Hawaiian families make up just 21 percent of the population. Teens of Hawaiian-Polynesian origin must struggle fiercely to preserve their language and culture. Many teens never find the opportunity to travel beyond the island where they were born. The grandparents of these teens worked the sugar plantations. Their entire extended families live nearby and are at the center of their lives.
Many teens turn to drugs and alcohol, and cultural differences lead at times to tension.
But even if things could be better for some teens in Hawaii, all are proud to live here. The Islands will always be their home and the Islanders their friends. Talk Back Contents copyright 1999 - 2001 Planned Parenthood Federation of America. All rights reserved. Click here to see our Code of Conduct .