I joked to my Kanaka Maoli once removed friend (Hawaiian born in California) as a Katonka Mahaole. Katonk as in not from Hawaii and Haole also as in not from Hawaii, but Kanaka Maoli none the less.
I believe Hawaiian as ethnicity is totally different from Hawaiian as in nationalism. Look at Akebono, he's a better candidate of what it is to have Nippon nationalism better than I. I'm 100% Japanese but I'm also three generations removed from the motherland of Japan. I have no pride in nationalism for Japan and never will.
There are a few Kanaka Maoli who will never understand Hawaiiana as a culture or have any pride as a nation because they were born and raised several generations removed from the homeland of Hawaii. Does that make them any less of a Hawaiian?
Maybe culturally speaking but not ethnically. Just like me I'll always be 100% Japanese, but my cultural background is local to Hawaii like many of us here.
So can one learn what it is like to be Kanaka Maoli? I think so. Radio DJ, Robert Zix aka Kamasami Kong has lived in Japan for such a long time assimilating into it's culture and language, that Ultra Blonde-haired "Vanilla Gorilla" (as he calls himself) has a better understanding of it than I.
It is safe to assume that there are a few Kanaka Maoli that just don't get it when we talk of respecting the Aina. They're so far removed from the cultural aspect of what it is to be Hawaiian that they no longer possess the characteristics of being Hawaiian. In other words, they're just as haole as haole can get. Because they have no vested interest in the Hawaiian culture, if the day comes when the monarchy of Hawaii is reinstated, should they be treated like the Haole with no claims? Culturally they haven't a clue as to Hawaiian nationalism or it's culture...as haole as haole gets.
And what of the non-Kanaka Maoli who understands fluently the language and culture of Hawaii and more importantly was born and raised in Hawaii plus has a sense of nationalism to the monarchy of Hawaii? Who is more Hawaiian? One who was born and raised here with a fluent understanding of the language and culture? Or one who has never set foot on Hawaiian soil yet has roots to the Kanaka Maoli?
If you had to put the fate of the Hawaiian Monarchy into the hands of a person or persons, who would you rather choose? One who understand and respects the Aina? Or one who doesn't? In an extreme case: A haole who understands and respects the Aina? Or a Kanaka Maoli who doesn't?
With that arguement in place, is it wiser to be Kanaka Maoli by virtue of nationalism or by ethnicity? If by nationalism, then anyone can assume the values and the rights of being Kanaka Maoli, if by ethnicity, then only one of Hawaiian ancestry can be called Kanaka Maoli.
If you choose nationalism at least you have a person who is more dedicated to and understands more profoundly the idealisms of how the monarchy should be run.
If you choose ethnicity, then you have a person who may or may not fully understand the idealisms of how the monarchy should be run.
How would you choose if you couldn't combine the best of both: A Kanaka Maoli who understands the idealisms of how the monarchy should be run.
Should ethnicity be the only characteristic value of what a Kanaka Maoli should be? It would be scary to believe so, since there are many non-Hawaiians who have demonstrated a better understanding of the plight of the Kanaka Maoli from a nationalism and cultural perspective than some Kanaka Maoli who never took the opportunity to understand their own plight.
Does a full-blooded Hawaiian have any more cultural and national pride than a a part-Hawaiian? When does the dilution of the Hawaiian blood into different ethnicities make you any less of a Hawaiian than a full-blooded one? If the answer is that there is no distinction then, being Hawaiian is more of a cultural awareness than it is ethnical.
If blood quantum plays an important role in determining the reparations to all Hawaiians upon the reinstatement of the Hawaiian Monarchy, then there are gonna be a lot of disappointed part-Hawaiians out there.
If blood quantum doesn't play any role in reparations, then does nationalism? If so then you don't have to be Hawaiian to receive reparations. You simply have to claim your citizenship to the reinstated Hawaiian monarchy. And that's gonna piss off ALL Hawaiians.
How do you choose?
I believe Hawaiian as ethnicity is totally different from Hawaiian as in nationalism. Look at Akebono, he's a better candidate of what it is to have Nippon nationalism better than I. I'm 100% Japanese but I'm also three generations removed from the motherland of Japan. I have no pride in nationalism for Japan and never will.
There are a few Kanaka Maoli who will never understand Hawaiiana as a culture or have any pride as a nation because they were born and raised several generations removed from the homeland of Hawaii. Does that make them any less of a Hawaiian?
Maybe culturally speaking but not ethnically. Just like me I'll always be 100% Japanese, but my cultural background is local to Hawaii like many of us here.
So can one learn what it is like to be Kanaka Maoli? I think so. Radio DJ, Robert Zix aka Kamasami Kong has lived in Japan for such a long time assimilating into it's culture and language, that Ultra Blonde-haired "Vanilla Gorilla" (as he calls himself) has a better understanding of it than I.
It is safe to assume that there are a few Kanaka Maoli that just don't get it when we talk of respecting the Aina. They're so far removed from the cultural aspect of what it is to be Hawaiian that they no longer possess the characteristics of being Hawaiian. In other words, they're just as haole as haole can get. Because they have no vested interest in the Hawaiian culture, if the day comes when the monarchy of Hawaii is reinstated, should they be treated like the Haole with no claims? Culturally they haven't a clue as to Hawaiian nationalism or it's culture...as haole as haole gets.
And what of the non-Kanaka Maoli who understands fluently the language and culture of Hawaii and more importantly was born and raised in Hawaii plus has a sense of nationalism to the monarchy of Hawaii? Who is more Hawaiian? One who was born and raised here with a fluent understanding of the language and culture? Or one who has never set foot on Hawaiian soil yet has roots to the Kanaka Maoli?
If you had to put the fate of the Hawaiian Monarchy into the hands of a person or persons, who would you rather choose? One who understand and respects the Aina? Or one who doesn't? In an extreme case: A haole who understands and respects the Aina? Or a Kanaka Maoli who doesn't?
With that arguement in place, is it wiser to be Kanaka Maoli by virtue of nationalism or by ethnicity? If by nationalism, then anyone can assume the values and the rights of being Kanaka Maoli, if by ethnicity, then only one of Hawaiian ancestry can be called Kanaka Maoli.
If you choose nationalism at least you have a person who is more dedicated to and understands more profoundly the idealisms of how the monarchy should be run.
If you choose ethnicity, then you have a person who may or may not fully understand the idealisms of how the monarchy should be run.
How would you choose if you couldn't combine the best of both: A Kanaka Maoli who understands the idealisms of how the monarchy should be run.
Should ethnicity be the only characteristic value of what a Kanaka Maoli should be? It would be scary to believe so, since there are many non-Hawaiians who have demonstrated a better understanding of the plight of the Kanaka Maoli from a nationalism and cultural perspective than some Kanaka Maoli who never took the opportunity to understand their own plight.
Does a full-blooded Hawaiian have any more cultural and national pride than a a part-Hawaiian? When does the dilution of the Hawaiian blood into different ethnicities make you any less of a Hawaiian than a full-blooded one? If the answer is that there is no distinction then, being Hawaiian is more of a cultural awareness than it is ethnical.
If blood quantum plays an important role in determining the reparations to all Hawaiians upon the reinstatement of the Hawaiian Monarchy, then there are gonna be a lot of disappointed part-Hawaiians out there.
If blood quantum doesn't play any role in reparations, then does nationalism? If so then you don't have to be Hawaiian to receive reparations. You simply have to claim your citizenship to the reinstated Hawaiian monarchy. And that's gonna piss off ALL Hawaiians.
How do you choose?
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