University of Hawaii Center for Korean Studies

This has probably been up for awhile, but I have not noted it until today: The Stephanie Han collection at the University of Hawaii. Many years ago I donated some images to the University of HI Center for Korean Studies.

My family was among the very first group of Korean immigrants to the United States (1903-5) and these images were in our private collection.

A great uncle passed away some years back and I believe that many more photos and the originals were lost, but at least some of them can be seen here. Seeing images of the local HI Korean community in the early 20th century gave me a sense of personal belonging and a group identity.

Note the smiles on some of the faces? Quite uncommon for pictures back then, but I think that is a mark of a cultural behavior shift in terms of how pictures were used. Physical behavior changed the further people moved from their country of origin. It is true that to find out how we can share, we often need to figure out where we are from first–but origin and sharing work together. It is always significant to note where we are from, but it is even more important to note during time of uncertainty and upheaval how we exchange and acknowledge the humanity, joy and pathos that binds us together as people on this planet.

Aloha.