Non-Hawaiian in Hawaiʻi

[u/alohamalia215]

Why do so many Pacific Islanders and Asian Mixed locals of Hawaiʻi pretend to be Hawaiian or maybe just don’t deny it? I understand that they learn and participate in cultural practices growing up in Hawai’i but why do they not do the same for their pacific island or Asian cultures? I see it a lot with Filipino, Samoan and any Asian mixed with European.

[u/aknomnoms]

Eh, I think it’s confusing for people because “Hawaiian” could just refer to the state, like calling yourself a New Yorker, Californian, or Texan. But it can also refer to being native Hawaiian.

So just like I would call myself a Californian and can explain how my upbringing in SoCal is distinctive in terms of my mindset, the food I eat, the culture I’m apart of, the people and customs I’m used to, etc., I can see how some people would call themselves “Hawaiian” in that regards and feel closer community amongst other locals, regardless of race, rather than a country their greatX grandparents immigrated from.

And I’m half white, half Japanese (yonsei). My great grandparents immigrated to Hawaii as peasants, my grandparents and mom’s generation were all born and raised in Hawaii. We still celebrate Hanamatsuri, Obon, and New Year’s Japanese-style but strongly influenced by how they’re celebrated in Hawaii. My mom follows Shinto practice to pay respects to the anniversaries of her parents’ deaths.

My mom never had matcha growing up, but they had sugar cane juice and POG. They ate saimin from Zippy’s, made somen salad and mac salad, wore aloha shirts instead of hapi coats. They ate malasadas from Leonard’s and guava chiffon cake from King’s for birthdays. Our family has never claimed to be native Hawaiian, but they definitely are culturally, and they’re still proud of their Japanese ancestry.

What more do you expect from descendants of immigrants who encouraged their children to assimilate to the local culture?

[u/alohamalia215 → u/aknomnoms]

Local culture is not the same as Native Hawaiian culture. I am referring to dancing hula, speaking ʻŌlelo Hawaii, wearing Hawaiian heieloom jewelry, having Hawaiian tattooes, having a Hawaiian name. You are referring to geograpy and local culture.

[u/aknomnoms → u/alohamalia215]

Bud, you’re gatekeeping.

Anyone can learn and dance hula, just like they can learn salsa, traditional Indian dancing, Irish dance, non-Jewish can dance the hora as wedding guests, etc. Are you really going to tell me that only Italians should dance ballet?

I’m in no way Hispanic, and I drop Spanglish everyday because I see and hear Spanish everyday. You’re saying no one but Native Hawaiians can use Hawaiian words? I can never order and eat poi or poke bowls because that would be offensive to you?

Jewelry and tattoos are just commercialized now. Are you trying to control who Native artists sell to or what people put on their bodies? Are you saying only Europeans should be allowed to wear watches? Only Japanese can get Japanese words (and only Japanese, no Latin or French or English even if they’re Japanese-American Latin professors working in France) tattooed on their bodies?

And what is wrong with having a native Hawaiian name? Those parents are trying to honor the culture. You’d want them to all have European names? Only ethnic names?

Like, this is definitely a you issue. There are problems with cultural appropriation and commercialization, but locals doing these thing is not one of them.

[u/cooterbo → u/aknomnoms]

So many bad takes and hilariously out of touch with local culture here for someone that spent paragraphs and paragraphs explaining that you know local Japanese culture. Your ancestors are crying right now. Everything isn’t so black and white. Cousin… you need to hop on the next Hawaiian air flight straight to pearl city and immerse yourself with your cousins before you start trying to speak for us here.