PDXOutbound

I happen to travel to Hawaii frequently for work and am out there for a week at a time every other month. I've never been acosted nor felt offended for being a tourist or visitor to the island. For me it's quite the opposite, like any other big city, as long as I am respectful I get alot of appreciation and openess from people.

I stay in Waikiki and work downtown, drive and walk all over the place. I stay out of the parts of town that are like any other city, bad. Hopefully people don't get scared away. I do see plenty of tourists though who are looking at maps while driving and act like idiots, but so be it.

I work closely with the business community and tourism drives a majority of the jobs and economy, the government is second to that followed by health care, so clearly it's a big part of the economy.

flygirl555

I had a similar experience in Oahu. It was Memorial Day and my husband and I arrived very early to stand in line for the USS Arizona. All of the sudden, people start cutting the line and joining the few couples in front of us. Come to find out that it was a tour group - so when I said something to the guide, rather than saying "gee, you are only two people, why don't you go in front of us", he said several things that wouldn't be fit for reprint here.

Strange to me that the guy would have voluntarily picked a career in the tourist industry...

codex57

You get bad apples everywhere. It's just that Hawaiians have such a rep for being laid back and relaxed that when something like this happens, it attracts more attention then it would in, say NY, which has a rep for having rude locals.

THe thing is, for the most part, both places have very nice locals. Yeah, things are a little more fast paced in NYC, but if you go with the flow, I've found the locals to overwhelmingly be nice. It's fine to ask directions in NYC. I've done it plenty of times. Do it nicely and the locals are really nice about it (helps when they're stopped at a light or something so you're not slowing them down).

But yeah, I don't travel to Jamaica/Carib anymore. Lots of nice people down there, but Hawaiian locals just seem more friendly and don't accost me as much.

JimG

Yep.

Even on "safe" islands like St. John USVI, we've been accosted/harassed at night several times when going out for dinner if my wife is dressed nicely.

(the last time we were there we got into a dangerous situation actually when 4 young local guys surrounded, and accosted us)

NEVER had anything happen on Maui, and the only rudeness we've encountered were from other tourists.

Hoc

Years ago, I remember Walter Ritty (a "free Hawaii" activist who is, ironically, half Haole) standing at the Molokai airport with a sign that said, "Welcome to Molokai. Now Go Home." He also took a pot shot with a shotgun at Lex Brodie while Ritty was squatting on Molokai Ranch property.

I interviewed him once for a Reader's Digest series I did on Molokai, and he started out quite hostile. He mellowed out a bit, though, after some time spent at the Pau Hana Inn. I am haole.

So, yeah, there is some hostility. You just need to remember to avoid the areas that are likely to attract those folks.

Ritty at one time tried to have Molokai designated a "Native American" area. In other words, a "Hawaiian" reservation, dedicated to Hawaiians as reparations for taking the islands from them.

slippahs

It's all about NIMBYism. You'll find that anywhere in the world.

chazas

Having lived there for four years, I unfortunately have to say, this is very common. I probably had some kind of unpleasant experience several times a month. Some overt, some really below the surface (i.e., you probably wouldn't recognize it unless you had been around local culture a while). Not restricted to the "restore the kingdom" fringe of Native Hawaiians, actually more common amongst locals of other stripes.

The only thing you can do is ignore it. If you rise to the bait then you're confirming that you're an angry, self-important mainland haole. Classic catch-22.

Hoc

My sixth grade teacher (Japanese) hated haoles and picked on me repeatedly throughout the school year, to the point where I was transferred to a different class. I did not know at the time that it was racial bigotry motivating her actions, but I know that now, many years later.

The last day of class in virtually all public high schools when I was growing up was "kill haole day," where haoles were fair game for getting beaten up, getting their heads pushed into toilets, and the like. My brother and I often didn't attend the last day of school most years.

In addition, we knew not to go to certain "locals'" beaches, or we would be subject to violence. It wasn't that subtle, but it was pervasive.

tonywestsider

The last two posts illustrate the exact same culture I've experienced as a local born and raised in Hawaii many years ago. I've watched how other locals treated mainlanders at that time and I couldn't agree more with the earlier post that it was the locals of "other stripes" rather than the Native Hawaiians that had a tendency to spread some sort of bigotry. Still also noticeable today but only noticeable if you were raised there as an Asian American is a kind of one-upsmanship of some of the locals there have who are "show-off" as the Hawaiians would say, between Asians. I was hoping that having moved from my home state 24 years ago that things would have changed when I went back to visit. Just based on the posts on this thread, it seems that things may have changed slowly. IMO, there are now more ex-Hawaii residents that are now living in other states such as California or Washington state while residents from other states migrated to Hawaii. Perhaps this migratory pattern is helping to change slowly, some of the attitudes the locals have towards mainlanders.

magiciansampras

+1.

