Letters from across the Oceans
Notes: Wow, already one review! Yay~ This came in from 1998.
Dear Hawaii,
This is the Canadian province of Ontario! I've decided to take up writing letters to people as well. I think we've seen each other around a few times. You're Uncle America's youngest, right?
Sorry if this seems blunt, but isn't 'Akoni' a boy name? And if you're adopted, who are your parents then?
Well, jumping on the bandwagon is too much fun to pass up, after all.
One more question, how did you live before America found you?
Sincerely,
Lucas T. Williams
Ontario
To Ontario -
Aloha! And yes, I think that we have, most probably. Well, yes, I suppose that I am 'America's youngest,' in a way...
Ah, that's okay. A lot of people ask me that right when they meet me, especially other Hawaiians. My middle name is Akoni because my first king, King Kamehameha, thought I was a boy when he first saw me and named me that. But the name stuck even after it was revealed that I was a girl, so hence, Lani Akoni. My parents are...well, that's a tricky question to answer. You see, before King Kamehameha combined the islands into one kingdom, each island had its own personification. I don't remember them much, but I know that they were almost always fighting. My King found me a day, I think, after the kingdom was officially made. Contrary to popular belief, he found me where Honolulu now is.
Hmm, yeah, I suppose so. It is kinda fun when you get to talk to people around the world.
Before America found me, I lived in the islands, of course. There were a lot of rules, even for me. I wasn't allowed to be taller than the king, or to stand on his shadow, or wear the royal colors. Of course, I was exempted from the last one, but I had to follow all the rules like the rest of my people did. I'd always insist on being treated like my people, no matter what. Before the haole came, our lives were simple and things were easily accesible. There was still a lot of fighting though, even if no one still remembers it. And when I was little and the islands were all seperated, the fighting was worse.
But that's all in the past. Thanks for writing, I hope to hear from you again soon~
Love from the Islands,
Lani A. Jones
The Hawaiian Islands
The word haole means, nowadays, white and/or mainlander (from the continous United States). I think it's the more friendlier version, but it's been a while so it may be the more insulting one. Please don't be offended by it either way! When Hawaii said haole, most of the people that arrived to help either make Hawaii part of the U.S. or to help Hawaii stay with its kingom status were 'white.' This was back in the early 1900's, after all. And as for the rules, if you disobeyed them, I think that you would be killed or exiled or something like that...
Like I said, it's been a while since I've been in Hawaii...