A VISUAL STORY TELLING PROJECT BY MARIANA MONASI FROM PACHAMAMA CREATIVE CELEBRATING MOTHERHOOD IN ALL ITS FORMS. A PROJECT OF THE HAWAIʻI LGBT LEGACY FOUNDATION, PRESENTED BY CENTRAL PACIFIC BANK.
“As a makua, as a parent, it really is amazing,” says Leinaʻala Fele Mahi. “when you look at A child…theyʻre so young and small, and you have all these hopes and dreams. But at the same time, youʻre like, dude, I donʻt want to burden you with all of that, because thatʻs a lot to carry…” — Leinaʻala
Leinaʻala Fele Mahi was born in Hawaʻi and, after graduating in Hawaiian Studies at UH Mānoa, moved to the Bay Area of California where she lived for several years before coming back home. Her son Kauwila Mahi is a rapper, artist, activist and archivist. Kauwila identifies as straight and remembers his first suspension from middle school was because of fighting a homophobic classmate. They joined Mariana at Ka Papa Loʻi Kānewai, a piko for Hawaiian Knowledge, to talk story about parenting, ʻohana, and how love can ease the pain of the people in our life.
“If [someone] really has to feel that pain, because thatʻs their journey, than I want them to be in a safe space where they can do it, but also make it through.” — Leinaʻala
“My dadʻs partner, when he was a police officer, he was haole and he was gay. He would get beat up by other officers. Nobody else wanted to be his partner, but my dad was like, ʻIʻll be your partner.ʻ Leinaʻala
“The Bay is progressive, but not everyone. My first suspension was from a fight. Somebody was like ʻyouʻre such a fagʻ and was like, ʻWhat is your problem? Why would you even think that thatʻs OK to say?ʻ” –Kauwila
“When youʻre younger…people come in and out of your life. Feel it! Just feel it cuz thatʻs the natural thing. You just donʻt know how much you have to offer to people yet. So youʻve got to kind of love yourself. And thatʻs everyoneʻs journey, right?, to learn to love themselves.” — Leinaʻala