Before I answer your questions, I believe it's necessary to highlight the fact that your questions overlooks a great many factors related to choice and the lack of choice associated with the socio-political-economic standing that a person was born into.  

Your questions suggest that I was privileged enough to approach education and career with unlimited options.  That is a terrible assumption.

I am a Native Hawaiian.  I'm proud of my people/culture and wanted both to learn more about it and contribute to the advancement of Hawaiian knowledge - which has a wide spectrum of benefits.  

I learned law to better inform myself in a career that would involve law and politics here in Hawai'i.  A legal background would enforce my desire to serve my people by becoming a stronger advocate.    

Why should I abandon my ancestral homeland because the flawed (unjust, unfair, whatever) socio-political-economic system here doesn't make me auto-rich?  I'd rather try to change the system.