I am a Fourth Generation; The Forgotten Generation
This is the first poem I’ve written in eight years. During Spring break of 2015, I attended P.I.L.O.T (Pacific Islander Leaders of Tomorrow.) My cohorts were showing waves of spoken word from different Pacific Islanders to the class: Jamaica Osorio, Terisa Siagatonu and Kathy Jetnil-Kijner. I felt inspired. I watched as my friend Ashlyn cleared her tears after watching Ms. Siagatonu’s poetry piece, “Education is Like Healing the Wounded.” Ashlyn spoke with soft aggressiveness and said, “An educated Hawaiian is a dangerous Hawaiian.” Gladly, she helped me toward the end of my poem as I was experiencing writers block, so I could present it to P.I.L.O.T talk. Finally, it was that time where Aunty Nani called my name. I scanned the room to see my fellow classmates and cohorts, all so young with bright minds, and all came from different back grounds and experiences. It was an honor to stand in front of them knowing they will go far in life. The world has yet to see what they can really do.
I am a Fourth Generation
I am a fourth generation
of Pacific Islanders who were once spiritual beings
living peacefully among the Taotaomonas
I am a fourth generation
of Pacific Islanders who were once brave warriors
willing to sacrifice their lives to protect their land
and their people
I am a fourth generation
a missing puzzle piece tossed around by bureaucracies
with their theories of social construction
misplacing my identity into categories where I do not fit
based on the color of my skin, I’m drowning
in a sea of blood from my ancestry
I asked my family, “why didn’t you teach me?”
they could never give me a straight answer
but now I know
I am a fourth generation
a survival mechanism used for my family to excepted by society
a broken society…
I stand here before you, and I want to tell you
this ends now
So here’s my advice from me to you
Know your roots
Teach you children, and your children’s children
Teach them the true meaning or song and dance
Teach them the true meaning of tatau
Teach them the true meaning of Aloha, Talofa, Hafa Adai and Bula
Let the generations sore like the I’wa bird
Go far in life but never forget the village that raised you
and never forget
“An Educated Pacific Islander is a Dangerous Pacific Islander”
We are the ocean
We are a nation
We are Pacific Islander Leaders of Tomorrow
From Tonga Victoria
P.I.L.O.T Alum [Cohort 2]
Pacific Islander Leader of Tomorrow | Summer 2015
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
Los Angeles, California
from a young journalist 