Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

[Kalani]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

it would be interesting to trace it's polynesian (Tahitian?) roots. Then you can really see just how far back it went. Kon Tiki anyone?

They use "taiora" (sp?) but I have no idea of the origin. Samoans use palagi, and I remember reading something about the origin. I thought it had to do with "lagi" (heaven/sky) but I could be wrong.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

They use "taiora" (sp?) but I have no idea of the origin. Samoans use palagi, and I remember reading something about the origin. I thought it had to do with "lagi" (heaven/sky) but I could be wrong.

yeah I can see if it started with "taiora" or "lagi". Drink some really potent Okolehau den da lips get real wobbly kine so if you said "Eh Taiora" or "Eh Lagi" (especially dat one) it could come out "Eh Haole" You gotta be pretty sloshed to think "taiora" but da mout says, "Haole". But "lagi" yeah da tongue no lift up and da "L" sound comes out "H" and same with the "G" sound, come out "L" because da brain still tinking "L" by da time you stay on da "G". Hmmm...makes sense to me!

[Kalani]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

yeah I can see if it started with "taiora" or "lagi". Drink some really potent Okolehau den da lips get real wobbly kine so if you said "Eh Taiora" or "Eh Lagi" (especially dat one) it could come out "Eh Haole" You gotta be pretty sloshed to think "taiora" but da mout says, "Haole". But "lagi" yeah da tongue no lift up and da "L" sound comes out "H" and same with the "G" sound, come out "L" because da brain still tinking "L" by da time you stay on da "G". Hmmm...makes sense to me!

"Okolehau is only Hawaiian and not (as far as I know) a drink throughout Polynesia.

BTW, the T and L are not similar. The L and R are, just as the K and T, so there is no way that they would be similar. If you knew what happens within your mouth whenever these letters are pronounced, then you'd understand.

h = voiceless
t = voiceless alveolar stop
k = voiceless velar stop

The L and R in many languages around the word unlike in English are that they both are pronounced by channeling air throughthe central part of the mouth. The R is called a central approximant while the L is a lateral approximant.

As for the G, it is spelled with a G but is not pronounced like a G but rather an ng sound.

[Pelix]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

what i've always found funny is how close the word for "roach" is to haole- and how so many oversensitive people get really miffed about it

[Nohealani]

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.

I agree with you...I just came back from NZ after 5 months at the University of Auckland...similarities in culture and traditions are apparent among the Maori and Hawaiians, especially the sharing of one's breath as a sign to create a bonding between two individuals...I'll just keep this light as the speculation of "what's in a word?" tends to bring about many opposing views.

[Tutulady]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

...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.

Aue! Another misconception of an ancient sacred practice meant to ensure the highest honor afforded an "ali'i". Cooks body was treated as though he was a high chief and accorded rituals and protocols reserved only for the highest of priests and ali'i. He was taken to the heiau and rituals/protocols were completed over his body which involved (trying to keep this as short as possible so not going into great detail here) his body being put in an imu, to strip the flesh (gathered and put on the side to be cast in the sea by trusted kahu/caretakers once the heiau ceremonies are done) away from the bones, to clean said bones and wrap them according to ancient rituals and this is what is presented back to his people. After the whole process is completed, those who attended the ceremonies had to go through a cleansing ritual that clears them of defilement and "frees" them from the burdens of those tasks. One is not allowed to re-enter society until they have completed this process as they are considered defiled and may bring harm to all those they come into contact with. In ancient times, anyone caught disobeying the protocols were ostracized (sp?) and may eventually be killed. Kanaka maoli never participated in canibalism! There are chants and mo'o'olelo that speak of people, said to have committed canibalism and how they were treated. I can't remember, specifically, an example of such a chant but I do know some of those protocols, and have participated in kanu activities albeit on a modified scale considering today's laws relating to burials. I have been trained in such protocols being a past member (I haven't participated in recent years due to health issues) of Hui Malama, as well as, my family's own burial rituals/protocols.

[wala'au haole]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

Since the word appears in my username, I figured I should throw in my 2 cents.

Having grown up in Hawaii and spent all my adult life here so far, whenever I was referred to as "haole" it was a description of the fact that I'm mostly of Caucasian ethnicity, thus fair-skinned with European features, and this term was vitually always used for identification purposes.

Usual context: "Oh, you're looking for the haole guy there on the right, yeah that's him..."

[warriorfan808]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

In my opinion, the word Haole is very much racist. I have seen it used as a racist term far too many times to ever use it to describe anyone. Sure I've heard it used as a description, but not nearly as much as racist.

I've heard the word used in situations without the Fbomb dropped before it or even in a sentence that didn't seem bad. Like, "Tell the haoles this" or ,"The haole lady in the front, tell her try come".. etc. The thing is, the people seemed suprised and insulted.

Many might say it means foreigner, but we all know that the word means, "white" now. I know some white people that are second generation here on the islands that are called haole. Are they still foreigners? Doesn't this word exclude them?

It's a racist word that I've heard being used in the same context as the, "N" word. Sugar coat it all you want, but those are the facts.

[Miulang]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

In my opinion, the word Haole is very much racist. I have seen it used as a racist term far too many times to ever use it to describe anyone. Sure I've heard it used as a description, but not nearly as much as racist.

