How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

[kimo55]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

if you come expecting prejudice, you'll find it. If you come expecting a warm welcome, well, you'll find that too.

in general, life is a self fulfilling prophecy.

[helen]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

I sort of notice any friction on a group of people is usually based on where they are from (or what part of Hawaii they currently live) as opposed to their ethic background. Sure sometimes racial slurs get said but that's secondary.

Neighborhood pride I guess. It wouldn't be strange for instance on the island of Kauai that a person from Lihue, not liking someone from Kapaa (which is about 6 to 8 miles away) which in turn not liking someone from Waimea (30 to 40 miles in the other direction), take these three people and place them on the island of Oahu and they are the best buddies. Of course they eye anyone else with suspiscion and likewise anyone from Oahu think these three people from Kauai are weird.

[meanoharm]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

hmm interesting
I have a friend from the mainland that lived in Hawaii for a year when attending college.
He had mentioned to me that he had been asked by local Hawaiians
"what are you doing here?"
I was just wondering where this question may come from?
Is it uncommon to travel? or hard to believe somone would move?

[kimo55]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

He had mentioned to me that he had been asked by local Hawaiians
"what are you doing here?"
I was just wondering where this question may come from?
Is it uncommon to travel? or hard to believe somone would move?

if you look at the question, you see it has nothing to do with relocation as much as the motive that made someone come to the island.
and why they are here.
and what they are doing here.
WHY did you move here.
"what are you doing... here."
got it?

[meanoharm]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

uhhhh
i might be a little slow. haha
I dont totally get what your saying kimo.
So this question is more on the lines of being suspicious?
Wondering what your purpose is on the island?

[kimo55]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

uhhhh
i might be a little slow. haha
I dont totally get what your saying kimo.
So this question is more on the lines of being suspicious?
Wondering what your purpose is on the island?

Don't be surprised to hear kama'aina claim to be firm believers in learning the lessons that history affords. Do you blame many islanders for not trusting the word and motives of foreigners?

[meanoharm]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

Do you blame many islanders for not trusting the word and motives of foreigners?

From researching the history I can see where the suspicion would come from.

I wasnt sure if it was something along those lines or
that it was actually hard for locals to understand why someone would want to move from their home, since Hawaii is so beautiful, maybe a thought of moving would cross a locals mind.

Can you explain to me, if a none local is in Hawaii, is interested in learning the culture, and is respectful, would this be taken into consideration by locals?
Due to me not living in the environment I have a hard time understanding.

[kimo55]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

Can you explain to me, if a non-local is in Hawaii, is interested in learning the culture, and is respectful, would this be taken into consideration by locals?

It depends entirely on the particular "local".
Some may not care a bit, some may be suspicious, some may be impressed, some may say; "well ain't that spayshull! isn't that just too dear" or others may say "what's he up to?" in feigned interest.

(many kama'aina really don't care what goes on with haoles, or mainlanders and don't keep up with much of what occupies the time and mind of them. But among locals some subects come up as in when we were talking story in a carving class a little while ago, and the general consensus it it is really depressing to see cheap plastic tikis and Ku ashtrays and other religious symbology pressed thru the mass merchandise machine,... imagery of the ancient and contemprary Gods of Polynesia, used as cheap decor. This kinda thing burns one's ass. Just one of the many things that just bum out locals and help to disregard much of what amerika is all about. (not all, of course, but much.)

Some may say; "so what if they are interested in learning the culture". ainokea. let them walk the talk. sincerety isn't words or the actions of a weekend or a month.

who da hell knows what would be taken into consideration. and who knows if internally, it is taken into consideration? regardless of external appearances?

It may take years and years of "proving oneself" before any trust is gained. Ya can't just fly over to Hawaii, walk in some sovereignty parade, take a lauhala weaving class and then say; "ok, that should do it; I am now
"kama'aina at heart" and I hope they are fooled when other clueless Joes call me "Hawaiian at heart", too.
nope. Those concepts and terms are insulting, affrontive, arrogant and repellant.

[DaveNSoKona]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

Tourists drive too damn slow. If you want to sightsee pull over and let the long line of cars behind you pass.

[dee_diddy]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

I'm a little impartial on this subject. First of all, I'm a caucasian/filipino born and raised on Maui. The caucasian shows more than the filipino, so I constantly hear the word "haole." I don't think most people in Hawaii know the true meaning of the word, but I'm getting off course. I don't mind mainlanders moving to Hawaii, as long as they respect the locals and their property, and as long as job oppurtunities and politics stay fair. I don't really have much knowledge on this subject, but it seems like the influx of people moving to Hawaii is causing problems for the locals. I understand why locals would be upset, but I look at it with different light. I see it as an oppurtunity for the people of Hawaii to prove that they're just intelligent as mainlanders. One problem I have with all the building going on (especially on Maui), is that it's starting to take away from the beauty that is Hawaii. I guess it would've happened eventually anyway! Plus, the Earth only has about 5 billion more years of life. LOL

My name is Darin. I am 19 years old, from Kahului, Maui.

[kimo55]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

I guess it would've happened eventually anyway! Plus, the Earth only has about 5 billion more years of life.

that kinda apathy is one of the many problems and helps the cause of overdevelopment and the destruction of our islands.
"aaah well. can't stop progress. It's gonna happen anyway especially after my small speck o' life is over. so why bother with anything except expressing this fatalistic perspective".

[Miulang]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

Well, Kimo, since Darin stated he was 19, it's easy to understand why he feels the way he does. Give him another 19 years and a family and responsibility and I think he'll change his attitude. And he has started to notice the big changes on Mau'i, so I think there's hope for him yet.

Miulang

[kimo55]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

Give him another 19 years and a family and responsibility and I think he'll change his attitude.

by then it may be too late. Multiply this by the rest of the population who just start to give a s#!t only at the age of 38 and on, and ya got one ba-a-a-a-a-ad situation.
Like a buncha sheep influencing and following each other's thought processes, and their offspring's too.

[Miulang]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

by then it may be too late. Multiply this by the rest of the population who gives a s#!t only at the age of 38 and on, and ya got one ba-a-a-a-a-ad situation.
Like a buncha sheep influencing and following each other's thought processes, and their offspring's too.

From my own experience, I never really thought much about my life in Hawai'i while I lived there. Took everything for granted. Didn't think much about Hawai'i while I was in college, either. I think it started to sink in finally when I was in my 30s and I came back to Maui annually that it dawned on me how the changes that were taking place were going to eventually destroy everything that I grew up with. At that point, I CARED. But at that point, I wasn't living in Hawai'i, so what could I do?

I don't know of many serious minded 20 somethings who care about more than themselves and their iPods right now. Do you?

Miulang

[kimo55]

Re: How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?

small kid time, we would do these field trips to da Bishop museum. learn about the history. influx of missionaries. destruction of the Hawaiian religion, culture, how Hula and speaking Hawaiian language was kapu.
That bothered me even at 9 years of age. Learned in intermediate and high school, how all the development is changing Honolulu, the impact on all levels.