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Defining Hawaii's Generations

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  • Defining Hawaii's Generations

    First let's look at the primary generations of this era on a national level...

    Traditionalist - born 1901 thru 1945. Also known as Matures, GI's or Silents.
    - You're considered loyal and defined by duty. Socially, you're a conformist. Defining events of your time would be World War I, The Great Depression, Roaring 20's, New Deal, World War II, the Korean War and the GI Bill. You value hard work, dedication and sacrifice, going by the rules, family/cultural traditions, work over play and honor.
    Baby Boomers - born 1946 thru 1964
    - You're considered optimistic and defined by individuality. Socially, you're inclusive. Defining events of your time would be the Civil Rights movement, the Sexual Revolution, the Cold War, Bay of Pigs, Rock n' Roll, the Vietnam War, ERA, space travel and assassinations. You value optimism, team orientation, personal gratification, involvement and personal growth.
    Generation X - born 1965 thru 1976. Also known as Baby Busters.
    - You're considered skeptical and defined by diversity. You're also socially diverse. Defining events of your time would be the fall of Berlin, Watergate, the Women's Liberation movement, C. Thomas hearings, the energy crisis, Libyan crisis and the Persian Gulf war. You value diversity, technological literacy, fun and informality, independence, self-reliance and pragmatism.
    Millenials - born 1977 thru 2000. Also known as Gen-Y'ers, Net Generation or Echo Boomers.
    - You're considered realistic and defined by authenticity. Socially, you're multi-cultural. Defining events of your time would be school shootings, the Oklahoma City bombing, technology, a child-focused world, the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, September 11, 2001 and the war in Iraq. You value optimism, a sense of civic duty, confidence, efficiency, achievement and respect for diversity.

    Here's the question:
    What defines Hawaii's generations?
    What events or major issues in Hawaii have impacted each of Hawaii's generations most? Local politics? The real estate bubble? Big Box invasion? Green Harvest? Crystal Meth? A major crime case? The Hilo Tsunami or Hurricane Iniki? Do you agree that your generation is loyal, optimistic, skeptical or realistic? How does family and/or cultural values affect your generation here in Hawaii? How would you differentiate your generation in Hawaii from what's been defined on a national level?

    Anything that has impacted the various generations of Hawaii is welcome to be shared here. Mahalo!
    Last edited by Pomai; January 6, 2006, 02:27 PM. Reason: Changed title to fit
    sigpic The Tasty Island

  • #2
    Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

    I'm a Baby Boomer and the most defining time in my generation I feel was Checkers and Pogo!!!
    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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    • #3
      Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

      It would be safe to say that the Millenial generation in Hawaii (as a whole) has just about completely abandoned Pidgin English. A major difference from all generations before them.

      They're influenced much more by either the "geeky" computer-wiz culture or Hip Hop/street culture than from pineapple & sugarcane plantation culture.
      Last edited by Pomai; January 6, 2006, 02:16 PM.
      sigpic The Tasty Island

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      • #4
        Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

        Originally posted by Pomai
        It would be safe to say that the Millenial generation in Hawaii (as a whole) has just about completely abandoned Pidgin English. A major difference from all generations before them.
        Hey now, there are a few of us who haven't abandoned pigin. Though my birth year falls very much toward the beginning of the Millenial time frame.
        I'm disgusted and repulsed, and I can't look away.

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        • #5
          Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

          Originally posted by Pomai
          It would be safe to say that the Millenial generation in Hawaii (as a whole) has just about completely abandoned Pidgin English. A major difference from all generations before them.

          They're influenced much more by either the "geeky" computer-wiz culture or Hip Hop/street culture than from pineapple & sugarcane plantation culture.
          Hi Pomai, I pretty much agree with you on all counts. As a generation X 'er (68) I had a rather rude wake up call a years ago on Kauai by my Mellinial (94) Daughter. As most of us here on Oahu know we dont talk "real Pidgin" as compared to other islands espescialliy the country type pidgin. I brought my daughter along with me to a baby luau of a friend. Having been born and raised in Waianae and went to colledge in the mainland I pretty quickly learned how to talk good english. During the course of the party my daughter pulls me aside and says "Daddy ....... how did you learn to speak Hawaiian" I didnt know wether to laugh or cry. It was apparent that not only did she not understand pidgin but she thought it was another language!
          I think that for the most part Generation X'ers are the last generation to have at least a working knowledge of Real plantation Pidgin. I say this because alot of our grandparents were retired plantation workers and although we were on the tail end of it, we knew what plantations were!
          I am sure that every generation feels that a way of life dies with them, I feel that ours is the the one that is being pulled in both directions. On one hand we have the memories of undeveloped coastline, our Grandparents plantation house,pakalolo, plenty fish, Pong etc. on the other we have, Resorts, synthtic drugs, internet, Walmart and technology that surpasses our wildest dreams.
          I wonder what part of Hawaii my Daughter will will pass on to her kids.
          Last edited by Babooze; January 8, 2006, 08:09 AM.

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          • #6
            Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

            Just wanted to say Pomai that your post...
            Was very well written.

            That said. Man this world is turning around fast and "us" humans have got to adapt to the times.

            I feel like a Fossil in my own time as I guess previous generations did also. So I'm playing catch up. My Kids are now 23 and 21. Wow! I hope to learn from them as I also hope to teach the "old ways". That's my post as lost in space as I am.
            Last edited by Menehune Man; January 8, 2006, 08:07 PM. Reason: Forgot to add Pomai
            Life is either an adventure... or you're not doing it right!!!

