In almost every instance in my life, my general goal is to make people like me, and also avoid death. I am a people pleaser in most ways… I have apologized to more than 10 mannequins (“Oops, so sorry I bumped into you, Plastic Pamela!”), pretended to appreciate a lengthy rundown of the latest (and best?) Taylor Swift songs, and have faked interest in way too many people’s entire iPhone photo history.
I blame it all on my mom, who feels the need to explain why she doesn’t want to buy a particular blouse to the fitting room attendant at Macy’s and who cannot find the heart to simply ignore the drugged up man on the street who wants to tell her about his idea for a post-apocalyptic movie starring several ferrets.
But that’s neither here nor there.
Many people seem to have heard and/or experienced horror stories about angry locals in Hawaii, and while I personally haven’t seen much of this, like anywhere else in the world, it does happen. I’ve seen people from Texas get pissed for all sorts of stuff – thinking they’re from East Texas, thinking they’re from Dallas, thinking they rely on a horse for transportation, thinking Austin means you’re a hairy tattooed pierced feminist lesbian vegan artist in a bluegrass band (can I be that in my next life?), and that because you drive a new F350 your family must have discovered oil.
Hawaii is no different. People get mad when you insult them, leave heaping piles of trash in your drunken wake, and generally forget all ways to behave like a normal human being.
I’ve found that having a vagina generally helps people (typically people without a vagina) be more understanding and forgiving of your nonsensical vacation-brain, but if you lack the equipment (again, a vagina) to properly avoid being on the receiving end of hatred, I have outlined some ways in which you might definitely piss off the locals.
How to Piss Off the Locals in Hawaii
#1 Totally Jack Their Waves
Dude. Brah. Watch yo’ shit! A bajillion wannabe pro surfer bros come to Maui every year to ride some of the best waves in the Pacific. The thing is, the local dudes get first dibs, and maybe second, third and fourth, too. That only makes sense in my brain, but then again I’m no surfer dude. While you shouldn’t assume that every surf session will go exactly how it did in Blue Crush (that scene when she takes him to ride waves at that secluded, locals-only spot and he gets deservedly punched in his handsome schnoz), definitely ask around and use proper etiquette when surfing.
Check out this guide to Maui Surfing for help.
#2 F with the Ocean
Dude. Brah. Hold onto yo’ shit! The ocean is a huge, ginormous part of life when you live in Hawaii. For lots of people, it’s an office, a playground, an escape and a way of life. Don’t throw your Miller Lite cans, your cigarette butts, your sandwich wrappers or your empty sunscreen bottles in the ocean. Shit lives in there! Lots of shit that does not appreciate swimming through your trash. I’ve seen so many people sit back and watch as their floats and coolers drift away into the big blue ocean. Don’t do that. Also don’t try to feed, chase, ride or touch the turtles – it’s against the law and makes you look like a total douche-hole.
#3 Make a Total Mockery of Hawaiian Culture
Here’s the thing: rich, entitled white people with way too much power pretty much stole Hawaii from the Hawaiian people. Most people know this. And while it’s too late to change anything about it as an outsider, it’s too crappy to act like Hawaii is only known for the mai tais and grass skirts. There’s a ton of fascinating history and culture here, so take the time to learn at least something about what makes this place different from everywhere else in the world. I promise it will make your trip a lot more interesting and meaningful. I’m not saying it’s not okay to roller skate in coconut bras and have a great time, but just use good judgment about what’s appropriate and what’s not.
#4 Drive like a Turd
Dude. Brah. Pull yo’ shit over! Driving on Maui (and any island in Hawaii, I assume) is… well, interesting. Most roads are one way, the speed limits are particularly slow and there are several long stretches of windy roads that hug steep cliffs with no guardrail. But just because you’re going 5 mph trying to avoid death-by-steep-cliff doesn’t mean other people aren’t simply trying to get home on roads they drive every single day. If you see a car that is clearly not a rental from the nearest Hertz, do the kind and sensible thing and let them pass. Also, whale watching and driving is the tropical form of texting and driving. Don’t let a humpback distract you from more important things, like the bumper of the car in front of you or the 50 foot free-fall to your own demise.
#5 Build Wealthy-People Shit
If there’s one thing Hawaii needs, it’s another neighborhood full of ridiculously overpriced golf course homes and outdoor shopping malls, am I right?! Blarg. This is not a new trend in Hawaii, nor is it a new trend in the country (finished taking over the city with all those fancy condo complexes, Austin?), but in Hawaii it’s particularly gross because there is only so much land you can build on before there is no more land. There are no suburbs. Think about that for a moment.
While I enjoy the opportunity to get kicked out of the nearest five star resort pool any time I choose, the super wealthy (most of whom probably don’t live here full time or at all) are seemingly slowly booting everyone else out, piece by piece. It irks me and I’m not even a little bit from here. Imagine how you’d feel if you and your entire family were slowly being pushed into smaller, shittier neighborhoods of an already cozy island to make room for another resort you can’t afford to enjoy. No mahalo.
#6 Complain About Hawaii
“You guys don’t serve Jagerbombs?!” is not a good beginning to a conversation with a local bartender. Or any human, actually. Hawaii doesn’t have everything you’ve ever wanted, including midnight Chinese take-out delivery, strip clubs or casinos. Why do you think so many people from Hawaii vacation in Vegas? If you can’t come here for two weeks and not complain about things you miss back on the mainland or can’t believe don’t exist in the most isolated population center on Earth, Orlando is really lovely this time of year.
Update: This has turned out to be my most popular post to date, and also my most controversial. While I invite you to add your comments and thoughts below – whether positive or negative, as I clearly allow both – I invite you to avoid calling anyone a number of available idiotic insults, as we are no longer pissy thirteen year olds, but adults with fully-functioning brains and vocabularies. Mahalo!
Awesome article.
Mahalo, Mike! As always, thanks for reading. You rock.
Good read. I got to visit briefly, years ago, as military, but I would so like to go back, and see the real culture of the islands. Get away from the tourist traps, and immerse in the culture of the Hawaiian people.
Yes I understand that although, I am a Native American, I am not native to the islands, so I would be considered houli (sp?), But that occurs in many places. I understand respect for indigenous people, that I am not of the culture and traditions of the local area, but, as with my people, we are wary of outsiders.
That being said, I would love to see and feel the real Hawaii, and wrap myself in the true nature that the islands can bring.
Aloha, Daniel! Very thoughtful response, and I hope you make it back for an extended stay sometime in the near future. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Happy travels, and thank you for reading. The Hawaiian culture is a beautiful thing.
A good place to start with the Hawaiian culture is an authentic slack key music performance. These performers are not only a Hawaiian treasure but also they are mostly kama’aina and know the history and culture of the islands, as well as the olelo Hawaii. To Daniel, the word you tried to find was ha’ole. It sounds like howley. It’s origin is from long ago. The Hawaiians saw the Caucasians and thought they looked dead due to their white skin. “Ha” means breath, and “a’ole” is “no”. Ha’ole-“no breath”, or…dead.
This has been the trend in many places, greed takes over. I want, I want, me.
Some of us remember the way it use to be before Hawaii was trashed, I am so thankful to have grown up there for many years, so many great memories.
As for the locals, I encountered more problems at schools on the mainland then in Hawaii.
Locals use the word “fucking haoles” in combination like you’d say “day….and…..night”. Most racist place in the world. That’s the reality. I’ve lived all over and never seen anywhere else like it. Beautiful island. Most people are nice. However there are too many locals with a chip on their shoulder that act like complete racist assholes. That’s the reality.
Having vacationed here over 20 years, lived in Las Vegas for 10 years having many “hawaiian” friends, and living in Kona for over 1 year, I can tell you the worst acting persons are the people who moved here. Followed closely by the locals, (they are not hawaiians, unless you are just using the born here qualifier. They talk shit about their culture, but they don’t act it / live it. They are pissed off at the world the same way mainlanders are. Fuck-em.
Hawaiians are aware that the military presence in Hawaii, with nuclear warheads, is a threat to all of Hawaii, making the islands a target for the USA’s enemies.
The USA military did NOT protect Hawaiians and in fact, murdered them, threatened their queen, and forcibly took their land in an illegal coup.
The USA military was a major part of the illegal coup by Sanford Ballard Dole to overthrow Queen Liliuokalani and steal of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Dole then made himself president. I cringe whenever I see the Dole food products.
President Grover Cleveland sent envoys to Hawaii to return Hawaii to Queen Liliuokalani. But Dole, a war criminal, refused, and fought back.
Today, the USA admits Hawaii was illegally stolen from the Hawaiians, but the USA is dragging it’s feet on returning Hawaii, because the location of Hawaii is ideally strategic as a military base, and to keep nukes.
USA enemies like Russia and others, are currently pointing their bombs at Hawaii as a result. Hawaii can’t survive a nuclear attack, it’s just too small. Thank you USA.
Unlike the USA, the Kingdom of Hawaii never attacked other countries. Americans came, brought disease, staged a coup to take over out of greed, and envy, and killed 80% of Hawaiians (90% by some estimates), by murder and with their disgusting diseases.
