Nanea arrives in an authentic 1940s-style outfit: a button-front pake blouse with an island graphic, sailor-style moku shorts, and a faux-hibiscus flower hair clip.
Nanea arrives in an authentic 1940s-style outfit: a button-front pake blouse with an island graphic, sailor-style moku shorts, and a faux-hibiscus flower hair clip.
This 1940s halter style pink-and-white striped swim top with a sweetheart neckline has straps that tie into a bow at mid-back. It also comes with a pair of pink-and-white striped woven cotton sailor-style swim shorts.
This 1940s halter style pink-and-white striped swim top with a sweetheart neckline has straps that tie into a bow at mid-back. It also comes with a pair of pink-and-white striped woven cotton sailor-style swim shorts.
Nanea is delighted when her brother choose a beach luau for his birthday celebration. This set comes with a wooden luau table made low to the ground and kalua meat that would have been slow-roasted in an imu, or underground oven.
Nanea has been taking hula lessons from her grandmother since she was 4 years old, and she loves the rich and beautiful tradition. Her outfit includes a faux-ti-leaf skirt, a lei po’o, a yellow lei, and two ’uli’uli, or pretend leather gourds.
Nanea wears this outfit when she volunteers for the Honolulu Helpers, a group she and her friends started to assist the war effort. It features a white button-down shirt, a green and pink floral print skirt with attached suspenders, and a matching floral kerchief to wear around the collar.
Nanea wears this outfit when she volunteers for the Honolulu Helpers, a group she and her friends started to assist the war effort. It features a white button-down shirt, a green and pink floral print skirt with attached suspenders, and a matching floral kerchief to wear around the collar.
It’s December 1941 and Nanea’s been so excited to dance hula at Christmas performance. But her island is attacked by enemy planes and now America is at war! Schools are closed, there are blackouts every night, and her dog Mele is missing. She’s doing everything she can to find her, while also working hard to help her family and friends stay hopeful. She knows together we can weather uncertain times. Read Nanea’s story from her perspective, in a diary format.
It’s December 1941 and Nanea’s been so excited to dance hula at Christmas performance. But her island is attacked by enemy planes and now America is at war! Schools are closed, there are blackouts every night, and her dog Mele is missing. She’s doing everything she can to find her, while also working hard to help her family and friends stay hopeful. She knows together we can weather uncertain times. Read Nanea’s story from her perspective, in a diary format.
Everything has changed since the war started. Nanea had hoped that going back to school would make life seem normal again. But it hasn’t. There are still curfews and blackouts and constant reminders of war. Nanea’s dear friend Donna had to leave Hawaii, and Nanea’s big brother won’t stop talking about joining the Army. She can’t bear the thought of him far from home and in danger. In the swirl of changes, Nanea turns to hula. Dancing makes her feel better, and soon she learns how much it lifts the spirits of the soldiers, too. When a surprising hula partner boosts everyone’s morale, Nanea gets a big idea. Read an excerpt
Everything has changed since the war started. Nanea had hoped that going back to school would make life seem normal again. But it hasn’t. There are still curfews and blackouts and constant reminders of war. Nanea’s dear friend Donna had to leave Hawaii, and Nanea’s big brother won’t stop talking about joining the Army. She can’t bear the thought of him far from home and in danger. In the swirl of changes, Nanea turns to hula. Dancing makes her feel better, and soon she learns how much it lifts the spirits of the soldiers, too. When a surprising hula partner boosts everyone’s morale, Nanea gets a big idea. Read an excerpt
Nanea’s full name is Alice Nanea Mitchell. Nanea, pronounced nah-NAY-ah, means “delightful and pleasant.” Her brother calls her Monkey, while Papa affectionately calls her Sunshine.
Christmas breakfast at the Mitchell house always includes coconut pancakes, fresh papaya, and Portuguese sausage.
Nanea loves strawberry shave ice, a Hawaiian treat made of ice soaked in fruity syrup. Her favorite part is how it turns her tongue “barber-pole” red.
Nanea and her grandmother Tūtū share a traditional greeting of pressing their foreheads and noses together for a deep breath. The “ha” in aloha means breath and “alo” means to share, symbolizing their connection.
Nanea's era
Nanea's era
On December 7, 1941, the surprise Japanese attack on the U.S naval base at Pearl Harbor pushed the United States into
World War Two.
In the aftermath of the attack, grocery stores and restaurants closed, leaving aid workers without food. Families like Nanea’s pitched in, making sandwiches and sharing supplies to support the community.
The Aloha Tower at Honolulu Harbor was painted camouflage and its clock was blacked out to prevent enemy aircraft from using it as a landmark.
Red Cross bottle drives provided glass for medical supplies and blood donations. In her story, Nanea and her friends play a role in supporting soldiers and civilians.
In the event of another attack, civilians were urged to pack evacuation kits with essentials like food, water, a flashlight, clothing, and personal items.
The military’s Dogs for Defense program recruited family pets as guard dogs, messengers, and search-and-rescue helpers. Civilians loaned thousands of dogs to support the war effort at home and abroad.
