Hawaiin prints in Hawaii?

[JennInSeattle]

Are they something people who live there laugh at?

Again, we're moving to Oahu on July 31st and I've been seeing all these cute Hawaiin prints lately but I don't want to be the laughing stock over there! lol It's bad enough that Dan's grandmother (who lives there) constantly says Aloha and I've been told people who live there make fun of that and we're Haoles who aren't military.. I guess I'm just trying to cut down on the culture shock/seperation factor because moving alone can be a lonely thing but people won't stop talking about the segregation on the islands which isn't helping me much! :LOL

So, are Hawaiin prints only for tourists?

[MarineWife]

I'm military, obviously, and was worried about this when I moved here a year ago. I was told by some people that Hawaiians do not like Haoles. So far, I haven't met with any unfriendliness or nastiness that I've noticed. I'm not exactly out on the street but everyone that I've met locally has been very nice. My now 13yo ds did have some trouble in middle school last year with some local kids. But, I think it was the same type of stuff you'd run into anywhere, a small group of kids who want to be tough so they pick on people that are different from them. He made plenty of other Hawaiian friends. My dh wears aloha shirts. Most local businesses at least have aloha Friday when everyone is wearing an aloha shirt or dress. The TV news programs do it. The Marine Corps exchange is filled with aloha wear. If anyone is making fun of us for wearing it, either we don't notice or we don't care.

[JennInSeattle]

If anyone is making fun of us for wearing it, either we don't notice or we don't care.

:LOL Good to know! Thank you for some reassurance. :D

[Mothra]

Everyone here wears Hawaiian/floral prints-- locals, tourists, military, non-military haoles-- everyone.

I can't promise that you won't run into people who do not like white or non-local people living here. I strongly suggest you research the history of Hawaii, how it became a state, and WHY people feel this way. Their feelings are not unfounded even if they seem misplaced to some. I've lived here as a non-military white person and now I'm married to someone in the military. There is a bit of difference in the experiences. The overwhelming majority of people here are so nice and welcoming, more so than in most places I've been and I've been a lot of places. I've found most of the talk of segregation here to be a cover for racist dialogue about the locals-- they hate white people, they are the racist ones, blah, blah, blah.

I think the most respectful thing for a white person, or any non-local person, who lives here can do is be respectful of the culture without exploiting or mocking it. It can be a fine line, but it can be done.

I love it here and hope I never leave, but I hear so many people go on and on about the racial differences and so on, and I think a big part of it is that most white people are used to being at the top of the racial food chain and can't deal when THEY are the ones who are the minority or someone suggests that THEY don't have a god-given right to everything in the world. I think those are the people who have a hard time here. My husband and I have had very few "problems" in that area, and the experiences we have had where we weren't welcome or weren't wanted we learned from them.

This is probably way more than you were looking for, I know you asked about Hawaiian prints, but I always want to encourage people to research Hawaii before they move here, which it sounds like you want to do.

[MarineWife]

I strongly suggest you research the history of Hawaii, how it became a state, and WHY people feel this way. Their feelings are not unfounded even if they seem misplaced to some.

One of the first books I bought after we got here was, "From a Native Daugther, Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawai'i" by Haunana-Kay Trask. The white saleslady who was checking me out when I bought this book actually said something along the lines of, "Oh no, Not her! She's a fanatic." So, who has the issue here? hmmmmmmmmmmm

[JennInSeattle]

Alright! Well I have two weeks left before I get here and I can definitely educate myself and Dan! I don't think I mind being in the minority (though I must admit in my many moves around the country I've never been the minority). I'm definitely willing to be open-minded, as it is I feel like an invader and if I didn't have an extremely good reason for moving to Hawaii, I wouldn't! :LOL It's good to hear that you enjoy it on the islands though. I hope I find that love. :) Thank you for taking the time to share more with me, I think I've got a lot to learn! ;)

[SAHMinHawaii]

