Read this article in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
My name is Doreen Hall Vann, and I am a proud Kanaka born and raised on the island of Oʻahu. My roots, values, and spirit remain deeply connected to the land and people of Hawaiʻi.
Surrounded by aloha, I grew up with the teachings and moʻolelo shared by our kūpuna, lessons that taught me the importance of family, community, and caring for one another – values that continue to guide me today.
In 2019, my husband Marquise, my son, Zaiden Kaualeimaʻohūonalani Vann, and I made the big move to Las Vegas. Leaving Hawaiʻi after a lifetime at home was not easy, but my hope was to create new opportunities for our ʻohana while staying grounded in our culture.
Zaiden previously attended Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Waiau, where he learned through the Hawaiian language in papa mālaaʻo, just as my three daughters did before him.
Here in Las Vegas, we continue to honor our heritage. Zaiden and I attend the papa ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi classes at Vegas Vista Academy – the first in-person Hawaiian language class in Las Vegas – which has given us a meaningful way to stay connected.
We use our ʻōlelo mākuahine in our daily lives. You can hear it in our home, on the baseball fields, and during our Hawaiian Civic Club meetings. Through language, stories, and shared values, we maintain our pilina – our connection – to our culture and identity.
Life in Las Vegas is different from Hawaiʻi, we continue to live with aloha. Hawaiʻi will always be home, but our aloha travels with us wherever we go.
Doreen Hall Vann is a Pearl City-born mother, grandmother, and storyteller whose life and work are grounded in the teachings of her kūpuna and the enduring spirit of aloha.
