Geopathology on May Day: Expressions of Culture on Hawai'i's Elementary School Stages

In Hawai'i's elementary schools, May Day programs feature children adorned with flower leis, singing and dancing hula about Hawaiian culture and performing traditions from major ethnic groups who settled the islands. Using the lens of geopathology, this research questions how various group...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Equity & excellence in education 2013-04, Vol.46 (2), p.169-183
Main Author: Steele, Jamie Simpson
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acculturation
Assimilation
Attitude Measures
Cultural Awareness
Cultural Maintenance
Cultural Pluralism
Elementary School Students
Elementary Schools
Ethnic Groups
Ethnography
Hawaii
Hawaiians
Holidays
Indigenous Knowledge
Indigenous Populations
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Perceptions
Tourism
Traditions
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Summary:In Hawai'i's elementary schools, May Day programs feature children adorned with flower leis, singing and dancing hula about Hawaiian culture and performing traditions from major ethnic groups who settled the islands. Using the lens of geopathology, this research questions how various groups of residents long for belonging and struggle for emplacement through performances of culture on May Day. Following an ethnographic tradition, a collaborative research team attended May Day programs at elementary schools and interviewed a range of students, elders, teachers, administrators, parents, May Day coordinators, and arts specialists. The researchers processed themes in personal terms using auto-ethnographic reflections and original performances to bring multiple perspectives into dialogue. This critical discussion reveals four perceptions of May Day expressed by the study's participants: (a) American assimilation, (b) visitor attraction, (c) multicultural recognition, and (d) Hawaiian preservation.
ISSN:1066-5684
1547-3457
DOI:10.1080/10665684.2013.779163