I grew up in Haiku, Maui with my family and friends. As the bes of times. We wen live in one big house with a huge back and front yad. My fatha wen raise fighting chickens and pigs. Every day I had to go feedem. I used to hate cleaning da pig pens. Man, dat was som stink. Da chickens was easy, jus givem wata and da special secret recipe feed my fatha used to make. He used to make good money fighting da chickens because sometimes I used to find plenty money hidden unda da bed and in da closet. I would givem to my matha and she would say, "lets leaveum on da counta and see wat daddy goin say wen he come home". Actually he neva say too much but gave my matha some of da money. As fo me I jus wen get da stink eye.

My matha was very loving to me and my 2 braddahs and 2 sistas, but she also said I was the most kolohe. Mabe was because I was da oldest or because I fell out of our cars back seat onto the highway but I dunno, I gotta blame my frens. Dey always get me in trouble.

One day in school, I was so bored, jus staring out da window into da pineapple fields. My fren he tell me I betta lisen to da teacha or I goin get lickens (yes, it was approved then. should be approved now, but dat is anotha story). I tell him I bored, so he tell me go home den. So, I wait until da teacha not looking and I jump out da window an run to the pineapple field. I was all happy, no need go school.

On da way home I figa might as well go swimming, so I wen go thru the fiels an down da gulch to da riva. I take off my clothes and jump in da wata. I had a good ol time. Afta that I wen up to Kawaharada Store an bought one donut and soda wit my lunch money. Miss Kawaharada ask me how come I no sta in school an I tell her no mo school today. She gave me one funny look an I took off not waiting for a reply.

Afta dat I wen go home, grab one net an go behind my house fo catch dojo in da East Maui Irrigation ditch. I neva catch dojo but got plenty meduca and swordtail fish. Hoo, I was having a great day. Lucky ting I wen lisen to my fren. Finally I figa I betta go home, an as wen everything wen hit me. Wat goin happen wen my matha and fatha find out wat I wen do. Now I was all scared. Needless to say I got slaps from my mom and lickens from my fatha. That was not da end, wen I wen go back school my teacha wen give me hell and send me to da office to see da principle. He slap both my hands wit da rula and broke it on me, but I neva cry though. This was jus one of the many kolohe dayz I had. My frens, I tell you, dey always get me in trouble. I hope my boy no turn out like dat, I betta screen his frens.

I was raised in Haiku, Maui and later on bought a place in Waiehu. Growing up in the country area was awesome. We didn't have too much of anything back then but we made do with what we had. Living off the ocean, mountain and whatever you grow and raise at home gave me the mana to make it in life. I still see my friends from Haiku and when we see each other we just shake our heads and laugh about the good ole days. Times have changed but the memories live on.