaves a slight sadness and compassion in the reader’s heart, it emphasizes that it In “Sightseeing,” a son is on a journey with his mother is too late and that brief days filled with experiences around Thailand. It was his mother’s wish to see her will inevitably fall into darkness. Still, it is better late country before she becomes blind. She was a hard than never which leaves the hope that the mother’s worker all her life and never had a vacation. Her son approach to life has shifted and it will help her to mentions that even when she was sick, she would go carry on, despite the illness. to work. This woman has a strong and independent spirit; she never showed others her weaknesses. This The blindness not only affects the mother, but it also can be clearly seen when she refuses to tell her son puts a toll on her son and their relationship. It seems about her illness. She pretends as if everything is fine that the diagnosis rocks his reality, visibly affecting until her son hears her collapsing in the bathroom. him even more than his mother. Lapcharoensap The events is followed with a doctor’s diagnosis of intentionally makes the son the narrator of the story

40 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing to emphasize his perspective of the events. The son Along with the inner conflict of Mister Perry, the blames himself: “But I am at first too busy to give development of his relationship with his son plays these things much thought. I am too absorbed with an important role in the story. Even though Jack the life I plan to live in the north, on my own, away loves his father and tries to take a good care of him from Ma” (“Sightseeing” 74). He loves his mother, yet, to make him happy, he does not truly listen or try to as many children do, he has taken her for granted. understand the way his father feels. Meanwhile, their However, it seems understandable since his mother relationship grows steadily—Jack starts to understand was working so hard to provide for both of them, he his father’s needs better through being patient and did not really know his mother. The journey helps carrying. Mister Perry starts to accept his son’s love them to create a new bond. Instead of the invincible and care. This change occurs at the temple fair, when strong woman, he now sees his mother as a simple Jack gets his father a beer. At this point, Jack realizes human being with her weaknesses and passions. This that if he wants his father to be happy, it is important connection is felt when his mother feels his worries to let him make his own decisions and to let him and confusion, and tells him to go to the university experience things he enjoys. He also allows his dad instead of worrying about her. This understanding to drive the bumper car, where he ends up having makes him appreciate his mother even more. The seizures. The story ends with Mister Perry’s invincible ending is symbolic as she goes to a little island to sarcasm: “Shut your trap, boy. Just be quiet. I’m still watch the sunrise, isolating herself from her son, alive” (“Don’t Let Me Die in This Place” 158). Despite although he still follows. It feels like the connection the seizures, he feels joy. His son stays silent and does between them becomes immense, and, although the not express his worries by saying that his dad should life will separate them, they still will be there for each not put himself at risk. The connection between them other in spirit. is distinct which shows the hope that from now on it will be easier for Mister Perry to cope with the illness. Similarly, in “Don’t Let Me Die in This Place,” Mister Perry tries to cope with his illness, which could Both stories show different journeys where people are possibly be Parkinson’s disease. In the beginning accepting and coping with an illness. On this journey, of the story, he is filled with anger and everything their family becomes their support and plays a key irritates him. He feels this way because of his role in finding their happiness despite the hardships. frustration at life and the circumstance that made him It allows the reader to examine this tragedy from a so helpless. On top of that, his son, Jack, takes him to new angle through a connection of a deeper bond a foreign country. Mister Perry feels lonely because between family members, learning to truly listen he misses his wife who passed away. He says, “Dying and understand each other. These stories send an would make me pretty happy. I bet it would probably important message to communicate with each other, make you all a lot happier too” (“Don’t Let Me Die to stop acting upon what one think is good for another, in This Place” 127). He cannot cope with not having and to listen to what the person really wants and control over his own life and feels that he is a burden needs. It shows how important family is in our lives. to everyone in the family.

WORKS CITED

Lapcharoensap, Rattawut. “Don’t Let Me Die in This Place.” Sightseeing. Grove Press, 2005, pp. 125–158. ---“Sightseeing.” Sightseeing. Grove Press, 2005, pp. 71–98.

You Are Not Alone | 41 AN APPROACH TO TACKLE THE TRASH DILEMMA OF THE PHILIPPINES

NADINE RAPUSAS ENG 100: Composition I

ver the years, the Philippines has been trash fall onto people’s homes and end up killing the struggling with their growing trash dilemma. residents. Even worse, the piles of trash collapse onto O Metro Manila, the capital of the Philippines, electrical wires, causing homes to burst into flames. is the biggest contributing factor of the immense Hundreds of lives are affected by the Philippines amounts of trash that are in the country. Specifically, growing trash dilemma, and it seems nothing is being the residents of Metro Manila generate so much done to diminish it. In order to save hundreds of garbage that they are responsible for roughly one- people’s lives, solutions such as recycling programs, fourth of the country’s daily output of waste. More reopening landfills, and building good recycling surprisingly, they produced about 8,400 to 8,600 tons habits among the people could leave lasting effects. of trash per day (Alave). People of the Philippines With those solutions and other possible solutions are greatly affected by this because it creates many in mind, the Philippines can avoid the health and dangers to their health and safety. Many residents are safety effects such as diseases, and deaths from unaware of the complications or sometimes ignore affecting their people due to the overwhelming the complications that the trash surrounding them amounts of trash. can cause. Specifically, many of the less fortunate people scavenge for food and sift through the trash There are tons of trash in the Philippines and it for items that they could possibly make a profit out seems as if it is almost impossible to solve, but there of. When they dig through the trash, they are more are several possible solutions that can be done. As a susceptible to contracting diseases and other health start, the Philippines could tackle the hardest part of complications such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, cholera, their problem which is the heaping amounts of trash tuberculosis, and more. Along with that, the lines of that are left in open dumpsites and landfills. With trash along streets and irresponsible dumping block the landfills, the Philippines could use incineration the waterways and drainage systems causing frequent or restoring closed dumps. Then, they can work on floods in the area. In some areas, landfills become a reforming the community’s habits into good recycling big threat to the community. The huge mountains of habits. Good recycling habits can consist of building

