Lurline Wailana McGregor

Moana's struggle with her life in California, separated from her Hawaiian heritage, land, and culture, bring her to a critical juncture in her life where she must decide what she most wants. In this short novel, we get the sense that cultural identity is critical to one's happiness. As with most native stories in literature, Moana has found that her denial of her land and people has brought about a disruption in her world; her ancestors are unhappy, can't be at rest, and Moana herself is unable to move forward without putting things right with the land.

I have to say that I really loved this short little book. There was such a sense of "ohana" or family, and "aina" or land, that I grabbed my book and headed down to the beach. In that place, it felt natural to read Moana's story about the spiritual connection she had to this land. There are many spoken scenes in Hawaiian, as well as prayers all written in the language, that I had no clue what was being spoken. I know enough phrases to understand greetings, apologies, and foods, but struggled with conversations and prayers (as mentioned). Even without knowing what they said (and I did have a Hawaiian language dictionary I used in some scenes), it was easy enough to get the gist of what was being expressed. Also, the use of the language was a nice technique to show how cut off Moana felt without having ever learned it herself, before she took off to be educated on the mainland. We, like Moana, can then feel like outsiders, and long to reconnect with the culture that is in the islands.

I loved the single thread of discovery that ran throughout the entire novel. There are not the traditional chapters you find in most books, but sections and dividers that forward the story either with a look back at Moana's father or to something mythical that was explained to both Moana and the reader. Also, as with many native stories, we find references to the experience of the colonized, and their feeling of being overrun and used by the colonizer (generally the white man). With this also comes the environmental concerns that all native cultures feel, as they cherish their lands and the sacredness of its beauty and power. These themes are definitely seen throughout McGregor's story, and are made easier to understand as we watch Moana's struggle with her own identity.

Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me is actually not a young adult novel that is told to relate to teens, but Moana's adult struggle and the method of the storytelling here are readily accessible to teen readers on up. I really loved the beauty of this story, and the Hawaiian culture that is imbued throughout the novel. If I were teaching English here in Hawaii, I think I would definitely put this on my list, and even though I'm not teaching here, will suggest it back home. I highly recommend checking out this small gem of a novel for its more serious look at Hawaii's struggle to protect and preserve their culture and "aina."… (mais)