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Last Updated: Dec 22, 2008 - 6:00:42 PM
Hot tranny Hawaii | Aloha art
By Daniel A. Kusner - Life+Style Editor
Oct 16, 2008 - 4:14:13 PM
Ohau — an American cultural paradise for ’tween genders
WAIKIKI — On a recent Sunday night, a white convertible pulls up to the porte cochère of the Outrigger Hotel. In the front seat are Shevon Matai and her cousin Tiare Fidao: two buxom ladies with hibiscus flowers in their hair. We drive to nearby Kapiolani Park and head to Queen Surf, Waikiki’s “gay beach” where Shevon unfolds a hand-woven blanket that’s bigger than most studio apartments.
While the Hawaiian sunset dips into the Pacific horizon, my friendly tour guides teach me how to correctly pronounce fa’afafine (fah-fah fee-nay). It’s a term from Shevon and Tiare’s homeland: Samoa. Fa’afafine roughly translates to “like a woman.”
Although their tiny village is 2,600 miles southwest of the Queen’s Surf beach, Samoa and Hawaii are part of the Polynesian Islands chain. Since Honolulu is Polynesia’s largest urban sprawl, many fa’afafine thrive on American soil. And these ladies are dramatically different from their transgender sisters living in the mainland.
“In America, there’s so much discrimination. It doesn’t make any sense,” Shevon says. “In Samoa, we are treated with love, respect and honor. ‘Fa’fafine’ isn’t a disgraceful term. In fact, we are the cornerstones of our families.”
Shevon teaches Polynesian tribal choreography at the University of Hawaii, where she’s also getting her masters degree in English Second Language. At the age of 7, she realized that she might be different from her two brothers — and had more in common with her six sisters.
“There is no ‘gay’ in Samoa,” Shevon tells me. “There’s fa’fafine.”
Before the London Missionary Society tried to merge its Biblical beliefs into Samoan culture (circa 1840), the fa’fafine were always thought to keep families united. In Samoa, they serve as schoolteachers, choirmasters, babysitters, community service workers and caregivers for elderly relatives. Since the fa’afafine understand both the male and the female, they become a mutual connection between genders. And like the “Miss Jay” coach from “America’s Next Top Model,” fa’fafine instruct women how to be alluring and graceful. “And we also teach the horny boys in our village how to fuck a woman,” Tiare chimes in.
It’s true, Shevon says. “But we don’t have intercourse the way gay men do: There’s no penetration. We face each other, and cross our legs in a certain way, and the man fucks us between our legs. It’s wonderful.”
Shevon says Samoan culture could never disown a family member because they’re gay. Since their island is only 27 square miles, it would be difficult to stay out of each other’s way. Samoan families are big — where 10 or more siblings are common. So a clan with a fa’fafine or two isn’t rare.
Before arriving in Waikiki, my research told me that, depending on birth order, some male members must become fa’fafine for the family’s sake — even if they’re not homosexual or effeminate. Shevon says that theory has been discredited.
Both Tiare and Shevon have lived and worked in the continental U.S. and say they don’t have much in common with drag queens or the transgender community.
“In Samoa, we would never think of becoming ‘showgirls.’ In America, transgender is considered ‘fringe.’ I grew up thinking I needed to go to school and be a strong professional. Nothing less,” Shevon says.
But Shevon and Tiare say American gay culture has influenced their aspirations. They’ve both considered sexual reassignment surgery but say they enjoy their original plumbing way too much.
“In America, everything has to be categorized. I just came across a new term: ‘non-op transsexual.’ That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Shevon says. “Transgender, drag, fa’fafine — they’re all older than American categories. Just look at daVinci’s ‘Mona Lisa.’”
Now in their fourth decades, Shevon and Tiare still dream about starting families and marrying men — “But straight men. We’re not attracted to men who like other men,” Tiare explains.
They mostly identify as women. But both Shevon and Tiare say their brothers and fathers refer to them by their boy names. All the women in the family call them by their fa’fafine names. Since the fa’fafine are expected to take care of elderly relatives, what happens when parents die? Because they can’t marry, are their inheritance rights forfeited?
“Not at all. After all, like our passports say, we are biologically male. So in the eyes of the law, we are treated as men,” Shavon says.
While fa’fafine are considered exotic creatures in the continental U.S., they say one Samoan fa’fafine became famous for a while: “Shalimar” Seiuli. Before her mysterious death (she fell from her fifth floor apartment in Los Angeles), “Shalimar was famous as the hitchhiking beauty whom Eddie Murphy picked up in his Toyota land cruiser,” Shavon says.
