Chapter 8. An Indigenous Narrative of Resilience

Many indigenous cultures use storytelling as the foundation for the transmission of important cultural information. Stories passed down from generation to generation sometimes teach, record history, provide examples, or inform. One important function of storytelling is the transmission of stories about cultural resilience illustrating how a cultural group has kept strong in the face of adversity. This article shows how storytelling in the Hawaiian culture has been used for this purpose and how the Beamer family has served as the master storytellers of their culture, keeping the culture and traditions alive through their music, dance, and stories.