Hawaii Stink Eye

[mambo]

then there's the other expression, "make face"

[Mvn 2 Paradise]

Originally Posted by Jungjohann

Hey guys,
You're lucky that all you get from your wahines is just stink eye and not ele ele maka, black eye!!

Aloha and okolemaluna

You crack me up!

[j1n]

Originally Posted by timjoe48

i've seen this referred to before but don't know what it is...the evil eye maybe?...a glowering look cast toward a stranger?...something else?

yes and yes

[VlyRoadKid]

This subject never seems to go out of style! My white kid (18 y.o.) got the stink-eye quite a few times when visiting his girlfriend in Oahu (she is Filipina-American). He never noticed it 'til she pointed it out over and over! So it must be subtle, and my kid is pretty spacey.

For an actual definition, I looked it up and there are several sites. Here's the one I found most useful, as it has a picture. It also mentions "pink-eye". The definition is:

"The Hawaiian pidgin term for a hard, scornful glare.
I not doin' anykine when some lolo turn an give me stink eye cuz he like beef. (English translation: I wasn't doing anything when some fool turned and gave me a hard look because he wanted to fight.) "

Urban Dictionary: stink eye


I'm sure this doesn't cover every case, but it was interesting to finally see someone's version of this infamous (?) facial expression.

[meese]

The stink eye is far more serious than a mere "dirty look." It's a cultural thing, almost instinctive.
Have you ever noticed how dogs growl before attacking? How rattle snakes rattle before biting their predators? Well it's the same for Hawaiians here.
The stink eye is a warning. "Continue staring and i'll give you one lickin'" or "You're white, go back to da mainland." or "STINK EYE."


When someone gives you the stink eye here, it's either well deserved...or brought on purely by the extreme dislike for "haoles" and tourists.


It's a warning.
It's not in good fun.
It's not a joke.
It's serious.
And if you don't believe me...come here and try it on someone.
You'll regret it.



I hate living here.
You would too. And i'm not even white.

[melaniej65]

Stink eye is given for a variety of reasons -NO, it is not always a warning! Family members who love each other very much will give each other the stink eye. My children learned it from me at a very early age!

It is a non-verbal form of communication and I will still attempt to give my family the stink eye when they deserve it (they just laugh since I am now totally blind and they say that my "aim" is off!).

Meese:Hawaii is not for everyone- just as there are a lot of places I have lived that I "hated". The best thing about living somewhere is that you have the choice to move (if you are Military- calm down...it is only a couple of years!).

[PacificFlights]

I was just in Papeete with a new member of our team. He's been on the Europe runs and this was his first time in the Pacific. Now, he's a guy who's voice is a bit loud and he's not too shy to voice his opinion on stuff. When we were on our way back, he kept asking about the dirty looks he got from the locals. He wanted to know if Polynesians really disliked whites?

He did get some looks from the locals, but he got just as many from the white French. But he didn't see their looks because they were like him. He saw only the locals because of their skin color. I asked if he got dirty looks from the white French. His response was, why would whites give me a dirty look?

This is the same as I see on Hawaii. Its not the stink eye they see, its the stink eye from someone who's not white so how dare they give me, a white person, any eye.

[KonaKat]

Dirty looks, whether just rude or "warnings" exist in every culture. It is by no means unique to Hawaii. Prejudice, isolationism, "I'm here now close the borders" mentality, hostility to any stranger, etc.

As a young child I moved to the Ozarks with my family. I felt the same type of thing there many times. We were some of the few children in the area not related to half the county. People thought we were either nuts or "stuck up" because my parents demanded certain manners and behaviour from us children. I was never very happy there but my 2 sisters and mom? You can't pry them out of there!

Hawaii reminded me some of Ozarks; rural, narrow winding roads, but for some reason the "clannishness" didn't not affect me at all. In 5+ years my very white family has had few incidents of "stink eye"; mostly from grade school brats, or drunk young men who probably had no sense before they got drunk.

My good friend ( a local ) on Oahu joke with me and says "Sistah, you are less white all de time" because my Southern upbringing and customs of sharing and helping are so similar to the ohana lifestyle here.

Be nice. Be yourself, and don't take that "self" too seriously. Relax!!

[KAILANI]

Ho brah, i was sitting on da pahk bench minding my own bizness when one kanaka come step on my toe. He wen broke my slippah.. I like punch him in his face but I jus give 'em "stink eye". Bruddah jumped up and handed me both his slippahs, no fit though, but 'eh, i'll give 'em to my auntie!!