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            • #7
              Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

              Originally posted by craigwatanabe
              I'm a Baby Boomer and the most defining time in my generation I feel was Checkers and Pogo!!!
              Don't forget generation Kikaida too! I always said a major reason kids today are so goofy is because they have no Checkers and Pogo. C & P taught us right from wrong(don't be like Super Spy), showed us cartoons( not toy ads) just fun, and made us better citizens.
              Listen to KEITH AND THE GIRLsigpic

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              • #8
                Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                Pomai ~ great job! I'm Kapakahi ~ mixture of every generation to boot. Reason...Bi-Polar!hahahahahahaha

                Auntie Lynn
                Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
                Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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                • #9
                  Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                  A defining moment for many people in Kalapana was when they lost their land, houses, and livelihoods to Pele.

                  Many still today have not fully recovered.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                    Originally posted by alohabear
                    Don't forget generation Kikaida too! I always said a major reason kids today are so goofy is because they have no Checkers and Pogo. C & P taught us right from wrong(don't be like Super Spy), showed us cartoons( not toy ads) just fun, and made us better citizens.
                    I even miss old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Though some of the episods are politically incorrect by today's standards and feature lots of slapstick violence, they also exposed kids to classical music. Nowadays the only time kids hear classical music is if their parents force them to play a musical instrument or perhaps if take some kind of classical dance class.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                      I think that for the most part Generation X'ers are the last generation to have at least a working knowledge of Real plantation Pidgin. I say this because alot of our grandparents were retired plantation workers and although we were on the tail end of it, we knew what plantations were!
                      I am sure that every generation feels that a way of life dies with them, I feel that ours is the the one that is being pulled in both directions. On one hand we have the memories of undeveloped coastline, our Grandparents plantation house,pakalolo, plenty fish, Pong etc. on the other we have, Resorts, synthtic drugs, internet, Walmart and technology that surpasses our wildest dreams.
                      I wonder what part of Hawaii my Daughter will will pass on to her kids.
                      I can really agree with you on many points. I'm a Generation X'er myself (68 too) and I do see the shift from the plantation-era Hawaii (at least on Oahu)to a...well different one.

                      I remember when Ewa plain and most of West Oahu was mostly sugar cane and pineapple. When Waianae didn't even have a Blockbuster (my mom is from Waianae and most of my relatives on her side still live there). Now, the townie life is expanding even out to the country.

                      On the other hand, local culture seems to be adapting. I try to go home yearly, and I am always struck by Local culture's ability to reinvent itself. Plantation pidgin might be dying out, but pidgin itself is still around to define the culture. Perhaps changes like this are inevitable, with increased wealth, education, etc. compared to pre-statehood Hawaii.

                      But local culture is still alive. That's the main thing.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                        Originally posted by AbsolutChaos
                        I even miss old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Though some of the episods are politically incorrect by today's standards and feature lots of slapstick violence, they also exposed kids to classical music. Nowadays the only time kids hear classical music is if their parents force them to play a musical instrument or perhaps if take some kind of classical dance class.

                        Actually on Nick Jr. (disney channel) there's a toddler cartoon called Little Einsteins where they not only play classical music but encourage viewers (kids) to participate in terms like Staccato and the likes. At the end the cartoon characters actually credit the music and the composer by name.
                        Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                          Originally posted by craigwatanabe
                          Actually on Nick Jr. (disney channel) there's a toddler cartoon called Little Einsteins where they not only play classical music but encourage viewers (kids) to participate in terms like Staccato and the likes. At the end the cartoon characters actually credit the music and the composer by name.
                          I'm glad to hear that upcoming generations aren't being denied classical music through cartoons after all!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                            Originally posted by alohabear
                            Don't forget generation Kikaida too! I always said a major reason kids today are so goofy is because they have no Checkers and Pogo. C & P taught us right from wrong(don't be like Super Spy), showed us cartoons( not toy ads) just fun, and made us better citizens.
                            I have a friend who is a Kikaida freak. Kikaida, the other Japanese robot-like shows, Star Rangers, Robotech...I think those were the major influences on the typical Hawaii GenX male, especially those of Japanese descent...
                            http://www.pineapplejuice.net/freshly-squeezed

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                            • #15
                              Re: Defining Hawaii's Generations

                              Defining Hawaii events/controversies for GenXers:
                              The Kilauea eruption
                              The heptachlor controversy
                              The real estate and construction boom and Japanese buying spree
                              Hurricane Iniki
                              Unsolved disappearances/murders in mid-'80s (Diane Suzuki, Lisa Au, etc.)
                              Bishop Baldwin Rewald Dillingham & Wong
                              ...etc...

                              And...thinking about a definite tipping point in Hawaii politics...2002, when the Democrats gave up control of Washington Place. Boomers would have been 38-56. GenXers would have been 26-37, reaching their peak; millennials of voting age would have been 18-25, starting to come into their own.

                              From a generational perspective, I would probably guess that GenXers and millennials are more independent and not as loyal to the Democrats in such large numbers as the Silents, which sorta fits the generational profile. I'm sure that there are a lot of other factors as work here too...
                              http://www.pineapplejuice.net/freshly-squeezed

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