Ova Da Rainbow: HAWAII'S STORY (3)

The Definition Of Paradise

A/N: I am really so grateful to the folks who made this passion project possible. You really don't know how much this means to me. Aloha, and mahalo for following me on this journey! Love you all so so so much! <3/p

The 1960's. A decade of change across the nation, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary Americans gave new life to the nation's democratic ideals. It was also a decade of change for Hawaii, America's Paradise Islands.

That was something that became really apparent. Bygone were the days that the only use Hawaii was to Uncle Sam was strategy. Now, thousands flocked to her white sandy beaches in order to get a taste of paradise unlike any other.

Thousands came and thousands saw Hawaii's outer surface, the glistening waters and swaying palm trees made you want to stay forever.

It was different for the people who grew up there.

In schools, all history in Hawaii before Pearl Harbor was skimmed over and barely spoken about. Instead, students learned of the revolutionary war, of the Civil war. Their geography, which was really not extensive enough, was confined to the 48 mainland states.

Hawaii was thoroughly Americanised to the point that few remembered that Hawaii was a kingdom. Even fewer knew the names of the kings and queens, and the overthrow. History books made it seem like Hawaii had spawned into existence right before Pearl Harbor.

Several newspapers described August 1959 as "the birth of the state of Hawaii". It was... quite odd to be a personification that was nearing a hundred and seventy years old, and to read that. Hawaii took newspaper clippings now and put them in scrapbooks. She figured it might be fun to document her run as a state.

But the 1960's was a good time too.

Considering some were high for most of it.

This year was going to be the first US election Hawaii was allowed to vote in. This was going to be history in the making. The first time Hawaii was allowed to share her voice in Congress.

This year was Nixon vs. Kennedy. Kennedy was 43 years old, which is very young compared to most presidents. I think the fact that our youngest president was 42 says something about our country. But I digress.

During Kennedy's campaign, he relied on using his youth and promised to bring about change for the nation. Hawaii personally supported Kennedy, which was vastly different then what Congress had predicted. Kennedy was the democrat's candidate.

But that wasn't for a few months. Right now, it was still a lazy afternoon in 1960, and things were so bright and wonderful. It was... oddly uneventful.

Hawaii sat, lazily tapping her fingers on the window, seemingly ignoring the whole conversation going on right next to her. In reality, she was still listening, but decided to opt out of talking completely, mostly because they all had known each other since grade school.

Alab Acosta, a Filipino boy with dark brown eyes and even darker hair, was next to her on one side, and Melody Barnett on the other. The other side of the table were the sisters, Esmeralda and Joyce Alves, and Raymond Takao, whose mind seemed to be elsewhere at the moment.

Hawaii was the newest member of this little group, since Esme, Joyce and Alab met her at the crack seed store one time when they were getting li hing mui for snacks. She had been alone in her own thoughts, when she bumped into Alab and dropped a whole lot of crackseed on the ground.

After paying for the wasted product, the three decided she looked lonely. She wasn't, but they invited her to a local Mom-and-Pop Restaurant that Esme and Joyce's family ran, and it was already getting into the later hours of the day, so...