KUMU HINA

I am Hinaleimoana Kwai Kong Wong and I am of the islands of Hawai’i. I am the child of Georgette Moana Mathias and Henry Dai Yau Wong.

I am the grandchild of Mona Kananiokalani Kealoha and John Furtado Mathias

I am also of Edith Kam Que Look (Luke) and Henry Koon Lim Wong. I was born on the island of O'ahu within the district of Kona, otherwise known to the world as Honolulu; to old-timers, it is also known as Kou. I live here in the area of Pu’unui within Nu’uanu Valley.

Lanihuli is the highest peak in Nu’uanu. From the upper regions, several streams flow to the Sea of Māmala. Two legendary winds that blow in this valley are the Hālauloa and the Kūla’i Kanaka, and two well-known rains that give life to this land are Līhau and Pōpōkapa. This is my land. This is where I was born. This is where I was raised. My family, from whom I descend, my genealogy, and my land are what define my identity. For Kanaka and other Pacific Islanders, our identity is exactly that. In Hawaiian, we say ‘Āina, but in the English language, we say our genealogy and our land. For me, it is my only identification.

I am a community leader. I am a teacher. And I am also a caregiver. When I think about identifying, once I've told you about my genealogy and land, I then go to only two words: these words are Kūlana and Kuleana.

Kūlana is status, position, title, or place; it represents who one is in any situation or in any context. The word Kuleana follows the word Kūlana in speaking about one's responsibility, obligation, or duty. It also references one's jurisdiction or authority. Therefore, if one knows one's Kūlana—if one knows who one is in the context of that setting or that moment—then one might possibly know what things are required to do given the role that they are in. For me, that is the summary. That is the synopsis of my understanding of identity.

I need not identify by my genitalia. I need not identify by whom I choose to sleep with or be intimate with, and I need not be beholden to explain to others who I am and what my life is about. People should expect from me that I will introduce myself as Hinaleimoana Kwai Kong Wong, and they can derive that I'm not trying to be somewhere in the spectrum in between male and female. I do my best to present as female aspiring.

My life is an open book. I come from Kanaka culture here in Hawai'i, which is a part of the larger Polynesian element of the Pacific. We use only one pronoun term; it is ‘Oia/Koia. It means “he,” it means “she,” and it means “it” as well. I come from a culture that need not delineate or define what ‘Oia/Koia means.

I am Kanaka living in my homeland that has been highly impacted by the imposition of foreign ideology and governance. It remains disparaging and often hurtful to see the extent of the impact upon my people and my home. I, Hinaleimoana Kwai Kong Wong, remain not only resilient, but I am more so triumphant over my space—mentally, emotionally, spiritually, as well as physically. Therefore, I need not acquiesce to the prevailing tide of the foreign-imposed worldview. I need only remain rooted to that which preserves me as me: Hinaleimoana Kwai Kong Wong, a descendant and leader of my islands of Hawai’i.