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Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

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  • #16
    Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

    Local folks could learn something from the service industry in New York. NYC seems to have Hawaii beat in terms of customer service, people are much nicer, more helpful-- much more "aloha". Makes me sad to realize how much Hawaii has lost when it comes to the aloha spirit... where did it go? Never thought I would think NYC has Hawaii beat in that arena.

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    • #17
      Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

      Originally posted by Wild Child
      Makes me sad to realize how much Hawaii has lost when it comes to the aloha spirit... where did it go?
      .

      it didn't "go" anywhere. It was killed by too many people moving here and the resultant congestion and big city problems on an island that can't handle it and never was meant to.

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      • #18
        Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

        I think people in Hawaii are bitter now because of the high prices for everything there as a result of businesses wanting to profit from tourism. that and our countries most elite buy homes there and so prices for regular goods skyrocket.

        There seem to be two ends to the economic spectrum there. I don't think that is as much the fault of mainlanders though as it is of the Hawaiian business owners and realators.

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        • #19
          Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

          Originally posted by Wild Child
          Local folks could learn something from the service industry in New York. NYC seems to have Hawaii beat in terms of customer service, people are much nicer, more helpful-- much more "aloha".
          Oh boy. Your very first post here and you're telling us we should "learn something" from the mainland?! You must not be aware of how very much that offends us in our Hawai`i nei.
          Here's an easy way for you to learn: go say that to some of the folks in, say, Nanakuli or Waianae or elsewhere on the leeward coast.

          Please consider treading a little more lightly here, k?
          .
          .

          That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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          • #20
            Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

            Originally posted by Wild Child
            Local folks could learn something from the service industry in New York. NYC seems to have Hawaii beat in terms of customer service, people are much nicer, more helpful-- much more "aloha". Makes me sad to realize how much Hawaii has lost when it comes to the aloha spirit... where did it go? Never thought I would think NYC has Hawaii beat in that arena.
            yea. try go Waianae on da beach. tell the people living in their tents Ewa side how it's done in NYC, better than us here in Hawaii
            I would love to see their reaction.
            when you tell them Hawaii is beat by NYC. see what gets 'beat".

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            • #21
              Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

              ...why some people hate some other people...


              http://travel.discovery.com/fansites...ogallery3.html

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              • #22
                Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                Can't we all just get along?

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                • #23
                  Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                  Originally posted by makana_hilton
                  I think people in Hawaii are bitter now because of the high prices for everything there as a result of businesses wanting to profit from tourism. that and our countries most elite buy homes there and so prices for regular goods skyrocket.

                  There seem to be two ends to the economic spectrum there. I don't think that is as much the fault of mainlanders though as it is of the Hawaiian business owners and realators.
                  Realtors gotta eat too--they'll sell homes to those who will buy them. If HI residents can't afford to buy homes here, it's quite depressing, but that's life. Blaming realtors isn't the answer (and no, I'm not a realtor or anything close...in fact, I'm facing the same challenge as many others of trying to buy a home in the currrent market conditions.) Who are the Californians and New York city residents blaming for their housing issues? Realtors? Rich foreigners?

                  No, blaming Mainlanders isn't the answer, but saying they are blameless isn't quite correct either. Everyone who moves/visits here leaves their mark. People from the Mainland bring their attitudes and experiences with them. You give what you get, so when people in Hawaii constantly put up with the attitude of superiority that many Mainlainders project because of the Mainland misconceptions that being easy-going and enjoying a slower pace of life must mean inefficient/lazy/backward/ignorant, it's easy to see that the Aloha spirit gets put away and only brought out for those who "deserve it."

                  On the flip-side, in keeping with the original point of this thread, Hawaii residents often are slow and stubborn to accept helpful criticism/new ideas because they are constantly fearful that outsiders are going to change the "aloha spirit" or cultural "way it has always been done" to make Hawaii into a mini-Mainland, instead of perhaps stopping to think that something isn't necessarily just the "Mainland way," but perhaps just simply a universal way to help everybody out so there aren't so many redundancies or inefficiencies in the workplace.

                  Flipping back again, people living in Hawaii get tired of having their generosity abused and misconceptions of Hawaii in their face all the time, especially as happens in tourist areas. I've been living in Waikiki for almost three years now, so that problem is pretty constant here.

                  However, the point of this thread was ideas of Hawaii people regarding the Mainland, wasn't it? So let me go ahead and throw in my two cents there too.

                  I agree with those who say travel helps one gain the world perspective necessary to enjoy your vacation/trip, no matter what situation gets thrown your way. Visiting third world countries and contrasting those visits with more affluent nations really makes you think (unless you prefer seeing the world from an isolated tour bus that allows you to perpetuate whatever preconceived ideas you already had about a place, its culture, and its people, as well as limiting you to the sanitary touristy places).