42 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing community recycling centers, limiting the amount do things such as littering, dumping waste in public of trash people throw out, and even supporting their places, or operating their own dumpsite for profit. The local government units. Additionally, the Philippines implementation of this act would also mean routine has already started on proposing a solution to the trash pick up at people’s own home, sorting different trash dilemma. They have constructed the Philippines’ kinds of waste, and full implementation of the law. If Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 which the Philippines were to enforce this act regularly, local proposes an environmental friendly program that government units and the community will start to will help to diminish or reduce the trash dilemma, but make efforts that will reduce the trash dilemma. they haven’t been enforcing it. Embedding recycling programs into the community and enforcing the In order to permanently get rid of the mass amount ecological solid waste management act would provide of waste, residents in the Philippines need to limit the the best results to solving the country’s trash problem. amount of trash that they use and throw out. Cutting back on the amount of waste being used will greatly The Philippines’ Ecological Solid Waste Management reduce how much waste is going into the landfills. The Act of 2000 provides an ecological solid waste government can assert regulations and control how program that sets necessary guidelines, prohibited much residents can throw out in a week by limiting acts, penalties, and appropriated funds, but the them to only two to three bins for waste segregation. Philippines has not been strictly enforcing this act. Of course, this solution is also difficult for residents More specifically, the act does the following, but are to adjust because they usually have no limitations not limited to: setting guidelines for waste avoidance on waste consumption. Also, if local government and reduction, promoting national research and units do not monitor the amount of trash that people development programs to improve solid waste use, people will ignore the regulation and continue management, encourage participation in every sector, to consume and dispose without control. With that maintain enforcement and responsibility of local being said, it is extremely vital that the government government units, integrating resource conservation, takes extra measures to ensure the community is and much more on ecological solid waste management doing their role to help reduce the amount of trash in (Sapuay). The Philippines has already made a the Philippines. beneficial act that will solve their trash dilemma which is why they need to take the step in pushing The Philippines already has local government units forward the implementation of this act. running solid waste management in different areas of the country, but many of them have not advanced Some people might disagree with the effectiveness in the technologies to battle the waste problem. One of full implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste of the major obstacles in the Philippines’ solid waste Management Act because of the sudden change management is that the local government units in and enforcement upon the people. Residents in the most municipalities are poor and can’t afford the Philippines might be too complacent to just placing right technologies for proper solid waste management. trash everywhere without anyone lecturing them. 50% of municipalities in the country are classified as The sudden change of following certain rules and low income communities and only rely on Internal procedures will make it hard for them to adapt. Also, Revenue Allotment (Acosta et al.). Without proper monetary penalties that are stated within the act funding, they do not have the capability to access might anger the residents and cause them to complain. appropriate SWM technologies. The disadvantage that Many of the municipalities are living in poverty, so comes with this is that funding the local government monetary deductions will be a big complication units would mean the government needs to come up among the people who can’t afford them. However, with ways to fund them. That could mean raising the the penalties will further encourage the residents to cost of goods or even raising taxes. Surely it would comply with the rules so that they can avoid paying cause shock to the residents because they will think such penalties. People may argue at the effectiveness that it is unfair that they would have to be the ones of the implemented act but it would prohibit people to that suffer from the change. However, proper funding

An Approach to Tackle the Trash Dilemma of the Philippines | 43 in communities can only benefit the environment areas of the Philippines and it is what they should do in great ways. With funding, the Philippines is able in order to get rid of the towering piles of trash. to cope with their high levels of trash in the most efficient ways like in other countries. Lastly, the implementation of recycling centers spread throughout the community will greatly reduce Restoring landfills is another possible solution that the the Philippines’ trash complication. Community Philippines can do to control their trash problem. Most recycling centers will encourage residents to drop of the landfills in the Philippines are uncontrolled and off and sell their recyclable materials. By opening closed. Uncontrolled landfills lead to irresponsible recycling centers, residents are able to earn a profit disposals and a high accumulation of trash that piles which will then encourage them to recycle more often. up quickly. When landfills are under control and are Specifically, recycling cans and bottles can range from constantly maintained, the trash that is put in will be five to ten cents each, which could add up quickly in properly maintained. Along with that, there will be the long run. For instance, in California they offer five a given destination of where to put trash, so garbage cents for most cans and bottles that are smaller than disposals will have a designated place for trash to be 24 ounces and 24 ounces or higher will equate to 10 placed in. People might disagree with this solution cents each (Pope). Even though consumers pay the because they think that the trash will just continue extra cents for the cans and bottles, it will allow them to pile up, but the trash will not continue to pile up to engage more in separating their cans from other if other regulations are made to control the amount waste for recycling. In that way, the residents can of trash. For example, regulating the output of waste regain the extra amount from recycling them. Also, from residents’ households will reduce how much is they could even collect recycled cans and bottles that being thrown into the landfill. Additionally, if solid they find along the streets or from a neighbor or friend waste management officials have the technology that doesn’t recycle. Along with profit, community such as incineration to get rid of the mass amounts recycling centers creates many jobs. With the opening of trash, then the concern about piling trash will no of many community recycling centers, jobs such as longer exist. collecting and sorting recyclables, compressing the recyclables, and more will be open for residents to Furthermore, one possible solution that will diminish apply for. Additional ways to earn profit and more the towers of trash in the landfills is incineration. jobs are greatly beneficial for a country where most of Incineration will remove large amounts of garbage the people live in poverty. However, there are some in landfills and dumps, and convert the garbage into cons with this solution because processing recyclable electricity. In other people’s perspective, incineration materials is more expensive than sending it straight is very environmentally unfriendly. People who to landfills. While it may be a great opposition to disagree with incineration fear that the burning this solution, it is still ignoring the main problem of garbage will emit harmful toxins and smoke that the Philippines is struggling with. The frequent causing the public’s health to be in danger. Despite trips to landfills are the biggest contribution to that, the speculations about incineration are old why the Philippines is struggling with solid waste fashioned and has evolved over the years. With management in the first place. Disapproving recycling today’s technology, incineration of garbage means centers because sending trash to landfills is cheaper, is the burning of garbage to produce steam, which not solving the problem at hand. In fact, continuation would then be used to generate electricity (Jimenez- of trips to the landfill makes the problem worse. David). However, conducting incineration in a manner Recycling centers may be more pricey, but it is a big that is environmentally friendly would mean that investment to finally control their trash complication. it is very costly to do so. Incineration would call for funding from the government, which means that the The Philippines is in dire need of finding a solution to government would have to find a way in order to run completely handle their trash dilemma, which is why that type of technology. Despite the cost, incineration they must be open to the possible solutions. Health is a great way to cut the amount of garbage in all the and safety effects such as collapsing trash, numerous

44 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing deaths, diseases, and floods are all occurring due their local government units in charge of solid waste. to all the trash in the country. They must be willing Nevertheless, the best solution for the Philippines to take risks and responsible action if their wish right now is to strictly enforce their solid waste is to end their trash dilemma. As a start, they can management act and by constructing recycling centers reinforce their ecological solid waste management into the entire community. If those specific solutions act to get the whole program going. Then, they can are carried out, good recycling habits will soon be try other possible solutions such as incineration, common in the lives of the people in the Philippines restoring landfills, limiting the amount of trash being and most of all, trash will no longer be a big threat to thrown out and consumed by residents, or funding their health and safety.

