"Kill Haole Day"

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

As I've mentioned before, Singapore was a western consumer obsessed country with a smidget of culture - and over here, we're pretty much by ourselves. My mother doesn't push culture or religion much, nor do I. We don't have a lot of Chinese friends or relatives over here, so we are a little detached from being "Chinese", if you wanna call it that.

That said, I'm not particular if my kids get Hawaiian culture or Chinese culture, really, any culture will do. It just so happens that Daddy and Mommy likes the idea of nice weather and nice beaches...

But no, I agree that they should be proud of their culture and heritage. I guess it's basically getting some incidental culture (by moving to Hawaii) or instilling culture (enrolling the kids in a Chinese school).

And about the comment about racism being mostly fear and refusal of accountability - yes, there are other factors. I'm generalising A LOT. But a lot of it has to do with people's thinking. For example, a fairly popular idea that some people have is that immigrants are stealing jobs from Americans, but being accountable would be thinking that the job market is getting slim because corporations are paying wages that are unacceptable to me and my family, so I should consider getting a different job.

Somehow I have this feeling that I've just opened a big ole can of lively, squiggling worms.

Beaches and rivers and mountains and that sort of thing you can find anywhere. The reason people move to Hawaii is for the people. If not, the reason people move away from Hawaii is the people.

[helen]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

I think I'm implying that being in everyday Hawaii would just instill more culture than in Redmond, WA.

This might be considered a nitpick but granted Hawaii might have a more diverse cultural mix than Redmond, WA, the culture itself, it is not any more or any less than any place else where a group of people meet.

[Miulang]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

This might be considered a nitpick but granted Hawaii might have a more diverse cultural mix than Redmond, WA, the culture itself, it is not any more or any less than any place else where a group of people meet.

In fact, Redmond, being the home base of Microsquish, has a very interesting mix of people: lots of Indians (from India...mostly from Bangalore, I think) and Pakistanis and Russians (probably Ukranians) and some Chinese high tech workers. I bump into them all the time whenever I'm in one of the restaurants in Redmond or Kirkland. So HH, it's not as homogeneous as you think it is...you just have to know where to look.

And on the Seattle side, there are lots of Ethiopians and Somalis, Filipinos, Cambodians, Vietnamese...you name it, it's here. Actually the City of Seattle is really cool because it, along with corporations like Boeing, sponsors cultural events down at the Seattle Center every year and they celebrate the cultures of India, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Brazil, Italy, China, Mexico, the Philippines...you won't see this kind of organized recognition of the diversity of a city's cultures anywhere else. Nearly every weekend beginning in the Spring and running through Fall, there's usually at least one cultural festival going on down at the Seattle Center. The best part is it's free (except if you want to buy food)!

Miulang

[Leo Lakio]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

Worms don't belong in cans.

Oh, I like that, PoiBoy, I like that!

This might be considered a nitpick but granted Hawaii might have a more diverse cultural mix than Redmond, WA, the culture itself, it is not any more or any less than any place else where a group of people meet.

No nitpick at all, helen - quite deep, actually, and I think you are right. And so is Pua`i Mana`o's comment: to paraphrase James Carville, "It's the people, stupid." (I'm not calling ANYONE here "stupid" - it's just part of the quote...)

[hawaiihopeful]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

Wait, you're saying worms do not come in cans? Oh no, what the heck am I gonna do with all the worms that I've canned, along with all the peaches and assorted fruit in my cupboards?

And yeah, Redmond is quite diverse. Microsoft and Nintendo has the clout to hire anyone from anywhere, and we have a pretty good mix of cultures here. A lot of times I go to the playground with the kids and fair-skinned parents would surprise me by talking to their kids in Russian or some other Eastern European dialect. I used to live in Bellingham, WA (motto: City of Subdued Excitement!) where it was pretty much Cauasians. I used to do a Japan Radio show with my friend (I don't speak Japanese, but I'm witty I'm told) and my on-air promo used to be (in radio voice) Japan Radio. Bringing some color to Bellingham.

And I got away with it.

And yeah, beautiful beaches and weather can be found in other places (not WA, though. The beaches are so pebblely and cold and raunchy...) but I wanted to avoid the great big backlash if I said something like, "I'd like to go to Hawaii because they have so much Aloha in them, and I'd like to experience that as well," even if I do want to experience the people there. I dunno, something about subjective monologues in forums that gets people in trouble.

And Miulang, I haven't been to Wallingford or the restaurant, though one of my favorites (especially my Mom's) is the Malay Satay Hut. Mmm. Peanut curry.

And PoiBoy, I don't have a cultural identity crisis. I'm a Mac. So will my children!

Thanks about the comments about the kids. As if I was pleading to the world, "I don't want anyone to beat up my kids on KHD! Look at them! Why would anyone want to do that?"

[Leo Lakio]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

HH, it sounds like we need to get your `ohana hooked up around here. Not that we're trying to discourage your eventual move to Hawai`i (I'll be there on a permanent basis a long time from now, I hope, and Miulang will return to her home someday), but there's much you can do while here, many communities with whom you can connect.

Next time you get a chance to go to Uwajimaya (on Bel-Red Road), pick up the free newspaper (Northwest Hawai`i Times - disclaimer: I write for them) and see if it gives you some ideas.

Were you on the air at KUGS? When was that? A couple contributors (one present, one past) to HT are former B'hammers, too.

[mungbeansoup]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

I went to Punahou and graduated in the late '80s. There was a disconnect between the Local and the Haole kids, but no "kill Haole day"--anyway, fighting on/near the campus could get you expelled.

There were rumors circulating around campus of public school kids slashing car tires of Punahou kids, however. Don't know if that was an urban legend or not.

[Wixxy]

Re: "Kill Haole Day"

KHD did exist at Makakilo Elementary in the 70's/80's. If you look at pictures of me before and after 4th grade, the broken nose I got on KHD stands out plain as day.
While I was one of just one of two or three haole kids in my class, I the only non-kama'ainas, so I stuck out like a sore thumb.
As I grew up, I had to endure a lesser and lesser amount of racism, but it was still present in those who didn't know me. It was always funny to see the look on someone's face when the funny-looking haole kid started talking pidgin. By the time I reached high school, I was friends with mokes, band geeks, slackers, stoners, and kids on the honor roll and none gave me grief about being a haole kid.

I definitely had it easier than the military kids did....some had a life of living hell and the more they fought it, the harder it was.
Even knowing as many people as I did, I still didn't dare walk the campus of Campbell at night whether alone or with a group.

The sad thing is that, even if they never experience it, many people from the mainland who go to Hawaii, whether for vacation or with the military, have heard the stories about how bad it can be for haoles and several told me they feared for their lives. I always do my best to reassure them, but hope it's changed enough that they never have to face what I did growing up.

I have two half-brothers, both hapa, who still live out there and while the oldest hasn't had to deal with it (He's half-Filipino), the youngest, who's one-quarter Japanese, has had to deal with it a little.