View Point
Friday, August 27, 1999
TWO recent articles in the Star-Bulletin have focused on the cancellation of a supposed luau at Dartmouth College. We, as kanaka 'oiwa (native Hawaiian) alumni from this institution, want to clarify a number of half-truths that have been reported regarding this controversy. Dartmouth ‘luau’
insulted HawaiiansOur response deserves space because an 'oiwa student has unjustly suffered an undue amount of criticism from the Dartmouth community, reporters, people across the nation and, even worse, Hawaii residents.
Aaron 'Aina Akamu has been so badgered, in fact, that he has decided to take a leave of absence from Dartmouth for an entire academic year.
The most distorted "fact" was that a "planned Hawaiian luau" at the college was canceled (Associated Press story, Star-Bulletin, Aug. 23). In reality, there was never a "planned Hawaiian luau" -- at least not in the sense that any of us know of it.
Quite simply, it was a fraternity/sorority party. There was never any intent of having food, entertainment or other activities of cultural significance. (By the way, Hokupa'a -- the Hawaii club at Dartmouth -- does sponsor such an event every May, and it features these essential aspects of a luau.)
The concern over this planned "luau party" was born of a desire to clarify the distinction between an authentic luau and the alcohol-laden beach bash that was planned.
Your Aug. 24 front-page article made an attempt to clarify this point. Yet your headline, "Isle student at Dartmouth stirs up a sticky fuss over 'Hawaiian luau,'" still perpetuated the basic misperception.
Furthermore, third-year student Akamu was not the single voice of opposition, nor the cause of this entire furor.
In reality, Omar Rasid -- president of a Latino fraternity on campus -- as well as his membership also voiced their dissent through an e-mail message directed only to a few fraternity and sorority house presidents and deans (not the entire campus, as was stated in the Star-Bulletin).
THE event was then called off by the party's organizers, Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity and Delta Delta Delta sorority. The next morning, Akamu met with representatives of these groups to draft an apology to the Dartmouth community.
This should have been the end of it. But then the campus newspaper, The Dartmouth, and an unaffiliated, right-wing paper called The Dartmouth Review got hold of the story.
From there, AP found out and enlarged it into a non-issue of immense national proportions.
To explain his stance, Akamu wrote a lengthy piece for the campus newspaper in which he focused on the theme of "how to create an environment on campus that fosters thinking and rethinking your actions, thoughts and intentions, and their results."
However, due to omissions in coverage and quotes being taken out of context, Akamu became the focus of personal attacks from other students, alumni and unaffiliated individuals.
These diatribes against him often revealed an underlying prejudice toward minorities and misperceptions of Hawaiian culture in particular. He was threatened, belittled and mocked via e-mail, editorials and personal attacks from people who weren't even aware of all the facts.
We want to commend Aaron for standing up for what he believes is pono, and for not buckling under the pressure thrust upon him.
This is not the first time that such an event has occurred. We have all endured similar struggles while students at Dartmouth, and understand full well the extent of ignorance toward and stereotyping of native Hawaiian culture, people and society by those who live on the continental U.S.
In the isolation of Hanover, N.H., and without strong support networks, it is sometimes difficult for kanaka 'oiwa to establish a voice in the wilderness. We pledge our full support to Aaron.