Best response when being called a Haole. (hotel, home)
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I've observed many many threads and posts with people who have no clue about anything try to be an authoritarian, or say "I never been there but I THINK...."
Its relatively simple, but to call it koa haole, while NOBODY here ever would say it that way just shows that wikipedia or the internet is the last place to find resources about culture and the INTRICACIES of Hawaii and then try to post them here, so that mainlanders absorbs misinformation.
And no, I'm not nit picking about Koa haole, it is an example of the many posts and threads that I see that goes off into a tangent with pure misinformation.
Which makes me wonder....most people who are white, and have spent time with African-Americans, usually get use to and familiar with being called 'a white guy' as a way to differentiate from being a 'black guy'.
'Haole guy' is essentially saying a 'white guy'.
I wonder if most mainland haole would also strongly object to being called a 'white guy' on the Mainland?
I agree that under most circumstances saying "haole guy" is no different than saying "white guy", it is just a descriptor.
At the end of the day though, I really don't think that the issue is so black and white (pardon the pun). I think what people have a problem with is that "haole" gets used in negative context with no consequences in a way that "white people" could never get away with speaking about minorities in the rest of the country. And I think that white mainland transplants can sense an underlying tension on some level that is real (not made up as some might suggest).
If everything is going smoothly, everyone gets along pretty well. When something goes bad, the underlying resentment comes out and it is most definitely racial in nature...
Examples I have seen/heard:
Fight broke out in the lobby of our hotel. One of the security guards was white, got sucker punched by Hawaiian guy while he wasn't looking. Gloating afterwards the guy says (in my best pidgen accent) "I wen false crack dat ****in' haole"
Homeless man sitting in front of the hotel asking people for change, if locals refuse he just moves on. When a haole tourist refuses he comments "****in' haoles, you take my land now you cannot help me out".
Kids riding on the bus talking to each other about their ethic backgrounds, the hapa kid (trying to look cool in front of his friends) says "I hate my haole half, I wish I was full Japanese or local".
Or if you watch public access shows like "The nation of Ku" or "First Friday" on 'Olelo (I don't know if they are still on). The resentment for the "haole" comes out. In this case they are historical or socio-economic in nature, which one may argue is reasonable, but it being arguably reasonable is not the same as it not existing.
Like I said, this is just my experience. It is not usually blatant, you are not likely to be harassed walking down the street just for being white (although it has happened to me surfing on the west side at kea'au beach park and I swear to God the Samoan guys would get a kick out of fouling me way harder than anyone else when we played basketball...). That being said, there is an underlying tension there and you can feel it if you are around it enough. Hell, I even starting disliking stereotypical haole tourists/transplants after a while because the more local you feel the more they feel like outsiders with an attitude problem. LOL.
I've observed many many threads and posts with people who have no clue about anything try to be an authoritarian, or say "I never been there but I THINK...."
Its relatively simple, but to call it koa haole, while NOBODY here ever would say it that way just shows that wikipedia or the internet is the last place to find resources about culture and the INTRICACIES of Hawaii and then try to post them here, so that mainlanders absorbs misinformation.
And no, I'm not nit picking about Koa haole, it is an example of the many posts and threads that I see that goes off into a tangent with pure misinformation.
In Hawaiian (which is my native language), it's "koa haole." In Pidgin, it's "haole koa." The Hawaiian language, Pidgin, and English have their differences.
Last edited by 7th generation; 12-18-2011 at 07:09 AM..
Reason: removed unneccessary commentary
Is it derogatory or just a funny name for the mix?
KonaKat was just being a little creative with "haolepino."
While "haolepino" ("musty haole") isn't exactly derogatory, it might be taken as an insult if the person that it refers to possesses a good knowledge of the Hawaiian language.
