Opinions on how Black People are Treated in Hawaii (gated, showing)

[Norhjerseygirl]

Originally Posted by Brav989

A few people have said the 'leave what you learned on the mainland behind'. What exactly are you/they referring to? Education? Way I go about doing things? Perceptions?

Yeah it's all inclusive here and it's like either people are social or not. They want new friends or not. They don't care about where you work, what you earn, maybe where you live since on an island you don't like traveling too far to hang out.

Forget all the prejudices that you learned, it's very different, if you grew up in Baltimore you find that a person from Virginia gets you.

People relate to you based on what you are into not what you look like. Smile alot and carry a big Aloha.

You're on an island everyone knows they gotta be nice, they're gonna see you again and again.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by eureka1

Just don't be offended if someone calls you a "popolo", Hawaii'an for "blackberry". It's NOT meant as derogatory. A huge number of the (few) African-Americans in Hawai are military retirees. A lot of them worked as cops. I lived there ten years and would still be there is it weren't so expensive.

So, just curious, what are the names of fruit that they call Indian's, Caucasian's, Chinese, or say maybe Hispanic's? Do they refer to everyone as some kind of fruit in Hawaii? Or just black ones? lol

[JJupi91897]

Originally Posted by JoiM

I'm Black and I plan to move to Volcano, Big Island Hawaii in the next few years and I was wondering what's your opinion on how Black people are treated in Hawaii?

My family and I spent 2.5 years there in the military. We all loved it, and we're an a Black family. It is the most beautiful place in the world without a doubt. The thing you must realize about today's Hawaii is the fact that it is a mixture of many races and cultures, such as Japanese, Philapinos, Samoans, Whites, and Blacks. I heard people mention the original or full-blooded Hawaiians, but you don't see many. I also heard people mention that the original Hawaiians were on a certain island that required permission to visit. But if you looked at pictures of them, they look Black themselves in my opinion. I think you will like Hawaii. Everyone was very friendly to us for the most part.

[GrannyII]

JJUPI
You are prejudiced. Hawaii the most beautiful place in the world? Just kidding.
I am half-haole and half-Japanese. My mother grew up on Kauai and gave me a Hawaiian middle name. In the 70's I lived in Hawaii for less than a year and actually camped at Makaha many a time. I looked somewhat like the famous surfer woman of Makaha who was of Hawaiian blood.
Hawaiians - some anyway - could mistake me for one of them. We "halfsies" get mistaken for almost everything - maybe not black, but Hispanic, American Indian, and I have had middle eastern people staring at me and smiling - like I am one of them.
Attitude is important as often I have been the only non-white in an all white group.
So many Hawaiians are mixed blood - a little of this and a little of that.
I just don't like it when I see remarks made about whites as the living whites are not responsible for what their ancestors did. Even if they have profited by their ancestors actions, so has everyone. We wouldn't have medical science, inside toilets, computers or many other things we have if whites hadn't been around. Many non-white cultures also had their mean side. I have taken a lot of Anthropology and saw some of those negatives.
My mom didn't dwell on her race. She picked herself up and ran with the ball - she worked hard and didn't have time for petty stuff.
Racism is petty stuff - but we should recognize it comes from all people, not just whites.
On military bases in Hawaii, the soldiers warned that there could be racism toward whites at the beach. It never materialized. There weren't any locals at the beach we went to near Makaha at that time. No roving gangs of locals.
What I hated most was the lack of trash receptacles! Ha ha.....
Japanese are thought of as prejudiced but my mom was not. She liked black people - she liked everyone - truly a great product of Kauai. We would be punished if we said anything negative about people because of their color.
I am more worried about the Mexican mafia.....and illegals. Are there many illegals in Hawaii?

[GrannyII]

I should explain that I am prejudiced against groups if their behavior is really rotten. For instance, I would love to invest in some cheap land near the border of Mexico, however, reports that the Mexican Mafia is in the hills (US side) with machine guns and other war toys doesn't exactly inspire my faith that I could live there. The MM has moved up into Oregon's forests where their weapons (assault rifles, etc.) are found. They are hiring young illegals in San Francisco and sending them to sit in the Oregon forests guarding their marijuana grows. Great!
I just hope that is not happening in Hawaii.

[Brav989]

Originally Posted by GrannyII

I should explain that I am prejudiced against groups if their behavior is really rotten. For instance, I would love to invest in some cheap land near the border of Mexico, however, reports that the Mexican Mafia is in the hills (US side) with machine guns and other war toys doesn't exactly inspire my faith that I could live there. The MM has moved up into Oregon's forests where their weapons (assault rifles, etc.) are found. They are hiring young illegals in San Francisco and sending them to sit in the Oregon forests guarding their marijuana grows. Great!
I just hope that is not happening in Hawaii.

Interesting...I've never heard of any of this. If they are on the US side in the hills, why not just use a few F-15s or F-16s to take care of the problem? Seems quite easy to me.

[kani-lehua]

[quote=GrannyII;2403802]

I am half-haole and half-Japanese. My mother grew up on Kauai and gave me a Hawaiian middle name.

was wondering? could you be my mom? she's half japanese half haole or what we say, hapa haole. no. she didn't grow up on kaua'i.

I looked somewhat like the famous surfer woman of Makaha who was of Hawaiian blood.

are you talking about rel sun (spelling)? beautiful woman died after a long battle with breast cancer.

Hawaiians - some anyway - could mistake me for one of them. We "halfsies" get mistaken for almost everything - maybe not black, but Hispanic, American Indian, and I have had middle eastern people staring at me and smiling - like I am one of them.

geez. we must be related. my sister does sometimes get mistaken for being black. while my hair is curly, hers is kinky. that's what we call her kind of hair here in the islands. many polynesians have this similar texture.

