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Now I'm feeling worried. My husbands employer is sending us there from Seattle. We have been nothing but thrilled. But now I am worried about discrimination against our three children as we are a mainly caucasian family (except for my being half american indian). Should I be concerned?
I would have to say to you that the "haole hate" is a very real thing. That was the worst thing about living in Hawaii. Otherwise I loved it. I grew up there. I know that there is a "race" issue. But it is everywhere you go, not just Hawaii. It's just different. It does exist, even if you have never experienced it yourself. And for those who visit every year and say they never see it either, well visiting and residing are 2 different experiences. I lived there, and now that I live in Seattle, I go every year to visit. As a visitor, I do not get the Haole hate, but I did as a resident. For those whites who live there now, and don't see it, good for you! But it is there. I'm not saying don't move there, or you will get that bad experience, I am saying that if you move there, you could have that experience. Everyone has a different experience. Mine just happened to be bad.
Location: not sure, but there's a hell of a lot of water around here!
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I've lived here, on Maui, since 1975, and I've just never seen it. Maybe a few occaisions in my 30 plus years over here, the usual f##kin haole stuff, more than likely from a drunk local, but not as bad as everyone else seems to think. As I mentioned previously I've had far more bad experiences with haoles than with locals over the years, but I was lucky, when I moved here I was adopted, hanai kine, by the Akina family, and had far more local Hawaiian friends than haoles, still do, so I've seen Maui and Hawaii from a different light than most, and for a longer time......
haole hatred is brought on by your attitude, not by your hair or eye color in my opinion. when i first got here the hawaiian company that i work closely with told me something that made sense - "it's ok to be a haole, just don't be a f%&%king haole!" in other words, don't assume that this is a 3rd world country waiting for mainlanders to come and save them and tell them how to do things. i've not had any problems at all....this is a great place to be.
I've lived on the Big Island for 5 years now with my girlfriend who is 25% Hawaiian, 25% Mexican/Spanish and 50% Haole. I'm white and from the mainland. I haven't really had any bad experiences so far. Just the occasional stink eye and getting "eyeballed" driving down the street(mostly from the younger punk kids...). I think alot of it depends on your attitude when you get here. I try and respect everyone I meet. Young or old. White, brown, black.... Most people will treat you with respect ( to your face at least) if you respect them and the culture. I've met plenty of really s#$$y haole people over the years. Real bad attitudes... Those are the people that make me ashamed of being white in the islands. So it all depends. It really is a strugle to live here,not just trying to fit in and live a normal life, but also dealing with the outrageous cost of living. Yes it is beautiful here and it is paradise but you also have to remember that you have to work, pay bills, drive really far to get to stores, pay almost $4 for a gallon of gas.... It's not just "beaches and palm trees". Anyone planning on moving here that isn't originally from here or who doesn't know anyone here, just remember to do your homework and respect the land, people and all the different cultures of Hawaii.
Location: not sure, but there's a hell of a lot of water around here!
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True story, the other day a Hawaiian guy, in his early twenties, with about the cutest 1 or so year old baby girl goes cruisin by the lanai of my condo. He walks by, glances at my Hawaiian Chili pepper plant that is really goin off with ripe red peppers, turns around, and asks if he can pick some of the peppers, to make Hawaiian Chili pepper water, kind of the Hawaiian tobasco, but a lot hotter depending on how you mix it. I'm like sure, help yourself........He's all stoked, we get to talking, turns out we know a lot of the same people, after a beer or two I'm suddenly "Uncle", he grabs the peppers and his daughter,gives me a big hug, and heles on....That's more or less representative of the kind of experiences I've had here over the years, I'll admit, perhaps I've just been lucky, or my amakua has been keeping a close eye on me, but I wouldn't trade Hawaii for the mainland............ever......
Aloha and have a great weekend
Amakua=guardian angel
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