WORKS CITED

Acosta, V., Paul, J., Lao, C., Aguinaldo, E., Valdez, M. D. C., (2012). Development of the Philippines National Solid Waste Management Strategy 2012–2016. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 16, 9–16. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878029612005415

Alave, Kristine L. “Metro Manila produces a fourth of Philippine garbage.” Inquirer News Metro Manila produces a fourth of Philippine garbage, newsinfo.inquirer.net/42317/metro-manila-produces-a- fourth-of-philippine-garbage.

Jimenez-David, Rina. “From problems to solutions.” Inquirer Opinion From problems to solutions Comments, Inquirer.net, opinion.inquirer.net/79121/from-problems-to Solutions.

Pope, Kristen. “6 Everyday Items You Can Get Paid to Recycle.” The Penny Hoarder, Taylor Media Corporation, 5 Sept. 2017, www.thepennyhoarder.com/make-money/side-gigs/everyday-items-you-can-recycle-for-money/.

Sapuay, Grace P. Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 200 (RA 9003): A Major Step to Better Solid Waste Management in the Philippines, www.researchgate.net/profile/Grace_Sapuay/publication/237584037_ Ecological_Solid_Waste_Management_Act_of_2000_RA_9003_A_Major_Step_to_Better_Solid_Waste_ Management_in_the_Philippines/links/02e7e52d8deecb3ec1000000.pdf

An Approach to Tackle the Trash Dilemma of the Philippines | 45 FISH OUT OF WATER: A CLASSIC STORY RETOLD

KIYOMI SANDERS ENG 272G: Literature and Culture: Myths, Dreams, and Symbols

ike many other myths and fairy tales, The Lure tells the same story about bittersweet coming “The Little Mermaid” has a tenacious and of age, the risks taken in order to pursue love and L spellbinding allure, maintaining its place as authenticity, and the often-painful process of growth a beloved classic as it is retold throughout the years. and transformation. The most enduring stories seem to have an ability to adapt to our ever-changing means of storytelling; It is vital to the success of the story that the audience “The Little Mermaid” is one such story that has sympathizes with the heroine and feels invested in her repeatedly found its way onto the screen. Nearly two journey. Even in Disney’s version, which omits a great centuries after Hans Christian Andersen published part of the heroine’s suffering, the audience naturally “The Little Mermaid,” Polish director Agnieszka falls in love with Ariel’s curiosity, is intrigued by her Smoczynska gave the fairy tale a unique twist in the active role and bold decisions, and is saddened by her 2015 filmThe Lure. Her feature film debut is an eclectic voiceless heartbreak. In The Lure, the character Srebrna combination of myth, horror, comedy, eroticism, and (Polish for “Silver”) embodies The Little Mermaid’s musical numbers set against the glittering backdrop characteristic wide-eyed innocence and charisma. of 1980s nightlife in Poland. The musical numbers Silver reveals her emotions through facial expressions range from otherworldly siren songs to synth-pop to more than verbalization; her eyes powerfully convey new wave punk rock—and there are even moments wonder, infatuation, intrigue, naivety, heartbreak, in which these genres blend. Its ambitious originality inner conflict, and most important, her developing and stunning visuals earned it nineteen wins maturity, which largely manifests itself after she and thirteen nominations in various film festivals, is robbed of her voice. This is true to Andersen’s including Sundance (Variety). But despite its many portrayal of The Little Mermaid as someone who is bold divergences from the classic (the mermaids feed “silent” and “thoughtful” even before she gives up her on human flesh and perform at a nightclub, just to voice. Also true to Andersen’s characterization is The name a couple), the director manages to stay true Lure’s acknowledgement that drastic transformation to the cherished spirit of Andersen’s tale. At its core, often involves sacrifice and emotional pain, and

46 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing one way he illustrates this is through the mermaid’s integrity of this act is an integral element to the conscious departure from her dearly loved family overall message of the narrative. in order to pursue her desire. Although her heart “[breaks] with grief” to leave them behind, she risks Thus, the personality, motivations, and values of everything for the hope of belonging in the world Andersen’s mermaid are captured in this remake. of humans, knowing that she will never be content But The Lure introduces a major twist: not one but underwater (Andersen 227). Like Andersen’s mermaid, two mermaids are featured as main characters. Zlota Silver is motivated partly by romantic love, but in a (“Golden”) is Silver’s sister and only apparent family deeper sense she has chosen a human nature over member. They both sing and dance at the nightclub her beastly one. Silver therefore finds herself unable and enthusiastically explore life on land, but it is only continue living as a mermaid and preying on humans. Silver who falls in love and decides to undergo the The mermaid’s ultimate fate remains the same in pain of a permanent metamorphosis. The two sisters the film. She watches her “prince” fall for someone function as archetypal doppelgängers, representing else, but although she is heartbroken, she shows the dual nature of mermaids and emphasizing no resentment or bitterness. As in the original tale, their status as half-human, half-creature. Golden, the “pink dawn” marks the mermaid’s impending as the personification of her species’ darker, more deadline to choose between her beloved’s life or her animalistic instincts, makes no attempt to resist her own, and Silver initially steels herself to take his life natural hunger for human flesh or abide by the moral but chooses instead to peacefully rest her head on his standards of human society. With a hypnotic siren shoulder as the sun comes up and she dissolves into song, she lures her victims to the sea and violently foam (Andersen 231). The sea foam, even without the feasts on them. Although Golden has sexual relations explicit mention of a mortal soul, retains its harrowing with a female police investigator, she feels little, if any, impact. It implies a life that has been instantly sentimentality for any human she comes across. Her reduced to complete nothingness: an anonymous and most driving concern is the survival of herself and of insentient existence indistinguishable in the vastness her sister, with whom she hopes to swim to America. of the sea. Andersen’s epilogue, however, rewards Appropriately, it is she who urges Silver to take the his mermaid with a chance to gain the immortal soul prince’s life in order to spare her own. she desires, whereas The Lure lets the story end with The inclusion of The Little Mermaid’s sister adds an no such closure in regards to Silver’s afterlife. The insightful dimension to the narrative. The sisters original story epilogue, like much of Andersen’s work, of Andersen’s mermaid play a major role in his resounds with Christian symbolism and religious tale, both in the plot and in a symbolic sense. It is themes (the mermaid can be regarded as a saintly clear that the sisters share a deep bond, the older or even Christ-like figure—an innocent who suffers sisters caring about The Little Mermaid enough to with grace and becomes the first of her kind to visit her on land and mourn her absence (Andersen overcome death). The film, by contrast, leaves the 228). Towards the end they even brave the lair of the ending as well as the majority of the narrative up sea witch to provide her with one last chance to live. to the viewers’ interpretation. The idea of a soul in More abstractly, they represent everything The Little general is at most implicit; the film resides wholly Mermaid left behind: the company of family and the in the realm of the physical, leaving metaphysical safety of home. Although they too are intrigued by questions to be speculated and imagined, a portrayal life above the surface, they are ultimately content with that is perhaps truer to our own encounters with the body and soul of a mermaid and a long life spent the unknown—of life after death and the existence in the familiarity of the undersea realm, the beauty of of the soul. Regardless of this difference, however, which Andersen makes a point to describe in richly the mermaid in both versions has a conscious, vivid detail. However, despite the importance of the decisive role in determining her fate, and makes her sisters in Andersen’s version, he does not describe the decision without the promise of a future reward. As sisters’ reaction to The Little Mermaid’s most crucial the heroine’s “final test,” the pure selflessness and decision that brings about her death. The Lure benefits

