Aloha my name is Thomas Elroy Kamae Jr. I graduated from Kahuku High School in 1979. I did volunteer missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended one semester at Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. At that time, I was still exploring my interests. My creative journey began after high school as a freelance photographer shooting weddings, sporting events, funerals, family portraits, senior portraits, and landscapes. My creative media journey continued at Leeward Community College in 2016 which I graduated with my associate degree in Digital Media /Digital Photography in 2018. I then transferred on to UH West O‘ahu in 2019. I enjoyed learning with Adobe Creative Cloud and other applications that would help me on my creative journey. I am receiving my bachelor’s degree in Creative Media/General Creative Media. Because of my love and passion for photography, my go-to artist's tool of choice would be a full-frame camera, preferably Canon or Sony brand. I would love to know how to capture that perfect shot and learn the settings to enable me to accomplish it. I am always learning new ways to improve my photography skills.
This project shares views, experiences, and facts that Ho'oponopono can be preserved through media for knowledge and education and used as a teaching source for future generations. "We have a sense of what is happening around us, with a fair insight about how things work elsewhere on the globe. We can view the world through the television, even if we are rooted in one spot the whole time." (How Does Media Affect Us, para. 5) In all its forms, the media can lead us to creative outlets that can help us improve ourselves in various ways, both personally and professionally. It can change minds and inspire to move beyond current limitations. It can also assist in connecting people worldwide and becoming more open to and accepting of diverse cultures. Individuals may react differently to media exposure; however, media often strongly influences most people. The impact of media on culture gives a clear picture of how powerful a tool it is in today's environment. With the foundation of forgiveness research in place and an agreement that forgiveness models work in improving well-being, ho'oponopono can now be a process or learning tool tailored to individuals who want to improve their health. During the research, I came across this website claiming that ho'oponopono may be culturally applied. According to Thomas H. Patten Jr., evidence links back to the Hawaiian culture called ho'oponopono that is practiced today and is closely related to conflict management used by forward-thinking American organizations. Patten also believes that the ancient Hawaiian tradition of ho'oponopono is transferable, meaning it will work with American organizations. (Patten, para. 1, Patten, 1994) Can media preserve a cultural tradition? Along with experts in media, that technology in many forms can preserve a cultural tradition such as H'oponopono. So, if one's goal is to keep a cultural belief and practice, then using media as a platform can often be the best method.