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.
Through photography and talk story, maternal love is explored in its many amazing and diverse forms. Please return to this page every few days for additional portraits and stories, and visit our Instagram and Facebook channels.
Read Marianaʻs remarks about the project here, and send your comments to Info@HawaiiLGBTlegacy.com. Mahalo to everyone who participated in the Mākuahine project, and to the projectʻs presenting sponsor, Central Pacific Bank.
Evelyn Aloma Telles, Eileen Viela & Chardonnay Pao
“My main thing for all my kids is do whatever you want to do, as long as youʻre happy and as long as that person treats you right. I didnʻt want my kids to live in hiding, cuz thatʻs no way to live, or to be loved.” — Eileen
Toni & Morgen & Alice Johansen
“Psychologically, for me, there have been some issues, because biologically [Alice] is mine, because before I started all the hormone treatments we did a retrieval. [Yet] when we introduce ourselves as her mothers, Iʻm like, what does that make me? I didnʻt really have any model for motherhood; so I donʻt know what Iʻm doing differently. Iʻm just trying to be like my mom.” — Toni
“I think our relationship has actually gotten a lot better. We started talking a lot more.” — Toni
“I always tell people that itʻs like Toni broke a cage that I was in–that I had put myself in–with societal norms for husbands and wives, and what I had been modeled as a child. So when Toni came out, it kind of caused an identity crisis within me, in that I kind of had to figure who I was. ” — Morgen
Makiʻilei & Kalaʻe Ishihara & Malia Siangco
“Motherhood is support, caring and growing. We have the capacity to have mothers in many different forms. For us, growing up, we grew up with so many aunties. We actually lost a few of our mothers last year about the same time. They were two of the biggest and best examples of ʻmotherʻ. We have a great example to follow.” — Makiʻilei
Galinda Kay Goss & Hercules E. Goss-Kuehn
“Who am I? I use she/her/hers for pronounS. My fatherʻs side of the family is Choktaw Band of Mississippi, Irish, English and Scottish. On my motherʻs side, Spanish, Filipino and Chinese. Culturally I most identify with Filipino. Iʻm cis, straight, married; I have two children, Hercules is the youngest. Iʻm the only one who can call Hercules ʻHercʻ, no one else can.” — Galinda
Leinaʻala Fele Mahi & Kauwila Mahi
“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
Mariko & Amaya Jackson
“the thing that started me on the ʻshe/theyʻ just recently was at my gym…where things are always divided into men and women… and we were having an event…and suddenly there was just a lot of separation happening. when people look at me, they think ʻgirlʻ, [but] Iʻm not sucked into whatever that is.” — mariko
Tofaaga Levi Salatielu-Unutoa & Misimatoka Tuamasaga Unutoa
“I have a different perspective on how others see me, but the most that I love for anyone to consider me as, is mom. and i support all my children. Humanity in all its forms is beautiful.” — Tofaaga
Kumella Aiu & Kalikopuanoheaokalani Aiu
“Itʻs hard, and yet itʻs beautiful because I get to learn a new perspective, and Iʻm grateful to my kids for bringing me along in their perspective.” — Kumella
Haus of Benton
“weʻre just human beings expressing ourselves. i wish there was a better understanding, instead of snapping to a judgement. go to a drag club and see [the] performances, before you decide and demonize us.” — JERRICA