Coming of Age Final

 I usually get the question “Kainoa, how are you so happy?” I could never really answer that question because the story was too long to tell. But as a child I always looked up to my older sister, Kiana. Kiana was always the person that stood out. Everything she did in life, she had everyone’s attention. Being her brother, I did everything she did basketball, baseball, etc. Since I never had really had a “father figure” I used her. Mainly because she was more of a boy then a girl when we were younger. She was a tough aggressive player, making her stand out. I used her as role model because I wanted the same attention. But being the person I was, I was usually pushed off to the side. I was the person that everyone criticized and forgot about. I mentally felt alone.

            I was felt like this my entire life but I never told anyone. I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me. I questioned myself  “What am I doing wrong?” “Why can’t people treat me like her?” These questions were never answered until the day I stopped caring. When I entered the 7^th grade, I met a woman who changed my life. Her name was Kumu Hina. She was my hula/Hawaiian teacher. One of the main things she said to us before we danced or chanted was “don’t care about what other people think of you” She couldn’t stress this enough. Throughout middle school she taught me not care what other people think.  She showed me a door into my life. I was no longer trying to be like Kiana. Not only did I find myself but also I became a better person. I learned to see the perspective of different people. This trait allowed me to find the positive from every situation, especially my past.

           When you find yourself, you also find your passion. Mine was surfing. I didn’t need people’s attention and I didn’t care what people said about me. I did it purely out of love. I woke up at 6 every morning just to surf. When you’re alone in the water, you start to notice more than just the waves. You start to observe everything from the tides to what lies underneath yourself. This trait carried on to my daily routine. I noticed a lot of little things about people, the negative and positive. I could tell when someone’s being serious or if I’m taking a joke to far. I taught myself about limits. When I should say something or if I should keep my mouth shut.

            High school was when I finally got the attention I always wanted. But by then, I didn’t want it. I was accompanied by loneliness for to long. That feeling of being independent sunk in to my skin and I didn’t know how to handle the attention. I was used to doing everything by myself. But when the new traits kicked in, I realized that all I needed to be was humble and take the help if I needed it.

            All these different periods in my life showed me that there is always something good in a depressing situation. The way you find it is completely how you handle it. You could cry and ask why or you can search for the good and just be ok with what has happen. I was able to learn to balance to good and the bad, Now that I’ve learned to do this, life is easier and I couldn’t be happier.

Coming of Age Draft

           I usually get the question “Kainoa, how are you so happy?” I could never really answer that question because the story was too long to tell. But as a child I always looked up to my older sister, Kiana. Kiana was always the person that stood out. Everything she did in life, she had everyone’s attention. I used her as role model because I wanted the same attention. But being the person I am, I was usually pushed off to the side. I was the person that everyone criticized and forgot about. I mentally felt alone.

            I was felt like this my entire life but I never told anyone. I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me. I questioned myself  “What am I doing wrong?” “Why can’t people treat me like her?” These questions were never answered until the day I stopped caring. When I entered the 7^th grade, I met a woman who changed my life. Throughout middle school she taught me not care what other people think.  She showed me a door into my life. I was no longer trying to be like Kiana. Not only did I find myself but also I became a better person. I learned to see the perspective of different people. This trait allowed me to find the positive from every situation, especially my past.

           When you find yourself, you also find your passion. Mine was surfing. I didn’t need people’s attention and I didn’t care what people said about me. I did it purely out of love. I woke up at 6 every morning just to surf. When you’re alone in the water, you start to notice more than just the waves. You start to observe everything from the tides to what lies underneath yourself. This trait carried on to my daily routine. I noticed a lot of little things about people, the negative and positive.

            High school was when I finally got the attention I always wanted. But by then, I didn’t want it. I was accompanied by loneliness for to long. That feeling of being independent sunk in to my skin and I didn’t know how to handle the attention. Everyone tried to help me but I didn’t want the help. I was used to doing everything by myself. But when the new traits kicked in, I realized that all I need to be was humble and take to the help if I needed it.

            All these different periods in my life showed me that there is always something good in a depressing situation. The way you find it is completely how you handle it. You could cry and ask why or you can search for the good and just be ok with what has happen. Now that I’ve learned to do this, life is easier and I couldn’t be more happier.

http://kainoamattos.wix.com/lifesabeach

Of Mice and Men Photoshop

1st draft

I am Indiana Jones
Brave and adventures
I fear no obstacle
Nor person
But i am not invincible
I am destroyed easily
By the game of love
I am weak
I'm Indiana Jones
I'm afraid of snakes
But fear no women
Call me a ladies man

Final

Education is the key component for a child’s future.  Educating students of Hawaii, about the land and the culture is very important. With knowledge of the land you can more importance of where you live and the land you step on.  Learning about the culture can give you an idea of how you came to be and how the things around you got there. But if we fail to teach, Hawaii won’t be the same.  Miles of forest could turn into houses, sacred lands would turn into homes for hotels, and endangered species will become extant. Hawaii would become over crowded and that will slowly destroy the land. But luckily, schools are teaching students about the Hawaiian culture and how we can preserve the land. But soon all of that could change.

Students during this generation are faced with the reality of what’s right and what’s wrong. As the fight for Hawaiian land becomes more intense, education is put at the mercy of a single signature. Hawaiian Charter Schools is the education that is being endangered of being getting shut down. Hawaiian Charter School’s, are Hawaiian based schools that go really into depth of what really happened in the years of our ancestors. These schools are what keeping the Hawaiian culture alive by teaching the next generation, thousands and thousands of years of sacred dances and chants. With different laws being passed and taxes being raised, it becomes harder to keep these schools alive.

Hawaiian Charter Schools were created for children that look forward to learn about the Hawaiian Culture. Students learn everyday subjects with the Hawaiian Culture incorporated with it. With this value, students can combine everyday situations with what they’ve learned in school. This provides more critical thinking students, which can help with solving problems in a more fair and safe way. Hawaiian Charter Schools also practice Hawaiian traditions like sailing, hula, and chanting. This helps students become more disciplined and respectful of there surroundings. With every word and every step, there is a meaning behind it. Allowing students to be more knowledgeable about there surroundings.

Simple words like “Pono” and “Laulima” go very far in the Hawaiian Culture. Pono means righteousness and laulima means many hands. The definition doesn’t sound like much but when you go more deep into finding a meaning for the words, you discover more then what you are looking for. When you live with a pono attitude, you start to change the attitude of the people that you encounter. When these people start to live the life of being pono then more and more people become pono as well. Its amazing how simple words can make such a huge impact on peoples lives.

            Overall, it’s important to know where you come from and to keep that culture alive by practicing it and passing it on to the next generation. For example, Hawaiian’s today grow loi kalo (taro patch), learn to navigate by using the stars, and simple things like dancing hula or chanting. If people didn’t practice then we would be clueless about how to survive without the use of technology.