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My name is Noelani Kekia. This is the story of my immigration to America. I was 14 when we arrived.my brother was 18.I came with my brother and mother, and my father stayed behind. We came from the pacific Islands, later called Hawaii.
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We arrived at Angel Island today. Mother was held in quarentint for having american influenza. my brother, Okelani, and I later found out that she died. because my brother was 18,they let us go through.
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We find housing in a tenament, a run-down, overcrowded apartment building in San Francisco. I find a job as a seamstress, and Okelani is a builder. this sustaines us for now.
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ON June 11th, I turned 15. Okelani somehow managed to get me a beatiful american dress. I was so happy. I also got flowers. Even though we lived in poor conditions, i was as happy as i've ever been. We were free!
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My boss whips me when I don't get work done. i try my hardest, but i'm only 15 and still learning. he doesn't understand, and today he fired me. that was when okelani decided it was time to move west! we get everything ready and have left in less than 2 hours! we find a wagon train going to Oregon, and join them
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The homestead at, although 48 years before we came, said that anyone could claim a plotted 160 piece of land. this act was in 1862, but affected us in july of 1910
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Okelani and i both get our very own horses! thanks to the loggers, fishers, and farmers that have helped us, we are ready to find land. My horse is beautiful, and as fast as lightning.
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Okelani and i enter in a land rush. okelani has found the perfect peice of land for us. he gives me our flag, and tells me to go as fast as I can because my horse is fasteer than his. When the race starts, he falls behind, but I keep going. Someone else is heading towards our land, but i get there first. my horse and i seem to be one. we both lean so i can put our flag in the ground without getting off of my horse. a few minutes later, Okelani arrives. We have found the perfect land!
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Okelani finally finishes our house. we have a beautiful house on a beautiful 160 acre farm. We are very happy and i am so glad e immigrated to America.
