During May, we’re interviewing high school students from across Spokane Public Schools in recognition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. These students are members of multicultural clubs where they can connect with peers while sharing and celebrating their heritage with our community year-round.
Martha and Katiana, Ferris
Senor Martha Alfred, who was born in the Marshall Islands, joined the Ferris Islander Youth Association (FIYA) two years ago when she enrolled at Ferris High School after moving from Arkansas. Some of her relatives were in the club already, so joining was a way to connect with them and to make new connections with students who had similar experiences.
“Being in the club helped me make friends,” she said.
Katiana Rufes, a junior who previously attended Holmes Elementary School, Mullan Road Elementary School and Sacajawea Middle School, said that being involved in FIYA makes school more enjoyable; she joined the group her freshman year. Her family is from Chuuk, an island state of the Federated States of Micronesia.
“I look forward to not only coming to school, but to club activities,” she said. Some of her favorite activities are rehearsing dances for public performances and partnering with the Ferris Black Student Union (BSU) for social gatherings, like potlucks.
This year, students in FIYA are mostly Samoan, Marshallese, Chuukese, and Tahitian, so they usually perform cultural dances from these regions, like Hula and Biit.
They like sharing performances with the community, even though it’s unfamiliar to some audiences.
“Because people don’t usually see these kinds of performances, they don’t know how to react, so they’re just kind of quiet,” Martha said with a laugh. “But other than that, it’s really positive.”
Katiana recalled hearing some negative feedback last year that they were performing a certain move “just to show off.”
“But really, that’s kind of part of our culture, to be performing that way,” she said. “I think overall we’re becoming more known for performing in a positive away.”
The girls also are proud of the cultural dress they wear to perform. “Women from our islands make the dresses by hands, so that’s something I think about when wearing those dresses,” Martha explained.
Respect and the important of community are also two values of their cultures that make them proud to be Pacific Islanders.
“We always find a way to be together, in difficult times and good times,” Martha said, adding that they feel proud when another member of their group is recognized for their success and achievements
Katiana said that she appreciates the recognition of AANHPI Month to spread awareness about these cultures and bring more diversity to the world.
“I’m glad it lets us be known and seen, because a lot of people don’t really know about this smaller population,” she said.
“I think it’s important because our heritage, especially in communities that are mixed with other cultures, our culture may get lost within it, so it’s important to keep our heritage alive as well, because of our ancestors that worked hard for it,” Martha added.