Hawaii also has a Polynesian term for “dual gender” individuals: mahuwahine — mahu for short. That term is broadly used to refer to all transgenders and even gays. However, the dual-gender mahus aren’t as fully accepted by society as their Samoan fa’fafine — especially when it comes to securing professional work. But two famous and successful mahu celebrities are making a big splash: Hawaiian native Candis Cayne, who stars on “Dirty Sexy Money,” and Oahu resident Thomas Beatie, the married female-to-male transgender who became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl over the summer.
Aloha art
Oahu abounds with cultural excursions
When vacationing in Hawaii, the outdoors beckon: volcanic mountains,
flower-choked jungles, crystal-blue waters and white sandy beaches.
But in many Pacific Island countries, “art” is an integral part of daily and ceremonial life. Masks, sculpture, tattoo, pottery and weaving designs help identify one’s clan and heritage. Rituals involving these arts mark stages of life: birth, maturity, death, unseen spirits, ancestors and forces that control the natural world. Art in Pacific Island societies is an expression of the culture.
While hopping around Oahu there are plenty of cultural excursions that celebrate island art.
If your trip coincides with the beginning of the month, head to Chinatown and the Honolulu Arts District for the First Friday Gallery Walk, 5 pm.-9 p.m. Starting at The ARTS at Mark’s Garage community space, you can bounce around 19 participating galleries while hobnobbing with the local bohemians of all stripes: young photographic upstarts and old-skool watercolorists who try to capture Hawaii’s essence. With hip nearby eateries, like Indigo, Chinatown is also a bustling nightlife district where you can scope Oahu’s trendy club-goers.
Located on Honolulu’s scenic Makiki Heights, The Contemporary Museum houses exhibits that aren’t afraid to be daring. The current “Puppet Show” (through Nov. 23) is tailored for adults and will give kids nightmares. This show celebrates the freaky quality of marionettes, muppets and dolls. Kara Walker’s explicit films featuring hand puppets trace the history of “African-America,” which includes a “massa” and mandigo slave having sex, and the male slave getting pregnant. Meryl Streep poses for photographer Laurie Simmons’ “The Music of Regret,” where she’s becomes an object of ventriloquist desire. The museum also has a tasty café that’s open for lunch.
Hawaii is the most exotic destination that Americans can travel to without a passport. Immerse yourself into this rich culture at The Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Established in 1889, it’s Hawaii’s oldest museum, housed in the three-story Hawaiian Hall, a 17,000-sqaure foot Victorian facility made of volcanic stone. Check out the spectacular Hawaiian feather work displays, the new Megalodon (enormous shark) exhibit and the interactive science-adventure center, which explains how lava melts and how tsunamis make their way across the globe so quickly.
On a prominent hill of an ancient lava flow, the Manoa Heritage Center reveals the island’s natural history and offers a stunning view of Monoa Valley. Tour an ancient heiau, a sacred Hawaiian temple made of lava stone. Surrounding the heiau is a native garden that features endemic flora of the islands. The center is on the grounds of the hillside Cooke estate, a Tudor home built in 1911 that’s still a private residence but will one day be a museum.
Accompanied by chants, drums and the ukulele, hula dancers sway their hips and gracefully wave their arms to the rhythm. These dances are the islands’ most famous, and they tell stories and describe the beautiful scenery of the islands. To tune into traditional local music, diva worshippers should check out Amy Hanaiali‘i, Hawaii’s most respected female vocalist. She’s at her finest when performing with the impeccable Honolulu Symphony at the Neal Blaisdell Center.
To fully experience the culture of Oahu’s coast, you’ll want to wake up
at the crack of dawn and drive to the leeward side of the island to
experience a Wild Side Specialty Tour. The intimate “Best of the West”
cruise starts at 8:30 a.m. with only six passengers max. The all-woman
crew of marine biologists lead snorkelers into the mysterious world of
sea turtles and spinner dolphins. Yes —swimming with dolphin (not that
you actually touch them, just swim in their curious and friendly
company). The experience ($159) is almost spiritual.
These articles appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 17, 2008.
 |
| FINE AND Fa'afafine: Shevon Matai and Tiare Fidao work the camera on Queen’s Surf beach in Waikiki. - DANIEL A. KUSNER/Dallas Voice |
While the Hawaiian sunset dips into the Pacific horizon, my friendly tour guides teach me how to correctly pronounce fa’afafine (fah-fah fee-nay). It’s a term from Shevon and Tiare’s homeland: Samoa. Fa’afafine roughly translates to “like a woman.”
