Shaka, and the world shakas with you
By Melissa
Like most people around the state yesterday, I was riveted to my TV at the crack of dawn to watch Barack Obama take oath of office as the 44th president of the United States. In fact, my cousin Celia Chu Lines was emailing my iPhone from her Blackberry in Singapore, as we both were able to watch it live and literally share the moment together.
(Thanks to advances in technology, this momentous event was enjoyed live around the world. Click here to see a video of the international viewing parties.)
Everything that had to be said about the event, has already been said, but there were two surprises for me yesterday. One was how I started crying as he was sworn in as president. I had once done a project on Harriet Tubman--a historic abolitionist and humanitarian--and it really hit me how far the country has come in providing equal opportunities for minorities. It's only been a few generations, but this symbol of change is so dramatic that people alive today seriously didn't think such a thing would happen in their lifetime. I cried for the slaves who had to risk their lives along the Underground Railroad just to get freedom. I cried for the civil rights activists, who just wanted everyone to have an equal shot at life in America. I cried for the families of the slain activists, who could witness the fruition of their dreams. And when you looked out at the faces in the inauguration crowd, you could see they were crying with the same tears.
But on a happier note, I was completely caught off guard when President Obama suddenly flashed a shaka during the parade!
The same international audience watching the festivities saw him shout out to his home town. With one quick gesture, Hawaii became a bigger part of the inaugural festivities, and expats around the world re-bonded with their Hawaii boy. Moreover, for at least the next eight years, people will (hopefully) be coming to Hawaii to discover the magic behind his shaka, and return home to re-share it.
How about you? Did you go to any of the viewing or post-inauguration parties yesterday? What was your highlight of the day?
Urban Mix Plate
January 21st, 2009 at 9:05 am
I cried too! It was likely an emotional day across the nation but for many of us in Hawaii, it was an especially proud moment. How inspirational for our keiki to have their president hail from Hawaii! For the first time in a long time, I have hope that the future will be better for my kids. Chicago may claim the president as their own but we all know that it was Hawaii that shaped his character and that was clearly displayed yesterday in his love for his country and his family. The shaka to his alma mater was just icing on the cake! Chicken skin all around!
January 21st, 2009 at 9:21 am
I got chicken skin watching the inauguration. When he did the shaka, it looked like he said "howzit". His wife and his daughters also did the shaka too.
January 21st, 2009 at 10:26 am
I tried to avoid it all. Seen too many of these, regardless of how "historic" this particular one was supposed to be. I did, however, take note of the ovations given to the various presidents as they were introduced. To me that was the most interesting thing about the whole day.
Call me jaded, because I am.
To see my silly analysis, go to my blog: http://leftfieldwander.blogspot.com/2009/01/presidential-applause-o-meter.html
January 21st, 2009 at 11:39 am
Definitely the best part of the whole day was seeing him turn to give the shaka to the Punahou kids! And it was natural and not forced! Best part!
January 21st, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I cried too! There seemed to be so much power in the event. Missed the parade and the shaka! I will have to try to find it at some website.
Thanks.
January 21st, 2009 at 5:43 pm
It was a day I'll never forget filled with chicken skin moments all day long. The shaka was a nice surprise and when he arrived at the Hawaii/Illinois ball, he gave the crowd a big "Alooooha!" Incredible!
January 21st, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I found the alleged symbolisms the highlight of my day: sons of Illinois Lincoln and Obama; Abe Lincoln's bible; Emancipation Proclamation, which supposedly started move towards freedom and the steps to stop slavery; the speech about how 60 years ago, "a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.", MLK Jr's dream speech where he dreamed of "a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character"; Chief Justice Roberts swearing in of Barry, who had opposed Roberts' confirmation; the "flub", the 2nd swearing in of Obama by John Roberts.
I was able to watch this from the comfort of my home, and wonder about how we "pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work.'' as well as, "we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.'' All while Dubya Bush sat there. Was this a subtle or not so subtle slap in the face? And interestingly, the red carpet that was on the tarmac leading to the helicopter which the outgoing Bush couple was to walk on, had to be removed due to high winds disloged it.
Highlights, no doubt. Did not attend anything related to viewing or post-inauguration celebrations - instead, cleaning out office pre-Chinese New Year.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Here's to Palin for 2012!!! Hopes she makes it to the GOP ticket...so Obama can have 8 years like you projected.
January 21st, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Why do I remember you doing a project on Harriet Tubman? Was that at Maemae School when we had to use a dishwashing soap bottle to make a doll? When you mentioned Harriet Tubman project, that instantly came to mind.
January 21st, 2009 at 11:30 pm
yuenhernandez: OH MY GOD!! How did you remember that? That's exactly the project. 1973 at Maemae School. I can't believe you remember that, because it's not like Harriet Tubman was super famous like George Washington or Betsy Ross.
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:26 am
That has got to be the best picture ever! As if we hadn't embraced him enough! After the past year, I'm afraid he'll be near and dear to my heart for a very, very long time. I cried Tuesday morning too, Melissa, but I have to blame CNN's emotional cinematography for that -- they did that on purpose!
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
You have a very strong empathy for blacks: you cried with tears of joy when President Obama took the oath of office to become our first black President. This event represented the long and painful struggle blacks had to endure in their history for one of their own to get to this point.
I was glued to the television all day from early morning and felt a strong feeling of joy and elation because someone originally from Hawaii was becoming President of United States. It was not because he was black although I realize the historic significance of this event and somewhere in my mind that thought was lingering.
It is strange that I do not feel like you, more so, because I lived among blacks in Washington, D. C. once during my twenties. I just saw them as ordinary people coming from humble origins like you and me. They are no different from us with the same kind of dreams, aspirations and goals.
I even visited Harpers Ferry where John Brown staged the unsuccessful raid to help blacks escape from slavery. It too did not make any great impression.
What made the difference was the empathy you developed as a child at Maemae School on the Harriet Rudman project that cemented your feelings and attitudes toward blacks and their historical struggle to achieve equality.
I find it very interesting. I am more convinced that as parents and guardians, we should expose our children at a young age to different things and ideas because they are most impressionable at that time and will keep those values into their adulthood.
President Obama, I say it with great pride, picked up those kind of values at a young age in Hawaii at Punahou School and now sharing those values with our country and the rest of the world.
His shaka sign made my day when the Punahou band passed the reviewing stand. Even his daughter Sasha was flashing the sign, immitating the President.
It was poignant because it carried a message he was from Hawaii.
That was a capping moment!
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:21 pm
I just loved seeing Sasha 0bama form her little mittened hand into a shaka!
I can imagine that her Dad has been doing shakas for years and she thought it was just his own silly thing. But then all the Punahou kids were flashing the shaka and she realized that it was a "real" thing!
I watched the inauguration live at the UH student center. So much fun to clap and cheer and cry with a crowd, even if it was at the crack of dawn!
I'm just so proud of President Obama, and thankful he's given us this time of joy and excitement.