About Jan Wizinowich
I flew into Hawaii on a storm in January of 1980. I was terrified as the plane circled the island, dipping precariously. It was the last flight to land that day and when we descended the stairs to the runway in Honolulu, we were practically picked up and blown into the terminal. The bus ride to Kaʽaʽawa in the dark of night took 4 hours and was a series of near misses as trees and branches flew by the windows and passengers familiar with the ‘āina gasped. But when I woke up the next day, it was to a great big E Komo Mai. The sun was out and within hours the debris of the night before was cleared away. I felt the heart of the ‘āina open up and swallow me whole. During those first years I lived on the North Shore, grew food, fell in love with Polynesian culture, discovered Montessori education, taught on Hawaiʽi Island, sailed to Samoa, finished my degree in English at Chaminade and returned to Hawaiʽi Island. I married and endured five and a half years in Tuscon, Arizona while my husband worked on his PhD in optical sciences and I worked on a PhD in Language, Reading and Culture. But like a mermaid out of the ocean, my heart and soul suffered until I could once more return to my true home.
While at school, I came to realize the importance of stories in learning: Stories that we read and reflect on, stories that we tell or write ourselves and stories that others tell us about ourselves. It is a special metaphorical way to understand our world and ourselves in relation to that world. When I returned and eventually resumed studying Hawaiian culture and language, I eventually came to realize that the academic philosophy I had immersed myself in, is in alignment with how ideas and knowledge are constructed within the Hawaiian culture. I had come full circle. The seed for Big Island Talk Story was planted with Aloha `Āina in mind ---for the island and the people who have made Hawai`i Island one big wahi pana. For those of us who didn’t have the privilege of growing up here, the Island can be a life changing experience, one is open to the wisdom that surrounds us. The wisdom of the `āina, the kai and the people who came before, whose stories are to be cherished. Here you will find an ever-growing treasure of stories that tell of Hawai`i Island, especially Kohala and Hāmākua. An ecosystem of connections that form a nurturing web of knowledge and kindness. Please dive into your island’s stories and contact Big Island Talk Story if you would like to contribute your story to the web. Aloha nō, Nāhulu Jan September, 2023 |
Writing Services Available
Jan provides professional writing services including research, oral histories and editing. She'd be happy to discuss your project! Jan Wizinowich P.O. Box 7079 Kamuela, HI 96743 808-990-9033 [email protected] janwiz.com 
|
Big Island Talk Story by Jan Wizinowich
