Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: You knew somebody who knew somebody who knew...

Isn't it [haole] sometimes used as terms of endearment amongst friends who have different races?

Is it? I've never heard it used that way. I mean, if I hear someone say, "Eh, howzit, haole?" I'm gonna assume that the guy he's talking to is... well... haole. If he's not, I'll be confused.

[pzarquon]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

I think Kamlost means that haole is often used innocuously as an adjective when trying to identify a Caucasian in a group of people of different ethnicities. Say, if you want to help a friend find someone in an office, you'll say, "Look for the haole woman at the front desk." I have haole friends who definitely self-identify as haole.

It's the modifier, as in local haole, that often makes most of the difference. Being described as hapa haole or local haole is one thing. Being called a "frickin' haole" is something else entirely!

[Albert]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

We seem to have an outbreak of these "what's in a word" threads.

In my experience (about 14 years now) of being an "outsider", I have heard "haole" most often used as just a descriptive term. "That haole guy".
I often heard it used when I was working for an insurance broker downtown, just to distinguish who was being talked about.

If you want to use "haole" as something racist and negative, you need to use an adjective before it (the one that starts with F and ends with -ing works very well).

[kamlost]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

~.~

Friends of mine who are not haoles call each other haole - teasingly.

And when they call a haole that within a group, I guess it depends on, like what you guys said, it depends on the adjective before it. The tones make a huge difference too!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

My wife told me about the way Hawaiians breathe as a greeting to one another, she's Hawaiian as well. So what is the exact translation of Hauna then as in stink breath as we know it?

I also read that Captain Cook wasn't merely killed, he was eaten as well. So with that said, Captain Cook...the other white meat.

Oh man that was bad, I'm sorry for that remark but it kinda all tied in.

Regardless of meaning in today's verbage I understood Haole as someone not from this land. So I call my Hawaiian/Japanese friend who was born and raised in L.A. a Katonka Mahaole instead of the native Hawaiian: Kanaka Maoli.

What really amazes me is that the most extreme Hawaiian activists have Haole last names! Like Trask. What's up with that?

[Karen]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

What really amazes me is that the most extreme Hawaiian activists have Haole last names! Like Trask. What's up with that? "

LOL well, Kamehameha is founded on the will of a lady with a very haole name, BISHOP! (G) Was she married to a haole? Oh man, this thread reminds me of eleven years ago, we'd just moved into the island, and a neighborhood boy got aggravated at one of my daughers, called her a haole, and she had already been visiting with his sisters, so she reminded him he was a large part, haole! He denied it till one of his sisters reminded him that one of their grandparents is total haole, and another one is part. I kid you not, he acted shocked, but had probably seen them the day before or something. what matters is to this day, he is a dear friend, calls me "auntie" and I get hugged every time I see him anywhere. He has grown up into a really fine teen.

Whatever haole means, I am not a bit insulted nor intimidated to be called one. (G) Heck, some have tried to insult me, but it just rolls off me like water off a duck's back.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

The difference is that Bernice Pauahi Bishop is very much Hawaiian, her husband Charles Reed Bishop (who dedicated the Bishop Muesum to his wife) was the haole, so to speak. Hmmm but she has a haole first name. Oh my.

[hanai]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

Another thought regarding the "without breath" meaning, in New Zealand, Hawai'i's southern Polynesian cousin with a very similar language (apparently identical before the missionaries intervened), white Europeans are referred to as 'Pakeha', same word 'ha' meaning breath of life, origin is because the newcomers were not familiar with the 'hongi' or nose rub greeting of polynesian cultures, wherein the breath of life is intermingled.

[kamlost]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

so, halitosis is a no-no.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

Another thought regarding the "without breath" meaning, in New Zealand, Hawai'i's southern Polynesian cousin with a very similar language (apparently identical before the missionaries intervened), white Europeans are referred to as 'Pakeha', same word 'ha' meaning breath of life, origin is because the newcomers were not familiar with the 'hongi' or nose rub greeting of polynesian cultures, wherein the breath of life is intermingled.

A quick google indicates that in New Zealand they're not too sure about the origin of pakeha either. Best guess seems to be that it was a shortening of pakepakeha, which were mythical fair-skinned creatures who lived in the forest. (Maybe like the menehune, but paler?) I didn't find anybody's web page making a connection to the "ha"="breath" thing.

[kamlost]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

Someone edited my post

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

I had my post completely removed, what gives?

[hanai]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

Thats strange...Hmm?!??!

[Mahina]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

The word "haole" was around long before Captain Cook appeared and long before it morphed into meaning someone of Caucasian descent. Its meaning was and always has been "stranger".

It is used in our Kumulipo...the traditional creation and geneological chant of the Hawaiian royal family.

In the Fifth Chant it says: "Hanau ke Po'ohaole, he haole kela" which, translated means "Born were the fair-haired, they were strangers."

It was also used in an ancient legend (can't find it...sorry) that refers to a pig-man on the Big Island..."pu'u haole"...who was a stranger who came and frightened the wahine of kalapana. There are also stories with references to na pua haole, strange flowers, etc.

As far as the word "haole" coming from "ha ole" (without breath), I suppose it could be that over time the two words were run together to the single word with the pronunciation we have today. It should be remembered that being without breath did not necessarily mean that people did not exchange breath in the traditional face-to-face greeting among our people, but had many other meanings as well. "Breath" contains the power of life, the spirit and essence of who we are as a people and thus to be "ha ole" or without breath can mean that a person does not have the spirit within that makes one Hawaiian.

In any case, "ha ole" or "haole"....neither should be considered as being negative when applied to someone...unless, as Albert pointed, it is preceded with an insulting adjective or said in a demeaning way. :;

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

so why is it then that the more vocal Hawaiian activists like Ms. Trask used the word Haole in a derogative way last year? It seems I only hear the phrase F@#n Haole uttered from the very people who embrace the Hawaiian language as sacred! I hardly consider the use of the Hawaiian language in that manner as sacred or revered in any stretch.