violence towards non-natives?

[Rick Murchison]

This sort of "tribal" reaction to "outsiders" happens all over the world. The tribe may be ethnic, religious, national, regional, economic, familial... Hawaii has its share, but so does my hometown... and yours.
I've been places that make Hawaii look like a cake walk.
It isn't "right" but it is real.
Rick

 

[Wildcard]

Da braddahs are real tough in large groups. Five AF kids out camping recently, one had words with a local who came back with an eestamated 30-40 bradddas and beat them senseless. Same thing happened on Big Isle, for no reason. Drunk locals foud some white guys having a small party on the beach and traped them and beat the crap out of them. The cops refused to go in and stop it, they were scared. The laws in Hawaii are ultra liberal so no one has guts to even things out and the tough guys that throw footballs at old women know it....In hind sight, we should have gotten rid of them all and not had to deal with all there issues now. We don't have these problems with any other race on the islands.

 

[chepar]

This sort of "tribal" reaction to "outsiders" happens all over the world. The tribe may be ethnic, religious, national, regional, economic, familial...

This is true, and it happens to a certain degree in Hawaii also. Our state is a literal cultural melting pot, but there are underlying aspects of racism/prejudice. However, the prejudice is not limited to only "mainland haoles" - it also exists between locals.

Im going to be moving there in a few months and was wondering about some of the rumors i have heard about violence or discrimination toward non-natives.

People born and raised in Hawaii are described as "local". I'm not sure if you're referring to Hawaiians only when you say "native" or you mean the "local" people in general.

It's a complicated issue and can't really be discussed adequately in this type of setting, but the distrust that the older generation of Hawaiians (in general) had against "outsiders" stems from waaaay back - like over 100 years ago - with the overthrow of the monarchy. It's still a very sensitive issue for those of native Hawaiian descent - and the issue carries over to today.

Another more relatively "current" incident that happened that shaped the way a lot of people in my grandparents' generation viewed "outsiders" was what is commonly known as the "Massie Affair". PBS did a show about this within the last year or so, and it was very good. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/massie/

Also, recently a book has been published on the story - I haven't yet gotten to read it, but here's an article that reviews it and briefly covers the incident:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Apr/17/il/il16a.html

The distrust and prejudice held by the older generations got passed down in diluted forms until we're where we are now. It's not as bad as it was when my parents were kids, but it still exists. It will probably be less when my daughter has her children.

But we're talking about now. Sorry - I felt I had to give a bit of background to show partly why it is the way it is today. Generally, as Al said, you get what you give. And as Catherine said, the "local culture" is different, and may take some adjusting to. I lived on the mainland for 8 years, and when I returned home, I had to readjust to "local ways" all over again.

And, as Melissa pointed out, sometimes there are those people that no matter what you do, they're (expletive).

 

[Cacia]

wow, great post Cheryl. I will check out your links. I find that people get along pretty well here. I thought James Michner's "HAWAII" did a good job giving the cultural legacies of the different groups here. he discusses the pineapple plantation workers and hierarchy....for one thing.

 

[airsix]

"Reap what you sew" was a good comment.

My brother spent the week of Christmas in Hawaii with his wife's family and he tells a different story about interacting with native Hawaiians. He met some guys on the beach one day (because he's friendly). He was excited to tell them what a wonderful home they have. When they found out he dives they invited him to go hunting. They gave him a broken 'Hawaiian toothpick' and said if he could fix it and meet them at the designated spot at the designated time with his snorkel gear they'd show him the ropes. He's a resourceful guy & fixed the spear and showed up at the spot. They were already 1/4 mile out and thought he was allright when he swam out with the fixed spear ready to learn. He spent 3 hours out there with them and it was the highlight of his trip. They took him under their wing and treated him like a brother. That night he ate his own catch and has some great memories, not to mention new friends.

Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden recounts meeting a home-town friend once on a trip to the city. Friend says "People around here aren't like they are back home, are they John?" John asks "What do you mean?" Friend says "I can walk down the street and not a single person says 'hello'. That wouldn't happen back home." John asks "Do you say anything to them?" Friend replys "I don't know any of them.".

It starts with you.

-Ben M.

 

[jwhitlock]

Im from, the south , and live near the beach....we have all different types of people (african american , caucassion , asian , czek , spanish you name it) but nothing seems to be worst to me than a retired "snowbird " who thinks Im uneducated because Im from Alabama and have a southern draw ...........Its seems like these people think once you leave Louisiana into Mississippii that all the locals have teeth missing and walk barefooted......But I try not to let it bother me its actually fuuny.....

 

[Cacia]

Right on. Southern accents get that too much. I know exactly what you mean.

 

[Charlie99]

I don't see a problem of locals harrassing haoles in Maui. What I do see is that a disproportionate percentage of homeless and/or spaced out ice freaks are locals.

They seem to be equal opportunity bums, harrassing and disturbing all, independent of race or color.

 

[skierbri10]

Okay- Melissa here (under Vince's acct). Let me give my opinion. I have seen plenty of problems with the locals and non locals. At Waimea Beach some kids kept throwing their football towards where we were at- yes trying to hit us. The ball hit Vince once and landed by me. When the kid came to retrieve his ball I told him if he hits us again I will throw his ball in the water. They continued to throw it next to us then an elderly lady (haole) was walking with a walker and some other people when we watched one of the kids point to the lady and his friend threw the ball right at her and knocked her down. She got up and started to go away when they let her walk by and then threw the ball at her again. One of the boys pointed right at her and the other guy threw it there. Definitely targeting her. My daughters school has plenty of racism also. Some of the kids in her class tell the teacher (also a local) they won't have a class party with the haole's and he lets the students have their own. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I get called a ******in' haole all the time even if I am with a local friend or not. I am tired of being nice and getting treated like crap so I no longer try. I don't give the locals attitude unless they start with me first. I absolutely truly hate it here and can't wait until next April when we leave. We live on a military base and I still get called a ******in haole while on base. There is a saying that you either Love it or Hate it here. My neighbor goes to UofH and has problems with the locals and she is a Native American.

Yep, I got the same problems. I am getting into scuba, as means to get away from locals, and the fact that I have always wanted to learn scuba. I can't wait to get out of here either. I am hoping the diving makes it more bareable in the mean time.

 

[drbill]

Nice post, Cheryl... it helps put things into perspective. Although I think there is a strong biological basis for the cultural xenophobia, in today's "global" era it may do more harm than benefit. It is interesting to watch the reaction to globalization... local cultures fighting it everywhere. Also the increasing fragmentation into interest groups and other "identities" as societies become largely urbanized and impersonal.