Although their tiny village is 2,600 miles southwest of the Queen’s Surf beach, Samoa and Hawaii are part of the Polynesian Islands chain. Since Honolulu is Polynesia’s largest urban sprawl, many fa’afafine thrive on American soil. And these ladies are dramatically different from their transgender sisters living in the mainland.
“In America, there’s so much discrimination. It doesn’t make any sense,” Shevon says. “In Samoa, we are treated with love, respect and honor. ‘Fa’fafine’ isn’t a disgraceful term. In fact, we are the cornerstones of our families.”
Shevon teaches Polynesian tribal choreography at the University of Hawaii, where she’s also getting her masters degree in English Second Language. At the age of 7, she realized that she might be different from her two brothers — and had more in common with her six sisters.
“There is no ‘gay’ in Samoa,” Shevon tells me. “There’s fa’fafine.”
Before the London Missionary Society tried to merge its Biblical beliefs into Samoan culture (circa 1840), the fa’fafine were always thought to keep families united. In Samoa, they serve as schoolteachers, choirmasters, babysitters, community service workers and caregivers for elderly relatives. Since the fa’afafine understand both the male and the female, they become a mutual connection between genders. And like the “Miss Jay” coach from “America’s Next Top Model,” fa’fafine instruct women how to be alluring and graceful. “And we also teach the horny boys in our village how to fuck a woman,” Tiare chimes in.
It’s true, Shevon says. “But we don’t have intercourse the way gay men do: There’s no penetration. We face each other, and cross our legs in a certain way, and the man fucks us between our legs. It’s wonderful.”
Shevon says Samoan culture could never disown a family member because they’re gay. Since their island is only 27 square miles, it would be difficult to stay out of each other’s way. Samoan families are big — where 10 or more siblings are common. So a clan with a fa’fafine or two isn’t rare.
Before arriving in Waikiki, my research told me that, depending on birth order, some male members must become fa’fafine for the family’s sake — even if they’re not homosexual or effeminate. Shevon says that theory has been discredited.
Both Tiare and Shevon have lived and worked in the continental U.S. and say they don’t have much in common with drag queens or the transgender community.
“In Samoa, we would never think of becoming ‘showgirls.’ In America, transgender is considered ‘fringe.’ I grew up thinking I needed to go to school and be a strong professional. Nothing less,” Shevon says.
But Shevon and Tiare say American gay culture has influenced their aspirations. They’ve both considered sexual reassignment surgery but say they enjoy their original plumbing way too much.
“In America, everything has to be categorized. I just came across a new term: ‘non-op transsexual.’ That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Shevon says. “Transgender, drag, fa’fafine — they’re all older than American categories. Just look at daVinci’s ‘Mona Lisa.’”
Now in their fourth decades, Shevon and Tiare still dream about starting families and marrying men — “But straight men. We’re not attracted to men who like other men,” Tiare explains.
They mostly identify as women. But both Shevon and Tiare say their brothers and fathers refer to them by their boy names. All the women in the family call them by their fa’fafine names. Since the fa’fafine are expected to take care of elderly relatives, what happens when parents die? Because they can’t marry, are their inheritance rights forfeited?
“Not at all. After all, like our passports say, we are biologically male. So in the eyes of the law, we are treated as men,” Shavon says.
While fa’fafine are considered exotic creatures in the continental U.S., they say one Samoan fa’fafine became famous for a while: “Shalimar” Seiuli. Before her mysterious death (she fell from her fifth floor apartment in Los Angeles), “Shalimar was famous as the hitchhiking beauty whom Eddie Murphy picked up in his Toyota land cruiser,” Shavon says.
Hawaii also has a Polynesian term for “dual gender” individuals: mahuwahine — mahu for short. That term is broadly used to refer to all transgenders and even gays. However, the dual-gender mahus aren’t as fully accepted by society as their Samoan fa’fafine — especially when it comes to securing professional work. But two famous and successful mahu celebrities are making a big splash: Hawaiian native Candis Cayne, who stars on “Dirty Sexy Money,” and Oahu resident Thomas Beatie, the married female-to-male transgender who became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl over the summer.
