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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
 Posted - 08/06/2007 : 06:44:21 AM
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I am removing this post. Please forgive me if it upset you. I sincerely apologize.
E kala mai.
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Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
Edited by - wcerto on 08/06/2007 11:49:52 AM |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 09:07:42 AM
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I don't know about you. But this obsession by some to worry themselves about race is kinda waste time.
I am Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, English, German. But I only worry about the Hawaiian part because unlike all the other colors that one is endangered. Hapa could mean half of anything especially when had pure Hawaiians marrying pure anything else. The progeny was half & half. But then get plenny mo people like me. So what you going call me? It doesn't surprise me that so many groups must circle wagons so to speak and answer to their tribal practices in answer to racist practices evident in The USA today. Therefore blacks join blacks, Mixed Asians seek out others of the same kind, ad infinitum.
I am human and therefore I don't need to worry about anything else. I am confident about my humanity and if someone discriminates against me it better be because they don't like my choice of shoes. I play music one hand pressing chords the other hand finger picking or strumming. Just like every other tom dick or mary.
This stuff don't even need to be addressed in this forum. But, I agree some groups borrow words without regard for the complete ramifications of such an act. They look in a dictionary and take a word out of context and by the mis-use of said word in a foreign language teaches others the wrong thing.
In old Hawaii description by ethnic group was common. No where in the world except Hawaii has such an experiment been carried out and been so successful in mixing everything up. My friends son can say "ouch, my okole itai!". Now where else is one sentence going to carry elements of three languages and still make sense? Racism in Hawaii does exist. But in the sense that people living there notice the quirks, idosyncrysies, and pleasant differences that exist in everyday living. You buy a pack of cigarettes from a micronesian clerk at 7-Eleven and go the sushi bar and get served by a Japanese food server, and you pay a Filipino parking lot attendant when you leave the lot. Then you come listen to me at an art gallery playing Hawaiian music that makes you feel so 'alu you have to noho ilalo and chill.
So what's the problem? It only exists in the minds of people who might be afraid to stand on their own two feet. And live life on life's terms. It ain't always fair but who said it ever was in the first place? We move on in the face of adversity. Maybe we need to group together though. Don't get me wrong it is human nature for us to feel comfortable to be with people who resemble our mothers and fathers. But we need not lower ourselves to the level of our oppressors ever.
Just as an aside the word hapa is used in fractions in Hawaiian as well. Hapa ha = one fourth. Hapa kolu = one third and so on. The word is a borrowed word from English. It facilitated the incorporation of mathematics into Hawaiian lifestyles. It also facilitated the surveying of land so Hawaii could be bought and sold on the open market. Good or bad History happens. And if mixed Asians are disrespecting Hawaiian culture, I'd like to see some examples. It is I think their problem an d not mine. I will repeat and this is serious though. I will defend my culture to the Nth degree. And I make no bones about my preference of who I hang with. Today it is expat Hawaiians and and all others from Hawaii and anybody who's friendly and respectful to me as a human being. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 09:19:35 AM
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| The previous post was off the top of my head. This one after readin g the web site com pels me to respond. Writing as an Hawaiian. I agree with the premise of mis-use of an Hawaiian word and it's context being ignored. I don't agree with the entire argument but I do think that hapas should have koko Hawaii o loko. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 10:45:15 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by noeau
So what you going call me?
You okay with "poi dog?" 
I got English, Irish, Scots, French, German, maybe Welsh, maybe Blackfoot in my family shrubbery. Not really much I can do about who slept around with who, and under what circumstances way back whenever.
Does that make me "poi dog" too? Call me that, call me "haole," call me "gaijin," call me "f'tang-f'tang-biscuit-barrel," if it makes you smile - just tell me what key the next song is in... |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 11:07:32 AM
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I removed this posting. I apologize if I have offended anyone.
E kala mai. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
Edited by - wcerto on 08/06/2007 11:51:03 AM |
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Puna
Lokahi
USA
227 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 07:25:11 AM
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Aloha e Wanda
I doubt you offended anyone...No'eau didn't sound offended, he just shared his mana'o. I read thru the website and thought that maybe they'd gone a little too far...in the sense that of all the injustices done to Hawaiians (and other people), this is where they drew the line?
I also would have liked to see some examples so I could understand what they objected to (maybe there were some and I missed them). As No'eau pointed out, 'hapa' is a loan word. There were hapa haoles, but also hapa pake, hapa kepani, and so on. However, the one constant was the koko.
If 'the wanna be Hawaiians' (as the website put it) are using 'hapa' to describe a mix without any Hawaiian blood, then they are using a loan word, incorrectly. That's wrong (or just ignorant), but is it racist? Does it need this kind of outrage?
I think education is better. If I hear someone mis-use 'hapa' (or any other Hawaiian word) I will (like 'Alika) try to gently correctly them (assuming that I have it right in the first place!) Then I will go on with matters that I consider more important, such as trying to help promote Hawaiian musicians to both preserve the culture and improve their income. |
Puna |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 07:55:54 AM
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| Actually, Eric -- it turns out that I did not offend anyone, rather the web site in question offended. I took it off because it was pointed out that it could be inflammatory perhaps. Don't want too muchie pekupeku. I am glad you read it though before I took the thing off. Interesting to see how others think, even if I personally do not necessarily agree with the point of view. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 09:10:42 AM
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| Interesting Wanda that you use that phrase from Lai Toodle. A song I consider as being a protest song against plantation indentured slavery. How ever that phrase loosely means kicked around and mis treated by the luna on the big white horsey. I think you would rather use 'too much pilikia' |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 09:29:20 AM
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| Al - yeah...gotcha...'cept I da one getting too muchie pekupeku. I know you didn't kick me in da head, nor did Puna, nor did others who wrote to me privately...but...there are some...and I no like get da headache. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Pua Kai
Ha`aha`a
USA
1007 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 3:05:43 PM
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Why are we dragging other websites into this one? Why are so many people using pidgin words that are not in common use?
Maybe we could get the website back on track to share Ki ho`alu, hawaiian-style slack key.
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 3:12:44 PM
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| OK Nancy. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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alika207
Ha`aha`a
USA
1260 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2007 : 11:45:16 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Puna
Aloha e Wanda
I doubt you offended anyone...No'eau didn't sound offended, he just shared his mana'o. I read thru the website and thought that maybe they'd gone a little too far...in the sense that of all the injustices done to Hawaiians (and other people), this is where they drew the line?
I also would have liked to see some examples so I could understand what they objected to (maybe there were some and I missed them). As No'eau pointed out, 'hapa' is a loan word. There were hapa haoles, but also hapa pake, hapa kepani, and so on. However, the one constant was the koko.
If 'the wanna be Hawaiians' (as the website put it) are using 'hapa' to describe a mix without any Hawaiian blood, then they are using a loan word, incorrectly. That's wrong (or just ignorant), but is it racist? Does it need this kind of outrage?
I think education is better. If I hear someone mis-use 'hapa' (or any other Hawaiian word) I will (like 'Alika) try to gently correctly them (assuming that I have it right in the first place!) Then I will go on with matters that I consider more important, such as trying to help promote Hawaiian musicians to both preserve the culture and improve their income.
Aloha e Puna, I just wanted to say this. I don't automatically correct people when I think they make mistakes in 'olelo. If I come across people who speak it but may be just learning like I am, I ask them if they don't mind being corrected first. I think that is the right thing to do.
As for me, I do not mind being corrected one bit. Otherwise, I'll never learn from my mistakes! What good is that?
Me ke aloha pumehana,
'Alika |
He kehau ho'oma'ema'e ke aloha.
'Alika / Polinahe |
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