{"id":88467,"date":"2018-12-10T11:15:51","date_gmt":"2018-12-10T21:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=88467"},"modified":"2018-12-26T16:01:07","modified_gmt":"2018-12-27T02:01:07","slug":"coconut-ratz-kung-fu-cowboys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2018\/12\/10\/coconut-ratz-kung-fu-cowboys\/","title":{"rendered":"Coconut Ratz & Kung Fu Cowboys explores Pacific island culture and disability"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Coconut<\/div>\n
\"Joakim
Joakim Peter<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n

Coconut Ratz & Kung Fu Cowboys<\/em>, the autobiography of Joakim “Jojo” Peter<\/strong>, explores Pacific island cultures and ways of life and the disability experience from an insider’s perspective. The book\u2019s authors are associated with the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa College of Education<\/a> (COE<\/abbr>).<\/p>\n

Peter, who is from the Mortlock Islands of Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM<\/abbr>), is a UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa graduate who earned his PhD<\/abbr> in special education. He worked on his autobiography with retired COE<\/abbr> professor James Skouge<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“This book is an autobiography, which makes it a rarity among Micronesian storytellers,” said Skouge. “Peter vividly describes his childhood growing up on Ettal, an atoll in the outer island Mortlock chain. While in high school, he suffered a spinal cord injury which resulted in quadriplegia. His story is one of resilience, self-determination, optimism and appreciation.”<\/p>\n

More about the authors<\/h2>\n

Peter, graduated from the University of Guam and UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. His graduate studies include two master\u2019s degrees in history and Pacific Island Studies and a PhD<\/abbr> in exceptionalities from UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa.<\/p>\n

For 15 years, Peter served as cultural and education specialist and director of the Chuuk campus, College of Micronesia – FSM<\/abbr>, before returning to Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> in 2011 to pursue his doctoral studies. From 2013 to 2017, he served as outreach liaison with Legal Aid Society of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> supporting Honolulu\u2019s Micronesian diaspora communities and other homeless populations. Peter became Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s first Micronesian commissioner in 2017, appointed by Governor David Ige to serve on the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Civil Rights Commission. Currently, he serves as Senior Specialist for Community Engagement and Educational Equity with Pacific Resources in Education and Learning.<\/p>\n

Skouge is a retired professor of disability studies and assistive technology from UH<\/abbr>. He promoted digital storytelling throughout the Pacific region, “giving voice” to Pacific Islanders with and without disabilities.<\/p>\n

Coconut Ratz & Kung Fu Cowboys<\/em> is available on Amazon.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The autobiography of Joakim “Jojo” Peter describes his childhood in Federated States of Micronesia and his perspectives on living with a disability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[95,158,9],"class_list":["post-88467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-college-of-education","tag-publication","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t