[from the editor]

 

	Revolutionizing the Heart and Mind
	by 'Anapesi Ka'ili

I love going back to my homeland of Tonga; there is something about being there that helps me to refocus. I am reminded of why my grandparents left the islands those many years ago and yet at the same time I am reminded of why they always yearned to go back. I find myself in a transnational space where my soul is exploring new heights but my heart and feet remain rooted in the Tongan soil as if it never left! I realize that the struggle is not just about living in multiple worlds, but that it is mostly about revolutionizing one’s heart and mind so that we never forget our legacy as a people regardless of our circumstances, our surroundings, and in many cases the awful conditions we find ourselves in.

The challenges that our Pacific Islander young people go through on a daily basis is daunting and there is no doubt about it. Perhaps some have more resources than others, but that still doesn’t immune them from acts of discrimination, racism, and hate. Perhaps some have a stronger grasp of their culture, but that doesn’t immune them from the challenges caused by poverty. Perhaps some can “pass” because of their light skin, but that still doesn’t immune them from the struggles of identity. The challenges we face are numerous, they are real, they are painful, and unfortunately most of it is caused by external forces, which we cannot control. However, what we can control is what we choose to internalize.

Imagine what it would be like for us to dismantle the slander and the completely ridiculous notion that a Polynesian student who is studios and attends class means that he/she is acting white or fie palangi. Imagine what it would be like to completely disrupt and destroy the dominant negative images privileged in the mainstream media that limit our dreams and confine our imaginations. Imagine the changes that would occur when we internalize the truth which is ultimately that being educated is synonymous with being Tongan, being Polynesian, being Pacific Islander, being Oceanian! If you can imagine all of this then you can certainly imagine the kind of future that we, as Pacific Islanders are meant to have.

The act of revolutionizing one’s heart and mind is a process that happens from within. It means that we cannot let our circumstances define who we are, we cannot allow others to put limitations on our dreams, and we cannot let society put a label on what we are worth! This is the type of knowledge that needs to be internalized! Engaging in this revolutionary process is the key to our liberation as individuals, as a community, and as a people!