Fish Out of Water: A Classic Story Retold | 47 from the addition of the mermaid’s sister as a central natural form is rejected, she realizes that she must character. The bond between the sisters is evident alter her body in order to be appealing to the human in the way they interact, often through knowing she loves, as well as to be perceived as human at all. glances or a language of their own. When Silver loses her voice, Golden refuses to go on performing Andersen, on the other hand, paints his heroine in a alone. In the final scene, Golden watches her sister pure and virginal light, yet the motivation behind her becomes sea foam at sunrise and rips out the boy’s taking a human form is much the same. “Your fish’s larynx in her grief and rage before retreating into tail seems ugly to people on earth,” the mermaid’s the sea. Notably, this is the first time Golden shows grandmother tells her (Andersen 224). The reason that emotional vulnerability, and as a result the ending has the mermaid is told she cannot be with the prince is a haunting effect. Andersen’s final scene depicts The his repulsion towards the mermaid’s inhuman half; Little Mermaid, after discovering that she will one she must first change herself in order to become day have an immortal, human soul, “knowing tears attractive to him. The mermaid’s tail in both versions for the first time” (Andersen 232). Golden’s tears at represents their otherness. It is the visual symbol of the end of The Lure likewise reveal her “human” side what separates the mermaid from being loved and for the first time, and the story becomes just as much accepted on land. The heroine desires a change that about the older sister’s heartbreak as it is about The is far beyond the physical, but the bodily alteration Little Mermaid’s. It may even be speculated that this is a necessary means to achieve her true desire to be particular retelling of “The Little Mermaid” suggests thoroughly human in nature, down to her soul. In that the mermaid’s transcendence and immortality order to bridge the gap between animal and human, lies within the memory and grief of her sister. to become an altogether different being and have a home in the world she loves, the mermaid’s only hope The nature of the transformation is another interesting is a bodily transformation. parallel between the two versions. Andersen heavily emphasizes the pain of the process and the graceful In many ways, Andersen’s narrative focuses on composure of the mermaid despite her constant adolescence and coming of age. He describes the suffering. In an especially jarring scene, The Lure mermaid’s first venture to the surface is a rite of shows The Little Mermaid on a surgery table as passage completed by every mermaid at age fifteen. physicians sever her tail from her body with a surgical Later in the narrative, the heroine faces unrequited blade. Completely lucid, she sings sweetly throughout love, compromise, substantial decisions, a move the gruesome procedure that is taking place. After the away from home, and harsh consequences for her surgery, she is bound to a wheelchair and can only choices. The motif of the swan is used repeatedly and walk with tremendous effort. The sharp blades and is possibly meant to emphasize the transformative Silver’s painful strides after the surgery allude to the process of maturing (Andersen also authored “The physical trials of Andersen’s mermaid, who feels as if Ugly Duckling,” which presents the swan as a she is walking on knives with every step. symbol for growth). Andersen is criticized heavily for his persistent theme of suffering youth, which At first glance, the purpose of the transformation is so pervasive that it often seems gratuitous and seems starkly different between the two versions. over-glorified (Tatar 212). But it is important to note The mermaids in The Lure can take a pseudo-human that any author unavoidably leaves traces of their form when they are not in the water, but although own background in their written work, and it seems they look human they have no genitals whatsoever that the suffering of Andersen’s characters may be a (“smooth as a Barbie doll down there,” one character reflection of his own past. After an early childhood notes). When Silver tries to have sex with the “prince” of poverty, he was bullied by his fellow students in her mermaid form (the film makes a point to show and abused by his schoolmaster as an adolescent the audience that mermaid’s tails are complete with (Hans Christian Andersen Centre). Later in life, working sexual organs), he refuses, saying that he Andersen was repeatedly rejected by the men and will always view her as “an animal, a fish.” When her women with whom he fell in love (Zipes 82). From

48 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing childhood to adulthood, he was mocked by his peers paying homage to Andersen. But the director brings for his awkward looks and effeminate mannerisms the story into a more focused context, highlighting (Zipes 47). His physical appearance was a source of the transition into womanhood as she personally frustration for him and something that he believed witnessed and experienced it, including female prevented him from the romantic affection for which sexuality, oppression, angst, and the exploitation of he passionately yearned, especially in regards to the young girls in the nightclub, whose bodies people heterosexual men by whom he had been rejected. In fetishize and objectify. She does not shy away from response, Andersen fostered for himself an “inner a monster-like rendering of the mermaids, who secret life,” struggling in silence much like the heroes are powerful yet viewed as toys and “freaks” in and heroines he portrays (Zipes 78). “The Little the human world. Though they are beautiful, they Mermaid” may therefore be interlaced with some of are quite literally half-fish, and their six-foot-long his personal difficulties, including his encounters tails are slimy and odorous. The director compares with unrequited love and struggle to come to terms this to the changes in the female body, “awakening with having romantic and/or sexual desires that were womanhood” and the ways society tends to perceive considered unthinkable and unacceptable within his it (Ramji 2). It is a powerful commentary on growing society. It would be presumptuous to say that “The up as a woman in a society that both scrutinizes and Little Mermaid” is a direct allegory of Andersen’s worships the female body; where one must observe life, but it is evident that the trials he bestows on his and define oneself while learning to navigate through characters are in some ways similar to the ones he such a world. On separate note, there are hints in the himself experienced throughout his life. Perhaps his movie that the mermaids may represent immigrants. insistence that there is hope and transcendence in the Their goal is to swim to America, but along the way unjust suffering of the innocent was an attempt to they are always treated as though they do not belong, make peace with his past and bring comfort to others and there is a high price to pay in order to gain who have endured immense hardships at a young age. true acceptance.

