I’m 50% Asian, mixed with a bunch of other local ethnicities. My siblings and I refer to ourselves as the Heinz 57 bunch.
Anyway, my Pake side of the family is super big. My mother’s family consisted of 12 siblings, so you know where I’m coming from. We never held reunions until one of my uncles on my mother’s side passed away.
It then became apparent to her siblings that life was too short and that they should see one another more often instead of in the funeral parlor. So, the big reunions began.
I remember at our second big Chang Ohana reunion, which took place at Kukui Plaza, seeing all of my aunts, uncles and assorted Asian cousins. I believe I was one of the first cousin of the 3rd generation of Changs to marry a “Haole boy”.
To intensify things, I happen to hook up with one that is over 6 feet, has blonde hair and blue eyes. Everything that smacked the term haole, fit my hubby.
So I show up with my husband and little hapa daughter, when one of my Pake cousin’s husband, approaches my husband to ask him if he’s at the right party.
I introduced myself as Aunty Mary’s daughter, and also introduced my husband to him. It was a Kodak moment. We pretty near peed our pants laughing about the incident.
Of course, my mom had to be in on the fun too. My husband still gets the “Who You?” stares at the reunions, but the ohana has come to accept other numerous “Haole boys” since.
Clabear