I like hawaiian prints but I don't even have a hawaiian print dress. I like more subdued designs instead of bold hawaiian prints personally. I think the bright prints scream tourist especially when the whole family is wearing matching attire. LOL I am not from here originally, i am from texas. My dh is military but he was raised here and his parent have lived here 25 years. My dh is white and i am hispanic. I fit right in on the north shore when i moved here alone. I think the only reason some local(not hawaiian because there are barely any hawaiians left) discremenate against white people because of the attitude they give off alot. As long as you respect them they will do the same, at least most will. My dh has had some people not want to help him or totally ignore him, then he busts out his pidgeon and they say oh sorry brah i didnt know you was from here. LOL My dh is very well spoken but of course can speak pidgeon very well too. I love it here, i love the kind hearts of local people. But there are some local people who do not like tourists or white people in general. Our neighbor is white and her dh is black, the people next to her are japanese/filipino. They never speak to her, and dont even say hi to her. BUt they are very friendly to me. Hmm wonder why?? Honestly i think before this big deployment that just happened oh schofield local people took a different view on the military. Most of them are very supportive of the military and its so awesome to see everyone's patriotism coming out. My best pieces of advice is get out there and do non touristy stuff and and dont try and speak pidgeon it is very disrepectful unless it comes out naturally. :) Have fun here! We will have to get together when you get here!

[3_opihi]

Nah, everybody wears aloha clothing here.

As for the whole racial tension thing. Yeah, it exists, but I would wait it out and see what its really like here before you come to any rash decisions. It seems like the people that have the worst times adjusting are those who haven't lived in very diverse places before -- and are used to being the top fish in the swimmin pool IFYWIM...

My husband looks like a local even though he's not Hawaiian, and I'm considered very "not local" :LOL with my blue eyes and blond hair. I do notice people treat me differently when I'm with my husband than without him. But nobody has ever been mean to me or even remotely rude...The funny thing about Hawaiian culture is that even if people don't like you, they'll be nice to you anyway. I think that the problems with racial tension can be worse on the outer islands.

Ok, I'm rambling...but my best advice to you is, come here with an open mind. Try not to have any preconcieved notion of what you think it will be like, because its probably not like that at all. I know it sounds scary, but I think once you get here, and you see the awesome beaches with their turqiouse waters, feel the gentle hawaiian breeze, and get a sense of the whole "aloha spirit" thingy...you'll really love it.

Aloha :love
Annie (ok, that last paragraph was waaayyy cheesy)

[Rainbow]

DH is from Hawaii- when the aloha shirts took to trends he had a hard time getting used to it. He said only his dad's age men wore aloha shirts. :LOL his step mom and some of the women and kids all wore hawaiian patterns. He was just speaking specifically of the mens shirts.
I thin Hawaiian fabrics are just fine there- I never felt funy if my kids had such outfits on.

[Rainbow]

Nah, everybody wears aloha clothing here.

As for the whole racial tension thing. Yeah, it exists, but I would wait it out and see what its really like here before you come to any rash decisions. It seems like the people that have the worst times adjusting are those who haven't lived in very diverse places before -- and are used to being the top fish in the swimmin pool IFYWIM...


:nod for sure I feel a bit of it when we go- DH is local and when I go out with his family it is much different than when I am sitting by myself on the beach. However, it is more of a cautious thing than anything. And flexible people who are open minded to their culture and respectful are "welcomed" from what I can tell. What seems to irritate my inlaws at least is when non-locals move in and try to change or better-up their culture and society. Just respect, appreciate, and assimilate :thumb

[JennInSeattle]

Thank you so much for the advice and reassurance.. it's actually helped quite a bit!

I won't look local but I'm not blonde and blue eyed either.. although my baby does have red hair! :LOL Oh well! ;)

Anyway, I'm starting to look foward to the move.. we're flying in next Saturday and our new apartment is in Ala Moana. I hope to meet some of you guys very soon! :love

[Kalinamami]

Hi Jenni,

Hawai`i is a beautiful place and the prints are beautiful, especially on children. If you don't want to be too "touristy" just don't get the complete family matching outfits, lol! :love

Hawai`i is a breathtaking and beautiful place, rich with culture, dance and love and respect for the aina (land). Most everyone who goes there falls in love with it. It really IS a romantic paradise.

As far as the "segregation" and racism, don't be fooled, it definitely exists with many people there. Some places more than others, and some types of "local" people more than others (parts of the west side are real bad). There is said to be only about 10% of the population that is actually Hawaiian blooded, pure or almost pure Hawaiians being very rare. I grew up in Hawai`i from about the age of two. I found the nicest of the local people (in general) to be the real Hawaiians, although my family and I have always had many good friends from just about every race on the islands, lol! The ones who TRY hardest to be "Hawaiian" are usually those that do most of the barking (including a blue eyed, blond haired Portuguese girl in my old school).

