I have a lot of fond memories of Kunia. My first job was there. My bestest friends are from there. I think I was 12 or 13, when I first went to Kunia. I got drugged there, you know back in da day wen parents say WE going here or there. There was no debate, you just went like it or not. Go or get licking and you going still end up going so may as well just go. We went for a rosary/prayer thingee watchamacallit. What was a catholic thing.
Santa Catalina? No, it's not Santa like Santa Claus, you have to use your book-book Spanish accent: Sun-TAH KahTAHleenah or something to that effect.
We had to pray then eat. Cause you know if you are gonna make people pray, you betta feed 'um. Kunia has a lotta mana. It juss does. I think that has to do with aina and the people there. It is rich in stories. I always think I know plenny stories about Kunia an den I hear my friends tawk story and it's too much fun.
Kunia people are really FUNNY. Drama. DysFUNctional like any other small village town, its where everybody knows your business before you do. Anyway back in day da day was la dat.
Kunia has all these landmarks and notable places. They are nothing that's on a map or anything. Get Pregnant Lady, Tree Rocks, Three Rocks, and da Bridge Wit Da Crying Baby. Some of the stuff I was told was BS, cause I was da outsider and my friends told me anykine lolo stuff that I kinda believed and moe worst I remember.
Like last time I was talking story with my #1 Kunia friend; I asked, " Wot eva happened to da hermit dat live up in da mountains?" She looked at me like I was nuts, "Wot hermit?" I told her da stories dey told me. She looks at me and says, "You know, I tink we told you plenny bull lie-ya kine stories yeah; moe worst you remembah'd um."
Kunia Store was da place to be wen pau hana in da pineapple fields. OH, ass da only place get. Our Luna and ada peoples use to call us da Hollywood gang. Had all da 15 -16 year olds from Kunia and me. Instead of wearing goggles on da truck us all wore sunglasses. We were bad. An den we would put our goggles over our sunglasses, da luna use to come check if get space on da side. If get space, gotta hemo da sunglasses but if da goggles touching against da skin den ok. Speaking of Lunas, who was my luna? HAJIMI!
An den I had Mr. Funai too. Mr. Funai was one teacha from Wailua High School I think. He was funny. One of da ada girls from Waipahu, even doe her Filipino her last name was O'Clary. Mr. Funai was like, "Ha'come Filipino get Irish last name? I going make my name O'Funai moe betta."
I had fun working pineapple fields. One lesson I learned working pineapple field is no drink in da hot sun cause da pineapple fields start moving up and down ja'like waves. One person in Kunia use to call me Gawjess. Too funny, Timoche. I neva mean to get him all "messed up" on Boonseberry or Key Largo or woteva cheap wine had at Sandra's graduation party. Bugga was walking down da street yelling for "GAWjess!!" Nobody could figgah out who GAWjess was including me. Who knew? Dey took him home and next ting you know he was walking down da street looking fo'GAWjess. GAWjess you get som'moe fo'drink, you my friend hah GAWjess? Cause see way earlier, Timoche was sitting next to me and we talking country right, so people pass da bottle or cup around share. So if I got it I pass it to Timoche, I neva know everytime I gave it to him he would drink. I didn't drink all da time, I pass'um on. Well, somebody drank enough for both of us. Good memories.
Kunia is funny la dat. One of my ada Kunia friends wants her ashes spread on the yard of the house that she grew up in. Um' hello, somebody still stay live deya! Kunia people are da best. Da stories are even betta. Get Kunia Village reunion every other year (the even years) at where else; California Hotel in Las Vegas. I like go just to hea da stories.
About Author
Linda "Lika" Relacion Oosahwe was born at Queens Hospital raised in Fernandez Village/Ewa and Waipahu. Her headquarters is located in the East Valley of the Valley of the Sun, Mesa, AZ.
