A young author's debut novel tackles the Hawaiian diaspora — but takes it to the cosmos. Makana Yamamoto is Hawaiian and identifies as māhū. Māhū is someone considered a third gender in Native Hawaiian culture and who has both male and female spirits.
Yamamoto grew up in Hawaiʻi but has lived in the continental United States since graduating from high school. Yamamoto's new novel, "Hammajang Luck," depicts a high-stakes space heist and has been described as a “swashbuckling love letter to Hawaiʻi.”
HPR talked with Yamamoto about how the book pays homage to the islands, and the importance of writing transgender characters.
Yamamoto will be holding an event for the book at Narrative Bookshop in Somerville, Massachusetts, on Feb. 19. For more information, click here.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Feb. 13, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