Aloha art
Oahu abounds with cultural excursions
| OAHU LITTLE BLACK BOOK STAY: Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, with 525 rooms, this 16-story oceanfront property is directly opposite of the International Marketplace. The Outrigger is also home to Dukes restaurant, which has an excellent breakfast buffet. Room décor hasn’t been updated for a while, but the views of the ocean are irresistible, and the beachfront is spectacular. Complimentary Wi-Fi. For a more posh visit, the Outrigger Reef on the Beach is in the final stage of a $110 million renovation, and the guestrooms are spectacularly modern. The Ocean Tower property arguably has the most exquisite views of Diamond Head. And the casually elegant Ocean House restaurant serves delectable Pacific Rim cuisine. FOOD: MAC 24-7 serves modern American cooking served all day located in the Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio Hotel, which recently underwent a $65 million renovation. On a recent visit the MAC was flaunting a James Bond 007 theme on the plasma screen TVs and piping in cover songs of Bond theme songs. GETTING THERE: American Airlines operates two regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Honolulu (HNL) to Dallas (DFW). Usually a Boeing 767-300 is flown for this route, with in-seat power sources available. Generally, a movie is offered on this route, as well as audio programming and telephone service. Average travel time from Honolulu to Dallas: 7.5 hours. CUTLURE: The Contemporary Museum, 2411 Makiki Heights Dr. Honolulu. 808-526-0232. First Friday Gallery Walk, every first Friday of the month in downtown Honolulu (Chinatown area) from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Firstfridayhawaii.com. Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St., Honolulu. 808-847-3511. Manoa Heritage Center, 2829 Manoa Rd. Honolulu. 808-988-1287. Wild Side Specialty Tours, Waianae Boat Harbor, Slip A5. 808-306-7273 |
 |
| 1ST FRIDAY FARE: Mark Gould’s canvases “Toa II.” |
But in many Pacific Island countries, “art” is an integral part of daily and ceremonial life. Masks, sculpture, tattoo, pottery and weaving designs help identify one’s clan and heritage. Rituals involving these arts mark stages of life: birth, maturity, death, unseen spirits, ancestors and forces that control the natural world. Art in Pacific Island societies is an expression of the culture.
While hopping around Oahu there are plenty of cultural excursions that celebrate island art.
If your trip coincides with the beginning of the month, head to Chinatown and the Honolulu Arts District for the First Friday Gallery Walk, 5 pm.-9 p.m. Starting at The ARTS at Mark’s Garage community space, you can bounce around 19 participating galleries while hobnobbing with the local bohemians of all stripes: young photographic upstarts and old-skool watercolorists who try to capture Hawaii’s essence. With hip nearby eateries, like Indigo, Chinatown is also a bustling nightlife district where you can scope Oahu’s trendy club-goers.
Located on Honolulu’s scenic Makiki Heights, The Contemporary Museum houses exhibits that aren’t afraid to be daring. The current “Puppet Show” (through Nov. 23) is tailored for adults and will give kids nightmares. This show celebrates the freaky quality of marionettes, muppets and dolls. Kara Walker’s explicit films featuring hand puppets trace the history of “African-America,” which includes a “massa” and mandigo slave having sex, and the male slave getting pregnant. Meryl Streep poses for photographer Laurie Simmons’ “The Music of Regret,” where she’s becomes an object of ventriloquist desire. The museum also has a tasty café that’s open for lunch.
Hawaii is the most exotic destination that Americans can travel to without a passport. Immerse yourself into this rich culture at The Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Established in 1889, it’s Hawaii’s oldest museum, housed in the three-story Hawaiian Hall, a 17,000-sqaure foot Victorian facility made of volcanic stone. Check out the spectacular Hawaiian feather work displays, the new Megalodon (enormous shark) exhibit and the interactive science-adventure center, which explains how lava melts and how tsunamis make their way across the globe so quickly.
On a prominent hill of an ancient lava flow, the Manoa Heritage Center reveals the island’s natural history and offers a stunning view of Monoa Valley. Tour an ancient heiau, a sacred Hawaiian temple made of lava stone. Surrounding the heiau is a native garden that features endemic flora of the islands. The center is on the grounds of the hillside Cooke estate, a Tudor home built in 1911 that’s still a private residence but will one day be a museum.
Accompanied by chants, drums and the ukulele, hula dancers sway their hips and gracefully wave their arms to the rhythm. These dances are the islands’ most famous, and they tell stories and describe the beautiful scenery of the islands. To tune into traditional local music, diva worshippers should check out Amy Hanaiali‘i, Hawaii’s most respected female vocalist. She’s at her finest when performing with the impeccable Honolulu Symphony at the Neal Blaisdell Center.
 |
| Kara Walker at “Puppet Show” |
These articles appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 17, 2008.
© Copyright by DallasVoice.com
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