Articulated Whales By Ray Losey

Importance of Community

Over the Sticker Bush Fence is a book about homeless and runaway youth. It discusses the difficulties that arise due to childhood neglect and abuse. During the past three years I interviewed many people who were motivated to work with this population because of experiences they had in their own childhood. I introduce you to Kanoe Egleston, a woman employed by Native American Youth and Family Services (NAYA} who learned to value the importance of community. Following is an excerpt from my soon to be published book.

“Born on the outskirts of Oahu, Hawaii, Kanoe grew up surrounded by the love and attention that all children deserve. “My father was employed by the Bishop Estate, a non-profit land trust donated by Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha the great, who united the Hawaiian Islands during the 18th century. Mom worked her way up as a customer service representative at the local telephone company,” Kanoe mused. “Dad enjoyed his job with a culturally responsible agency for it gave him an opportunity to bring his values into their service delivery system.”

His ethical attitude played an important role in developing the young woman who sat across from me in NAYA’s offices. Dark hair and flashing brown eyes sparkled when discussing the work she was doing. She leaned forward as she spoke, peering directly at me to capture my complete attention. The island Kanoe grew up on was replete with relatives who entertained and shared their heritage with the youngsters born into their extended family. Her multiracial background—she says she is part Scottish, Puerto Rican, Chinese, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Hawaiian—helped her grasp the nuances of being a member of a population that deviated from the majority.

“My grandmother taught me a lot,” Kanoe said. “Grandma met her husband during the second world war when he was stationed in Japan. They married and had two children who they brought to the island to raise. At the time Pearl Harbor was still on the minds of most people ‘ya know, and a Japanese wife was not welcome. Grandma Americanized her name, stopped speaking her native language and buried her background. As a result, her children grew up ignorant of part of their heritage.

It wasn’t until we grandchildren came along that she decided we were missing a great deal by not knowing where we came from. Grandma set her mind to teaching us to speak Japanese, learn some of the traditions and do crafts such as flower arranging. In college, I continued to study Japanese.”

At the age of eighteen Kanoe decided to expand her horizons by attending college in the States. “Leaving home and going to the mainland was traumatic. Until that time I lived a pretty charmed life attending private Montessori and Waldorf schools. Mornings were filled with academic subjects and afternoons were for the arts, music, and crafts. There were no grades but the staff gave total attention to developing each child’s strengths. There were only 17 kids in my graduating class.”

Kanoe mentioned with nostalgia, “It wasn’t until I went to the University of Oregon that I realized how different my upbringing was. My Hawaiian skin was darker than that of most students and it isolated me. Even the way I spoke English was different. Common words I used in conversation were not understood by my classmates and vice versa. If it wasn’t for the university’s peer mentorship and diversity program I don’t think I would have lasted.”

“What made you decide to work with disadvantaged youth?” I asked wondering how anyone with such lovely bronzed skin would have difficulty being accepted. She looked every bit like a poster beauty welcoming visitors to the island with a hula.
“Being thrust as I had been, into a racial and cultural divide, made me interested in working with homeless teens. I decided to get my undergraduate degree in psychology and sociology. Part of the program included working with disadvantaged youth. It made me realize what happens when children do not grow up in a loving circle. I realized that my community was how I stayed alive and had hope. These kids felt hopeless. ”

Kanoe’s story reinforces the importance family and friends play in molding a young person’s life. In community, a child learns to trust others, develops socialization skills, and imbibes and ethical consciousness. Those bereft of a caring community may feel an emptiness and longing that leads them to join a gang for support. Others escape to the streets where they there is a transient community of youth to call “friends.” It is a mistake to think that these adolescents don’t have values, for they do and quickly adapt to a complex system of street rules. Extremely loyal to their new companions, many will even go to jail rather than “rat” or leave them stranded. Though street values may appear to be directed against the broader society, they are a strong base for change. Mores that include sharing, loyalty, and a willingness to give emotional and physical support are building blocks needed to create a just society.