"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." (Judy Garland)
Hello, my lovely friends!
This month is just all about me when it comes to my culture and heritage. Last week we talked about my Mexican side, but I probably could do another one maybe next week about some more things. However this week we’re in Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and my Polynesian side fall into this. So, here we go…
1. This is my dad’s side of the family. His dad was born in the Philippines, bit sure what island though. When he was a young man in his twenties he came over to the United States to find a better life for himself. He came with one of his brothers and he moved to California. There was a big Pacific Island community in Denver and that’s why he moved here.
2. My first name is in honor of him, his name was Paul. My middle name is Rachel and that is named after my mom’s dad and his name was Raymond.
3. Growing up the hula is a big part of the family. My dad’s sister, Nancy danced the hula and passed that down to her daughter. She now teaches hula dancing and all my female cousins and their daughters do hula. I did the dancing as a kid, but never continued on with it.
4. My grandpa played many instruments and wanted his children to learn to play any instrument. When I was in grade school we could sign up for band in 5th grade. I decided to play the violin and the school would give us one to learn on for the year. When my grandpa found out I was playing the violin he gave me one of his. I still have that violin from him.
5. Whenever anyone in the family has a big celebration (wedding, shower, birthdays etc) we will have a luau with all the bells and whistles. Yes, it does involve a pig and other Polynesian foods. Our entertainment does have the hula dancers, both male and female.
6. There are many different languages that Polynesians speak, Tahitian, Tagalog, Samoan, Tongan, Māori and Hawaiian.. Our family sticks to the Tagalog and Hawaiian languages. I only know very little, but would love to learn more. The Tahitian language is spoken by mostly French Polynesians and that’s where my grandpa came from.
Thank you so much for stopping by.
I wish you a good morning, afternoon or evening wherever you are.
Until next time… Adios!
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