Smoczynska spent her childhood in a time and place Although The Lure refashions “The Little Mermaid” vastly different, but her own growing pains similarly and sets the story in a much different time and place, influence her version of the tale. She spent much the essence of the original is kept alive. Both versions of her youth in her mother’s nightclubs observing attempt to depict the hardships of growing up with the various ways people attempted to suppress the brutal honesty. For Andersen, Smoczynska, and many grimness of life in communist Poland (Ramji 2). The other people, coming of age is a process that is far Lure tells a coming of age story that is similar to from painless and carefree. Both creators draw on Andersen’s in many ways. The swans floating around their personal experience to breathe life and meaning the boat in the final scene are perhaps her way of into their portrayal of the story.

Fish Out of Water: A Classic Story Retold | 49 WORKS CITED

Andersen, Hans Christian. “The Little Mermaid.” The Classic Fairy Tales, edited by Maria Tatar. W.W. Norton, 1999, pp. 216–232.

Bom, Anne Klara and Anya Aarenstrup. “A Short Chronology.” The Hans Christian Andersen Centre, 10 May 2016, Department for the Study of Culture at the SDU, www.andersen.sdu.dk/liv/chronology/index_e. html. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

Chang, Justin. “Sundance: ‘The Birth of a Nation’ Sweeps Top Prizes.” Variety, 30 Jan. 2016, variety.com/2016/ film/festivals/sundance-film-festival-awards-1201693027/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

Ramji, Rubina. “An Interview with Agnieszka Smoczynska, Director of The Lure.” Religion & Film, vol. 20, iss. 2, article 31, 2016, pp 1-3, Digital Commons at University of Nebraska Omaha, digitalcommons.unomaha. edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1404&context=jrf. Accessed 24 Oct. 2017.

Tatar, Maria, editor. The Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton, 1999.

The Lure. Directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska, performances by Marta Mazurek and Michalina Olszanska. Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych, 2015.

Zipes, Jack. Hans Christian Andersen: The Misunderstood Storyteller. Routledge, 2014.

50 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing ARTISTIC FREEDOM, A FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS…YOURSELF?

SORA SHIMABUKURO ENGLISH 100: Composition I

n Japan, the expression of oneself through Despite tattoos having a long history in Japan, Osaka tattooing extends back to as early as the Jōmon District Court Judge, Nagase Takaaki, stated with Iperiod. There is documentation of tattooing being his ruling that “With tattoo treatment, medical done by both Japanese and the native Ainu people knowledge and skills are indispensable in order to throughout various time periods in Japan. In the Ainu sufficiently understand the dangers and carry out culture at the ages of 12-13, the native Ainu women sufficient judgments and measures,” the ruling said. would have their lips, hands, and arms tattooed. “Therefore, unless carried out by a doctor, there is When they reached 15-16, their tattoos were completed, a danger to health and no guarantee of sanitation, qualifying them for marriage. Tattooing in modern making this a medical activity.” This argument is not times transitioned from a societal norm to something only juvenile but also insulting to those who spend being heavily regulated, with no signs of change from 10+ years studying to be a medical doctor. In the case the Japanese government. The recent arrest of an of preventing infection and the possible spread of Osaka tattoo artist, Masuda Taiki, new discourse has disease, professional tattoo shops will use medical- arisen. The court ruled that the use of a tattoo needle grade needles and tubes which are all individually was no different than the use of a needle in a medical packaged and sterilized. Ink caps which artist use for setting. Therefore, tattooing will be considered as tattoo ink are disposable and not re-used. medical work and require a medical license. The new argument, health and safety, seems like a logical On the topic of government over-regulation, many argument to those who have been sheltered to the idea tattoo artist have spoken out about their reliability of accepting tattoos into their society. But with other being questioned. According to Adal Ray of Majestic developed Western countries looking in on Japan, it is Tattoo NYC, “Autoclaves are also commonly quite obvious to us that, that ruling or excuse rather used in tattoo shops to sterilize non-disposable is nothing but a guise to try and hinder those from equipment. They do so by exposing the equipment tattooing and being tattooed. to temperature high enough to kill any spores and bacteria.” Autoclaves are pressure chambers widely