Hawaiians didn’t have immunity to these new germs and viruses and were dying by the droves. Dole and the other Americans were delighted, saying it was the work of God, as Hawaiians fell ill and died by the hundreds of thousands.
No wonder Hawaiians are not happy to see haoles living here! I’m surprised they are so civil.
The Hawaiian culture is not money obsessed like the American culture. Don’t think Hawaiians are happy because tourists bring money. That money is going to hotels, restaurants and business that are mostly haole owned, NOT to Hawaiians!
The few Hawaiians working in tourism are being exploited to work for pittance, while these companies bring in literally billions, from the Hawaiians stolen land, and culture.
Hawaiians were doing beautifully before the illegal takeover by the USA. They enjoyd a happy, peaceful life in paradise. They had none of the issues that have become a nightmare for Hawaiians, after Hawaii was stolen from them.
The Americans and haole brought disease, greed, bad attitudes, ignorance, and so many problems that were NEVER an issue in The Kingdom of Hawaii. And as you can see in these comments, and by the tourists coming for a pandemic vacation, unfortunately, this continues today.
Who said we don’t have jagerbombs and strip clubs?
Lol maybe not in Maui but here on Oahu if you go to the right places (wahiawa) you can find strip clubs all over. As for Jaeger bombs I don’t know sounds interesting though! Lol
Plenty strip clubs in town too. And you can get a Jagerbomb at almost any bar in Hawaii.
Tool
Love this! Thanks for taking the time….
Thanks for taking the time to read, Kristen! Cheers.
I was blessed to return to Hawaii (Oahau), after 41 years. I servered w/the 25th. Infantry Division 73-76. I was able to re-connect w/my best friend, born and raised on The Big Island, and we servered together! A hole in my heart, was filled and my body, soul, and mind re-entered that long sought after past. We ate, I met his wife and son, and smiled. GOD allowed me this gift, and now, all I do is want to go back!
Continue. My wife and I were celebrating our 25th. Wedding Anniversary. We also were blessed to spend 7 days on Kauai. I would not have found, my Royal Hawaiian Brother had it not been for a local from Mauai who served w/me in the parking ministry at our church. My Hawaiian Bruddah, and I now communicate via text. Aloha…
What pisses me off is the take Hawaiian..the ones who know they are Asian and look Asian and use my poly tattoos..that shit pisses me off..this is Polynesia..if you ain’t poly..you ain’t Hawaiian..BIG difference in being local and actually being Hawaiian..get it straight..
Sure Do this anywhere and you will piss off “Locals”. Do this anywhere and you will piss off anybody. The interesting part about this is the fact that it doesn’t even matter.
As far as Hawaii goes they can stay in there own zone and be by themselves. I’m not effected. I feel the place is a money grab. I love the fact that folks good enough to surf from all over the world take the locals and wave. It’s not the locals faking wave. It’s the Ocean it belongs to all of us GODS plan.
If they think they own anything they need to check there EGO!
Word
It’s ironic, really, that you ended this hardly coherent string of strangeness with the word ‘word,’ as words themselves are clearly not your forte. Better luck next time, bud.
Yes, good article. And very true. However having passec through Hawaii as well as spent time there in the mid 70’s you can also piss off the locals by being part of the U.S. Military. Who can blame them? I suggest anyone headed to Hawaii watch Princess Ka’iulani. The Hawaiian culture is very rich and very old. They were much too casual when we first began invading them, murdering them and stealing their beautiful homeland. Imagine being invaded by space aliens and being treated as we treated the Hawaiians. Remember the original Americans who were practicing Homeland Security way back in 1492 and were all but wiped out.
#7 If you are f.o.b (fresh off da boat), Don’t try to speak pigeon english…you will sound as stupid as you are. It’s like a Hawaiian trying to speak valley(see Keanu Reeves in Point Break), he sounds as dumb as he is. You may get false cracked if you try and speak to any Hawaiian in this way. Just a warning.
Definitely another good one, Ian!
I’d agree with you on this one if you’d spelled it correctly. It’s Pidgin, not pigeon. A pigeon is a dirty bird.
A pigeon is the same thing as a dove only grey. Doves are considered beautiful though??? Doesn’t make any sense.
Frankly I’ve had the same experience as a lot of you. Native Hawaiians have a chip on their shoulder. On my way to the North Shore of Oahu we stopped to get some sodas at a local market. If looks could kill, I’d have been a ham sandwich. The locals are pleasant enough in the tourist areas, but on a a trek on the big island we ran into a group of local young men smelling of weed (we were dressed for business) and they blocked our way, pushed us in the doorway, called us haole and such. My boss told me that’s just the way they are. It’s a different place right? But I e been welcomed in some totally unwelcoming places that make native Hawaiians look like thugs.
I’m ha’ole. It is something of which I am neither proud nor ashamed. It is just a fact. (I am rather embarrassed knowing that my country, the US, invaded and stole Hawai’i from its people. I apologize for that.) I heard many stories about how Hawai’ians were aggressively hostile towards ha’ole. In four years, I have yet to experience it (except once from a guy who was drunk off his ass.) Instead, I have found, if you are respectful and humble, you will be treated with respect in return. That is true everywhere. I have traveled to many foreign countries and have discovered that people are welcoming and pleasant everywhere. Of course, not going in with an air of self-importance because I’m a white American probably has a lit to do with that. If you’re being treated with disdain and hostility, check yourself. What are you putting into the world?
Hahahahaha
PIDGIN BRA
Absolutely! Hawaii has been exploited since Cooke. Everything that was rightfully ours was taken. I say this as my family lost a lot when Hawaiu became strategic for the military. Surfing was invented by the Hawaiians and yet the sport caplitized on by everyone else.
Local people can no longer buy a home because the cost has been driven to the point where only foreign money can afford homes.
My Hawaii is gone and my children will never be able to return to the home where they were born. I as a Hawaiian are sadden by what Hawaii has become.
I’m from Kailua and it might as well be called little LA…
Sad no mo Hawaii!!!
You are absolutely correct. Tourists flocked to Hawaii to vacation because of its beauty and tranquility now that beauty and tranquility has been replaced with the very things they were trying to escape, high rises, high dollar retail and congestion. The Millionaires are cleaning up and the locals are squeezed.
You’re a fucking moron. Military took over Hawaii because it’s a prime spot for defense. Your ass is defended by the military. Can’t afford a home? Go to college. Locals are fucking ridiculous. Most entitled people I’ve ever come across.
Thank you! I live in Hawai’i. Aloha is mostly bullshit….I rarely see it. If you are a tourist spending money, then they act like they have Aloha. Hawaii wouldn’t exist as a great place without the military and government assistance.
I used to be sympathetic towards the locals here on the Big Island but slowly I’ve seen that they are easily the most racist shit bags. Total professional victims. Just today as I was exciting my car some toothless pineapple nigger blocks me in, gets out of her car and start screaming at me. I asked her what I had done…she threatened to kill me, called me a fucking faggot haole over and over….still not answering my question. If these polynesian yard apes want respect, then act respectful. I’m at the point that I think the only wrong thing the European settlers did was not completely exterminate these folks….kinda like they did to the people who were here when they arrived
Oh, Jon. Where does one begin? And end, even?! I hope you see the ironic poo-hole you’ve become, and dearly wish to never hear from your sorry racist shit bag ass ever again. Sincerely, the World
If you act like one dumb fucking hoale then you going get slapped jon! I can tell by the stupid shit you say you not going last ovah here bra!
Jon your words are as messed up as those of the person you claim to have encountered. Frankly they’re more messed up actually, calling for genocide like a Nazi… I don’t understand how you can be so filled with hatred. It’s disgusting. Idk why I always sort of thought that Ha’ole has become synonymous with invader. You definitely fit that bill…
Just goes to show that hate and ignorance and racism are as hard to get rid of as cockroaches. However, I will continue to look for a Tyler, Todd and Jon pesticide.
Go fuck your self Haole
Fuck the military, fuck the us government and fuck you Tyler.
This, a thousand times this. I am white and it embarrassed me to listen to people attempt pigeon. Don’t hate on Keanu though, low blow!
You said it. I grew up in Hawaii,Kailua on the Windward side of Oahu. I was only 1 year old when I first saw Hawaii in 1960. I was 21 when I joined the Navy and I have only been back twice to visit. 🙁 I don’t speak like I am a local anymore. After 37 years away I am sadly a Haole.
Only you can insult snowflake racist…
We, as local people are more than kind and generous, but “too much money” doesn’t mean entitlement. I’ve experienced enough abuse from these people in a captured setting, it appalling human behavior.
Mahalo so much for writing this article. I wish more people took the time to understand the history if Hawai’i and respect its people, the land and ocean.
Mahalo for the feedback! Agreed, and a beautiful new year to you, Boysan!
thst guy Skimboarding in the last pic looks great 😉
Haha indeed! Such a cool shot of you.
That guy looks like a kook!!! I heard Brandyn is WAY mo’ betta!!! HAHAHA!!! Sick shot man!!