The worst we've experienced is some idiot high school kids driving like maniacs on that bumpy road near the Hyatt to the secret beach in Kauai. We were nervous because if they got out of control there was no place for us to go (single lane road). We backed up and got out of there quickly.

I doubt it was because we were mainlanders though. They were probably drunk or high or stupid or immature or all of the above.

What do you mean?

Lavarock7

I guess it is just me, but here is my story.

I traveled to the islands for 2 weeks a trip, two trips a year. That is 1 month a year as a visitor for 7 years. I have been on kauai, Oahu, Molokai, maui and both sides of the Big island. I now live on the Big island (Kona side) year round and have for at least 5 years.

I cannot remember 1 time I heard a "haole" comment or had a bad experience.

In fact, I have experienced quite a different attitude. Granted, there are few "Hawaiians" out here, mostly we have transplants. I will admit hearing of a few cases where visitors were accosted on a beach, but it is one of those local beaches in a very out of the way place where local boys with nothing else to do but drink. They were found and arrested.

Perhaps it is attitude; I don't know. When a visitor, I did my best to try to learn correct pronunciations, I did not move rocks that were stacked up, I refrained from making comments that would embarass locals (saying things like "wiki wiki wookie wookie"). I also picked up trash along the way, just like I lived here. Whenstanding in line, I avoided rolling my eyes or checking my watch when a local was showing photos of their family to the cashier. I read books like "Ancient Hawaiian Civilization" (actually an easy and enjoyable read regardless of the title) and "Hawaii's Story" by the Queen, and undrstand why some Hawaiians might hate caucasians. I became more sensitive to Hawaiian issues.

I pulled over and allowed people to pass my car, when it was obvious they were either backing up behind me or in a hurry.

My assertion has always been that if you treat the land and people with respect, you should have little to no problems. Yes, I admit there may be some issues, but you need to take them in context.

In summary, my mileage differs.

maven808

I think both the locals and the mainlanders are at fault here.

I was born and raised in Honolulu but I am of Asian descent. The only people we call "Hawaiians" are the native Hawaiians, being born and raised or living here doesn't make you a "Hawaiian", you are just a local or "from Hawaii".

I think this unfriendliness falls into 3 categories. The first are the native Hawaiian's who truly hate the mainland white folk for taking their land. Second category is the locals and native Hawaiian's who are just up to no good. This usually happens when the tourists, even locals end up at the wrong part of town or pass by the wrong group of people. This could happen anywhere in the U.S.

The last and major category, to me at least are the locals and native Hawaiian's who have had a bad run in with mainlanders. Most of the time the bad run in is due to the "haloe" being rude or doing something stupid while they are on vacation. We always hear about how a "haole" did this or how a "haole" did that. Some people hear these stories and lump the mainlanders into one group and simply don't like the "haloes". I know it’s not all the "haloes" acting bad. But there is always that one bad "haloe", one who thinks because they are on vacation, laws and common courtesy do not apply to them, they look down on people and do as they please. They are the "haloes" we always hear about and don't like.

Here is what I observed this weekend while staying at Waikiki. First incident, my girl and I were waiting for the elevator and these 3 "haoles" come by also to wait. The elevator that my girl and I were in front of happens to open, and before I can let my girl get in the 3 “haoles” proceed to cut her off and enter the elevator first. Too me thats just rude but we laughed it off saying "They haloe dats why." Come to think of it when we were leaving our room and got into the elevator, there were two Japanese women already inside and this "haloe" got into the elevator several floors down and proceeded to stand in front of the door so that he could get out first. Isn't common courtesy to let the people who were waiting first get into elevators first, or to let women get out of the elevator first? That’s the way I was brought up.

Second incident we saw a bunch of "haloes" riding their rented mopeds weaving in between traffic and cutting people off. One local finally got fed up and at the red light told the "haloes" to "stop being stupid and riding like idiots". One of the "haloes" tells the local, "We weren't doing anything stupid! We're just riding, &*$#&*($#". At that point I thought the guy was going to get out of his car and beat the crap out of that guy. Just because you're on vacation doesn't give you the right to act stupid and put others in danger.