Artistic Freedom, A Fight For The Right To Express…Yourself? | 51 used throughout many different departments in to the emperor. Being stripped of their armor the the medical field wherever sterilization is required. samurai sought out tattoos as a means to replace their Many if not all tattoo shops will write about how armor. The disbanding led the samurai to go into to check for signs that the shop you’re going to hiding which then led to the creation of the yakuza. properly sterilizes and keeps their environment clean. After the ban of tattooing by the Meiji government, the Examples of things you should check for are that once samurai, now yakuza could not integrate into your artist washes their hands, they remove all sterile society as they had all been branded with tattoos. This packaging in front of you, they disinfect the work area led to them becoming what we know as a gang. From as well as the area that will be tattooed along with then on, the yakuza and tattoos have almost always shaving that area as well. There are tons of videos and been synonymous in Japanese culture. information online of tattoo artists speaking out about the “Do’s and Don’ts” and how to properly access if The correlation between tattoos and criminals were the shop you’re going to is safe and clean or not. The so strong and so apparent in Japan’s culture after responsibility to do research is in the hands of those the yakuza had been formed that only recently has who seek to get work done, just like any other form stereotype begun to die down. During the times the of body modification such as cosmetic surgery—we yakuza would openly commit crimes, they were seen have the ability to pick and choose where we go to displaying their tattoos freely almost as a warning get serviced. There is a plethora of tools online from sign to those unaware. However, when a stop was medical doctors as well as professional tattoo artists put to that and yakuza were no longer allowed to (some of which are also doctors) that we can use to show their tattoos in public the stereotype and fear educate ourselves. associated with tattoos still lingered years after the fact. Only with Western influence did the minds of The historical bias and prejudice against tattoos Japanese people start to shift. Tattooed foreigners started from the 17th century onward. The only coming to Japan, the youth of Japan being inspired opposing argument against tattoos has been that by foreigners having tattoos all led to the slow but they were once related to those who have committed effective deconstruction of prejudice towards those crimes. That one argument, or debate rather, has been with tattoos. With the growing acceptance of tattoos a strong enough argument all these centuries up and the realization that the argument of tattoos being until now, 2017. Just prior to tattoos becoming seen related to the yakuza could no longer be used—a new in a negative light, they were once shown off on the opposing argument had to have been brought to light. bodies of firemen, manual workers, and sex workers Because of course even if the acceptance of tattooing during the times of Ukiyo (lit. “Floating World”), grows, there will still be people with their own which lasted between 1603 and 1868. However, during personal views on tattoos. However, one’s personal the early 17th century, tattoos were being used as a views are not something that can be argued against punishment—a sign to mark the act of one’s crime on what one decides to do with his or her own body. Thus, his or her body. This was a spark in the soon to come under the guise of trying to protect citizens from connection of people equating tattoos to criminal infection and disease, the argument for a medical activity. Although criminals were now being tattooed license to be needed comes forth. as punishment at this point the great discourse of tattooing being a negative and shameful practice has If the Japanese government really cared about the not quite yet arisen at its full force. Instead, during the health and safety of its citizens—why hasn’t this time when Japan was yet to be unified as a singular argument been brought up in regards to piercings? country—still split and divided into many smaller Arguably piercings are much more popular than states/cities and protected by samurai, a new emperor tattoos. Most girls get their ears pierced when they would take the throne and a new country would arise. are babies or toddlers to avoid having to deal with the Because of this the samurai were forced to disband. pain when they are older. However, those piercings They all gathered before their emperor and shed their especially in Japan are usually done with a piercing armor to be burned in large gatherings as a tribute gun. A piercing gun is a device that anyone can buy—

52 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing in fact in Japan you can even buy them in stores. A the risks can one could face when being tattooed. All piercing gun does not use a needle, instead the gun of them had the same feelings uses force to push a blunt-ended stud earring into your ear. This is blunt force trauma. Most piercing The first person I interviewed, Yoshii Tsukasa, was guns are also ment to be disposable as they cannot a 21-year-old man living in Osaka, Japan. He had 2 be put into an autoclave to be sterilized due to tattoos on both of his forearms, one being a character them usually being made out of plastic. However, from his favorite online game and the other being many Japanese youth—and even Western youth opt based on Japanese folklore. Before the interview had to keep their guns instead of throwing them out started I had told him what the topic of the interview and purchasing new ones. Piercing guns also only was going to be about, before I had the time to utter come with a standard size jewelry that does not out my first question he stated with a sad look on his allow for piercings to heal properly. All in all, the face that “Japan hates tattoos”. When I had asked him risk for infection is much greater with people being if he believed that tattoo artist should have medical pierced due to lack of being educated on the issue as licenses he gave the following response: “Doctors are opposed to people being tattooed. This is a key point not artists. People who want to be tattoo artists are in why the issue that the Japanese government has very unlikely to become a licensed doctor just to do surrounding tattoos may just not really have anything tattooing.” Before even asking the next question Yoshii to do with health risks. Instead, pulling a new stated that he wished a “Tattoo system or tattooing opposition in order to keep the once growing tattoo license” could be put into place instead. Yoshii went culture at bay. on to talk about Japanese people not actually seeing tattooed people as yakuza anymore however, “People With the recent boom of Harajuku street fashion, hear that criminals used to be tattooed in the past, Japan’s youth has been becoming more and more that story keeps getting passed around and continued expressive. From brightly multi-colored hair to that it became the normal response to tattoos [even] if bold colorful makeup and all types of different we know better now it doesn’t matter because that’s all clothing put together into a personal creative people knew for all these centuries.” ensemble—this generation is no longer here for the idea of being identical to one another. Tattoos Now, a tattooing license or some type of regulation have especially become popular as a way for one to system was a common concept amongst all the people express themselves. Japan’s youth has stood up to the I had interviewed. Ashley Tomioka, a 27-year-old once opposing argument that has been driving the American woman who had been married to a Japanese fear of tattoos amongst Japanese people. They have tattoo artist and lived in Japan for 7+ years raising been adorning themselves with beautifully brightly their son, came up with the following idea: “I think colored tattoos to more comedic gag-type tattoos and tattoo licensing should be regulated, but it should everything in between. This generation has been be easily obtained with apprenticeship just like it is standing up to the prejudice against tattoos; they have in any other country—most artist do apprenticeship been speaking loudly saying, “Look, I have tattoos, I’m anyway it would just legitimize them.” Tomioka not a criminal.” has actually gotten traditional Tebori or handpoke tattooing done in Japan. I asked her if she had felt Japan has a very popular saying, “The nail that unsafe or if the quality of her health was ever at sticks out gets hammered down.” It seems that with risk when she had went to get tattooed and she the Harajuku boom that too many nails have begun replied, “Not at all. My artist had an autoclave, gloves to stick out—more than they can handle to hammer and a sterile environment. She even is licensed—in down. Germany as she had done apprenticeship in many different locations.” When interviewing some of these tattooed youth of Japan, they all seemed to be very knowledgeable about The final person I had interviewed brought in very good points that I had not even thought of. When

Artistic Freedom, A Fight For The Right To Express…Yourself? | 53 Amy Finley, a 28-year-old tattooed mother living in surgery, it is our job to go to a reliable surgeon and Okinawa, Japan, I had asked her, the same question—If it is our job to follow any instructions that are given she had felt that her health might of at all been at risk to us after we leave the facility. After leaving it is our as a result of the conditions of the tattoo shop she had responsibility to best ensure that we can properly went to. According to her, “No. Every tattoo studio heal. If we see signs of infection or if things look like [across the 3 countries she had been to—including they are not healing well, the tattoo shop or even your Japan] takes immense care in ensuring the safety of own physician is only a call away to check on how their clients, there is more risk during the healing you are healing. If you do have an infection, it can process and at that point it is no longer the studios easily be treated—but only if you go in early to get it fault.” This is a very important point. Tattoo shops checked and treated. If you decide to ignore it or hold will give clients aftercare instructions and usually if off on getting it checked it will get worse and the only an infection does occur it is a result of the client not person at fault is you for not going in sooner. following aftercare. People want to tattoo and people want to be tattooed. At some point, we must collectively realize that we We can equally take responsibility instead of placing do hold responsibility to some extent. At the end the responsibility solely on the tattoo artist. In no of the day, a tattoo artist’s job is to make sure his other profession will the responsibility be on the environment is safe and clean and provide you person giving you services. The government should with the tattoo that you had asked for. It is our job not have to dictate what we do with our bodies nor to research who and where we go to; it is our job should the government dictate the artistic practices to follow instructions that are given to us and to that have been done for centuries in cultures all over properly follow along with aftercare. Just like with the world.

