Virginia Simmons
Marcus and Malcolm Nichols
My family has a long history in the Wahiawa community. Me, my mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all raised in Wahiawa. I wanted to do this project to be able to help preserve our Wahiawa roots and learn more about what Wahiawa was like when my grandmother was growing up. She is usually a very quiet person but opened up when I asked about her memories of this area. I love that Wahiawa seems like everyone is a part of one big family even though it has grown and changed over the years. | Marcus Nichols Age 13 Wahiawa Middle School Photographer: Lisa Uesugi |
I have been studying hula for four years with Kumu Hula Sonny Ching and Kumu Hula Lōpaka Igarta-De-Vera of Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu’uanahulu. This is my life outside of school. One day I hope to attend the University of Hawaii at Hilo or Manoa and major in Hawaiian Studies, become a kumu hula and open up a Wahiawa-based halau. I also enjoy playing volleyball for the Wahiawa Middle School Lancers. |
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I have lived in Wahiawa all my life and wanted to do this project to learn more about my community. I think it’s important for people to know about Wahiawa and what it was like back then and how it’s very different now. I love that in Wahiawa, everyone basically knows everyone. I hope that Wahiawa stays culturally diverse and that new development doesn’t ruin our beautiful scenery, like the botanical gardens and our view of the Waianae Mountains. | Malcolm Nichols Age 12 Wahiawa Middle School Photographer: Lisa Uesugi |
I like to play football, basketball and basically any sport. I hope to be a professional football or basketball player when I grow up. In the future, I would want Wahiawa to get a movie theater again like I heard my grandma tell me about. I’m not sure if I’ll stay in Wahiawa when I grow up, but I know that Wahiawa will always be my home. |