"Kill Haole Day"

[reineke]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

Thank you all. I am not too concerned about anything Hawaii related. I have lived through some very violent times. Then again I worry that I installed the child fence on the second step instead of the first Choke a moke is really something new. It's fun discussing anything Hawaii related, good or bad and I'm excited about moving there. I read a lot about the "fob" attitude. Apparently the term originated in Hawaii? Is it the negative attitude of some newcomers that mostly upsets people or or is it that the "mokes" use it as an excuse to have some fun? I am assuming that "da moke" is a "bloke" most likely native Hawaiian or mixed and "cool" whatever that entails over there (surfing, sports, dangerous dogs, weed etc.) and fluent in the local dialect? And that a local haole guy can be an honorary moke by association?

[kimo55]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

P.S. and it's not "Do you like beef?" The correct expression is "You like beef?"

yea. the galloping gourmet would query
"do you like beef?"

we query with delightfully resentful overtones:
"eh. like beef o wot!?"


and I have never heard a moke explain:
"I need an excuse to have some fun. after all, I am a cool bloke and as you see, am fluent in the local dialect".

[GeckoGeek]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

we also had "Choke a Moke" day too!

Ohhhhhhhhky. Just who was planning on doing that? In my school I don't think anyone other then maybe the football team would think of trying that. Not unless they had a death wish.

[kimo55]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

"You like me lick you?" always made me laugh. sounds like a dirty proposition in a shady strip bar.

not me, man. once ya get dirty lickins,
or feel a need to threaten to t'row blows, to straighten someone out,
ya never confuse the term.

[Keanu]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

Mokes can best be described as polynesian guys with protruding bellies, wearing slippahs, and shirts that are too small. They usually keep a cigarette behind one of their ears, and almost always have either a can of Budweiser or a bottle of Heineken in one hand. They like to ride around on bikes and jam on their ukuleles on a park bench or at the beach.I get plenty mokes in my family.

[reineke]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

Sounds heavenly. Extreme comfort. I like that

Mokes can best be described as polynesian guys with protruding bellies, wearing slippahs, and shirts that are too small. They usually keep a cigarette behind one of their ears, and almost always have either a can of Budweiser or a bottle of Heineken in one hand. They like to ride around on bikes and jam on their ukuleles on a park bench or at the beach.I get plenty mokes in my family.

[Miulang]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

Mokes can best be described as polynesian guys with protruding bellies, wearing slippahs, and shirts that are too small. They usually keep a cigarette behind one of their ears, and almost always have either a can of Budweiser or a bottle of Heineken in one hand. They like to ride around on bikes and jam on their ukuleles on a park bench or at the beach.I get plenty mokes in my family.

And TITAs are the female equivalent! They don't have the protruding bellies, but they have the same 'tude as their bruddahs; in other words, no mess wit 'em

Miulang

[kimo55]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

They don't have the protruding bellies,

You haven't been to Kalihi lately have ya Miu!?

[buzz1941]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

Back in the day, Kill Haole Day was fo' real at Aliamanu Intermediate. Last day of school, because then you couldn't get suspended. I got cornered at the end of 8th grade by a group who demanded that I fight them. I just stood there and refused, which made them even madder. They went away because I wouldn't play the game. But it was five-to-one and I would have gotten my ass kicked, but I wasn't going to run either. So I did the one thing they didn't expect. I lucked out.

Then I went Radford and no more haole-local stuff. It was Army vs. Navy.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

And TITAs are the female equivalent! They don't have the protruding bellies, but they have the same 'tude as their bruddahs; in other words, no mess wit 'em

You haven't been to Kalihi lately have ya Miu!?

Well, it ain't a requirement, that much I know. I've met some tiny titas, that's for certain - definitely not to be underestimated! (Of course, the same could be said for ALL women, not just titas.)

[modpirate]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

I went to school in Nuuanu in the 70's and Hilo in the 80's, and I don't remember either one of these days. Of course, if you were handicapped or gay or just had parents that were deemed "weird", every day was "Run For Your Life Day," but I suspect it's like that everywhere.

