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Dark blankets flatten over the roaring skies, as the waves rose twenty feet high, beating against the sharp rocks, and a baby with eyes bluer than the ocean was born. Puakai, was her name, which meant “Ocean Flower”. Puakai did not have any parents, nor any family; she was alone. However, she did not have a need for family, for the island was all she needed. The island and it’s animals raised and watched over the young baby who became a strong, beautiful woman. She learned the ways of the island very fast. Puakai loved the island with all her heart and lived to protect it. She had a special bond with the island, she could feel when it was in pain, angry or even sad. Since she was born and raised from the wilderness, she had no reason to fear …show more content…
Puakai in her early twenties began adventuring to places she was never able to reach. Alongside her Ku’uaki, came along. The two ventured to the other side of the mountain range, where the Ka nui lua pele rested. Puakai knew that if the pele god were to be awaken, everything on the island were to be destroyed. The Ka nui lua pele was the heart of the island and that it should never be angered. When Puakai was young, she was alway be able to see the very tip of the volcano behind the mountains and the clouds. She would always dream of crossing over to the shadows, but she was never strong enough to travel such a long distance. However, now being older and wiser, her and her beast began their long journey. Days on end the two continued pushing forward. The island birds would fly above and watch the two companions make their way to the mountains. Even through their struggles, Ku’uaki and Puakai manage to make it after several weeks. Puakai began to feel weirder and weirder as she approached the other side of the island. She has never felt this way before. Something was disturbing the island, causing the skies to cry. The sky's tears lasted days and only got stronger as Puakai got closer to the other side. Some parts of the jungle began to flood. Puakai became very determine to find what was causing so much pain the her home. A few days go by and Puakai and Ku’uaki make it past the mountains. Something strange was going on, because the tops of the mountains …show more content…
On Puakai and Ku’uaki’s way back over the mountain, three of the men came and found the two and tried to attack them. Puakai and Ku’uaki both fought back with all they possibly could, expect all the men were targeting Ku’uaki. He managed to kill two out of the three. When Ku’uaki went to go pounce on the last one, there was a shot. Ku’uaki fell on the ground, lifeless. Puakai is tears ran as fast as she could. Her heart was falling apart. First the unusual men destroy her home. Then they kill Ku’uaki. The skies, waves, and wind were all in great pain. The Ka nui lua pele was awaken. Puakai ran and ran as fast as she could until she got back to her hut. She ran over to the edge of the cliff and jumped. Ka nui lua pele erupted and terminated everything in the island. The waves, sky, and wind all calmed down. Only ashes remained. There was no more weird men, no more trees, or jungle. Everything was gone. There was a light sprinkle of rain that ran across the whole island. Something began to float out up from the top if the Ka nui lua pele, Puakai. Not only her but a baby girl, with jet black hair, except this time the eyes where was red as a newly blossomed rose. Her name was Keahi, the baby of
The story gives us hints that the couple is dealing with a big problem; a baby. “I wish I could leave you here”(70), one clue that the boy mentions when they are at the island. He is meaning that it would be better and safer for her to stay on the island because then it would make life easier on them. The girl on the other hand gives it away by announcing, “I know you do. So do I. But it’ll be all right again afterwards. I promise. It’ll be just like it was”(70). The girl is saying she is doing it for her mother. She told us that she wants to have the baby, but her mom is saying that her life will go back to normal again if she aborts
As a native Hawaiian, Kristiana Kahakauwila has extensive knowledge on Hawaiian customs and culture. Though she was not raised in Hawaii, Kristiana is still connected to the culture. Her upbringing in California did not separate her from the customs of Hawaii. Kristiana has a master’s in fine arts and a degree in comparative literature. Her degrees and background with Hawaiian culture led her to write the book “This is Paradise,” which is composed of multiple short stories. Each short story unveils a new layer of Hawaiian culture that many people tend to overlook. Before the first short story begins, Kristiana sets the tone for the novel with the cover of the book.