I wouldn’t say “it’s much to late to change anything about it” regarding the stealing of Hawaiian lands. We will have our sovereignty back and Hawaiians/Kanaka Maoli are working diligently to do just that. It somehow makes your whole article “null & void” reading that, while the rest was enjoyable and mostly true…some cliffs are 200 feet, etc.
I can tell the author is probably from texas. And living on maui. Choke transplants on maui!..its all good.. maybe you should write one on how shitty it is to live here and don’t get any ideas about moving here..Come visit! It’s wonderful, but don’t stay!.hahahaha!! I have to agree with Mavis..fun read, BUt just that part about “..its much too late to change..” just makes you one of “them” too.
Marrry we’re never going to have Sovereignty! Let it go! Just Malama the Aina and take care of our kupunas and keep our culture strong is the best us Kanakas can do.
Aloha, Mavis! Thanks for the feedback. I’ve lived here for 15 months and haven’t really heard or read much information in regards to sovereignty for the islands. Would love to chat more about the concrete steps being taken to do so, though! In my mind, it seems like a very complicated legal issue with way more roadblocks than freeways. Give me a shout if you’d like to talk more… I’m always up for new information. Mahalo for reading!
Yeah good luck with that. Ironic how you call the author a “Texas transplant” when Texas has also attempted seceding from the States and you see how that went.
Honestly instead of sovereignty you should be fighting for land protection, advocating for rich people to buy public land for people of Hawaiian descent…
Sovereignty is a JOKE in this day and age… Not even the Middle East or Russia are free from the power of the US Government.
steps to return the original people to their original pace are much farther along then you…you may not be informed but its much closer to a reality then you realize….this was the second of a series of bills introduced and passed through committees over the last three years…a total of 13 such are being refined…since they were written by the so called “state” legislatures they are to be considered truth…
In regards to number 6, Oahu has way more shops, attractions, and even restaurants than most mainland states. Hell, there isn’t even a Jack In The Box, Jamba Juice, Ross, Louis Vuitton here in Iowa, and Des Moines calls itself a city. Not that those things are culturally important, but they do reflect how much more Hawaii offers in such a little space as you have put it here in this article.
I spent many years living between those two places and that’s how you define a city??
I’m assuming whoever wrote this hasn’t lived in Hawaii for very long. The easiest way to piss off a local is to act like you’re a local! Saying things like “dude brah move yo shit” pisses us off. Also, we do have strip clubs and jagerbombs just so you know.
Aloha, Jenna. I’ve been saying “dude brah” for years now. It’s not meant as a cultural thing. Also, Maui has no strip clubs and unfortunately I serve jagerbombs all the time at the bar I work at. Still an unfortunate request no matter where you’re from.
When you talk about Hawaii you’re speaking for all of the Islands, not just Maui. We have a lot of things here on Oahu that Maui doesn’t have, including strip clubs. Please do your research before you post a blog for the world to see, the last thing we need is for more people to misunderstand what Hawaii is really about.
Jenna, strip clubs and jagerbombs are two examples of things that aren’t found everywhere in Hawaii. I don’t think the average traveler (or any traveler, hopefully) is coming to Hawaii strictly to drink jager and frequent strip clubs, nor do I think these things have anything to do with what Hawaii is really about. There is no misinformation being spread here… only misunderstanding, apparently. Aloha!
Damn you suck. This author was very respectful and trying to help visitors not upset you and you can’t stop bitching even still.
As a haole who has lived here for 26 years, please don’t sue the state when you do stupid stuff and get hurt. Hawaii is NOT Disneyland, and the locals have to pay the price when you get hurt and sue. So, know your beaches and don’t try to boogie board at Makena.
This is a setup.this writer wants us to fight each other like the do in the mainland.Dont fall for her bullshit
Nailed it. I guess I can cross hosting a good old fashioned Texas blog comment showdown off my New Year’s Resolution list.
I like the fact that a non-local (Kanaka Maoli) has this much respect for Hawai’i & it’s people. Just because a person does not have Koko, does not mean they are any less of a great person. True, I do not appreciate what has happened to our ancestors … but it was they who were wronged. I have met some really great Haoli people who have more respect for the Aina & the Kanaka than some Kanaka that have no respect for either. Don’t get me wrong, I am a proud Kanaka Maoli who is very proud to say so. No matter what the race, there are always good & bad people. Respect for you Girlie!!!
You made me smile, En’z. Thank you for your kind words, and thank you for reading! Happy New Year.
Very inspiring and evolved thought process. If more people had this attitude life would be a lot better all around.
I think too much importance is given to where you were born. I will never call myself Hawai’ian, but I do call myself kama’aina. I am not of Hawai’i, but my heart, as it turns out, has lived here, and Hawai’i has lived in my heart, forever.
Ahhh, what do I know. I’m just another ha’ole invader, right?
This person is a fuckin idiot.
Locals aren’t shitty people. Some are, most aren’t. That’s everywhere.
1. Dropping in is whatever. Kauai boys try to run Oahu, Cali boys try to run jaws. Whatever… There’s enough waves to go around. Only dipshits get mad if someone drops in on one wave. If some guy takes ALL the waves, catch him on the beach.
2. In 15 years, I honestly have never seen someone throwing beer cans into the ocean. I see locals trash beaches all the time! Get ur facts straight dumb shit. I see “haoles” taking better care of Moana than I do locals.
3. “Rich entitles white people”?? Do u hear yourself? The fact that king kalakaua basically gave most of the islands away to pay off debts from all his travel and spurging-which almost bankrupted the kingdom- Liliuokalani tried to cancel all land ownership of non-Hawaiians. How do you think it was supposed to turn out? It was shitty what Anerica did, but would you rather visit Hawaii, China or Hawaii, Japan???
4. Drive like a turd? Again. Ur clearly an idiot. Half the people in this state grew up driving on the left side of the road! On top of that, traffic comes to a standstill when it sprinkles. Don’t tell me about shitty driving.
5. Wealthy people shit? Jesus… Let’s imagine ur not a retard for a minute and ask yourself, how many jobs have been created by poor people? That’s what I thought…
6. When have you ever seen a confrontation started over jägerbombs, lack of strip clubs, or Chinese take-out? Are you just making up reasons to hate haoles or something?
This is a completely ignorant article. I’m now dumber for having read it
With all that effort, you definitely could have written your own article. Next time, I suppose. And may I add, your spirit of aloha is truly beaming!
Kelseykaylove,
Good read and your aloha truly exudes thru your writing and especially your respones… you serving jaegerbombs, however, shall not be overlooked haha… I’ll let it go just this once… a light hearted take on a touchy subject for some like above, unfortunately… but, something I know happens in a lot of places and not just in Hawaii…
Thank you, Mike! And thanks for letting the jager thing go too 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
Great article! I also like how you handle the Internet trolls who wanna practice their insults on you with their dumbass comments; with the same tongue-in-cheek humor you pepper your blog with lol
This is the kind of haole that gives all the other haoles a bad name. And remember, haole doesn’t mean “white” or “foreigner” but “without breath.” No breath = no Aloha = go back to the Mainland, babooze.
Yeah but in actuality, in everyday usage in the islands, the word means “of European Ancestry”…that is all. I have a hard time convincing my mainland friends of this. How can it be malicious when choke local people I have known will proudly use the term in reference to their own ancestry(my mom/dad is white from mainland, I’m hapa haole(half white), my one haole grandpa ect). When they use it to describe others it’s totally just a descriptive term and not hostile at all “who you talking about…filipino Ken, or haole boy Ken?”
If they call you an f-in haole…then that’s an insult!
But if they call you a “F-in Craaaaazy Haole” or any variance of, with emphasis on the word Craaaazy…that’s a term of respect…every time I’ve heard it used it’s always someone speaking highly of that person. Lol
U ran idiot and a true haole I hate using this word but u deserve it ur ignorant and like the trash on the beach no on gives a shit about u so get ur facts straight brah
Me thinks he doth protest too much… Atypical defensive retort telling of the arrogance that this article speaks of in the first place… F….ers are F…..ers of any race…. Many cool haloes…… but attitudes like this epitomize the F…….n Haole moniker.
I so F’n agree with all!!
You’re dumber for having read it? Bummer, dude. Sounds like you’re reaching the bottom of that scale.
The drive like a turd is the one that makes me mad
The local haole runs his mouth talking shit to a girl with more aloha spirit then he will ever know, just shows why the local HAWAIIANS’ give em lickens all the time… good for you for not letting his ugly attitude ge tto you… and bra…. drop in on our waves next time yofu go beach and we can take care you Da first time you do…
Mahalo for enlightening the masses!!!! As a Native Hawaiian, Kanaka Maoli I admire and appreciate this!
As a pacific islander this article is insulting. I love it when white kids visit for a month and instantly preach cultural enlightenment. Furthermore you do not have to be a “rich white tourist”, to be harassed by a few awful locals on any given Sunday. Go back to school, please.
Maybe you should really teach me a lesson and pay for my Master’s, James. Currently accepting checks. Or gift cards to Costco.