54 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing WORKS CITED

Hashi “The nail that sticks up…” Conformity in Japan Tofugu Sep, 13 2012 https://www.tofugu.com/japan/conformity-in-japan/ Talking about the conformity issues in Japan. The idea that everyone needs to be the same and individuality should not be applauded.

Howard, Jacqueline “Your kids want a tattoo or piercing? Here’s what the pediatricians recommend” CNN Sep, 18 2017 http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/health/tattoos-piercings-teens-doctors-study/index.html Pediatricians giving their thoughts on piercings and tattoos. Talking about the potential risks and how to prevent things like infections from happening.\

Majestic Tattoo NYC “How to take care of a tattoo: Common questions answered!” http://majestictattoonyc.com/tattoo-aftercare/ Common questions or misconceptions towards tattoos and the aftercare of tattoos being talked about and answered.

Nessworthy, Catherine “Yakuza tattoos: Japanese gang members wear the culture of crime” Rattatattoo Feb, 7 2013 https://rattatattoo.com/yakuza-tattoos-japanese-gang-members-wear-the-culture-of-crime/ Overview of the history between tattoos and the Yakuza gang. The culture behind the tattoos that the Yakuza adorn their bodies with.

Ray, Adal. “How to tell if a tattoo shop is clean?” A helpful guide Majestic Tattoo NYC June,14 2013 http://majestictattoonyc.com/signs-tattoo-shop-safe-clean/ Tattoo artist Adal Ray talks about how to tell if a tattoo shop is clean or not, do’s and don’ts as well as how they keep their own shop clean and sterile.

Sekine, Kazuhiko. “Medical license required to tattoo, Osaka judge rules” Huffington Post Sep, 27 2017 http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2017/09/27/tattoo-osaka_a_23224487/ An overview on the case of Masuda Taiki being found guilty for tattooing without a medical license. Osaka Judge Nagase Takaaki rules that tattoo is not an art form it is no different from a medical procedure.

Strickland, Michael “Harajuku culture and trends” TravelChannel http://www.travelchannel.com/destinations/japan/articles/harajuku-culture-and-trends Overview on the trends and rise of Harajuku culture in Japan.

Artistic Freedom, A Fight For The Right To Express…Yourself? | 55 THE RISKS OF GMO: GENERALLY MISINFORMED OPINIONS

REY D.E. URBANO ENG 100: Composition I

o you know what a banana really looks our pastoral heritage. Labels claim this is “natural,” like? Do you enjoy tomatoes or papayas, how “organic,” or “non-GMO.” Often these are a point D about lemonade? Have you ever wondered of confusion. Do these bear credence? Under what how some vegetables have grown to be so humongous official governing authority was it mandated, if there or how some fruits so succulently sweet? The process were one? But, in truth, we have been influencing of selectively breeding our agricultural crops has these types of changes since we discovered grown with us since we as a race made the transition agriculture by selectively breeding crops or livestock from hunting-and-gathering to an agrarian lifestyle. with desirable traits. Even in nature, these changes The ingenious discovery of our predecessors to be able happen though the success rate is spread over a longer to pick and choose what properties in a crop or animal period of time. Viruses and bacteria sometimes create to breed for have become almost as integral to our the progenitor of new plant strains. Take for example, survival as a species as the ground-breaking ability what was once a lowly grass with meager grains, of man to harness the power of fire. These discoveries and carefully developing it into what we now know have grown together with us as we progressed as as “corn,” a staple, as well as modified, food crop in a species. We’ve found new ways to harness the the Breadbasket of America feeding a majority of the primitive fire to prepare, innovatively, tantalizing population (Dupont, 2013). Modern efforts to further and delicious dishes. New discoveries of being able to improve on corn have become an integral part in controllably and effectively grow and raise crops and helping feed developing nations. livestock has been suffering from fairly large and very negative connotations and misconceptions despite In a much more local aspect, here in Hawai‘i, we their positive contributions. have learned to live as one with the land, to grow with the land. The process, sacred, and in the heart Skeptics and critics often portray genetic engineering of many locals, is a fuse point for today’s anti-GMO as an unnatural act of treason against the natural debate. This mastery and understanding has led us laws that be, and a wide careen off the course of to many types of taro, the local cultural staple food

