| Author |
 Topic  |
|
hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
 Posted - 04/21/2004 : 8:56:11 PM
|
One of the more unusual moments in hula:
Hula Protest?
At the Tuesday night city council meeting in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the city council listened to dozens of locals who asked that the local millionaire businessman not be allowed to build his giant condo and hotel towers on the beautiful lake waterfront without ensuring public beach access to the poor locals first. The city council, all intent on voting for the project without question, listened in stoic silence as citizens pleaded their case.
One woman, dressed in a flowered skirt, surfer tshirt and a shell lei, told the council that beaches in Hawaii are all public and that we should follow that example. Then she turned on her boombox and she, along with two young wahines, danced a beautiful hula to a song from Sistah Robi!
Anxious to get their hands on the tax money the new development would bring, the council voted for it anyway.
But you had to be there to see a standing-room-only crowd enjoying hula in a cramped city council meeting room in Idaho.
Jesse Tinsley
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 03:56:42 AM
|
Ho Jess,
Must have been hilarious. Especially the part where they said all of Hawaii's beaches were for public,huh? A hui hou, Keali'i K. |
Edited by - huiohana on 04/22/2004 03:58:38 AM |
 |
|
|
Sarah
`Olu`olu
571 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 09:26:56 AM
|
My sister lives in Boise, and she told me several years ago there are *four* halau there!!! I was amazed. And envious because in CT there are more people but 0 halau.
-Sarah |
|
|
|
hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 11:16:26 AM
|
I'm sorry there isn't more hula on the mainland, even though the mainland is where most native Hawaiians live nowadays.
When I saw the hula at the city council meeting, I had no idea there were any dancers in my town! I'm going to call them and invite them to our next kanikapila.
Jesse Tinsley |
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 10:21:40 AM
|
| Well, I would'nt say "native" Hawaiians...but. As I once heard Professor Kay-Trask say once...people sometimes use Hawaiian culture the wrong way. I hope it was'nt just a gimmick. A hui hou,Keali'i. |
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 10:22:27 AM
|
| E kala mai. Hit the "enter" too much times. Auwe. |
Edited by - huiohana on 04/23/2004 1:25:20 PM |
|
|
|
hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 12:29:30 PM
|
I hope I didn't mispeak about native Hawaiians. Although there are very few with pure Hawaiian bloodlines left, I did refer to those people who have identifiable Hawaiian ancestry and identify themselves as Hawaiians no matter where they live, not just Hawaiian residents.
There are probably no numbers to back it up, but if you see the Makaha Sons in SoCal or Las Vegas or even Seattle, you'll see thousands of Hawaiians. Native Hawaiians have been emigrating from the islands over the last 200 years (Visit Owyhee country in Idaho/Utah) and the recent census shows only eight percent of Hawaiian residents are identified as native Hawaiians.
I would tend to thing that most of the emigration has happened since WWII, when the tourist boom really began and the planes started flying. Of the 50 or so people I know of in my 'ohana, about half live on the mainland. I think there is a tendency for native Hawaiians to write off those that left as having lost something essentially Hawaiian but they bring their culture with them here.
I'm not an expert on the sociology of Hawaiian history, but I know from my experience that it takes a lot more work to hold onto your Hawaiian identity on the mainland, and hula (even if your kumu is one haole lady) helps to do that. A lot of mainland Hawaiians live for Hawaiian culture and to regain memories of home.
Jesse Tinsley
|
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 1:22:14 PM
|
Everyone is entitled to their opinion on if they consider themselves to be Hawaiian just because they resided in the Hawaiian islands for a few hours. Or if a wahine(or kane)took some hula lessons and feels they are now qualified to be a kumu. I do not know of this "haole" lady you speak, but believe me it is happining more than you think.
If you are from California, you are called a Californian. From Florida, Floridian and so forth. There are some people here in our Hawaii nei that wants to change the name of our state from Hawaii to something other than. The belief behind it is there are people who do not like the fact that non-Hawaiians can call themselves Hawaiian when at first glance you would raise an eyebrow, just because they reside here. As for me, I would'nt go that far as to change her name for that and other reasons, but I do see the heart of the discussion.
I am in agreement that it is work to hang on to your identity while away but it is, believe it or not, just as hard being home to do the same. Especially nowadays with the youngsters. Whether it is being misguided by makua, society and all it's goodies(i.e. playstation), or the simple fact that you don't appreciate what you have in front of you until you leave it.