Lived on Maui for several years. Always laughed when someone would risk like ten life’s to pass me on the Paili just so they could be one car ahead in line at the light. Or when someone honks because you’re letting the two or three cars up the Luna cuz you know they won’t make the light if you don’t wave em up. Basically just slow down. Enjoy yourself. Smile, And everyone is happy.
Yup…people gotta realize, in the Islands it’s like totally natural behavior, especially in low speed zones like 20-30 mph, to jus’ stop(or slow down and flash lights) in in da middle da road so someone can pull out dea driveway, turn left lidat. 😀 That’s the local way, we help each other out.(But here in NW Washington drivers are pretty nice). I don’t think really seem to affect overall time much anyway, actually I believe it smooths overall traffic flow. Because braddah trying to turn left isn’t blocking the other lane. Maybe you lose little bit time on your end…but the first time you need to turn and there’s and endless stream of cars and someone stops for you you will be thankful! It’s almost expected someone will. The favor repays itself eventually!
This explains why we suck at merging, because, Brah, dis Hawaii, of course someone’s gonna let you merge!!
Also something that should be on the TOP of that list…honk your horn when it’s not an emergency!…this is a pretty grave offense over here, I warn every person I know who moves there or is planning to…just don’t EVER beep your horn unless it’s straight emergency. It’s pretty much an invitation to fight. People have gotten DIRTY lickens for this…I guess it’s a culture shock especially to people from the NE, but it’s true. We really avoid the horn, it’s like major insult here, not our way of life…don’t believe me, go stand on a busy street in Honolulu, ranked as having some of the most congested traffic in the nation…all you will hear is the hum of thousands of engines! Now if someone is staying after a light change a little long you can try your luck with a few very brief taps of the horn…still risky behavior imo. That’s why if you yourself totally space at at a green light…you won’t hear a horn, even if there are a bunch of cars…if its true locals they will be waiting patiently but muttering under their breath trying some local style esp.. “ho brah da light is green…MOVE already!!”
i am Kanaka Maoli of dis ‘aina in Maui, and might i agree with this article, respect to u sistah as a non Hawaiian woman. But as a local, a hawaiian, a Kanaka, what bothers me the most, where i will CRACK anyone in the face, is dis-respecting my Culture. I studied so many different Cultures out there in the world, and i personally think, to have Culture, period, is the coolest thing ever. So when i see people dis-respect it, talk bad about it, das da kine shit dat going give you one black eye. jus saying RESPECT DA CULTURE! Hulo!
Aloha Kaua, Growing up in Hawaii I found many double standards. Many of the locals are extremely prejudicial and their standards change depending a person’s body type, height, looks, perceived level of toughness, gender, etc., etc., etc… Hawaii can be a very predatory-prey type of environment! When I attended AIEA Elementary I found myself having to fist fight every school day along with being called a “fucking haole” (you like beef o’what fucking-haole) at that. Tiff above states “But as a local, a hawaiian, a Kanaka, what bothers me the most, where i will CRACK anyone in the face, is dis-respecting my Culture” Well Mr. Tiff respect or lack thereof goes both ways! It is unfortunate that the locals want and need the tourism trade to survive but for the most part dislike and ridicule the tourists. They want the jobs but often make fun of the people they serve. Collectively, the Hawaii islands have big problems, economic woes, double menu pricing (one for the locals and one for the tourists), pandemic crystal meth addictions, skyrocketing homelessness (just go to Nanakuli Opaka & Waianae), property crimes, declining Hotels and difficulties competing with other more attractive tropical lands. I have great compassion and love for the Hawaiian people. They gave up much since becoming a state but they large in part managed to keep some of the culture intact despite attempts at Americanization! That however does not make all Haoles “the evil white man.” Hawaii is killing the golden goose in many ways and one of them is the great disrespect that many local people have for the visitors and the Caucasians that move to the islands. I was raised in Hawaii from the age of 8 to 20 years. I have lived it, seen it and “talked story about it brah.” Respect is a two way street. Long live Hawaii! May you find your way! IF you don’t…you won’t survive the tough economic times that are coming! Ke Akua pu a hui hou
I completely agree. I have been rudely pointed at and made fun of all the while I was yielding lightly afraid most of my vacation as to not pass off a local. Racism is an ugly color no matter what color you are. I felt bad and completely unwelcome until of met are Hawaiian with true Aloha in her heart and she took me under her wing. I just wanted to share the beauty that is Hawaii and take with me memories of paradise.
Wow, You said it well! Obviously very educated. So much wrong with this article. “Jack Waves” Doesn’t God own them? If not; whom? I’ve seen so many haole’s and others beaten by Locals over waves at V-land. You, Me, We, are all TRANSPLANTS!! I went to the intro at Bishop and guess what? This island was deserted and all plants, people etc.. were brought here. You know positively if you were not American you would be Japanese; and your own King sold you out!
RESPECT! Yeah, right! Get off the Ice and stop hitting women. Got a body blow just in line at Ted’s from a meth head!
I have never understood why Haole’s whom try to pick up on the dialect are not considered respectful? I hear ‘Pigeon’ as worded, but it is really an accent; strong ‘yes’ but English. Why do people get so upset? It is normal to adapt to the accent or dialect of an area.
#5 As for building wealth & golf courses? Well, I see a shit load of food trucks and trailer like eateries that junk up the scenery. Have you ever thought where they drain that stuff and what cockroaches crawl through there? I would rather see a groomed shop or such with proper drainage than spray painted roach coaches, not to mention the employment opportunities missed out out on.
Don’t really know why so many cultures think Hawaii is their own when we were all imported here from other areas of the WORLD? Some recent and some not. See much more Haole hating than Aloha for sure!
Love Hawaii but gotta say it shoots itself in the foot on a lot of levels especially building the
Rail; THANKS MUFI H, just put all the small locals out of business in Pearl City!
Could go on but don’t want to hit #6 and complain!
Too late on #6, methinks. Also *pidgin, and roaches don’t discriminate between the Four Seasons kitchen and a food truck.
I agree with most, but locals can’t drive worth shit either and the scariest one is the old lady asian mini van taxi driver that was always over by the Arizona Memorial area. Swear I have seen her almost cause 20+ accidents. Not a big stereo type believer, but that is way to many stereo types in one right there.
Hawaiians sovereignty was never extinguished. US has done a good job at fooling the world for over a century. Law is law, and law shows that Kingdom Of Hawaii is intact and currently occupied by the US. That means all of the wealthy home owners or would be home owners ought to think about their “investments”. Think that’s a joke? Read some of the US websites regarding the illegal annexation and illegal overthrow. In their own words, they explain that Hawaii was acquired by Joint Resolution, a domestic law. That can not have any legal effect on foreign soil. Likewise, no puppet government can enter into any binding agreements. The Committee Of Safety was made up of treasonous citizens as well as foreign citizens who were neither the de facto nor dejure govt., formed with the sole purpose to attempt annexation to the US. When that didn’t work out and was voted down in congress, they turned to Joint Resolution, and have effectively ruled Hawaii by force for over 100 years now.
To the author: Why wouldn’t Hawaii be free of US tyranny one day? Is this what everyone has come to think of their WORLD? That countries can just take what they want and no one should stand up for the smaller country? We have much to be scared of then. Forget pissing off locals. It’s more like, don’t piss off The Man.
Id like travelers to know, when they come to Hawaii…we are an occupied country. Mainlanders should realize that they ought to have their passports stamped. History doesn’t begin w/ww2. Ask questions. This is all international law, and believe it or not, even the US has to answer to intl. Law. We are a country that has been severely Americanized. Our language OUTLAWED for a long time. Our history lost because of this.
Understand some of this and then a traveler can start to realize how not to offend a Kanaka Maoli. Locals are one naddah Kine story.
For the record, Hawaii does have strip clubs on Oahu
So I’ve read! I look forward to visiting one of those fine establishments (asstablishments?) the next time I’m there.
I believe that the saying, “You don’t choose Hawaii, Hawaii chooses you” is guaranteed a real fact. I unfortunately am not of Hawaiian descent. I love my roots, although ever since I moved to Hawaii I have always felt like I should’ve been born here. It may sound cliche’ or stupid to some, but I feel a connection to these islands that I’ve never felt before,anywhere. Receiving the Aloha of this great land is deemed by your state of mind & how u carry yourself,especially publicly & around true Hawaiian people. I am an avid spear fishermen & dive all over Oahu. I have never once had a problem with an “locals”. I have always been received & blessed with much Aloha everywhere from Waianae to Waimanalo. The ABSOLUTE #1 reason is because I treat the people, Aina & Kai with respect, as well as know my place. For example whenever I get fish I share what I’ve been given. You will get the respect you give. Keep that in mind & present yourself accordingly & Hawaii will show you Aloha that can bring tears to one’s eyes. Being here is a privilege. If your first breath of life wasn’t on these islands, remember that & you will find much love & acceptance.
I’m a haole living on Big Island. In my experience, people are just very race/ethnicity aware. Meet and talk to anyone and within the first couple minutes they tell you what they are (Filipino, Japanese, Hawaiian, Samoan, whatever).
