♡ Chasity Brianna ♡

former resident

When Hawaii was discovered by the west, it was a stone age society. There was no written language. The hadn't even invented the wheel. The islands were made up of tribes at war with each other. Human sacrifices and slavery was the norm. Only the royalty and priests could own land. It is not the fault of the Europeans that the Hawaii's were unable to progress. If Hawaii had no outside influences, it would still be in the stone age.

I responded with this:

I'll fix your comment for you:

“When Europeans stumbled upon Hawaii, they were shocked to discover a society that was industrious and self-sufficient.  The natives were able to memorize intricate genealogies and passed down all their knowledge orally-- they honed their respected crafts from an early age through hard work, dedication, and respect/ pride.

Everyone knew what their jobs were and the notion of pono (righteousness, balance), malama aina (sustainability, responsibility for the environment), and aloha aina (nationalism, literal love for the land) motivated them to do their part in society to the best of their ability.  Hawaiians have a different way of life-- they believe that no one is able to own land, but that families who can trace their bloodlines to the first Hawaiians have the duty to care for the land and its people.  Reciprocity and familial duty (i.e. their relation to Haloa) is a key part of how Hawaiians view their connection to the land and each other.  

Westerners decided that this viewpoint was unacceptable, and manipulated native Hawaiians into thinking that they needed to "own" the land in order to protect it from outsiders (The Great Mahele). It is because the United States illegally (by way of force, via threats of violence and war) obtained control of the Kingdom of Hawaii (although there was no treaty of annexation and strong opposition to a proposal of said treaty and annexation) regardless of the fact that Hawaii was already inducted into and protected internationally by the Family of Nations.  

Hawaiians initiated the establishment of and constructed their own writing system, educated their entire populace (at one point, almost 100% of the population was literate), had electricity before the White House, and had made numerous diplomatic connections with countries from around the world WITHOUT the help of the US.

Europeans/ Westerners DID, however, help to ban native practices, for a short while, abolished the use of Hawaiian language (to the point where Hawaiian was illegal and a dying language), and brought diseases that wiped out more than half of the population.

Although racism is definitely a problem in Hawaii, it is ignorant to say that ALL Hawaiians 1) partake in said racism and 2) do not have the right to be upset (regardless of how long ago these atrocities occurred).  If you take the time out to understand the plight of the Hawaiian people, and show the same respect for Hawaii that we as a people feel is pono, I promise that you will be met with more than a handful of natives who accept and appreciate you being there.

You are always welcome to come and visit the "authentic" Hawaii-- volunteering in the numerous taro patches/ beach cleanup initiatives, attending cultural workshops, and connecting with true locals who live aloha.  A great place to contact if you're serious about learning about "authentic" Hawaii is http://www.koka.org/; this site also has some workshops and cultural event listings: https://www.gohawaii.com/cultural-events-in-hawaii.  

As with any other place, your attitude determines the kind of experience you will have.  This article is misleading; the majority of "authentic" Hawaiians do not HATE you.  If you come with an open mind and heart, have researched about Hawaiian history (even a brief search can prove enlightening), a pleasant disposition (meaning: not one of haughtiness and ignorance), and eagerness to learn, you will be met with less hostility and more of the aloha that you seek.  Intention is everything-- Hawaii and Hawaiian culture is not about taking, it's about putting the best of you out there (vibes/ energy, work, etc.) and expecting nothing in return.  There are those ignorant locals who make the rest of us look bad, but I guarantee that for every stupid moke, there's a handful of Hawaiians just trying to live pono.”