The patakín (legend of Yoruba) concerns the story of a beautiful, mysterious, and wise princess who lived in a very small country. After a war to expel a tyrant, it was proclaimed that all citizens would be equal. Anyone who wanted to put an end to tyranny would find a home in that land. One day, a traveler from a country enveloped in eternal darkness arrived in search of light. The princess saw him and thought he was sick. Confused, she asked her grandmother what to do: "Oye tres días al zunzún, otros tres días al canario. La verdad solo tú la sabes. El remédio está en tus manos" ("Listen to the zunzún for three days, and other three days to the canary. Only you know the truth. The remedy is in your hands") answered the grandmother. The princess did as recommended, but the only thing she heard was "mal de amor se cura amando" ("lovesickness is cured by loving"). The traveler also sought the old woman, received the same counsel, and heard ...
An important theme in Potiki is the enduring idea that creating and sharing stories as a central part of being human is important. It is a significant theme because the novel is heavily imbued with Maori culture, in which the stories and spoken teachings are given prominence, and also because it is a popular belief that people need narratives to give meaning, structure and value to their lives. This theme is displayed resolutely and poignantly in Potiki’s plot, characters, setting and symbolism, as the people of a small rural New Zealand community rediscover themselves through stories spoken and found in Maori carvings. The idea that humans need narratives is the core theme in Potiki, and it is used also to link other themes and aspects of the novel; it is in this way that we know the idea of storytelling is an intrinsic part of the novel’s structure.
She begins talking about her childhood and who raised her until she was three years old. The woman who raised her was Thrupkaew’s “auntie”, a distant relative of the family. The speaker remembers “the thick, straight hair, and how it would come around [her] like a curtain when she bent to pick [her] up” (Thrupkaew). She remembers her soft Thai accent, the way she would cling to her auntie even if she just needed to go to the bathroom. But she also remembers that her auntie would be “beaten and slapped by another member of my family. [She] remembers screaming hysterically and wanting it to stop, as [she] did every single time it happened, for things as minor as…being a little late” (Thrupkaew). She couldn’t bear to see her beloved family member in so much pain, so she fought with the only tool she had: her voice. Instead of ceasing, her auntie was just beaten behind closed doors. It’s so heart-breaking for experiencing this as a little girl, her innocence stolen at such a young age. For those who have close family, how would it make you feel if someone you loved was beaten right in front of you? By sharing her story, Thrupkaew uses emotion to convey her feelings about human
Paikea tries to satisfy Koro’s desire for a tribe leader, but he silences her with his harsh words, tone, and body language. For instance, when Koro’s boat’s rope breaks, Paikea takes the initiative to tie the rope back together and rev up the engine. Without acknowledging her intelligence, he dismisses her skill and tells her, “Don’t do it again, it’s dangerous”. In the particular scene of the dying whales, Paikea walks to Koro, who prays in tears. She tries to place her hand on the whale, but Koro snaps at her, telling her that she’s done enough harm. Paikea knows she can stop the tribe from disappearing. She’s aware that she is the leader, but her grandfather refuses to listen to her. He silences her, shouting at her before she even attempts to help. This causes Paikea to feel powerless and weak, but eventually she pulls through by proving her grandfather
Most people experience dramatic events that demonstrate to them just how fragile life is. Whether these events are acts of gruesome violence, or deaths of a loved ones, the frailty of life is evident. However, for me, this was a different story. As a southern white-boy, my realization came in the most unexpected of places – the Hawaiian Islands. When I learned of a snorkeling trip mid-vacation, I was overcome with anticipation and couldn’t wait to embark on my “Pacific Pilgrimage.” This vacation would prove to be a dramatic turning point in my life.
Her first dive into the sea connects to her finally taking a plunge towards spiritual freedom, and furthers pulls out the defiance toward the status quo. Once connected to her inner demons, she listens less to her husband and does more of what she wants, such as not answering to callers of the house who come to visit.