                  Lumping all Mainlanders into the same category is just as bad as them lumping everyone in HI into the same category. As I stated on another thread, I've met ignorant people everywhere, but in those same places I've also met some of the nicest people as well. The sad thing is that often well-meaning and friendly can coexist with the ignorance too, both here and on the Mainland. People aren't black and white and two-dimensional (except maybe Paris Hilton ).

                  All the disgruntled comments about Mainlanders tend to overshadow the fact that there is no idealized society anywhere (although perhaps Vegas is for some!), including here, and the challenge of communicating the truly alarming problems facing HI to those from the outside who constantly grumble that we have no right to complain about anything--after all we live in paradise, right?--is almost an uphill battle. The mixed salad aspect of Hawaii that makes it so fun and yet so filled with tension gets swept under the rug so that we may instead attribute most of our problems to Mainlanders, who while contributing to problems, probably do so as much as WE ALL do living here in Hawaii, including local people, temporary visitors, and recent Mainland/non-US residents alike.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                    Originally posted by LikaNui
                    Oh boy. Your very first post here and you're telling us we should "learn something" from the mainland?! You must not be aware of how very much that offends us in our Hawai`i nei.
                    Here's an easy way for you to learn: go say that to some of the folks in, say, Nanakuli or Waianae or elsewhere on the leeward coast.

                    Please consider treading a little more lightly here, k?
                    WHOA. I was talking about the service industry (esp. tourism) comparing NYC to Hawaii. Not slamming all Hawaiians. Sorry if it came across that way. I'm sure you think I must be "haole" for what I said in my first post. That's the funny thing. I am part-Hawaiian mixed with many other parts. But I choose to try to live with aloha vs. hostility. I also wish my homeland was less focused on race and victimization... and whether you live along the Waianae Coast or Kahala people around this place need to start being nicer to each-- regardless of race. The hostility is counter-productive. And I agree, there are way too many people living here nowadays and I agree that is contributing to the negative vibe. All I am saying is that I am sad about that.
                    Sorry if that offends you. Didn't mean to.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                      Originally posted by Wild Child
                      WHOA. I was talking about the service industry (esp. tourism) comparing NYC to Hawaii. Not slamming all Hawaiians. Sorry if it came across that way.
                      Yes, it did, but thanks for the explanation. No problem.
                      Carry on.
                      .
                      .

                      That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                        As a life-long resident here in Hawai'i I think the one thing many mainlanders do when moving or visiting here is try to hard to be "Local". The key is to be "low key". Don't try so hard to fit it, I mean if you didn't grow up speaking pidgen, it sounds really "dumb" to those of us who have, when you try.

                        Respect our customs, take your shoes off before you enter our homes, don't stare, mind your own business, give yourself a chance to fit in.

                        Be yourself. Give the local people you meet a chance to get to know you. Don't ever refer to "these Hawaiians" or "those local people", NEVER say "Natives".

                        FIRST thing you should do, go and buy the book "Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen". Learn about Annexation and why there are bad feelings sometimes towards America and Non-Hawaiians. Learn about our history and culture and try to understand the unique challenges of our Islands. Everyone is welcome here but you have to understand the culture before you can assimilate.

                        Remember, Haole's are the minority here. That is never an easy feeling, but if you follow a few basic protocol's you will get along just fine.

                        Just my lua kala...
                        Every morning I get up and look through the Forbes list of Richest People in America. If I'm not on it, I go to work.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                          curious:

                          why.... never say "natives"....



                          been here most all my life,
                          (not dead yet)
                          and have heard many native islanders use that.
                          after all, if one is born here, one naturally would say they are "native", as the word is defined as "belonging to a particular place by birth".

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                          • #28
                            Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                            "Natives" has a negative connotation to it. Native Hawaiian would be appropriate...in my humble opinion
                            Every morning I get up and look through the Forbes list of Richest People in America. If I'm not on it, I go to work.

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                            • #29
                              Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                              Originally posted by Sindahrella808
                              Don't ever refer to "these Hawaiians" or "those local people", NEVER say "Natives".
                              How about "those grass-shack-dwelling heathens"?

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                              • #30
                                Re: Those Hawaiians, Those Mainlanders!

                                ok, then lemme rephrase the query:

                                Why.. does "natives" have a negative connotation to it, in your humble opinion?


                                ok; so:
                                native
                                is out.

                                but!
                                native Hawaiian
                                is in!

                                I love it:
                                "NEVER say native!
                                ...just my humble opinion"

                                such dogma cloaked in sheep's clothing.
                                Last edited by kimo55; September 25, 2005, 01:39 AM.

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