Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

    The recent Keani name thread, and the thread asking if it's OK for a haole girl to dance hula, has got me thinking about Hawaiian culture, and about exclusivity vs inclusivity.

    Sometimes I hear people say that only Hawaiians should...

    ...give their kids Hawaiian names (I even say this myself)
    ...use tiki (ki'i) imagery (Kimo, are you listening?)
    ...dance hula (almost nobody says this)

    Why?

    On the one hand, you could argue that doing these things preserves the Hawaiian culture, keeps it "pure", in the face of a massive Western cultural onslaught that threatens to cheapen the meaning of these things.

    But on the other hand, wouldn't it be great if people all over the world did Hawaiian things -- wouldn't that be spreading the Hawaiian culture, and wouldn't that be a good thing?


  • #2
    Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

    Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
    On the one hand, you could argue that doing these things preserves the Hawaiian culture, keeps it "pure", in the face of a massive Western cultural onslaught that threatens to cheapen the meaning of these things.

    But on the other hand, wouldn't it be great if people all over the world did Hawaiian things -- wouldn't that be spreading the Hawaiian culture, and wouldn't that be a good thing?

    It's OK for non Hawaiians to do all of the above, but only if they understand the reasons why they're doing it. Giving a non-Hawaiian kid a Hawaiian name is OK, if the parents know what the name means. Just because it "sounds nice" doesn't cut it. Many of the names being called Hawaiian today are really "Hawaiianized" Anglo names (like Kawika, Keoni, Iakona, Kukana, etc); most of the "real" Hawaiian names are much longer and have a lot of symbolism associated with the name. In many cultures, a child isn't named until an elder has had a chance to observe the child's demeanor and then a suitable name is chosen.

    The tiki is a "religious" icon. And I agree with Kimo on this one...to make the tiki a collectible piece of kitsch is reprehensible because most non-Hawaiians don't understand the significance or use of the tiki by the kanaka maoli.

    Any kumu hula worth his or her salt is teaching not only the dance itself, but the oli and the traditions behind the hula, especially in the hula kahiko. I think it's great that non-Hawaiians are dancing the kahiko. Auwana to me is like Hollywood/Anglo kitsch, but it's still taught by the kumu hula to keep people interested.

    Miulang
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

      Here are a couple of other Hawaiian things to throw into the discussion:

      Food. We often groan about fake "Hawaiian" dishes, and we often argue about what's "authentic" Hawaiian food. Is it authentic if a non-Hawaiian chef makes Hawaiian food?

      Surfing. Surfing has become a worldwide sport. Now, nobody says that only Hawaiians should surf!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

        Well, foodwise, if you really wanted "authentic" Hawaiian, you wouldn't have half of what is presented at a luau today! No chicken long rice, no lomi salmon, no poke, no mac salad...probably only fish and poi and baked sweet potato and haupia (and plenty of 'awa awa!).

        I've seen Chinese cooks in Mexican restaurants (and seen restaurants that served Chinese and Cuban food on the same menu) and I don't consider that authentic. But I think it's not so much the nationality of the cook as what the cook makes that makes it authentic or not (and whether I see people who consider that particular cuisine their own eating in that establishment).

        Miulang
        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

          Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
          ...use tiki (ki'i) imagery (Kimo, are you listening?)
          Oh, uh, yea. what dat!?

          But on the other hand, wouldn't it be great if people all over the world did Hawaiian things -- wouldn't that be
          spreading the Hawaiian culture,
          and
          wouldn't that be a good thing?

          in my estimation, an emphatic "NO" on both counts.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

            Never mind.
            Last edited by Palolo Joe; July 22, 2005, 06:15 PM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

              Originally posted by Palolo Joe
              Never mind.
              Yessiree I do.
              "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

                Originally posted by kimo55
                ...in my estimation, an emphatic "NO" on both counts.
                IYO is it possible to honor and/or celebrate a culture, its art and customs, without being ethnically part of it? Is it always a matter of cheapening it?
                “First we fought the preliminary round for the k***s and now we’re gonna fight the main event for the n*****s."
                http://hollywoodbitchslap.com/review...=416&printer=1

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

                  Originally posted by sinjin
                  IYO is it possible to honor and/or celebrate a culture, its art and customs, without being ethnically part of it? Is it always a matter of cheapening it?
                  good question...

                  as far as Polynesian cultural celebrations, such as, say the ones on the mainland; long beach... northridge.. they are instigated, organized and put on by pacific islanders and of course, it's done with the help and assistance of their mainland /white/non Polynesian oahna friends, co-horts and the like. It's the spirit, motives, that is impoirtant. (Do ya walk the talk?)
                  this makes for a good uplifting time had by all.
                  I love those Polynesian celebrations on the mainland and i see nothing cheap about them. Gives a chance for the craftspeople of the islands to earn a living, more exposure for the hula halau... more education, and sensitivity develops towards Polynesia... hopefully.

                  It's the goofy plastic tiki party luaus that cheapen that aspect.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

                    Originally posted by Miulang
                    Well, foodwise, if you really wanted "authentic" Hawaiian, you wouldn't have half of what is presented at a luau today! No chicken long rice, no lomi salmon, no poke, no mac salad...probably only fish and poi and baked sweet potato and haupia (and plenty of 'awa awa!).

                    I've seen Chinese cooks in Mexican restaurants (and seen restaurants that served Chinese and Cuban food on the same menu) and I don't consider that authentic. But I think it's not so much the nationality of the cook as what the cook makes that makes it authentic or not (and whether I see people who consider that particular cuisine their own eating in that establishment).

                    Miulang

                    no say no moa chicken long rice, lomi salmon, pokem and mac salad!! i goin cry!! lol

                    to me as long da cook follows da recipe da way its supposed to be den it's authentic. jus make me sample da dish. i tastem! shootz i tryem!
                    Reggie aka pinakboy
                    Reggie's Kaukau Time! blog
                    Raw Eats Veggie Videos
                    Recipe Tube TV!
                    Deep Fried Recipes TV!

                    checkem out!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Preserving the culture, or mummifying it?

                      I didn't know about it until the Star-Bulletin published this article, but there are folks who are busy restoring old Hawaiian sites -- not as museum pieces, but as living, working sites. Fishponds, heiau, even a makahiki field.

                      One of the problems, aside from dealing with 21st-century land ownership issues, is that the locals are clashing with DLNR archaeologists over how to manage the sites.

                      While McMahon said Ikaika's heart is in the right place, his work at the heiau has led to campers squatting on the heiau and disturbing it. He also exposed burial sites, she said.
                      Although it's not emphasized in the article, to me this strikes at the heart of the difference. DLNR's attitude is apparently that they need to document and preserve everything that's there. It's like those historic buildings preservation people who get upset when owners of old houses want to renovate, or even do upkeep, on their places.

                      The way I see it, and these local folks apparently think this way too, if you want these sites to be alive, then they've got to be dynamic. They've got to grow and change with the community. If you're going to restore (for example) an old makahiki field, and you actually want to use it, then you're going to be putting in plumbing and electrical and all the modern infrastructure that modern playing fields need, whether you're playing soccer or rolling ulu maika and throwing spears. That's not desecration, that's adapting to the times.

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X