Don't insult my family name!

Janice Worth was a New Yorker, used to White American culture until she married a Hawaiian. She moved to Hawaii and embraced a new culture such that is has become her own. She may not be Hawaiian, but she has adopted Hawaiian culture and all that it represents, including her husband's family name, Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele (35 characters, in case you are wondering).

Janice may now be a widow, but she stubbornly refuses to give up her Hawaiian family name. She said, "Over the last 22 years I have seen Hawaii being bulldozed and the culture of Hawaii being trampled upon and this policeman treated my name as if it is some mumbo jumbo." I don't blame her one bit for being so upset. Names represent individuals, families and a whole culture. You can't make fun of someone's name and expect to get away with it. Someone, somewhere is going to get insulted.

What is the problem? Her family name is too long to fit into her driver's license! Either a few letters at the end get left out, or as the policeman (mentioned above) suggested, revert to her maiden name. She was hurt, hurt enough to take her case to the local television station. That put pressure on the Hawaii Department of Transportation, who is now working hard to rectify the problem. How many other Hawaiians and Polynesians are similarly affected but have not spoken up?

I fully sympathise with Janice. A few years ago I was on a conference call with colleagues of different nationalities in different parts of the world, none of them Asian. They were talking about a mutual friend who had registered for a conference under her maiden name, which no one knew because she always used her married name. Since her full maiden name sounded more like an alliteration, everyone thought it was a big joke and carried on for several minutes laughing at her name. I tried very hard to get a word in to explain, but no one was listening. I was upset. It was not my name, but she was my fellow countryman. I felt trampled upon by all these non-Asians. They were making fun of Chinese culture! Of course I was adamant!

How protective are you of your culture and heritage? I can't say that I am, unless ... until you start trampling on it. I meet many people of different nationalities in my course of work. I do my best to ask questions and try to learn about their culture and language. I am very particular that the pronunciation must be correct, not skewed to my accent. I respect their culture and language. My new friend will appreciate that. I'm here to make friends for the long haul, not trample on them at the first meeting.

Whichever culture you come from, whatever language you speak, let's endeavour to cross our cultural barrier. Make new friends. Fill this world with love for one another!

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