Hawaii: Culture and diversity in America’s 50th state
Hawaii’s culture and diversity? Aloha Spirit?
I was not around Hawaii when big white, foreign, business men from the “mainland”, conspired to overthrow the monarchy or how the “missionaries” had long forgotten their original intent. I came about 6 years after the Pearl Harbor melee. It was a time when Hawaii was still referred to as “Territory of Hawaii”. I am the “third generation Chinese, of grandparents who left China looking for the proverbial “streets of gold”. I grew up in a little lane, off of Vineyard Street, before it became Vineyard Boulevard, a tight little neighborhood which was populated mostly with Japanese, Chinese and Filipinos with an occasional Hawaiian and white families, aka “haoles”.
In those days, it was common for most of us kids, to be running around with no shoes or slippers, clothes usually made by grandma, aka “po-po” and it was safe enough to walk anywhere at all hours of the day or night. Sexual perverts were an unknown quantity at the time, either that or they were well hidden. The lane we lived in, were made up of duplex, wooden 2 bedroom/1 bath, plantation style homes, not much more than 600 sq. ft. They sat in two rows, all green with white trim, with a coral paved lane running through it. Occasionally, the Japanese “vegetable man”, would drive his truck full of veggies, slowly through the lane, gently tooting his horn. He had his “regulars”. Most of the time, the only vehicles that used the lane were, the “rubbish man” who pulled his wooden two wheeled cart up and down the lane collecting the trash, the “ice man” (for real), and the “slop man” who came on alternate days during the week.
Yes, we had electricity and the first television made its appearance around 1953 or 55. In those days, the family who had the television was “okay” with sharing it with the neighborhood. The neighborhood kids would gather on their front porch (lanai) and watch through the front window, not being a very large window, one can imagine a bunch of little kids jockeying to catch a glimpse of this “wonderment”. And it did not matter if it was their dinner time. I think that that family was glad when we got ours and took some of the pressure off of them. We had one of the few telephones, too and neighbors up and down the lane would be occasionally ask to “borrow” the phone when the other ones were being used. Eventually, everyone who could afford one had their own T.V. and phone and “there went the neighborhood”. It was things like that that kept the neighborhood close.
Long since moved from Vineyard Street, the “lane” long gone, have since been replaced with more low rent, “section 8” housing, only difference being it is bigger and made of concrete. The “ambiance” of slum housing is long gone. There is a certain smell of “aged” wood, harboring years of urine (animal or otherwise), feces (animal or otherwise), and plain human presence, that sterile concrete can’t compete with. The Japanese, Chinese and Filipino will always be there and now added to the lot, are the Vietnamese, Laotians, Cambodians immigrants, thanks to the Vietnam war. Along with that comes the ethnic gangs. Gangs were a little know commodity, back when but it seems to flourish now if for nothing else, self-preservation, if not for a sense of “belonging” in an all too strange land.
The pure, full blooded Hawaiians can still be found in the islands. Most have since blended in with so many Afro/Americans, Filipinos, Caucasians, Asians and/or all of the above. With each new blend so went what identified the Hawaiians as a unique culture of its own. Whereas on the island of Niihau, a privately own island, the strain is guarded and kept pure. But that’s another story.
The Filipinos for the longest time were responsible for increasing the population of Hawaii. Once “anchored”, they would sponsor many more of their relatives from the Filipines. They are now competing with the new immigrants, the Samoans, Micronesians and southeast asians as the predominant immigrant force. The Filipinos so infiltrated the islands, over so many years, that the visiting tourist see them as the true descendants of Kamehameha’s Hawaiians.
The Samoans were a very enterprising people, they operate as a collective force, pulling all their resources to benefit the “whole”. Say for instance, the new Samoan family, new to the islands, would gather up a collection to buy a used truck. That truck becomes the “village work horse”. With their newly bought used truck, they go among the neighborhood, looking for jobs, trimming coconut trees, stone wall construction, and/or all yard related jobs. Soon they have enough to buy a modest home in a “not so great part of town”, which all shares. Soon they have enough to buy two trucks. You get the idea. Unfortunately, as gentle a people you will ever find, a reputation for violence follows them.
Like America, Hawaii has their “militant” group(s), too. Their only obsession is to evict the current reigning government and re-store the monarchy and the lands back to the Hawaiians. Supposedly. It is quite possible, these groups sought out the tribal American Indians to teach them how to gain political strength. The ones leading the charge for restoration of the “throne”, is fending such “indignant and outrage” for all the sons and daughters of Hawaii, seem not so sincere. Nothing more than “community organizers” gone astray, blinded by their quest for power, they have seem to forgot the Hawaiian mindset. They truly believe, the people are too stupid to know when their rights are being trampled on. Besides, no one has produced a descendant of Kamehameha, so who is REALLY wanting the “throne”? Hawaii has come too far to go back to a monarch and parliamentary style government.