I strongly oppose and resent the comments made by another poster stating that the racial issues were merely a one sided problem from "most whites" who are used to being at the top of the food chain." I grew up on the Big Island of Hawai`i during the early 80's through the late 90's (I lived on O`ahu and Kauai and visited the other islands throughout the years). My family was VERY open minded and especially being young children we WANTED to make friends, with everyone. I can tell you that my experiences in the public schools and trying to fit in with the "crowd" were 97% horrible. And it was almost always a racial issue. My sisters, brother and all of our "haole" friends were, in fact, threatened to be beaten, day in and day out, and often times were beaten. My brother watched as his friend was mobbed, beaten and stabbed repeatedly, almost to death, by about 13 boys, no teachers or security would help until just before the ambulance showed up. And the reason? Because he was "haole." Because he looked and talked like a haole. I could tell you hundreds of stories that would literally make your stomache turn. Many tourists on the islands are targets for violence and theft, although much of this is kept on the DL as it could do severe damage to the islands base economy- tourism. I myself have been told throughout my life that I looked hapa (mixed/Hawaiian/Haole), so I did get some acceptance. But in school, when the "mean" kids would find out who my siblings were (with bright blond hair blue eyes) or when I didn't speak the slang, I would get it, and bad. And no, it was never mutual, I was constantly trying just to survive in school, not cause problems for myself. O`ahu is a little more international and open to other cultures/races, but I know for a fact that it exists there too.

I'm not telling you all of this to discourage you from moving there, but simply so that you have a well rounded understanding of ALL of what the Hawaiian lifestyle is about. It is important to be aware of your surroundings anytime, but especially when moving to a completely new place with a very different culture.

Someone mentioned educating yourself about the Hawaiian history- great idea! There is a lot of history there, and you will soon find where a lot of the anger and hatred comes from (and remember that Hawai`i only became the 50th state in 1959, with a lot of objection). Although, *most* of that anger is misplaced and misguided. Most of Hawaii, WAS stolen from the Hawaiians and continues to be stolen from them, which is horrible and dirty. However, that anger and resentment that people have needs to be directed towards the right place, the state and big money politics- Not unsuspecting bystanders and children who are only trying to be children and go to school, etc. There is also a large intolerance for anyone who is "different", ie speaks walks or talks differently, again, depending on the people and place. Another thing is, I found that most of the people who do the barking are not even Hawaiian themselves, but consider themselves superior because their families moved there a first. There is a large mix of asians, polynesians and portuguese who call themselves "local" or believe that they are "Hawaiian," thus *some* of them feel that it is their duty, or birth right to hound or ridicule the "haoles." It seems that those types of people, that like to beat and harass haoles, or weaker people, are simply insecure with themselves and need to pick on others to feel better about themselves. So in that way, yes, it is like anywhere else you go where there are hickly :irked: types, IYKWIM. Maybe things are different in the military. I didn't know many military people when I lived there, but before the war I had heard that the military people got it pretty bad, too. But I don't know, maybe that was more of a mutual conflict.

My husband is Hawaiian/Philipino local and he will gladly admit these things himself. He is a musician and sings a lot of Hawaiian. We both love the true Hawaiian culture, just not some of the dirt that has clung to it. Believe me, he has every reason to be angry too. He is still awaiting Hawaiian homesteads, which never seam to come to his family. But we have both learned a lot with age, one being that random fighting and racial slander is never the way, no matter who you are or where you come from.

And last, I feel it's also very important to emphasize and reassure you that many people from all different races and cultures DO get along well and mingle. It's just that there are many bad apples too. ;)

I wish you the best with your move to Hawaii. I am sure you will meet some really nice people, local and haole alike, and you will certainly love the beaches there. I enjoy getting involved with the music and culture of Hawaii and do my best to respect everyone and avoid prejudgement.

Aloha :thumb

[RImomma]

I hate racism.
I have been here for a month already, and have only had one incidence with a local. I think it's ridiculous, and really I don't have time for it. I'm not going to let one bad seed ruin my time here in the islands...If you look at it that way then things will be okay.
-Meg

[3_opihi]

I strongly oppose and resent the comments made by another poster stating that the racial issues were merely a one sided problem from "most whites" who are used to being at the top of the food chain."

Wow. Oh my gosh, you totally misread what I was writing. Actually, I said nothing about that being where the racism was coming from. What I meant was that white people who have never lived in a very diverse area, are usually the ones who have the most trouble adjusting. I said nothing about it being one sided, actually I wasn't even talking about racism, just adjusting to the environment/ new culture in general.

Everything you said is definitely true. And those are all hot button issues here in the islands. But I think its best not to scare people. Lets let them make their own decisions about what its like here.