I was the opposite of what you explained about being away. While in the Army stationed in Germany, I got bit with the homesick bug and then the Hawaiian culture bug. In time, I read and studied about my people then and now and vowed to do my part to make a change. That meant language, music and Aloha. It has led to some tough decisions like should my wife and I put our son in Hawaiian language school and invest in instruments. But I am very commited to my preservation of my culture and will do whatever I can to perpetuate it. I thank akua that is going better than I could have imagined.
It is sad, for me, when locals have to move away for financial reasons, or whatever, for it has affected my family at one time. But heck if I have to go live on the beach...no problemo'!! A hui hou, Keali'i Kahumoku. |
Edited by - huiohana on 04/23/2004 1:26:44 PM |
|
|
|
hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 2:45:37 PM
|
We agree on a lot of things, Keali'i!
My username is "hapakid" because my Hawaiian mom told me I was a hapa kid since I was born. My dad is an Iowa farm boy. I always knew I wasn't "Hawaiian" in every sense of the word, but I love the music, history and 'olelo.
Since I was raised on the mainland, most of my knowledge of the culture is secondhand, from pictures, books and records.
Like you say, some live in Hawai'i for a short time and adopt the culture of Hawai'i as their own. I see the same thing where I live in Idaho, where caucasians adopt Indian dress and culture so they can enjoy the some vague mysticism they associate with Native Americans. But let's not write off all of the shirttail Hawaiians, because they help to keep Hawaiian culture alive, too, in their own way. Plenty of us here at Taropatch.net!
My connection to Hawai'i is only by family and not by living there, neverthe less I'm sad that I missed being raised around kupuna who each had something to share. My grandpa was a great uke player, my Uncle Joe was a great falsetto singer and my Uncle Dickie could have showed me how to fish in Kaneohe bay (now pilau and polluted), but I lived in California back then.
The big question is "What makes a person Hawaiian?" Pure ancestry? A majority of Hawaiian blood? Some Hawaiian ancestry? Hawaiian resident? Hawaiian last name? Hawaiian first name? Good tan? Hawaiian language? Make 'ono haupia? Wavy hair? Luau feet? A koa ukulele? Eat a lot of plate lunch? Just "aloha spirit"?
Lots to discuss here, and I'm probably not the best person to comment on it. Just my two cents...
Jesse Tinsley
|
Edited by - hapakid on 04/23/2004 2:54:09 PM |
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 4:16:28 PM
|
Howzit Jess,
Yep, this subject could go on and on. But, as far as my opinion on what makes a person Hawaiian, I would suspect it would, and should, be ancestry. Whether you have just a drop of koko or full blooded. I appreciate when non-Hawaiians are interested in my culture and even know more than some Hawaiians know of the culture themselves. But, to me, a person can play kiho'alu till it's coming out of their ears and 'olelo Hawaii fluently but it will not make them Hawaiian. Maybe that is where they could be considered to have the "aloha spirit". I know some people will burn to hear this, but it is true. I'm sure it has it's similarity's with the American Indians, for which I am part Cherokee but I don't go walking around with necklaces or donning a "Dream Keeper" ornament on my car mirror when I don't fully understand about that side. When it is time, I'll know.
Again, it is a subject that we could go on forever and I truly have been enjoying our discussion. Too bad you don't live closer and we could wala'au more. Maybe one day. Hawaii does play Boise St. every year. Maybe one year we'll go up and check out the blue turf and Kanikapila, Hapa Kid. A hui hou, Keali'i K. |
Edited by - huiohana on 04/23/2004 4:17:23 PM |
|
|
|
hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 8:55:39 PM
|
If Hawaiians didn't spread so much "aloha" around, there wouldn't be so many of us hapa-kanaka around the world!
Jesse |
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 9:28:02 PM
|
Ah yes,
The art of spreading the "Aloha"...it's niiiice ...K |
Edited by - huiohana on 04/23/2004 9:29:33 PM |
|
|
|
Dana
Akahai
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 10:48:50 PM
|
"If Hawaiians didn't spread so much "aloha" around"
I agree.....we need to spread aloha around the whole world...so, so important
Dana |
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 11:18:01 PM
|
Aloha Dana,
I thought your "Rain Storm" was pretty creative. Keep it up. A hui hou, Keali'i K. |
Edited by - huiohana on 04/23/2004 11:19:37 PM |
|
|
|
Dana
Akahai
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2004 : 4:27:40 PM
|
Mahalo nui a hui ho!
Dana |
|
|
|
huiohana
Lokahi
115 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2004 : 05:00:51 AM
|
Wow, got quiet on this thread all of a sudden...wonder why. |
Edited by - huiohana on 04/26/2004 05:02:10 AM |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