Folks that are primarily English or Pidgin speakers tend to forget that the Hawaiian language is quite multi-layered and poetic. Unfortunately, the Hawaiian word "haole" has pretty much become a loanword in both English and Pidgin, and the nuances that it possessed in its original Hawaiian form are being lost. For those that wish to read an academic study that further explores the term "haole" and the history of haoles in Hawai'i, here's a link to a PDF of Judy L. Rohrer's Ph.D. dissertation entitled, "Haole Matters: An Interrogation of Whiteness in Hawai'i"... http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu...phd_4639_r.pdf
I've never heard the phrase haolepino...we just call them hapa.
People always call me haole b/c most of my friends are local and not haole. So they call me haole. Which is fine because I know them and love them all and don't take if offensively. They call each other filipino, portagee, japanese...whatever...so why would I take it offensively if they call me haole?
I agree, when I hear the effin haole, not so happy!
I've never heard the phrase haolepino...we just call them hapa.
People always call me haole b/c most of my friends are local and not haole. So they call me haole. Which is fine because I know them and love them all and don't take if offensively. They call each other filipino, portagee, japanese...whatever...so why would I take it offensively if they call me haole?
I agree, when I hear the effin haole, not so happy!
It makes sense to me.
When I lived in NYC, everyone was 'my Jamaican friend', 'the Haitian girl', 'the Puerto Rican', 'the white guy', 'the black girl'.
Actually 'haole' sounds better than the generic 'white guy' label.
I agree that under most circumstances saying "haole guy" is no different than saying "white guy", it is just a descriptor.
At the end of the day though, I really don't think that the issue is so black and white (pardon the pun). I think what people have a problem with is that "haole" gets used in negative context with no consequences in a way that "white people" could never get away with speaking about minorities in the rest of the country. And I think that white mainland transplants can sense an underlying tension on some level that is real (not made up as some might suggest).
If everything is going smoothly, everyone gets along pretty well. When something goes bad, the underlying resentment comes out and it is most definitely racial in nature...
Examples I have seen/heard:
Fight broke out in the lobby of our hotel. One of the security guards was white, got sucker punched by Hawaiian guy while he wasn't looking. Gloating afterwards the guy says (in my best pidgen accent) "I wen false crack dat ****in' haole"
Homeless man sitting in front of the hotel asking people for change, if locals refuse he just moves on. When a haole tourist refuses he comments "****in' haoles, you take my land now you cannot help me out".
Kids riding on the bus talking to each other about their ethic backgrounds, the hapa kid (trying to look cool in front of his friends) says "I hate my haole half, I wish I was full Japanese or local".
Or if you watch public access shows like "The nation of Ku" or "First Friday" on 'Olelo (I don't know if they are still on). The resentment for the "haole" comes out. In this case they are historical or socio-economic in nature, which one may argue is reasonable, but it being arguably reasonable is not the same as it not existing.
Like I said, this is just my experience. It is not usually blatant, you are not likely to be harassed walking down the street just for being white (although it has happened to me surfing on the west side at kea'au beach park and I swear to God the Samoan guys would get a kick out of fouling me way harder than anyone else when we played basketball...). That being said, there is an underlying tension there and you can feel it if you are around it enough. Hell, I even starting disliking stereotypical haole tourists/transplants after a while because the more local you feel the more they feel like outsiders with an attitude problem. LOL.
Sorry to quote myself, but I remembered a great article that sort of supports this point that things are good until some sort of confrontation erupts and then the underlying racial tension comes out. Check out this article, it talks about a couple of incidents which follow that line of thought.
So like I said, be aware that it is there... particularly if you are in a situation that becomes confrontational. Being "humble" and "respecting the culture" mean that you shouldn't be loud, arrogant, rude, boastful, or speak up about things you don't understand. But, being "humble" and "respecting the culture" in a lot of ways also means "keep your mouth shut if you are not from here and we don't know you". This is the major reason why I think young males have the most issues out there, they are the most likely to end up in or around these types of situations.
Once again, don't walk around afraid, 99% of the time you will have zero issues if you are friendly, smile, and are respectful to people. Just be aware of your surroundings, peoples posture, peoples tone, and when confrontations arise... the underlying tensions may come out.
Last edited by UHgrad; 12-16-2011 at 05:57 AM..
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