Hawaii is a microcosm of what is happening on the “mainland”. Like America, Hawaii is faced with immigrants, legal or otherwise, who are not interested in assimilating into its adopted country. Hence, pockets of ethnic groups, barely affording to live in Hawaii, are identified by the geographical part of the island they gravitate to. The Filipinos, are gather mostly in the Kalihi and Aiea area, the Samoans mostly in Laie, and so on. Like the Hispanics in California, some have not learned English while others are bilingual, but prefers their native tongue to English.
The well-to-do, retiring, Caucasians, usually settle on the east of the island, around Kahala, Waialae Ridge, Hawaii Loa Ridge, Mariner’s Ridge and Portlock. It seems wherever, the “well-to-do haoles go” they bring their own brand of convience and comfort with them. Not that its bad, au contrar, the “locals” appreciate it so much that they hate it. Olive Gardens, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Jack-in-the-Box, 7-11 Stores, multiplex theatres, “whole food stores” and many moreCostco!
The local “militants”, protests loud and clear, the 7-Eleven Stores, the Wal-Marts, and whatever stores of conviencethe intrusion on sacred soilthe outrage of it all. Actually, all Hawaiian soil is sacred, as far as the “militants” are concerned. The REE-DEE-QUE-LOUSNESS of it all is, no sooner is it open for business, they flock to its doors, eager to buy the beer, super slurpees and cheezy chips. Not to mention the discounted gasoline for their humongous pimped out, way too shiny SUVs. Go figure. Where’s the outrage?
In Hawaii, the offsprings, claiming a to be proud Hawaiians, has really identified with the Afro/American and Hispanic culture of California, right down to the baggy pants, cap worn askew to left or right, a T-shirt so big, it could serve as a dress and not to forget, the all too heavy, too gaudy gold chain. The music they most identify with are Jamacian/Rustafarie(?) and Black “hip hop:” or rap. It is safe to say, they may FEEL Hawaiian but they present as otherwise. Like the “rappers”, they too, are very angry.
Everyone and their brother, still wants a piece of Hawaii. What is it about these remote “pieces of eight” islands, specks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Its too far from the “mainland”. It cost too much to live here. Schools aren’t that great. Its not the great sugar and pineapple producer it once was, thanks to Cuba and other third world countries. Land speculators has put owning a piece of Hawaii just out of reach except to the most well-to-do Hawaiians. Special interest groups see in Hawaii a stage to “see if they can do it”a proving grounds, all in the name of “preserving Hawaii”like the Hawaiians are too stupid to know what they want or where they want to be in relation to the rest of the world.
A most recent example, are the local militant “environmentalist”, who single handedly sank the “super ferry” system. The “super ferry” provided a viable alternative to the only major transport system between islands and the majority of Hawaiians who wanted it. The “super ferry” allowed the transport of owner vehicles to other islands, dispensing the need of for car rentals, as well as, allow “local” businesses to prosper. These self-serving environmentalist, saw their needs as greater than the needs of the Hawaiian people. How is this any different from the conspirators who overthrew the monarch? Wheres the outrage?
Politically, though Hawaii is made up of a multiple ethnic groups and despite its conservative leaning, the islands identifies with the predominantly democratic, “blue state” government. It seems to have been that way since the Eisenhower years. From then on Hawaii’s sons and daughters has ALWAYS voted democratic, simply because their parents did so. When I asked my father if he understood the issues, what Obama is saying and so on, I get a “Hmmmmm” (right Dad) and Mom votes as Dad does(Hmmmmm) No doubt the union here has a strong hold, as do the island Mafioso’s have a strangle hold on its members. The “locals” “presiding mentality is basically, they don’t care too much who is in power as long no one messes with their paycheck, unless it is to increase it. Which is a fairly what most Americans “presiding mentality” consist of.
Hawaii, is not the Hawaii I grew up in. The “Aloha Spirit is largely lost by its current siblings, BUT it is still around, its just held in reserve. Most have learned not to be too quick in “showing one’s hand” until one knows the other’s intentionor something like that. Probably a result of the “missionary days”. The “Aloha Spirit” in Hawaii does not belong to only the full blooded Hawaiians, but is the responsibility of all those born in Hawaii, be it Chinese, or Japanese, or Portugese, or Filipino, or Caucasian or any combination thereof, the unspoken rule is to never insult,to never make one uncomfortable, to never make one feel uninvited. Hawaii will remain a Christian base island(s). Its Asian influence is losing grounds to influx of relocating Americans with health problems. That is, we can’t celebrate with fireworks because of the few who left the “mainland” for health reasons. Another example of the Hawaiians giving way, to the immigrants deciding to SHARE our islands.
Most countries, by and large, have similar customs, similar warm and kindness with the only difference being is, we Hawaiians do it better with a flower garland(s) and those a scantily cladded, young hula girl(s). Maybe?
