Spirit of Aloha | Articles | Under the Hula Moon | September/October 2006

Under the Hula Moon
By: JOCELYN FUJII

How to Get a Life

PHOTO:© TAMI DAWSON/PHOTO RESOURCE HAWAI‘I No use allowed of copyrighted photos

A couple of months ago, local newspapers reported that Hawai‘i residents lead the nation in longevity. As the only state with an average life expec­tan­cy of 80 years, Hawai‘i led the other 49, according to a study by Dr. Christopher Murray of the Harvard School of Public Health. The study suggests that Hawai‘i’s substantial Asian-American population may be a prominent factor. Predictably, where you live is also a factor. Hawai‘i, after all, is a good place to be in the matters of climate, lower stress and recreational op­por­tunities, all significant factors in the measure of longevity.

On Sept. 17, the same day that the Honolulu Star-Bulletin published an editorial about the Harvard study, Anna Slog­gett, a retired elementary school teacher on Kaua‘i, celebrated her 100th birthday. More than 500 people gathered at Gay­lord’s in Puhi for an old-fashioned poi luncheon at which laughter, music, tears and testimonials flowed in honor of the new centenarian. Sloggett, who still plays golf, and who recently had her driver’s license renewed, ended the event by addressing the crowd and dancing a hula.

If there were a poster girl for longevity, it would be Anna Sloggett, who adds her own unique blend of spirit, humor and kindness to the prevailing formula for long life—not just in terms of years, but also in dimensions of quality. While many of us struggle to stay active, involved and positive at half her years, she enjoys a life filled with meaning and enjoyment—qualities that are not quantifiable by surveys and statistics.

While not Asian, Sloggett is part of another significant demo­graphic: She’s a woman. The women of Hawai‘i are also leaders in Murray’s survey, tops among the states that were profiled by gender. With an average life expectancy of 83.2 years, reports the Star-Bulletin, Hawai‘i women, possibly because of the high Asian population, elevate the average, but are eclipsed by the Asian-American women of Ber­gen County, N.J., who typically live to 91 years.

But why Bergen County, N.J.? I did a quick Google search and discovered these facts: Bergen is one of the most populous counties of New Jersey, with more than 884,000 people and some communities with high Korean-American and Chinese-American populations. According to Wikipedia, it’s also a county with large shopping malls, blue laws prohibiting most shopping on Sundays and 12 municipalities listed in Forbes magazine’s 2006 list of The Most Expensive ZIP Codes in the United States.

If race, income and geography are factors in longevity, as the Harvard study suggests, where does that leave Hawai‘i? Our clean air, agricultural and oceanic bounty, and ideal climate must compensate, at least partially, for our scarcity of open space. Our multiethnic culinary traditions offer alternatives to the fried, carbo-laden food of mainstream America, and parks and beaches are accessible year-round. Organic farms are on the rise. Healthy takeout options, like Soy to the World, X-otic Eats, organic sections of supermarkets and the soon-to-open Licious Dishes, a gourmet raw food takeout, of­fer alternatives and bolster the lives of busy parents who work hard to keep up with the high cost of living.

“In terms of longevity, there’s a significant genetic component,” says Sylvia Yuen, director of the Center on the Family at the University of Hawai‘i. “Part of the reason Hawai‘i does so well is the high percentage of our population that is Asian, particularly Asian females.” Also, says Yuen, Hawai‘i possesses “many environmental and health supports” to bolster the genetic factors.

“We know that people who are actively engaged, who have a passion and are interacting with people, make a contribution. We know that their minds are active, and this increases their physical and mental well-being, their quality of life,” she says. “This helps people not only to live longer, but to live well. Happy people tend to get engaged in things, happy people give more to others and support others.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean that there are more happy people in Hawai‘i, or that simply staying active ensures longevity, she cautions. But it does mean that Hawai‘i is fortunate to have inspirations like Anna Sloggett, who never stops giving. Through her birthday lū‘au, she raised $100,000 for scholarships for Kaua‘i students pursuing preschool and elementary education. That, to me, is how to get a life, and immortality.

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