I find it’s kind of a short hand so people know what to expect of them. To a certain extent, there are stereotypes but people kind of embrace them. “I do this. That’s the (insert ethnicity) in me.” Local friends use haole to my face. Don’t care. They use it as descriptive term.
I’ve definitely heard it used in a prejudiced way. But I’ve also heard plenty of other “local” ethnicities described negatively, particularly Filipino and Japanese.
What’s different from mainland is that talking like this is normal. On the mainland you can’t say anything unless you are talking about your own culture/ethnicity. That’s kind of fake really. I think people here are very aware of what they perceive as the strengths and weaknesses of each ethnicity here. That doesn’t mean they are right or that that’s the way it should be. But people here are very free and open about expressing themselves on these topics.
That can be shocking to someone from the mainland where these things aren’t discussed. I find most people have opinions about every ethnicity here, not just haoles.
That being said, it’s rarely good to be a haole and talk trash about anything local or act like a fool. Same as anywhere! Like in the South there are bumper stickers sayin “We don’t give a damn how you do it up north.”
Honestly “f’ing haole” has run through my own haole head when I see people acting dumb. Like loudly saying “can you believe they don’t have Apple Pay here?” Or being demanding with hospitality workers.
Just be authentic here, be nice to others, give of yourself, help others and slow down. Take time to get to know others before you ask them for something. Remember their kids/spouse/pet name.
If you are going to be “me first” then the islands will spit you out pretty quick. And Hawaii will be mo bettah without that attitude anyway.
Well said!
I think too much importance is given to where you were born. I will never call myself Hawai’ian, but I do call myself kama’aina. I am not of Hawai’i, but my heart, as it turns out, has lived here, and Hawai’i has lived in my heart, forever.
Ahhh, what do I know. I’m just another ha’ole invader, right?
Always a tricky subject to take on, especially as a newcomer yourself…but you did a good job, Kelsey! (And here on the Big Island, you are more or less considered a newcomer until you’ve been rooted here about five years.) I’m a 23-year resident and have never experienced haole hate once here. (In fact, the only time I ever heard “haole go home” was on Maui, walking in downtown Kihei. From a carful of mixed locals). My kids were born and raised here and were never discriminated against during their school years.
I’ve come to believe that the smaller and more exploited the island is, the more you may encounter it. Maui and Kauai are very small and both overbuilt. You can definitely relate to their anger. Hawaii has a long history of being exploited and stolen by foreigners. However, I have also found that people of more pure Hawaiian blood are mostly gracious and lovely people, many of whom I am glad to count among my good friends.
To learn more about sovereignty, watch one Dr. Keanu Sai’s lectures. He presents a very scholarly and well researched thesis on all of the historical facts. At the time of the overthrow, Hawaii was a sovereign state, met every definition of same (he outlines these), and it was basically taken over by about 30 hooligans who had the backing of the U.S. military. To avoid bloodshed, the queen signed over her kingdom with a promise from her friend Grover Cleveland that this would be made right, and the right was granted to his successors. The next president, however, who was not friendly to the kingdom and decided to ignore her pleas. Dr. Sai scours the historical record and discovers that for a while Hawaii remained in limbo and then Congress at the time decided they would just annex Hawaii ( akin to us annexing a foreign country like Japan or Korea just at our whim.) However, an annexation treaty was never signed, and thus, at least legally, Hawaii remains to this day an occupied nation. I went to see him speak at his lecture series, and believe me, this is a mind-blowing lecture. The whole thing was videotaped and you can see it here: http://www.hawaiiankingdom.org/
Typical post from some dumb haole. See us Hawaiians and real locals, grown not flown. Can tell you straight its all too common to run across some haole hippy girl from the mainland who thinks she knows the place cause she lived here for yadda yadda years. For one beginning every entry with “dude” lol that’s some dumb shit. I haven’t heard someone say “dude” since rocket power was still on tv.
Though another way to piss us off I’d to write articles like this. No matter how you do you will never be able to even come close to comprehending our lifestyle.
Also what made my blood boil was when you said “way important” & “too late to do anything now” about the haoles and the kingdom of Hawai’i being illegally taken. Bitch please. Hawai’i has only been a state for 55 years and you best believe one day we will become our own Independent nation again!! As promised by Queen Lili’uokalani. The people are uniting for a revolution. Your hA’ole ass wouldn’t understand. And when it happens I will make sure to personally remove you from it. You can go back to Missouri out wherever you came from. Also “way importAnt” lol bitch please the locals wouldn’t care if these haoles were the highest ranking military officials. That high maka maka shit don’t mean shit to us. None of these rich haoles that consider themselves important are important to us. Now go back to the states. Fuckin haoles you make them look worse than they already are. Actually you make them worse.
Yet another example of that beaming spirit of aloha found so frequently among internet trolls. Also boiling blood cannot be good for your health. I know a doctor in Missouri that can take a look at that for you. Mahalo for reading, dude!
i think the article was pretty spot on. I love Kauai, and from my experience (I’m just a middle class Minnesotan) The people from kauai are very very nice. I don’t try to speak The language because I don’t want to look like an idiot, never leave your trash laying around, Hawaii is beautiful and I like to keep it that way for my next visit. The chickens are annoying but they were here long before me, I have made many many local friends, and my best advice is when an elder talks you shut up and listen, not just out of respect, but because if you truly want to learn about the island, he can teach you. My second piece of advice… Everyone tries to find that “local spot” be it bar, or place to eat… Stop it… The locals have to deal with tourists day on and day out, when they get home and they want to go out, they avoid the touristy spots, they tend to find a nice little unknown spot to get away from crazy tourists, so leave them and their comfort zone alone… Just my two cents…
Great points, Petey! Local spots are much cooler because of that. And young people can be just as interesting to listen to, too. Mahalo for reading!
Who’s kidding who? All you have to do to piss of locals in Hawaii is to be a white person!! Hawaii is the only place white people can go in the USA to get a bit of a semblance of what black people experienced in the 50’s and 60’s.
I learned what I could before I traveled to the islands arriving with an open mind and absorbed the local culture and even cleaned up the beach because I appreciated it more than those who have it in their back yard and still got shat on by ignorant “locals”. Now I did encounter some nice folks as well but pretty much those working in a touristy environment.
The “Aloha Spirit” is BS, a construct of the Hawaii Visitors Bureau. Sovereignty? You can have it but I bet all the locals wouldn’t want to kiss goodbye to all the federal money that fills the troughs in Hawaii – eg. Military spending, medicare, medicaid, food stamps, section 8 housing, social security etc. Hawaii would spiral down to third world nation levels and tourist dollars with it. For those wishing an education:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2009/hawaii-suffering-racial-prejudice
Aloha…
Hi Roman, I grew up in a suburb of Dallas, Texas, in a high school that was largely Hispanic with a fairly equal parts mix of African American and Caucasian. Everyone, no matter what race you were, experienced some sort of racial discrimination. At the school grade level, and especially in a state where ‘locals versus haoles’ is already an exaggerated topic, I don’t think this is an issue unique to Hawaii at all. Racism happens everywhere, and I saw way more examples of race-related crimes while living in New York than I did in Hawaii. I obviously don’t condone locals committing crimes against Caucasians simply because they believe they’re entitled to, but I personally don’t see it as a reason not to travel to or live in Hawaii. Nor would I ever compare it to the African American conflicts of the 50’s and 60’s. I just don’t see it that way.
Regardless, thank you for your input, and mahalo for reading. Hoping you find some aloha on your other journeys…
Hi Kelsey, I guess my experience was more of a shock because I had perhaps created an idyllic impression of Hawaii in my mind. Like many, I would have said I wouldn’t mind living in Hawaii, now I can unequivocally say I would never want to live there. Although I agree there is racism to be found everywhere and it is natural to associate racism with being perpetrated by a white person, the truth is everyone can be racist. The reality today is overt racism is not tolerated by mainstream white society and herein lies the difference, in Hawaii there is a tacit acceptance and reluctance to speak out against anti-white bias. I also lived in New York – it truly is a melting pot and the funny thing is that in my experience although people are more aware of your ethnicity it does not usually create the basis for racial animus. (Perhaps some jokes though!)
Haole is a pejorative term little different from Honky or Cracker and it flourishes in Hawaii like hibiscus blossoms. Although one could write a book about it (and apparently some one did – Hawaiian Apartheid: Racial Separatism and Ethnic Nationalism in the Aloha State by Kenneth Conklin) the type of anti-white bias does seem to depend on the origin of the perpetrator. The Japanese and Chinese in Hawaii by and large don’t seem to me to be openly antagonistic in public that seems to be the domain of the “Locals” namely mixed race Hawaiians and other South Pacific Islanders.
