Production shares Micronesian immigrants’ experiences, cultures

In recent years the most visible group of immigrants in Hawaii has been the Micronesians. Some have had trouble adjusting to Hawaii’s laws and social customs. Some of their practices regarding dress and behavior have made them the subject of unfavorable stereotypes.

The fact that “Micros” can come to Hawaii in unlimited numbers under the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the nations of Micronesia (established in exchange for U.S. defense operations in this part of the Pacific), and that some newcomers to the islands are unprepared to enter the workforce or need expensive medical care, has fueled negative perceptions.

Playwrights Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng are giving Hawaii residents an opportunity to see beyond the stereotypes with “Masters of the Currents,” which is being presented tomorrow by TeAda Productions and Honolulu Theatre for Youth in a program suitable for ages 8 and up.

“The first thing we learned is that we can’t put them all in one group,” Chan said recently. She and Saopeng want to “dismantle” existing stereotypes of what “Micronesian” is with a collection of stories shared by children, teens and adults in the Micronesian community.

What’s it like to be picked on because you don’t look like the local kids? What’s it like to have to translate everything for your parents and older relatives? What’s it like to feel caught between the way people do things here and the way you were raised at home?

“There is a lot to learn from the Micronesian cultures,” Saopeng said. “Take the idea of the importance of learning the intelligence of the past (and) learning protocol. What protocols apply over there that apply here? What can we learn from them that can be applied here, and vice versa?”

He describes the play as an introduction to the experiences of Micronesians in Hawaii.

“We’ve tried to be as inclusive as possible, but there have been waves of people coming here from Micronesia, going back to the ’80s,” Saopeng said. “Some come here to get an education, some for economic reasons, some to get health care that isn’t available there, and some because as the ocean level rises their islands are becoming uninhabitable. We can’t tell everybody’s story but this is a start.”

>> What it’s about: The experiences of children and teens from the Micronesian nations of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, the Marshall Islands and Palau in adjusting to life in Hawaii without losing touch with the cultures of their homelands and while also serving as a bridge between “America” and their immigrant parents.

>> Morals and messages: Micronesia is a geographical area and not a country. People from within Micronesia are of different nationalities, speak different languages and have different customs and traditions. Some Micronesian traditions are similar to Hawaiian ones. People from Micronesia don’t necessarily do everything the way people do things in Hawaii, but underneath those cultural differences, people of Micronesian backgrounds are basically like everybody else.

>> Parental advisory: Some stories are about bullying.

>> Kid-pleaser aspects: Funny stories, joke-telling, physical movement and figuring out the reason for “weird” customs and behavior.