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I am moving to hawaii in August (it's all set, i have apt, plane tickets, etc), and I have this growing concern about the discrimination whites encounter on the island; I am very laid back and have spent the past four years in a slow, small town in Wisconsin (looking forward to some good weather!). Is the discrimination all that bad? I am a 22 y/o male.
quick side note. I am debating buying a motorcycle on the island or here and shipping. It looks to be about $1000 cheaper on a $5000 bike but still have my doubts, as it seems it would be easier to buy on the island.
Long answer -
People get what they expect, get what they project, and sometimes get random stuff that just happens. You act a certain BS type way, local people may pick up on it. You threaten their sense of self, they may react. Just like people. You may not KNOW they reacted right away, because for the most part, local people in Hawaii are pretty polite. Doesn't mean they like you, they just don't shout it at you.
Rest of long answer:
Notice at the top of the pages, you have a search link. If you type in "Discrimination" or "Racism" you'll pull up all the posts and threads in this forum, as one poster put it "ad nauseum." It's funny - here you have ONE state that has more non-whites than whites, and everyone's worried about racism. Just for drill, I did a search on several other forums, and this one has MORE of these questions and active discussions than any of the rest of them. Not sayin' it's a bad thing - it's good to get the conversation going about all these things... but, people are people. Some are angels, some are jerks, some have anger issues, some just love everyone. Hard to pin it down EVER to one race. Although, as has been pointed out, there are neighborhoods I don't go to very often...
So- rather than all of us repeating ourselves, for your reading pleasure and edification (sort of - the opinions are ALL OVER the place - because people are all different)... I did your homework for you:
Now - can we talk about how much you will love how exquisite Hawaii is, how beautiful her people CAN be, how amazing are the different types of food, how great it is to have access to so many cultures, the weather that beats every other US State, and how we all need to do everything we can to make sure Hawaii survives the current state of affairs?
I've lived in Hawaii since November 2005, and after living in Japan for 2 and a half years prior to relocating to Oahu, I had minimal discomfort being in the minority (I'm white....extremely, blindingly white haha). However, I won't lie and say it felt the same...in Japan, it almost felt people were NICER because I was a white American. I found it very easy to make friends with the Japanese (though my friend Momoko told me it's because they wanted to practice English haha).
When I moved here, I unfortunately worked with people who HATE living in Hawaii (I was in the Navy...'forced' to live here). That definitely shaped the way I felt about this place and the people who live here. I was constantly around people talking crap about the islands...I hated it too! I'd hear all about 'Kill Haole Day' and the like, and I was seriously turned off to living here...couldn't wait to leave.
Then I went and spent a few days on Kauai, a little over a year after I moved here. The people there were SO nice. It made me realize that what I was seeing back on Oahu was probably the product of A.) My own attitude towards situations I'd find myself in, and B.) The locals having to deal with a**holes from the mainland all the time.
I got out of the Navy back in Dec 2008....and it's amazing how much more I like it here. I still don't have 'local' friends, but that's because I don't go out much, and all the people I work with are either not my age, or mainland transplants.
The weirdest thing is that I've never actually had an 'incident'...Nothing that should have made me feel uncomfortable about my skin color. I let other people's experiences or perceived slights color how I felt about it here. I'm glad I realized to let that go.
I'm starting college this fall, and while I don't plan on staying in Hawaii after I finish my education, I plan on enjoying my time here more than I allowed myself to thus far. :-)
So, the point is, try it out for yourself before you worry about it. As long as you are respectful and treat everyone like a human being, you should be fine.
Last edited by buffaloha; 06-14-2009 at 01:41 AM..
Reason: add something
Well, first, the idea that an attitude is "just bad on Oahu" doesn't do the guy much good if he's already got a placed lined up on Oahu. And if you have a job on Oahu, it certainly doesn't mean you can easily get one on a neighbor island. But to answer the OP's question, it's just a matter of being a minority. Living in a mostly-black neighborhood, living in Korea, living in Hawaii, the common thread is that for most white guys, you'll be a minority and you won't be used to it. It's not the end of the world, but some people won't like you. They're not going to burn crosses on your lawn or anything so just ignore it. No biggie. You're a minority now, get used to it.
Im in the military and my wife and i have lived in Hawaii for 1 1/2 years now. We're both white and have only encountered one major incident of racism. Basically my wife, while working at Jamba Juice, had an overly rude customer complain that her order wasnt exactly what she wanted. And while the order was 100% correct AND my wife offered to remake the smoothie for the customer, the customer was continually complaining about the whole thing. After remaking the smoothie the customer then complaining about how long it took loudly demanded my "Haole" wife get off of her island. Now, while racism was involved this is just one major incedent in my 1 1/2 years. Other than this incedent we haven't had any other encounters with racism.
Morale of the story: Don't work at Jamba Juice.
Seriously though, dont about racism too much. So long as you can deal with being the minority, you should be fine.
I am a born & raised haole on Oahu. No, am not military brat (as some have thought) - truly born & raised here of "local haole" stock.
First, lemme say... that I never experienced prejudice or discrimination until I moved to Philadelphia when I was told NOT to talk to the Puerto Ricans for they were... well... Puerto Rican! I was stunned into silence by then hubby, and utterly flabergasted (to say the least) - after all I was so dark then, I looked Puerto Rican! NEVER had I experienced that in my life (at that point I was 21). Further, as soon as my in-laws found out I have a brother of mixed race (haole, african american and samoan) I was shunned. What the?!?!?!?
