Presented at various professional development workshops for public school teachers and administrators on Hawaii Island by Vidalino Raatior, Director of the Pacific Islander Student Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. For more information, visit: www.hilo.hawaii.edu/pisc and www.pacificstudents.org

1. Supporting a Culture of Understanding for
Micronesians Students

2. ALII!
ALOHA
Republic of Palau (Palauans)
OLOMWAAY!
Carolinians (Saipanese)
HAFA ADAI!
Guam (Chamorros / Guamanians)
IAKWE!
Marshall Islands (Marshallese)
KASELEHLIE!
Pohnpei, FSM (Pohnpeians)
MAURI!
Kiribati (Gilbertese)
MOGETHIN!
Yap, FSM (Yapese)
PAING KOM!
Kosrae, FSM (Kosraeans)
RAN ANNIM!
Chuuk, FSM (Chuukese)
WENIMOMOTO!
Outer Islands (Chuuk / Yap)
Pacific Islander Student Center at UH Hilo: www.hilo.hawaii.edu/pisc | Pacific Students: www.pacificstudents.org

3. Agenda
Tirow
o Introductions
o Framing our Discussion
o Micronesians? Who, What, Why?
o Challenges & Tips
o Lessons from Hawaii
o Discussion
*Disclaimer: experiential, very little research data on
Pacific Islanders in Hawaii.

4. Introduction
Vidalino Staley Raatior
o Chuukese
o Product of public education
o BA (Univ. Guam), MA (Univ. San
Francisco), EdD (UH Manoa, July
2017)
o Educator, Consultant
o Director, Pacific Islander Student
Center

5. Introduction
About the Pacific
Islander Student Center
o funded by AANAPISI grant
o Mission: Facilitate the success of Pacific
Islander students in higher education
o 200 + students (Fall 2014)
o Student development services
o Research
o Phone: 808-932-7718
o Website: www.hilo.hawaii.edu/pisc

6. Our Students
Pacific Islander Students at UH Hilo (Fall, 2014)
FSM, 76
Kiribati, 1
Marshall Islands, 31
Unknow
n, 1
Palau, 18
Samoa, 87
Papua New Guinea, 2
Solomon, 1
Tonga, 4
Vanuatu, 1

7. Framing Our Discussion
What often brings me to schools…
1) Lots of Micronesians in Hawaii! WHY?
2) I don’t speak Micronesian! TRANSLATE?
3) Micronesian students are not getting along
with the local students! HELP!

8. Framing Our Discussion
My Assumptions for Today…
1) Lots of “Micronesians” in Hawaii!
WHO? WHAT? WHY? WHEN?
2) Teachers care about helping all students
succeed! HOW?

9. Micronesians?
What is a Micronesian anyway?

10. Micronesians?
Why are we called Micronesians?

11. Micronesians?
What do we call ourselves?
o Chamorros/ Carolinians
o Marshallese
o Fed. States of Micronesia
o Chuukese
o Kosraeans
o Pohnpeians
o Yapese
o Palauans
o Nauruans
o Kiribati

12. Micronesians?
Who are we in world history?
Sovereign
Colonized $elf-govern
Navigators
roamed free
US money & border
for our land &
ocean
Poor savages need
to be civilized.

13. Micronesians?
Labeling goes way back
o “Discovered” (Portugese – 1525
o “Claimed” (Spain – 1528)
o “Traded” (Germany – 1869)
o “Occupied” (Japan – 1914)
o “Administered” (USA -1944 )
o 1946 – 1958 – 67 nuclear tests in Marshall
Islands (equivalent to 7,000 Hiroshima
bombs)*
o “Self-government” (1978)
*Source: Nuclear Claims Tribunal

14. Micronesians?
Why are we in the US?
o 1986 – 3 Compact of Free Association
(COFA) Treaties - RMI, FSM, ROP
o Today, 15,000 + COFA in Hawaii
o Open migration provision
o American Dream
o Health issues re. Atomic Bomb Testing
(Bikini / Eniweitok)
o Unlimited Opportunities / Security
o Escape global warming (rising tides)
o Employment, Education, Healthcare

15. Reframing Our Story
How are we infusing our lesson
plans to honor the COMMON
struggles, history, art, leadership
style, and values of the
indigenous people of the Pacific?

16. Being Micronesian
Enables or Disables?
Are Micronesian languages, cultures, identities
celebrated in your classroom, on campus?

17. Being Micronesian
Enables or Disables?
What is Micronesiability?

18. Micronesiability
Enables or Disables?
o Label “Micronesian”
already isolates our kids
o English language already
disables their learning
(word gap)
o Expectations are changing
& clashing (home vs school)

19. Micronesiability
Enables or Disables?
How are you helping students manage
changing expectations, adjusting to
cultural realities?

20. Lessons & Opportunities
Changing Expectations
o Silence vs Speaking Up
o Elders vs Youth
o Success vs Contribution
o Cultural pride vs Assimilation
o Community vs Individual
o Clan vs Nuclear Family
o Visitor vs Local

21. Lessons & Opportunities
Intentionality
o What’s your personal biases for / against
Micronesians?
o How are you showing hospitality to Micronesian
students who are already feeling isolated?
o Are you being intentional in providing assignments to
break Micronesian stereotypes?
o How is the school creating deliberate student
interactions to enable collaborations?

22. Lessons & Opportunities
Discrimination & Isolation
o Overt negative interactions
o Negative stories about
Micronesians
o Micronesians are not one people
o Feelings of isolations (language)
o “Lessons from Hawaii” (Kathy
Jetnil-Kijiner, spoken words)

23. Lessons from Hawaii
As you listen, note the following:
o What moves / disturbs you about Kathy’s lessons?
o What lesson(s) do you agree or disagree with?
o What lesson(s) would you add from Kealakehe?
o Any other questions or comments?

24. Lessons from Hawaii
Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner Marshallese slam poet
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sbtpazYra0

25. Discussion
Lessons from Kealakehe?
o What moves / disturbs you about Kathy’s lessons?
o What lesson(s) do you agree or disagree with?
o What lessons would you add to Kathy’s?
o Any other questions or comments?

26. SULANG!
MAHALO
Republic of Palau (Palauans)
OLOMWAAY!
Saipan (Carolinians)
SI YU’OS MA’ASE
Guam (Chamorros / Guamanians)
KOMOL!
Marshall Islands (Marshallese)
KALAHNGAN!
Pohnpei, FSM (Pohnpeians)
KAMMAGAR!
Yap, FSM (Yapese)
KULO!
Kosrae, FSM (Kosraeans)
KINISOU!
Chuuk, FSM
(Chuukese)
SA HACHIGCHIG!
Outer Islands (Ulithi /Yap)
KORABA!
Kiribati (Gilbertese)
Pacific Islander Student Center at UH Hilo: www.hilo.hawaii.edu/pisc | Pacific Students: www.pacificstudents.org

27. Need more?
Contact Us
o PHONE: (808) 932 - 7718
o EMAIL: raatior@hawaii.edu
o WEBSITE: www.hilo.hawaii.edu/pisc
o BLOG: www.pacificstudents.org