[jimnyo]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

well, i wasn't gonna post, but then i thought you might wanna know...i used to work w/jr. hi, sr. hi and college students here in honolulu. a few of the haole girls who used to go to roosevelt told me about kill haole day. but this wasn't in the 70's--it would've been in the 90's. of course, they wouldn't kill them, but they definitely made them uncomfortable. also, one of them was a redhead, which probably didn't help matters b/c she REALLY stuck out--and even though she grew up on kauai, they'd pick on her sometimes. she used to tell me stories about getting cigarette butt burns on her arms from some of the titas. and yes, that's definitely where i learned about the phrase, "you like beef!?! (btw, writing this phrase doesn't do it justice...it's the WAY it's said) b/c she got into a lot of it. she didn't seem too traumatized tho, and she was pretty outgoing and outspoken, so i wouldn't be surprised if her personality also might have made her a more visible target...dunno. but i do agree with a previous poster's point that if your daughter is only three, she'll probably have the advantage of growing up in the local culture from the start, which i think is a big plus. also, certain parts of honolulu (and schools), imho, are more 'haole-friendly'.

but it's all in the attitude, i think. obviously there are racists on both "sides", but for the most part, speaking as a mainland transplant here about 7 years, people can sense where you're coming from. if you come with a heart ready to learn from the people here (and i take it you are, b/c you're reading and posting) and an attitude of humility, most will welcome you with open arms. if you come expecting it to be like the mainland and not caring about learning the local customs, culture and values, people can be very cold. but it's just like anywhere else in that respect, i think. people just want respect, and like anywhere else, to gain it, you have to give it--and especially as a newcomer, you have to give it first. and they can smell fear, so before you start getting scared off, live here for awhile before you make any judgment calls. who knows, you may fit right in!

sorry for the lecture--guess i had more to say than i thought!

[reineke]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

That was beautifully written, thank you.

[hawaiihopeful]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

KHD has been a major roadblock for us moving to Maui once we learned about it, and it'll take quite a bit past it, so I was wondering if reading more might keep me more informed.

If I mention anything that might seem offensive, I apologize. It's a touchy subject and people with strong opinions are likely to jump on one point and attack a generalization, but I honestly do not mean to be offensive to anyone.

Being an immigrant who started high school in Washington, I too encountered my fair share of stupid racists - and worse off, since I was FOP (Fresh off the Plane), I had no afflilations with anyone, and didn't even fit in the Chinese cliques, because Singapore was kinda a not here nor there group. There were a few instances whereby I was close to fights, and once I even interrupted class in front of everyone because someone said I spoke like a "Korean store owner". I think that's the most irritating bit for me - being called a "gook" and other things when they don't even get my ethicity correct.

I've learned to accept that racism does exist, and I have my ways to deal with it. Even my wife's family, who are Cauasian, tend to have some prejudices that slip out once in a while. However, when it comes to my 2 and 3 year old, nobody can argue that I'll do my darnest best to keep them away from a negative environment that fosters separation by races. Not only do I worry about KHD for my Half-Chinese son who's a little on the pale side, I also worry that he could also be on the other side of it.

I'm trying to weigh the arguements, keeping a lot of factors in line. Just like on the mainland, most African-Americans are always maintain that racism is alive, well, and very active in everyday life, while Cauasians will maintain, "Oh, everything's not that bad. A bit sensitive, aren't we?" I think the same might apply to Native Hawaiians and Haoles, except reversed. Another thing I keep in mind is that adults don't always have a great idea of what goes on in schools. Grades are one thing, but I would think that the social interaction between students would probably make most of us cringe if we observed it in its true light.

I don't know if KHD is a thing of the past, if zero tolerance essentially wiped it out. I don't even really care if it's "just a threat to act out against weirdos", or "if he's an outcast, he's gonna get it anyway." I don't condone any reasons for abuse or violence. I know that even if they both go to Washington schools, they'll likely encounter some form of racism, but what I fear more than racism from other students more than anything, is institutional racism. I'd like to know that the school's got my children's back, or any child's back for that matter, that if any kind of hazing activities occured, the responsible parties would be expelled. It's part of growing up, it's Darwinism, it's reality - it can be argued, but I think I'd like to know that if a student makes a threat of any proportion, he/she would be disciplined as such - like the adults would be in real life.

Like I said, it's a tremendous roadblock for me, but I'm open to discussions. Thanks.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

This may well be the wisest part of your post:

I've learned to accept that racism does exist

Help your kids to understand that it does exist, everywhere, that they will encounter it, no matter what, and that they do not have to accept someone else's ignorance-based definitions to tell them who they are, and they'll do fine.