Background
Trask was born in California, grew up in Hawaii, and comes from a politically active family.
Trask was born in California, grew up in Hawaii, and comes from a politically active family.
Trask graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1967. She then attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earning her bachelor"s degree in 1972, a master"s degree in 1975 and a Doctor of Philosophy in political science in 1981.
Trask is a professor of Hawaiian Studies with the Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and has represented Native Hawaiians in the United Nations and various other global forums. She is the author of several books of poetry and nonfiction. Her dissertation was revised into a book entitled Eros and Power: The Promise of Feminist Theory and was published by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 1986.
Politics Trask opposes tourism to Hawaii and the United States. military"s presence in Hawaii.
More recently Trask has spoken against the Akaka Bill, a bill to establish a process for Native Hawaiians to gain federal recognition similar to the recognition that some Native American tribes currently possess. Collegiate work Trask heads the Hawaiian Studies Program at the University of Hawaii.
Anti-Americanism Trask considers the United States her enemy and the enemy of the Hawaiian people, saying "The Americans, my people, are our enemies." She stated to her students that "We need to think very, very clearly about who the enemy is. The enemy is the United States of America and everyone who supports lieutenant".