Waiakea High needs a Micronesian club
A common issue that I have been noticing lately is the lack of the Micronesian pride in my community. And by my community, I mean Waiakea High School.
Every once in a while, I hear other students talking about the loud Micronesian kids that hang by the office after school. Usually, it would make me a bit happy that we are getting some recognition, but it finally hit me that they are just known as that.
A personal example of this would be something as simple as a flag. I am from the Marshall Islands, and I wore a jacket to the school which had the flag of the Marshall Islands on it. The only people I got compliments from were other Micronesians.
And if not them, it would be a student asking what flag, and when I tell them what it is, they either say it sounds made up or just had no general knowledge of it.
It makes me disappointed that there are people out there who have no knowledge of Micronesians, especially at a place where I spend most of my day.
Hilo High has a greater number of Micronesians attending, especially Marshallese students, who have made their marks there. For example, they have established their own corner at the school.
As a Marshallese, I feel that it is my job to have more Micronesians stand out at Waiakea High School as much as they stand out at Hilo High. Not just for the recognition, but to establish that we are “there.”
And to do that, I want to start a club just like the other cultural clubs at my school, Waiakea High.
Desiree Samiia Bantol
Hilo
‘Jerk’ with a large dog at Longs Drug
I was standing in the pharmacy line at Long’s Drugs in Pahoa shortly after 5 p.m. (on March 28).
There’s a lady in front of me, and next thing we know, there’s a large dog running around the area. I’m allergic to dogs, and told the guy, as did the lady in front of me.
The jerk continued to allow the dog to run around.
What the heck is wrong with people today? Why are folks so selfish that they only think of themselves? This guy didn’t give a damn that we were suffering, both getting severely congested.
Leave your pets at home or in your vehicle. That’s what decent human beings do.
Jennifer Tanner
Pahoa
Making shaka state gesture a bad idea
Making the “shaka” — sign language for smoking pipe and a hand signal used by pot smokers — the official state gesture is ill-advised.
Eliot Greenleaf
Hilo