I've heard the word used in situations without the Fbomb dropped before it or even in a sentence that didn't seem bad. Like, "Tell the haoles this" or ,"The haole lady in the front, tell her try come".. etc. The thing is, the people seemed suprised and insulted.

Many might say it means foreigner, but we all know that the word means, "white" now. I know some white people that are second generation here on the islands that are called haole. Are they still foreigners? Doesn't this word exclude them?

It's a racist word that I've heard being used in the same context as the, "N" word. Sugar coat it all you want, but those are the facts.

It's only racist if you choose it to be and your attitude reflects that interpretation.

Miulang

[Pomai44]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

I don’t like getting into these types of conversations because most people have already formed their opinion before the conversation has started an rarely change that opinion.

But having said that I only wanted to bring up the fact that the main problem with trying to say what the original meaning of a word haole is, is almost impossible, due to the fact that the Hawaiian language was not a written language but a spoken one. For theoretical purposes the Hawaiian people came to these islands about 1000 years ago, so for about 800 years the language was handed down from one generation to the other, anyone who believes that the language an meanings stayed the same throughout all that time is sadly mistaken, it is a fact that if you tell a story (chant) over an over it will not be the same as it started out to be, just through human error, even if they tried their best to repeat it exactly as was told to them. So to assume that the Hawaiian Language of today is the same as it was a thousand years ago is wrong. Who’s right and who’s wrong proably doesn’t matter, because it could be that neither is.

Now for my opinion, my mother inlaw was pure Hawaiian born in 1916, she had told me that her mother who I think was born in 1886 on Kaua’i had told her the meaning of haole was the without spirituality version. Now does that mean that that is the true meaining of the word NO, but unless I was able to talk to a Hawaiian who was around here a thousand years ago, I can’t say for sure what the meaning of the word is, all we can do is have our own opinion, including the scholars of UH. So IMHO you can be a haole an be of any race, Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, African and also Caucasian.

[Jonah K]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

So IMHO you can be a haole an be of any race, Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, African and also Caucasian.

In general, anyone who's not kanaka maoli is haole. Those who believe that the word haole is analogous to the infamous "N" word that's occasionally used to refer to haole pā'ele (aka pōpolo) are just hūpō.

Now if some haole was referred to as an 'elelū kea, 'ōkole kāmano or equally "poetic" Hawaiian phrase, they might have a right to feel offended.

[warriorfan808]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

It's only racist if you choose it to be and your attitude reflects that interpretation.

Miulang

If I choose it to be? Are you serious? I'm not haole, but I have seen it used in a racist way many times. Are you confident to say that it is not used in a racist way? I'm not ignorant to believe that it is always used as a racist term, but not everyone is educated by the meaning and even if they were, that does not mean they'll use it properly.

I remember back in High School, there was a, "Kill the Haole Day". This was a day that kids that were ligher did not go to school because of the fear they would get jumped. I didn't see the local japanese; korean, filipino; samoan , etc kids getting picked on because of the color of their skin. That's exactly how it is being used. We have words to describe an ethnic background, but lately haole has been used to exclude people of fair colored skin.

I am confident enough to say, those that grew up in Hawaii, have seen it used in a racist way.

[warriorfan808]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

In general, anyone who's not kanaka maoli is haole. Those who believe that the word haole is analogous to the infamous "N" word that's occasionally used to refer to haole pā'ele (aka pōpolo) are just hūpō.

Now if some haole was referred to as an 'elelū kea, 'ōkole kāmano or equally "poetic" Hawaiian phrase, they might have a right to feel offended.

The N word was infamously used to refer to african amerian people to show that they were inferior. Not inferior as a person, but inferior as a race. How many times have you heard the sentence, "stupid haole"? How about, "Shuddup, Haole..you don't know sh.."? I've seen people with valid comments being dismissed and called, "haole" because of the color of their skin.

If you really believe that the word haole is never used in a racist way, then you my friend are the one taht is hūpō.

[kimo55]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

I don’t like getting into these types of conversations because most people have already formed their opinion before the conversation has started an rarely change that opinion.

That is very true. Add that to the fact that most any and every Hawaiian word has many meanings depending on the context. And the incredible dogma of: "Well, 'Haole' means only THIS" shows an extreme lack of understanding with the Hawaiian language and general communication here in our islands.
Which means, much of what they hear in Hawaii will be misconstrued.
Leading to pointless argumentation, and wallowing deeper in the muck and mire of resentment and ignorance.

[warriorfan808]

Re: Meaning of the Word 'Haole'?

I've heard both definitions growing up. From my Hawaiian history teacher, I heard that haole meant foreigner and from my Kapuna and many other teachers, "without breath". I figured the without breathe version came first, but those sources posted earlier rebute those beliefs. Makes me wonder if the, "without breath" may have been a way of describing other foreigners that came before Captain Cook.

Days have changed from the times we used to burn faggots.

Before I get banned, I meant, "bundle of sticks". This thread is labled, "Meaning of the Word Haole" and I wanted to point out that although the original meaning has many noble meanings, the way it is oftenly used now doesn't. As sad as it might be, a word's meaning changes after the context it is used dramatically changes. Haole just happens to be one of those words that has been given another meaning, IMO a racist one.

BTW, I did say ANOTHER and not ONLY, I am aware of the other meanings.