Carol Silva
Portland, OR
My step-grandma danced, taught, and had her own hula group who performed during the week on Oahu. Once when she and my grandpa were visiting us on the Mainland, my grandpa suggested that when I got older I could come to Hawaii and dance in the show. This was unlikely to ever happen, but nice of him to say. My step-grandma shook her head and said, “She looks too haole.” Very true, but it hurt to hear her say that I was not welcome. Later on my cousins danced in that group. They were also haps haole, but did not look it. Now when I see photos of me and my cousins I think, “Looks too haole.”