Can you imagine a white university professor maintaining their job while professing similar biased views as Haunani-Kay Trask does? “In a poem titled, “Racist White Woman,” Trask wrote: “I could kick/Your face, puncture/Both eyes./You deserve this kind/Of violence./No more vicious/Tongues, obscene/Lies./Just a knife/Slitting your tight/Little heart.” Yet Conklin who simply brings facts to light is called a racist and you could hear a feather drop as Trask spills forth her hate-filled rhetoric. Lastly I want to point out that my experiences don’t exist in a vacuum I have compared notes with others visiting Hawaii and not surprisingly have encountered similar stories. All told I can appreciate what I encountered because it gives me a perspective on what it is like to be treated differently based on the color of your skin, in this case white, and that is humbling.
I invite you to read the comments in this posting:
http://isteve.blogspot.com/2007/02/so-whats-deal-with-hawaii.html
Smile More,
Roman
Hahaha.
All of it is SO TRUE!
I just sent to a few friends coming for the first time!
Glorious! Thanks for reading, Amanda!
Where the hell did you grow up haole girl… fantasy land? Tell them to go to Mexico instead if they want to have a good time.
Because Mexico is obviously a place completely free of local tension…
Frank sounds like a nice local Hawaiian name. Or maybe you’re just a haole boy. Either way you’re comments are well…noted.
Whoever wrote this is a fucking idiot. If your white and you are in hawaii, the locals will hate you just because you are here. Do any of the crap you mention anywhere people will hate you.
Hi Frank! Thanks so much for inflicting your lovely and helpful perceptions in my blog post comments. If you haven’t heard it before, you truly are a ray of sunshine. Aloha!
I am ha’ole and have moved to Hawai’i. I am not hated by any of the locals or Hawai’ians. None. My boss is true Hawai’ian and she respects me just as I respect her. I do not, however, have much respect for you, Frank. Stop blaming others for your failed life. Stop painting all true Hawai’ians as hateful racists just because that is the path you choose. Aloha.
Put some respect on our island
Good one Kelsey! And love how you shut down the haters…
This is an awesome article: meant to be funny, tongue-in-cheek, and targeted at people TRAVELING (not living) in Hawaii. It is stating a simple fact in humorous tones to…wait for it…not be an ass. As one should never be when traveling anywhere. And while I also admire my possibly-local brethren (you can never truly tell with trolls) in there attempts to rightfully display their indignation, I can tell you that attitude gets attitude, and these peeps get the attitude they give. Which breaks my heart, but Hawaii life for locals isn’t the same anymore, so I can’t be too mad.
I myself appreciate your writing, “dude,” “bruh,” and all! I would just like to add that if visitors reading this do experience a resident giving you grief, understand where their frustrations are coming from: it’s hard to live in paradise without a roof over your head, food on a table, and no way to pay the bills. If it were, I would have moved back home years ago. So yes, I’m bitter too, but I suggest to seek out the good and it will find you for sure.
Mahalo, Jae! Also your writing is beautiful, and I thank you for taking the time to read and comment. Cheers to you, lovely!
Why would anyone care if you, “piss off a local”? The locals are just jerks.
Same could be said about those who make sweeping generalizations, Stanley…
“Entitled White People”
Come on man, if you want respect you have to give it.
What about that Aloha spirit?
If you can’t see that your hate of hard working white people is racist, you shouldn’t be posting on the internet.
Mind you, most of the population in HI is Asian.
Think about that…if you can think.
Holy hell in a handbasket, Marie. And with absolutely zero respect, get fucked. I am clearly not hating on hard-working white people. Since when is ‘entitled’ synonymous with hard-working? There is a difference, and surely you have seen many examples of greedy, entitled humans – no matter what race (even asian, oh my!) – taking advantage of those less fortunate. Wishing you a sense of perspective in this beautiful new year.
I love travelling and always strive to get closer to the local culture, to learn more and marvel at the differences. Why not? If there’s something there to be so passionately proud of, why not introduce it through the locals’ eyes? Meeting people, enjoying food, activities, and music are rich inroads and add to insight and understanding. At no time have I ever felt “shorted”, disappointed, or insulted by others. I think the old adage, “we have two ears and one mouth for good reason” is a good thing to remember when visiting anybody. Locals are usually proud and obviously (or secretly) excited to tell the stories of their neighborhood. If they’re curious about me, they’ll ask. That’s when I feel invited to share. When I do things well, I usually see the positive effects immediately. If I make a mistake, I expect to be thoughtfully taught a better way.
My goal when I visit Hawaii is to just relax and soak it up. Yes, I’m an old white guy from Seattle. No, I’ve not wanted for food or work. I don’t visit places to make myself feel better at the cost of my hosts. I don’t compare myself to them or judge. I just visit places to experience a different reality. I visit places to add more joy to my life. If I bring joy to others on my way, all the better. If I had my wish, everybody would just f**king relax and yak with each other. It worked well when I spent time in Egypt, England, Italy, Greece, Bermuda, New Orleans, Mexico, and yes, even Cutbank Montana. Why not “no worries” in Hawaii, too?
Jus’ sayin’…
Well said, Bruce. I wholeheartedly agree!
Hawaii’s culture is a shit hole. I’m a white civil rights activist from the southern continental United States and I’ve never been treated this way in my life. I also lived on Okinawa for over two years and in Asia. Hawaii is more racist toward white people than any foreign country I’ve ever visited. I’ll angle towards South America next time. Fuck this place.
Sounds like you encountered some bad eggs, Rob. Then again if I went around calling entire cultures a shithole, I’d expect nothing less. Aloha to you too, brother. And may you continue to travel elsewhere…
SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU STUPID COLORED ASS KISSING WHITE BITCH.YOU ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT.KISSING BROWN ASS WONT EARN YOU RESPECT YOU LITTLE COLLEGE LEFTIST SHITHEAD.JOIN THE WHITE RACE YOU GINGER MONSTROUSITY.THEY DO LIVE IN SHITHOLES LIBERALS ARE TRAITORS AND WHITE CUNTS LIKE YOU BETTER DECIDE WHOS SIDE YOURE ON,COLORED PREOPLE FREAKS AND FAGGOTS OR YOUR OWN BROTHERS AND FATHERS.YOU NEED TO DECIDE OR WE WILL INSTILL SOME WESTERM SHARIA ON YOUR TREASONOUS RACE TRAITOR ASSES.
Just so everyone knows, Al’s email address, which I originally commented back to directly in order to save you all from his nonsensical, full’o bullshit rant – only a fraction of which I actually approved to appear here (the first time I’ve refused to publish comments), because fuck that guy – does not exist. So Al, if you’re somehow magically reading this from the hatred-filled racist manhole that is your life, go fuck yourself. You are a pasty piece of pathetic troll shit, and I am decidedly NOT on your side. ALOHA.
Woo, ok. I’m done. Nice try on your blog and keep up the goodwill ‘round the world. We know his type exists everywhere, due to his whatever sad upbringing and disrupted early development. But in all my travels i always meet the greatest grassroots folks. I feel bad for him(?), but mostly i feel bad for his family and those around him. Time to forget about him and move on to fine people with healthy self-esteem and worldly insight. Let’s hope an angel crosses his path and offers him a grace-filled epiphany.
Safe travels! -brucemon
Thanks for the uplifting comment, Brucemon. You’re damn right. Happy travels to you as well!
Kelsey, you write really well. Thanks for the info and the entertainment. Keep it up, you have the gift for words.
Mahalo, Joseph! I appreciate it. Happy travels to you!
Great article. Great summary. Really enjoyed it. Sadder and more accurate than ever in 2018.
Ugh, agreed. Thank you for the sweet comment!
I just watched “native” Hawaiians trash their own beaches all weekend. I actually came back and picked up their trash, which included plastic zip ties that would definitely harm turtles. I could go on, but I think that says enough. I love Hawai’i. I’m not a fan of the racists. How is calling someone a Haole any different than using the N word? Sad… Mahalo and Aloha are ideas not often practiced. Be kind.
Hey Brian, thanks for helping to keep the island(s) clean. I’m not sure why you’ve put native in quotation marks, and I don’t think the term haole is a tenth as offensive as the N word… but then again I just personally don’t see it that way. That said, you’re right; being kind will certainly get you a long way, and I’m sure everyone – locals and tourists alike – appreciate your effort to do so.
Nobody stole Hawaii. Learn history please. Thank you.
Is overthrown a better word for you then, sweetheart? You’re welcome.
Racist Hawaii sounds like a great place to NEVER visit. Thanks, now I know and I’ll spend my money elsewhere. Dodged a bullet.
Dramatic Trevor sounds like a great person to NEVER travel with. Thanks, now I know and I’ll spend my energy elsewhere. Dodged a bullet.
I am a white man from the mainland who speaks ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (not pidgin). Iʻm here for vacation and I am finding that most locals don’t speak the language but rather the pidgin only. I’m a bit shy about just jumping into Hawaiian because I don’t want to offend locals. Usually I will just casually ask if they speak it and if they seem open to it we’ll talk. Because locals are so hard to read, I’m not really sure how they feel about some white guy just chatting them up in Hawaiian. Is it rude?
