Written in the Sky

A young, abandoned Hawaiian boy, ‘Īkauikalani, living among the homeless in Ala Moana Park, spends his days observing tourists, swimming in the ocean, and rummaging for loose change and garbage. But ‘Īkau can see the future in the movements of the clouds. In a dream, his deceased grandmother speaks to him: find Mariah Wong, a name that means nothing to him. When a homeless man named Hawaiian is killed in the park, ‘Īkau is left with his journal which chronicles Hawaiian’s journey from prison inmate to citizen of the world. This sends ‘Īkau on a journey of his own to find the mysterious Mariah Wong. In the process, he discovers the beauty of the Hawaiian landscape, the power of his culture, and the rich history of his own family.

About the Author
Matthew Kaopio began his career as a mouth-brush artist and writer while going through rehabilitation after a 1994 diving accident that left him a quadriplegic. His first book, Hawaiian Family Legends, married the ancient Hawaiian tradition of oral story-telling with the modern art form of painting. Written in the Sky is based on his experiences while spending time in Ala Moana Park during his early days of rehabilitation. Matthew received his doctorate degree in History from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Written in the Sky is an adaptation of a master’s thesis in Pacific Island Studies which he received in May 2004 from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.