56 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing crop. Genetic hereditary engineering by selectively around them as they dried on one side of the road, breeding and growing from an initial single plant has squares and patches of brown dotting the streets in given us plants that can grow in the many diverse front of people’s homes. areas Hawaii has to offer. The taro is now able to grow in the mountains, swamps, in different soils, and also While rice generally is not a difficult crop to grow, in all times of the year. The Hawaiians discovered it does come with its own challenges. The nearby the nature of the relationship of the plant and the volcano provided rich, fertile volcanic soil for us land, and to successfully grow this crop in different to grow the rice on, but, being a coastal town also areas means they would have to cultivate the plant offered a salinity in soil that would be detrimental for their livelihood. The terms “genetic engineering” to crop growth. The town’s location—a 12-hour drive or “hereditary breeding” may have not been coined from the city—meant that acquiring goods came at a yet, but, this grasp and mastery of the concept price, meaning pesticides came at a premium. Now, helped sustain and nourish the people through with the ever-looming exponential threat of climate the generations. The absolute necessity to feed the change, the dry El Niño and wet La Niña periods have growing population led to this process of genetically gotten longer and more intense (Pearce, 2016). Shifts breeding the taro. The ancient Hawaiians used the as wild as these put considerable toll on our crops, technology and understanding they had at that some years destroying most of the plants by drowning present time and taro became the vessel and product. under water or by parching, putting the town and Sadly, in the popular mindset of growing crops for many of its impoverished people at a very real risk of merely volume by using one type of taro, we may have starvation. In much the same way taro was revered in forgotten the importance of why it was we engineered the Land of Rainbows, here rice was endeared. Rice many types in the first place. The diverse lands of was our main source of sustenance, to be had at every Hawai‘i require a diverse plant strain if it were to meal, and to some of the more unfortunate families thrive. While the political powder keg of GMO debates having just rice, once a day, was their meal. continues, few are quick to mention how this very Advances in the early formative years of GMO or same process has literally saved the Hawaiian papaya engineering of these crops helped them survive population from the debilitating ringspot virus. In and benefit the people greatly. While fundamentally, related news, this benefited the non-GMO organic there is no difference between the natural process industry as well by severely reducing the spread of of genetic transference by hereditary means and the virus to other crops (Brodwin, 2017). genetic engineering, our visceral and dependent Similarly, in the Philippines, rice is the staple food relationship with food make it understandable as crop. As a developing country, it also shares the same to why we can be so skeptical of the process. It is challenges that other developing countries do; feeding natural to be wary of new technology we don’t quite the vast population and finding solutions to alleviate yet understand, or even the agenda of the companies nutrition deficiency specifically with rice, Vitamin A. behind it. It is just natural and prudent logic to be Effects of Vitamin A deficiency has been touted to be suspicious of the unknown. But, the speed of process “estimated to kill 670,000 children under the age of 5 of being able to engineer a better, hardier, or more each year” (Couroucli, 2016, p. 94). Spending my early robust crop can help us provide and alleviate an years growing up, I remember spending months in ever-growing problem of being able to provide food the countryside, far away from the city on our family to an exponentially increasing population, especially farm where we grew things like bananas, sugarcane, for Third World countries in Asia or in sub-Saharan and, of course, rice. The verdant green fields were Africa. like an ocean of green traveling the countryside. Although genetic engineering can be a tool to help Its prevalence and importance were so great that I us solve a growing problem, it also shouldn’t be remember families laying out their rice grains on our sole answer. I believe that even though we can the road to be dried before they were to be threshed. make our crops better from one single process, Cars, trucks, and buses alike would take care to drive

The Risks of GMO: Generally Misinformed Opinions | 57 overall, we still should look at the way we handle our opinions. While it is still unproven in the long- the agricultural process as a whole and not be so term, GMO has already shown to have successfully stagnant and complacent or dependent on a single contributed to saving a plant species from debilitation, solution. For one aspect to evolve, means we should providing a contributing solution to solving the also try and evolve the whole process. Ironically, to world’s burgeoning issue, and helping malnourished go forward, we must also look back to our ancestors populations get the vitamins they require in their and understand why their methods were successful diets. Condemning it outright would be a folly on and realize that the very essence of the land we our part. It is due diligence for companies to support grow our crops on also play a great deal in their their researchers by carrying out unbiased, non- overall agricultural success. While these processes politically driven testing to further our understanding and ideas evolve, we also shoulder the burden and of the long-term results. In the same vein, it is also responsibility to keep an open mind, find our own our own responsibility to educate ourselves on facts truths, and to empower ourselves with the knowledge and proven truths, rather than form opinions from of their merits rather than blindly accepting just the sensationalistic news or misleading labels. mere partial truth or, at times, the unproven to form

WORKS CITED

Brodwin, E. (2017, June 23). GMO papaya saved an $11 million industry in Hawaii-and set off a political storm. Retrieved November 22, 2017, from https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2017/06/26/gmo-papayas-saved-11- million-industry-set-off-political-storm-hawaii/

Couroucli, X. I. (2016). Vitamin A deficiency in adolescents: rare or underdiagnosed? The Lancet,387(10013), 94. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(15)00995-2 Dupont, V. (2013, June 4). GMO corn, soybeans dominate US market. Retrieved November 22, 2017, from http:// phys.org/news/2013-06-gmo-corn-soybeans-dominate.html

Pearce, F. (2016, February 11). El Niño and Climate Change: Wild Weather May Get Wilder. Retrieved November 22, 2017, from https://e360.yale.edu/features/el_nino_and_climate_change_wild_weather_may_get_wilder

58 | KA HUE ANAHĀ Journal of Academic and Research Writing A NOTE TO OUR READERS

Welcome to the fifth volume of Ka Hue Anaha: Journal of Academic & Research Writing. Thank you for reading.

It is no exaggeration to say that after months of researching, writing, and revising, the essay becomes the standard assignment for the average college student. With its multi-paragraph structure, the essay has become familiar, a figurative groove that the student can follow for the rest of his or her academic career.

What sets apart the essays within this journal is a final act, one of submission, not to an instructor for a grade, but to an editor for publication. The aforementioned instructor is the usual abettor in this act. An instructor informed by having read, commented, and graded dozens of essays that semester and before. What does the instructor see? It may be the deft turns of phrases, the functional grace of grammar and syntax, or remarkable insight(s). However, all this is still potential. The instructor usually has to convince the student of the worth of their words. Whether the student truly understands what he or she has crafted, simply acquiesces, or is pressured by authority, the student decides.

The decision to submit any work for publication is a contradictory experience. The student writer has to acknowledge on some level that this work is the pinnacle of his or her writing ability. There is no more that he or she can do to improve. However, after the moment of submission, when he or she has pressed the button and the work is winging its way toward the editor, the writer develops the sudden insight every writer before him or her has. Every single error and means to improve the work further is suddenly writ large across their thoughts.

The pressure of waiting of not knowing should be a familiar experience to those that waited for acceptance letters from colleges and universities. The resulting acceptance is another validation. Someone else sees what the instructor saw, what maybe the writer now sees. It is that first acceptance that can lead to many years of writing and of publication. That rush of acceptance never diminishes.

Rejection, though unfortunate, is perhaps the final test of a writer’s resolve to make writing a career. Whether it is the rejection of their first work, their tenth, or one-hundredth, all writers have to deal with this inevitable experience. Understand that it is never personal, never a reflection of the writer. The submission may have not been a thematic fit, it maybe was not quite ready, or perhaps there was no space. What matters then is whether the writer submits once more.

To those that now see their names in print, be emboldened and submit for publication elsewhere. To those that do not, take heart and try once more.

The Editor Spring 2018

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