How neat! Honestly I wouldn’t have the first clue how locals may react to this, but in my mind, I would assume anyone with a heart would appreciate your willingness to learn the language – and therefore more of the local culture – and be excited to speak with you. A solid tip, from experience… ask a bartender (not at your resort) for the lowdown on where to find some friendly locals who know the language and may want to talk story.
Ok, so I am many years late to the game, but as a Black American (not African American) woman, I would like to give my two cents since we are often under or mis represented (and clearly disrespected as usual as is clear in the many uses of hate words historically aimed at us). I have lived in Kauai, Oahu and now Maui and about to return to the East Coast for graduate school next week. I cannot wait to leave and return to my people, my culture and my home (which my enslaved ancestors [not slaves] forcibly and freely built) and to leave this land of make believe. It is not fair to come to Hawai’i expecting the locals or natives to hula for you, kiss ass and to make room for mainlanders to take the little bit of resources available when said mainlanders come here without a plan, a home or a job. That said, I have been discriminated against mostly by Filipino domestic workers who (amongst other things) assumed that I was a guy without looking me in my face only to shamelessly embarass me by asking me to leave the women’s restroom, an Asian TJ Maxx employee who always profiled me and assumed I stole a bag of paid for popcorn until I exposed her to management and threatened to sue the company, and by some Hawaiian/mixed-raced/wannabe locals who are miserable with their lives and try to intimidate a quiet, hard-working and sober Black woman who does not succumb to racial stereotypes. Most people leave me alone because they can tell that I am not to be messed with (including Caucasian Americans whom I can tell are unhappy in having to share the tight seating and stall space at Whole Foods with a Black person [who has the nerve to also be in Hawai’i], as if they are angry in having no place to truly “escape” to). I have seen more Blacks on Maui than any other Hawai’ian island, and the ones living here (from the mainland) do not do well; they are traumatized yet again. I have heard the N-word used over and over on both Oahu and Kauai by locals both White and Hawai’ian, with the use of the word staunchly defended with no care to its interpretation. Hawai’ians (and everyone else) try to “act Black” with their mannerisms and reggae music, but get self-conscious real quick when they see an actual Black person. Whites still act entitled by being rude (I have had more than one homeless White guy verbally chastise me for not giving them the time of day and exercising my freedom to remain silent and walk away), and act as if I should side with them or understand their pain because they are finally experiencing a small taste of the racist vile which they have enacted and still enact on Blacks in the mainland. They will not admit that racism heavily still exists nor am humble enough to understand all that we have been through but now want pity! Even when someone in the comments tried to be honest in saying that he now feels what Blacks went through in the 50s and 60s (which by the way, we are still being killed by cops and dealing with institutionalized racism and now the angry fury of Caucasions whom are slowly realizing that their time is up and that the Universe is reaping what they have sown), the author (as most White folks do) tried to explain away and excuse the truth by making it an “everybody experiences racism” thing. What is going on in Hawai’i happens not only to Whites, and none of it can be compared to the history of racist attitudes and actions against Blacks resulting from the illegal theft, selling and dehumanization of Human beings stolen from Africa and turned into slaves (not slaves taken from Africa, as is often told). I do not feel sorry for White folks. I do not feel sorry for Hawai’ians who have no motivation to improve their lives and fight for their own people and culture, and I don’t mean by screaming at tourists in public, rudely cutting the line of others waiting patiently to board the Maui Bus, and by wearing clothing proclaiming to be proudly Hawai’ian while Hawai’ians turn a blind eye to and thus encourage domestic violence and child physical and sexual abuse within their own families. Everyone seems to think it is okay to continue to demean Blacks while trying to be Black without having to deal with the hardship. We have ourselves to worry about. As an educated Black women, I will take my college degree back to the mainland to help my own people and continue to make us stronger against all enemies. After everything I have been through and have seen on these islands and within other demographics, I will tell Blacks that we are genetically blessed to have made it through all that we have with our heads held high, our education, our swag, our dignity, our unmatched strength and our fight for civil rights which have paved the way for everyone. I love my Black people! Black love and self-love is not White hate; unlike the unreasoned and insecure who can hide behind a protective screen, no insults needed here.
Well said, and I apologize if you think I was attempting to, ‘as most white folks do,’ lessen anyone’s experience or excuse it away. I assure you I was not. I do, however, request one thing if you decide to share additional thoughts: more paragraphs. My eyeballs aren’t what they used to be. And what they used to be was fucked. Thank you.
Seems like everyone is pissed about the way they are treated in this country for whatever reason by someone or something…
Well…I did some combat tours in some pretty shitty places .. I always was excited to come home…NO matter what you think there is WAY worse places to live than the U.S.
We have had our share of fuckups that’s for sure but I think that everyone has had a good share of those ..
So if whoever thinks they are treated poorly here then you should move onward and outward to a place where you are happy …
Weather it be your native country or a houseboat where there will be no one to violate your rights or call you a name or scold you and hurt your feelings or
not give you a trophy for being third or hold you up in traffic or steal your joy…
Then you will be happy and free so your ancestors will be proud your a slave to on one and no worries right??
Native Hawaiians at one point were shafted ..Sucks … A lot of them are pissed and want to go back to being on there own and boot all the visitors out …
For the 100% pure blue blood by family islanders I can see you being pissed…
If your an import acting like your a 100 percent islander just so you can be mad …Weak and your out of your lane ..Years living somewhere doesn’t make you a blue blood your bloodlines do …
It would be interesting to see what would happen if they could do it …Lot of money gone .. Lot of jobs gone .. Aide gone.. Military presence gone .. No help if someone tries to take over..Wonder how crime and drug use would go ?? It would be less crowded that’s for sure and crowds do suck ..
I would like to see it just to see how they would fare ….
Anyway …Anyone out there who has ever gone thru a divorce and was the breadwinner for a lazy partner or a cheating one in a no fault state can feel the Native Hawaiians pain of getting the shaft lol lol lol …
Guess all we can do is keep on keepin on , laugh your ass off , work that same ass off and enjoy all of what you do have instead if bitching about what you don’t … Life is an awesome bitch isn’t it folks !!!!
SMILE- TAKE THE BEATING LIFE GIVES YOU STOP WHINING AND SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE !!!!
Peace !!!
Hawai’i is not perfect like everywhere else. Locals, Kanakas, and haoles are all entitled to a certain extent. I know all about the culture. Aloha is still present but it’s dying out. Most are only nice to tourist money. Public schools are amongst the worse in the nation. Homeless issues and racism is horrible as well. The plus sides, is when you find Aloha from a geniune person and talk story. I feel bad that the white man stole the land but the kanakas needs to move on. Government coruption is high. They allow builders to build up rich peoples’ area yet fail to properly tax properties to fund local schools and other social needs. In 20 years, it will get worse. More batu, aka meth, and other issues will even get worse like affordable housing. There’s also a lot of bullying in schools, traffic is horrible, and petty crime is high. Final tboughts, good place to visit but bad place to live. Aloha and be pono! Paradise is not at a place but in the heart. Mahalo!
I’m confused. Why do all the people who call themselves Hawaiians, locals or other similar terms, point to Caucasians as the big bad ugly in “their” islands when the breakdown of races as of 2019 is:
Asian 540,556 <——
White 357,308
Two or More Races 338,498 <——-
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 142,600
Black or African American 25,884
Some Other Race 14,056
American Indian and Alaska Native 2,756 ?
I’m not sure how it is that those who’ve talked so nastily about Caucasians being the ones buying up land and building up everything and causing traffic woes, come to that conclusion. I suggest you look at the demographics of who the builders, landowners, vehicle owners and buyers are. Hint: the majority are *not even American*…nor are they Caucasian. Go ahead…it’s all public record.
Hating on whites or hailed doesn’t make you a trod-upon-occupied-nation-with-a-legit-axe-to-grind-against-white-Americans-justified. It makes you a plain and simple ignorant racist, who hates a race that isn’t the one destroying what’s left of an island chain that doesn’t belong to anybody but the spirits of the volcanoes since they never had their own indigenous people to begin with.
The history of these islands isn’t pretty. But old white dudes weren’t the first to ugly it up, and they certainly aren’t the ones doing so today.
I should add that it’s not haoles defacing sacred sites like Kaniakapupu. It’s not Caucasians spraying gang graffiti everywhere you look. It’s not Americans pushing “locals” into poverty. It’s money. And there are way more non-whites with it here than there are whites.
Facts. Not hate. Education, kindness and love. Many Caucasians treat this land much, much better than the newly landed Micronesians, Tongans, Chinese, Samoans and Filipinos do. Drive through Kalihi Valley and go into KPT if you need proof and if you dare. These people do not care about the land walked by my ancestors. They destroy it, and quite happily, too. I’ve lived here and seen it deteriorate.
We need to own that WE and our attitude are the problem. WE are destroying our aina. WE are spreading lies and hate. We have become professional Hawaiians-who-hate-those-damn-white-haoles even though there is no such thing as us owning these lands because a) we all hailed from other nations to start with just like the whites, the blacks and the Asian races, and b) there is no longer any “pure” olden-day Original settler blood people in these islands anyway. Just because a person is darker skinned doesn’t mean they’re Hawaiian.
