When Hawai'i was getting ready for statehood, I was just out of high school, working overseas for the U.S. Navy and soon to be married on Guam.

I was also one of five Hawai'i girls — Marilyn Leimomi Morgan, Sandra Ooka, Darnell Martin and Cynthia Jose and me — who danced for Edith McKinzie's hula halau.

We celebrated the first raising of a 50-state flag while dancing hula in front of the steps of the Guam Legislature at sunrise.

On Guam, the motto is "Where America's Day Begins." I've never seen any documentation giving credit to Guam's Hawaiian community for celebrating the raising of the first 50th flag on American soil.

The flag was flown to Hawai'i by the now-deceased David Kalama, father of kumu hula Namahana Panui, and I suspect it was delivered to the governor.