If you come to Oahu (or any island for that matter) with an attitude of fear, insecurity in your culture/heritage/ethniticity and are not open to differences - you will have problems.
I tell anyone and everyone who wants to know more about living in Hawaii (or any island for that matter) that you have to have an open mind, be true to who you are, and learn to talk to people without judgement. Get to know your neighbors with more than a cursory nod - say hello.. smile... offer to share a meal sometime or to help with carrying the groceries up the stairs or SOMETHING that helps to break the ice. When a hurricane hits, or the electricity goes out, or we have another island-wide blackout due to earthquake... everyone comes together for there IS NO ONE ELSE! We cannot evacuate to the Houston Astrodome when a hurricane comes our way... we cannot catc a bus to the next state... we are here and we pull together - THAT is the Aloha Spirit.
Tips for dealing with with island life:
1 - Do not compare to where you came from - it is insulting to those who struggle to maintain living here.
2 - Smile and greet people, that is the biggest ice breaker in ANY community (island or mainland).
3 - If a neighor or someone is gruff, then step back (give them space) and apologize even if you are in the right. Backing down really lowers the aggrevation someone may be feeling - and sometimes they step forward and apologize themselves!
4 - Remember, we are people just like you. We all go to the bathroom in the same way (relatively speaking).
5 - IF someone really wants to give you grief and backing down doesn't help, do not pick up a big stick. Go to a more populated area (crowds) and seek out help. You'd be surprised at how many people will back you up should there be a situation.
6 - Get out of town more. Venture out into the country. Take up fishing (no need for licenses if you are shore casting) and strike up conversation with the fishermen. The LOVE talking store while waiting for a bite!
7-Since you are rider, look up any number of motorcycle clubs here. They go cruising every weekend (and then some) and the communities they visit love them.
About your motorcycle.
I would bring it. Buying here is okay, but is a closed market and the prices are a little it higher at the dealers here than the mainland. If you buy on the mainland, make sure you tell the dealer you are shipping to Hawaii - I believe there is some special coating job you can get (dunno the price) that will help protect against the salt in the air here. Particularly if you are a Harley person... better to buy your bike on the mainland.
You can get motorcycles off CL and other used bikes here, but again, being on an island (Oahu) and the market is closed - prices tend to be a bit steeper... and you run the chance of hot parts or even the entire bike being stolen/illegal. (Myself and a friend were ripped off by someone on CL selling hot bikes... ALWAYS check VIN number!)
As with riding in any state, you do have to be more aware of those cars... and of course wear your safety gear! We tend to ride in pairs when commuting to work which helps us on the highway with visibility. One tip I can say about Hawaii roads... watch for potholes! The state is working on them... but with the economy as it is now... well... just learn the roads you travel and keep an eye out for other motorcyclists who can pair up in the lane.
FYI: Motorcyclists are of all kinds here, from the crotch-rocket jockeys to the custom chopper sledders... but we ALL look out for one another. Just as if you are riding to Sturgis or Jacksonville for rallies, keep an open mind, smile, and salute your brothers & sisters on the road!
Where did you hear that discrimination against whites is a issue on Hawaii?
There was discrimination against "whites" in the 50s. I know. I lived there for 5 years. It was not all that long after the end of WWII. Hawaii had a huge Japanese population back then. The want ads had a lot of "Whites need not apply." We had a problem getting housing at first but Uncle Sam stepped in and we ended up in Manoa Uplands on Oahu. We finally got base housing on Hickam AFB after 6 months. I went to a city school before that and most of the kids ignored me. The teacher was mean to me. Two Hawaiian girls in my class took me under their wings and made my life wonderful. I was only 6 years old. I had to ride a city bus to school.
Times have changed. We had been at war with the Japanese just a couple of years before our assignment to Hawaii. Naturally there were bad feelings. But, let me also say that my two favorite teachers at Hickam Elementary School were Miss Neishi and Mr. Sewaki. I learned to speak Japanese from them. I learned to speak Hawaiian from Miss Akina. They didn't have to teach those languages. They wanted to even though languages were not part of the classroom agenda. I loved them dearly. I missed them when we were transferred back to the mainland.
Because of those three teachers I have been a student of cultures and languages and religions for most of my life.
I have many friends who live in Hawaii and not a single one of them has ever mentioned any kind of discrimination to me.
Location: Was in Western New York but now in Hilo Hawaii
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ketabcha
There was discrimination against "whites" in the 50s. I know. I lived there for 5 years. It was not all that long after the end of WWII. Hawaii had a huge Japanese population back then. The want ads had a lot of "Whites need not apply." We had a problem getting housing at first but Uncle Sam stepped in and we ended up in Manoa Uplands on Oahu. We finally got base housing on Hickam AFB after 6 months. I went to a city school before that and most of the kids ignored me. The teacher was mean to me. Two Hawaiian girls in my class took me under their wings and made my life wonderful. I was only 6 years old. I had to ride a city bus to school.
Times have changed. We had been at war with the Japanese just a couple of years before our assignment to Hawaii. Naturally there were bad feelings. But, let me also say that my two favorite teachers at Hickam Elementary School were Miss Neishi and Mr. Sewaki. I learned to speak Japanese from them. I learned to speak Hawaiian from Miss Akina. They didn't have to teach those languages. They wanted to even though languages were not part of the classroom agenda. I loved them dearly. I missed them when we were transferred back to the mainland.
Because of those three teachers I have been a student cultures and languages and religions for most of my life.
I have many friends who live in Hawaii and not a single one of them has ever mentioned any kind of discrimination to me.
Great post
I think thats all that needs to be said.
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