Get off the tired wounded conquered nation act that keeps us low and maybe we can reclaim our various heritages with dignity rather than ignorance. I hope that one day being humans together will be more important than false labels we give ourselves have become.
I somewhat see what you’re saying, but nowhere in this post did I state that old white dudes were the only ones currently building massive resorts and properties on the coast. I blame it – and continue to do so – on the super wealthy, whatever race they may be, as well as the people in charge of land sales and property development in Hawaii. I’ll also point out that you’re entirely ignoring the fact that Larry Ellison, a rich old American white dude, currently owns 97% of an entire Hawaiian Island. This is also public record.
Now for fuck’s sake man, please share your lengthy opinions somewhere else than on an old blog post from 2015. I have shit to do.
Wow! What an awesome comment. Facts have a way of cutting through the opinion. So many people today – of ALL races – spend too much time griping about how hard it is for them. Keith Richards once said, “I have as many problems now that I’m rich as I had when I was poor. They’re just different problems.”
Some people hate. Doesn’t matter what race you are. Some people just hate, and use perceived victim status to try to justify/validate their hatred. Having read almost every post here (slow day), what stands out as a commonality, whether from a “poster” or this “moderator” kelsey is the vile words used just prior to ending with “peace”, “love”, “aloha”. If someone beats me senseless then when walking away says, “Peace Bro”, it makes it no less painful
Hey Fred, while I am honored to play part time “moderator” to a large number of people who are all seemingly having ‘slow days,’ the title you’re looking for in reference to me, Kelsey, is WRITER. Thanks for playing. Peace, Bro.
Could you just write a handbook for life for me? You speak me, which very few people have learned. Yes, I also apologize to grocery racks and other inanimate objects if I bump into them…perhaps we had the same mom? Great article, many thanks!
Haha sounds like we did! “Ahh! So sorry,” said the mistaken woman to the tree she did not realize was behind her. 🙂 Thank you for reading, Irene!
I think you two may have a 3rd sister here. Hahaha! After reading through the article and many of the comments, I guess I just don’t understand how so many can be taken aback or offended by the need to show respect… wherever you go. Hoping you can speak to something I don’t see addressed anywhere (in this article or elsewhere). It’s my understanding the locals voted overwhelmingly to become a state back in the day. By all means, correct me if I’m wrong, but that being the case… why is it still such a source of contention? Also, among Hawaiians, locals, or newly resident haoles… is there any ‘proud to be an American’ around? Thanks for the insight!
Nice essay, Kelsey. You write well. Most of this is just common sense, too. I moved to Hawaii many years ago, where I worked in a medical clinic in Hilo. I made an effort to be respectful and to fit in – I was active in church, I volunteered with hospice and at school sporting events – and I found that I got along pretty well with most people. I’m a white man, and while I was on the receiving end of some racial taunts, they were not the norm. I moved back to the mainland after a couple of years, mostly due to employment issues. But I liked it so much that I took my wife there for our honeymoon a few years later.
Thank you, Daniel! Totally common sense stuff. Really cool you lived on the Big Island too! Never made it over there, but it’s definitely on my list. And yes, it will always and forever be a beautiful place to spend some time, no matter how long that may be. Happy continued travels to you!
Pualani K – you’re 100% right.
Acting like a victim and then hiding behind a “respect” philosophy against tourists only continues to hurt Hawaii.
After 25 years of surfing in Hawaii with family there, I have seen the shittiest locals in the most recent years. The list of hurtful things I’ve seen happen instigated by locals is completely out of control…
Here are some facts for you upcoming tourists to Google (Locals get ready to whine like pēpē pēpē:
808 fights
Hawaii Tourist Assaults Japanese – pick your story.
Hawaii Local Kill Military – Hawaii’s finest murdering our military.
Waikiki cameras
Hawaii Meth – always the best.
And this article. This author displays true Hawaiian attitude and thinks they are the only ones dealing with a Pandemic…nice Aloha ʻōpio pipiʻ
https://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/hawaii/experiences/news/coronavirus-has-revealed-how-bad-hawaiis-tourism-problem-really-is
Dear Lousy Locals (Besides true family),
Fuck you and your kindergarten “respect” rules – Hypocrites!
How about a Pandemic served cold to your islands and jails (like the rest of us).
If this Pandemic doesn’t hurt, a Hurricane is on the way (like the rest of us).
If it doesn’t arrive, there’s a free tour bus for you to the Lava fields.
Big Kahuna ice cream sandwiches > people who refer to themselves as Big Kahuna.
I live on the Big Island and have for 15 years. My take on this place was verfied when, in frustration, I asked Lord Google if Hawaiians were just dumb. I was shocked to see…
1. Lowest voting rate in the nation.
2. Lowest academic test scores.
3. Highest mech use in the nation and up to 3 grams allowed in your possesion without risk of enforcement.
4. Highest homeless rate in the nation.
My personal experience?
People are non violent but many of the men act like bullies. Mokes exist in abundance and make themselves known. My neighbor is yelling obscenities in to the jungle as I write. And does every day.
This county treats it’s citizens to beaches covered in Keave tree thorns and un serviced porta potties, allowing large resort interests to control the best places. The people allow this. I think it’s because so many in this county think that an EBT card and rent voucher(both worth a grandish a month?) is of more value than an education, a living wage and skill set.
The county has the private sector monitor it’s responsibilities.. like car insurance, with a safety check. Subdivisions are responsible for their own roads and drinking water is supplied by rain or a faucet near an aquaphor.
No, I can’t say I like it here. No accountability, with an attitude when confronted. From the police to hospital staff to the county office workers.
LOVE THIS! I have lived on the mainland now for an excruciating 8 years and miss home more than ever. Some people just don’t get it.
My wife’s sister and her husband moved to Kauai in 1989. My wife and I visit them at least once a year. I have never once experienced “stink eye” from anyone on Kauai. We don’t behave like entitled tourists when we are on the island. We don’t dress touristy when we are there, we dress just like we do at home in North Dakota. I have great respect for the Hawaiian people and their culture, and their island. We have many friends that are locals there, been invited to their homes, ate and drank with them, never a problem. I was brought up to respect people and other cultures, and that’s what I do. If you want respect, give respect. When we are there, I get pissed when I see people from the mainland acting like everyone should be kissing their asses. Those kind of entitled-mentality people piss off the locals no matter where they go.
Yeah, the Hawaiian people got a royal shafting from the USA, no doubt. Their ancestral land was stolen by greedy bastards who worshiped the Almighty dollar. Could Hawaii ever become a sovereign nation again? Who knows?
Born and raised in Hawaii Kai on Oahu (Maui is for the Haoles jk jk but not really) I a Nihongin or Japanese my parents are from Japan so I’m a Isei or 1st gen but have family on the mainland who were sent to the concentration camps in WWII 3 uncles fought with the 442nd against the Nazi’s.
The one thing a lot of people don’t know is that Hawaii is one of the few states who are NOT a white majority Hawaii has an Asian majority. My family and I own 2 homes one in Henderson NV and one here in Hawaii. Oh and NV is a non white majority state as well.
But to me color don’t matter I see friends and jerks in ever ethnicity. We only go back to Hawaii every 1-2 yrs I have family there as well but we go to check the house and visits family and friends etc.
But Hawaii has turned into a urban ghetto homeless ALL over the place I mean its not how I remember and only gets worst every time BUT the rest of the US is like that homeless, starving, no jobs, frozen wages, health insurance and or insurance for everything and everything. The US is broke its what happens when you have constant war and conflict for 250yrs or in the US
‘s case constantly.
My wife is from Japan we both are commercial pilots we met during a joint training event. She works for ANA I fly for Hawaiian. But man the US is has horrible political, economics, social and civil strife etc. Exactly how the Soviets and Syria or any country that is divided as we are.
We’re either gonna have a civil war or more likely an economic collapse like it nearly did in 2008 but they called it a economic crisis or 2nd worst. BUT its what we have NOW we are in a economic crisis and this virus thing maybe just thing to tip the US into collapse.
Its why I am going through the process of being a Japanese citizen a full citizen NOT just via marriage and also going to transition to a Japan Airline. Sorry fellow yanks but the US is like 50 different countries and not ONE follows the Govt. The US is plain going crazy as storming the capital, racial riots, 22k a year die from treatable issues but NO insurance.
Yes the poor have medicare the rich can buy insurance but for us in the middle we lose our insurance we’re too “rich” for medicare and “too poor” for self insurance. Along with the wage freeze we Americans are slowly running out of money or we will out live our savings.
In Japan or Germany etc If you lose your job or health insurance the Govt acts as your employer and pays for your health insurance.
But my reason for getting out is the US has the mentality off race, greed, corruption, war and selfishness. Its why our country’ s world image has plummeted.
Pardon the rant but facts don’t lie the US is in Dire straights very dire.
i have traveled all over. lived on the islands for a very long time it was were i raised my children and had a beautiful family. i was always kind, considerate and patient as to taught my children this. the islands are so very far in the middle of the ocean and its truly paradise. much respect.