The passage above comes from the book Potiki. It’s when granny Tamihana breathes life into Toko and gives him the name of her deceased brother. In Potiki, a novel written by Patricia Grace, we are introduced to a family that is given a special gift. That gift is in a form of a child named Toko. Toko isn’t any ordinary child for he knows all his past stories and has the ability to see future stories. Toko was born by Mary and is cared for by Mary’s brother Hemi and his wife Roimata. In yet another novel, there is a strong presence of mythological icons being incorporated into a book. Grace ties the legend of Maui into the character of Toko. Toko and Maui were both born prematurely. Another similarity Grace ties in with the legend of Maui is the fishing story. Maui goes out fishing with his brothers and brags that he’ll catch a bigger fish than his brothers and Toko’s fishing with his family in the lagoon and catches a big eel. Lastly, Grace links the legend of Maui’s death to Toko’s death. In Potiki, Toko enters the wharenui to bring back Manu who was sleepwalking. Instead a gunshot was heard and Toko was killed. In the legend of Maui, Maui tried to capture death by trying to crawl into the death goddess “hidden source of life” to capture her heart. A bird laughs, which woke the death goddess and closed her mouth. The teeth of the death goddess cut Maui in the center and killed him.
Kabuki is a traditional form of theatre that originated in the Edo Period. In Japan, it is recognized as one of the three major classical forms of theatre including noh and bunraku.
The moon gleams luminously down on the clearing, revealing a small village that appears to be whittled out of the jungle. On the outermost edge of a cluster of small buildings there sits a hut, all of its windows lit by firelight. All of a sudden a fierce squalling cry pierces the quiet night. The mother lying inside the hut breathes out a sigh of relief as she wipes her sweaty brow. After all these months, her baby has finally made his way into the world. She reaches out and grabs a hold of her newborn son, bringing him up to her so she can see his tiny face. As she looks down on him, a whimper of dismay escapes her. It’s a monster! Surely this horrifying creature cannot be her baby! His face seems to be split from the lower lip up; he looks like he is snarling at her. As she watches, he utters another loud cry. The ghastly tissue where his cherubic mouth should be flaps wildly. Her heart sinks in grief as she realizes that all her pain has been for naught. This monster cannot be allowed to live. They will have to dispose of him.
Monkey Beach is a coming-of-age story framed by the search for Lisamarie Hill’s younger brother, Jimmy, who has disappeared during a fishing trip near the coast of Prince Rupert. While the family waits for news, the protagonist, Lisamarie, is sinking into memories of her childhood and adolescence that are interwoven with the present. Thereby, she reveals her life in the Haisla community of Kitamaat in British Columbia, trying to define her own identity within the context of traditional Haisla and modern Euro-Canadian culture.
When the children become stranded on the island, the rules of society no longer apply to them. Without the supervision of their parents or of the law, the primitive nature of the boys surfaces, and their lives begin to fall apart. The downfall starts with their refusal to gather things for survival. The initial reaction of the boys is to swim, run, jump, and play. They do not wish to build shelters, gather food, or keep a signal fire going. Consequently, the boys live without luxury that could have been obtained had they maintained a society on the island. Instead, these young boys take advantage of their freedom and life as they knew it deteriorates.
The child’s game had ended. After I nearly ran Kurtz over, we stood facing each other. He was unsteady on his feet, swaying like the trees that surrounded us. What stood before me was a ghost. Each layer of him had been carved away by the jungle, until nothing remained. Despite this, his strength still exceeded that of my own. With the tribal fires burning so close, one shout from him would unleash his natives on me. But in that same realization, I felt my own strength kindle inside me. I could just as easily muffle his command and overtake him. The scene flashed past my eyes as though I was remembering not imagining. The stick that lay two feet from me was beating down on the ghost, as my bloodied hand strangled his cries. My mind abruptly reeled backwards as I realized what unspeakable dark thoughts I had let in. Kurtz seemed to understand where my mind had wandered; it was as though the jungle’s wind has whispered my internal struggles to him. His face twisted into a smile. He seemed to gloat and enjoy standing by to watch my soul begin to destroy itself.
Mare and her family lived in New York City. Her mother was a single parent who tried all her best to make sure that her children had all that the need. Sometimes Mara’s mother Shana didn’t have money, so they went to bed without food. Mara’s life was not how she wanted it to be. She wanted a big house, a father, and a happy big family. Instead her life was the opposite. Her dad died when she was only seven. When her father died, it ruined the family. Her father was the backbone of th...