So many Hawaiians are mixed blood - a little of this and a little of that.

yep. i've mentioned this before in another post. i'm japanese, portuguese, english, german and hawaiian. some have said maybe even french or irish.

Racism is petty stuff - but we should recognize it comes from all people, not just whites.

well, i can't agree with you on this statement. IMO i don't think racism is "pettty." i do agree with you that it comes people of different races.
even hawaiians discriminate against their own race if you do not have at least 50% blood quantum.

What I hated most was the lack of trash receptacles! Ha ha.....

i do agree with this statement. and, even if the bins are in plain sight, people don't seem to use them?!

I am more worried about the Mexican mafia.....and illegals. Are there many illegals in Hawaii?[/

quote]

haven't heard about this over here.

[higas]

Originally Posted by JoiM

"But we especially hate people who feel the need to bring up the subject of race in every single sentence, or imply it in every aspect of thier life."

Obviously you have never been treated differently for no other reason except for your skin color:

EVER WALK INTO A MALL WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND TOLD BY A SECURITY GUARD "YOU GUYS LOOK LIKE A GANG OR SOMETHING. BREAK IT UP OR LEAVE" (we were standing in one spot talking and waiting for a friend to come out of the bathroom)
EVER GO TO A GROCERY STORE AND STAND IN LINE WITH YOUR GROCERIES AND ARE IMMEDIATELY ASKED IF YOU WILL BE PAYING WITH FOOD STAMPS. (i have never been on welfare)
HOW OFTEN ARE YOU FOLLOWED AROUND THE STORE BY SECURITY GUARDS?
HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU BEEN PULLED OVER AND SEARCHED FOR DRUGS BECAUSE YOU DRIVE A REALLY NICE CAR?

I really just want to live in peace in a beautiful place that's all.

I understand your desire to move to a really decent place. Just know if you move to Hawaii everyone will notice your skin color. I am "Haole" or white. I grew up in Hawaii, lived there 24 years, married a "local boy", Okinawan born in Kalihi on Oahu. We live in Ohio now. We get the stares. We are the only mixed race couple in our village of 1500. In Hawaii you are treated and accepted based on how nice you are. If you are not loving and kind to the people of Hawaii, they will be leary of you. Many of them (in my generation--I'm 45) learned that Haoles (which means foreigner, but everyone in Hawaii knows it is another word for white people) would basically ********* over--and some probably will, but most will not. It had to do with both the fact that Hawaiians believe "Haoles took their land", which is true, but I did NOT take their land. It also had to do with a court case back in about 1931--a book was written about it called Honor Killing. You may want to read it--It is fascinating. I got relocated there at age 7 from California against my desires. It took years for a short, slightly overweight 1st grade white girl with freckles to find her place in the islands. Certainly I was discriminated against. Having said that, as an adult who has lived in California, Oregon and Ohio in addition to Hawaii, I can say you will find no other people as a whole who are as loving or as accepting if you love them first. We haven't found the same to be true after almost four years living in Ohio. Some people are polite to us or even nice people, but as for making friends that we would get together with, we have made none. (and I am involved in my community, my son's school and a volunteer EMT for my village having taken over 500 squad runs). So...also as being a military wife in Helemano in Hawaii I saw other Popolo people who hated Hawaii because they believed they should get special treatment. You won't get that in Hawaii, but you will find that each person is in fact judged/accepted with open arms based on their kindness and welcoming attitudes. Other Popolo people absolutely loved it there because they believed the locals didn't judge them by their color.

Sorry for the ramble, but hope this helps.

Aloha! and I hope you like it there. P.S. My son's girlfriend is popolo too from Colorado and from a very affluent family, so don't let certain mainland attitudes get you down. Leave any mistreatment you've received here on the mainland.

[athene111]

Originally Posted by JoiM

"But we especially hate people who feel the need to bring up the subject of race in every single sentence, or imply it in every aspect of thier life."

Obviously you have never been treated differently for no other reason except for your skin color:

EVER WALK INTO A MALL WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND TOLD BY A SECURITY GUARD "YOU GUYS LOOK LIKE A GANG OR SOMETHING. BREAK IT UP OR LEAVE" (we were standing in one spot talking and waiting for a friend to come out of the bathroom)
EVER GO TO A GROCERY STORE AND STAND IN LINE WITH YOUR GROCERIES AND ARE IMMEDIATELY ASKED IF YOU WILL BE PAYING WITH FOOD STAMPS. (i have never been on welfare)
HOW OFTEN ARE YOU FOLLOWED AROUND THE STORE BY SECURITY GUARDS?
HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU BEEN PULLED OVER AND SEARCHED FOR DRUGS BECAUSE YOU DRIVE A REALLY NICE CAR?

I really just want to live in peace in a beautiful place that's all.

Did you ever think that it may not be due to skin color but because of the way you were dressed? People treat you different if you are dressed nicely and look respectable rather than if you have saggy pants, tattoes showing etc.

It also has to do with the high crime rate among the African American community. A high % of the incarcerated population is black, whatever the reason maybe- historical wrongs, poverty, illiteracy. But it makes other people judge you differently and act suspicious than if you were from a community that is better on those things. The chinese are not white either - why are they not treated the same way? I live in a diverse neighborhood and my black neighbor was arrested for drug possession. There was shooting in the house of another black neighbor. Nothing happened with the other neighbors who were korean, chinese and hispanics. Natually when people see these high crime rates, they start looking at a particular community differently. It defintely does not have to do with your skin or racism.

[blackconfidence]

I am african american, ex military, and dont beleive Hawaii is hostile towards most "black" mainlanders. Of course, I have heard issues that arise with "white" mainlanders, and I must say I have heard it, over, and over again so there must be some truth to it. I guess most people here have never been to san diego, because that is one place that it's obvious they have a proablem with black people.