Here’s an essay in honour of St. Patrick’s Day
http://tinyurl.com/yaes57z
The essay explores two topics:
(1) King Kauikeaouli Kamehameha III chose St. Patrick’s Day for his “official” birthday, much as modern monarchs declare an official birthdate for national celebrations even though it is not their true date of birth. Details are provided about Kauikeaouli and the fact that nobody knew his actual birthdate.
(2) Kelly Slater and Greg Long, surfers from Florida and California, are Caucasians who won Hawaii’s most prestigious surfing competition, the Eddie Aikau, on the most recent two occasions when it was held, 2002 and 2009. The competition is held rarely, only when waves are at least 30 feet high at Waimea Bay. An article in “Irish America Magazine” published March 13, 2010 celebrates Irishmen who are leaders in the modern revival of surfing. But a resolution which passed the State of Hawaii House of Representatives last week, on the same day it was introduced and without testimony or hearings, singles out “Polynesian tribal surfers” as a class to be honored, while excluding all others who lack a drop of Hawaiian native blood. Sure and begorrah, the Irish lads deserve a mention; or else the leprechauns will take away the pot of gold at the end of all those Hawaiian rainbows.