[Kalinamami]

Wow. Oh my gosh, you totally misread what I was writing. Actually, I said nothing about that being where the racism was coming from. What I meant was that white people who have never lived in a very diverse area, are usually the ones who have the most trouble adjusting. I said nothing about it being one sided, actually I wasn't even talking about racism, just adjusting to the environment/ new culture in general.


I wasn't referring to your comments at all, actually ;)









Everything you said is definitely true. And those are all hot button issues here in the islands. But I think its best not to scare people. Lets let them make their own decisions about what its like here.

Yes, everything that I said is true. They may not be "nice" or "fun" things that everyone wants to hear, but they are a reality in the islands that cannot simply be tucked away in a neat little corner. Everyone gave their .02 and I so did I. I guess I'm just not the type to ignore or downplay the storm brewing near the schoolyard when a discussion about the weather comes up ;). I did also make some points about all of the nice things about Hawaii and that I'm sure she'll meet some very nice people and love the beaches. Everyone will have their own experiences and come to their own conclusions, but a little personal experience and pre-warning on what to expect never hurt anyone.

:Bow :Peace

[Kalinamami]

Actually, just so no one gets confused, it was this comment that I was referring to:

"I hear so many people go on and on about the racial differences and so on, and I think a big part of it is that most white people are used to being at the top of the racial food chain and can't deal when THEY are the ones who are the minority or someone suggests that THEY don't have a god-given right to everything in the world. I think those are the people who have a hard time here."

;)

[girlstar808]

What seems to irritate my inlaws at least is when non-locals move in and try to change or better-up their culture and society. Just respect, appreciate, and assimilate

I am a local girl who lives in Virginia now, but I, too, agree with this sentiment. I "married haole" and have 4 "hapa" (mixed raced) kids. We plan to build a home on our family property in Hilo next year or so. Time to go back home. :)

BTW I graduated from Kamehameha. :thumb

[Mothra]

I said that, and I totally stand by it. Yes, those things happen. But it is blown way out of proportion by a lot of the white people who move here. Those people are talking about real violence in most cases. They are talking about someone calling them a haole at the flea market. Is a white person less safe here than, say, a brown person in South Carolina or Indiana? My husband lived here for eight years-- a blonde military guy. He was threatened with violence several times. He always walked away. My dad gets threatened on almost a weekly basis since 9/11, and he lives in North Carolina. He is in far more danger there than my husband is here.

You have no idea how many people I meet here who are whipped into a hyteric frenzy about being a white person here before they even get off the plane. I was listening to a woman at swimming lessons yesterday go on and on about how dangerous Waianae is and waiting for her tale of woe. She's never even been there. She got on the island less than a month ago. I know plenty of people are scared to go anywhere other than Waikiki because they are afraid that they are going to be dragged from their car and beaten just because they are white. Some people are just desperate to have an excuse to say whatever racist thing they want about locals. I'm not talking about anyone posting here, but you will hear a LOT of that.

I think we are talking about different things. Hawaii is not some scary place for non-locals. Most of the people who live on Oahu are non-locals.

[2tadpoles]

I am a white person who was raised in Hawaii. My mother is white and my step-dad is Japanese. My mom moved to Hawaii with my dad when I was a year old, so I consider myself to be "from" Hawaii even though I wasn't born there.

I think Hawaii is like the rest of the USA in that you will find much more open-mindedness and diversity in the cities, and more ignorant, redneck mentality in small towns. I grew up in a small town; Wahiawa, to be specific. My elementary school years were painful. I was one of three white kids in my school and was tormented and threatened frequently. It didn't help that I was a "smart" white kid. The ones who were "average" didn't seem to have as much trouble as I did. And of course the brunettes were usually left alone, too.

Middle school and high school weren't as bad because military kids went to those schools alongside the locals, and I wasn't as much of a minority anymore. 7th grade was also the first time I went to school with any black kids, who were treated as poorly as the white kids by some of the local "gangs." The blacks and Filipinos used to fight frequently at school.

I left Hawaii as soon as I was able; shortly after I graduated from high school. I know times change. It's highly likely that things aren't nearly as bad in the hickish areas nowadays. Though I miss the food, the beaches, music and culture, the experiences I had growing up soured me enough that I would never want to raise my children there. My mother loves it there and will never want to leave. It's kind of funny that she skipped out of Nebraska as soon as she could because of prejudice; my grandparents were alcoholics and "the talk of the town." People looked down on my mom and her siblings because of it. She can't understand how I had a similar experience where I grew up, only based on racial differences.