Third incident was at the free Hilton continental breakfast. We were sitting eating our breakfast and this one "haloe" comes in. Waiter sees the "haole", "Hello Sir, would you like some yogurt with breakfast?" "Haloe" replies "Why? Are you guys closing already?" Waiter says "No sir, there is no more yogurt out in the front so I can get you some if you want." "Haole" nods he wants yogurt. Waiter comes back with some yogurt, "Here is your yogurt sir." Haole replies "What kind is it?" Waiter tells him its peach and the “Haloe” tells him "Nah I wanted Strawberry". The waiter turns around and goes back, and returns "Here is your strawberry yogurt sir". The "haoles" reply? Without even looking at the waiter he tells him "Nah, dont want it" and proceeds to read his paper. What a dick move! This is the type of thing that is giving you mainlanders a bad name!

I know that all the incidents that I observed could have happened anywhere on the U.S. The difference is that when mainlanders are in Hawaii and do that kind of stuff, they stick out like a sore thumb. BTW I'm not picking on just the "haloes", some "katonks" (mainland asians) act just as bad and they stick out like sore thumbs also. I'm also not saying that we don't have locals that are just as rude. The majority of the mainlanders are polite people and I met some of those people over the weekend. The problem is the few bad ones are spoiling the party for the rest of you. The same goes for the locals here in Hawaii, most of us are good people but the few bad ones are giving us a bad rap.

As someone mentioned earlier this also could be because of cultural differences. Something we perceive as rude but be totally not rude to the mainlanders and vice versa.

If I offended anyone, I apologize in advance but I'm just letting you know from a locals point of view.

maiolo

I definitely believe this to be true. My husband and I have unfortunately experienced similar bigotry problems. Strangely enough, while being Maui residents, not even as tourists. Oh sure he's Caucasian and I'm a Filipina, but nevertheless.

Examples:
-at a silent auction to benefit underprivileged children in Keanae, Maui, HI, we bid on a 5* hotel gift certificate. AFTER the end-of-auction bidding alarm sounded, a local placed another bid, topping ours by $5. We found that totally illegal, but decided to bid again because so what, it's for a good cause anyway, and we wanted the certificate. Of course a brewhaha ensued -- close to me getting pushed around by that woman, her 4 other friends, and a lot of "haole" and "F" type words shouted at me. We asked for an official and were told that the person in-charge is the cheater's cousin, and that their bid stands as the winner. We said as a matter of principle, we'd like the opportunity for the both of us to give our highest bids -- this is for the kids, after all. No such luck, management wouldn't have it. We said make it a lottery, management wouldn't have it. Lastly, the only advice they could offer me was to "take it outside", meaning I should fight the other woman for the certificates. I was completely appalled especially since I wasn't raised to settle disputes gladiator-style, plus the fact that the "cheater" was twice my size. They were so unprofessional about the whole thing, clearly not interested about the welfare of those underprivileged children, if they existed at all. We eventually offered face value for the certificate. After all, this is all for the children, right? This was also refused. I suspect they were running some sort of scam where the very best certificates were only to be won by them, so they can sell them on eBay afterwards for personal profit.

-another time, my husband was working on a construction project in Maui. He was 2 days new at the job, when another employee told him to "go back home, you da-- haole!" For no apparent reason, just hatred out of the blue.

-Bette Midler tells horror stories of how she too god bullied in school, growing up in Oahu. Kill Haole Day and all that.

Yes, we have experienced a lot of kindness from locals too, but this is just an FYI for tourists -- better try to keep your activities to tourist-frequented sites, or you may just experience similar unpleasantries. This is very bad indeed, but is just the unfortunate reality of things when people choose to behave that way.

PS: My husband and I have a vacation to Maui scheduled this week. We haven't given up on Hawaii altogether, just disappointed with those individuals, that's all.

Hoc

Don't get me wrong. My family has lived in Hawaii for the past 45 years. I get along just fine with everyone, and we have many, many local friends. But I do recognize that there is a fair measure of prejudice and violence out there against people because of the color of their skin. The word "haole" was rarely used alone. It was often the second part of a phrase that began with "damn" or "f***ing."

So, it's wrong to think that, just because you are in Hawaii, everyone is nice and friendly. As a haole, you are part of a discriminated-against minority in the islands, and you need to behave accordingly. If you do so, you will get along just fine, and you will have a great time.

maiolo

You know, on the Hawaii state sponsored commercials aired on tv in the mainland, they bill a Hawaiian vacation to be filled with kind, smiling locals and so on. The name calling just for the fun of it is glossed-over because that's advertising, after all.

From our personal experience though, we have never done anything to incite this type of behavior, which is why it was so hurtful every time it happened.

I'm curious, how exactly were we supposed to have behaved during those times? What could we possibly have done wrong other than the color of my husband's skin apparently isn't up to some people's liking; and for that, he must suffer their wrath?

Um no, I really find this inexcusable behavior. Just the same as I'd find lynching in the past of the South to be inexcusable too.