Haole factor in Hawaii

Don’t Expect This on Your Hawaii Vacation

We get e-mails and sometimes phone calls from clients who have returned home after vacationing in Hawaii. Most, of course, are to thank us for our services and rave about the things they did while they were in the islands.

We’ve had a couple of e-mails recently that we find disturbing. They refer to unpleasant encounters with “locals” the writers had while they were here.

A little background:

Tourism began in Hawaii at a time when there was a steady U.S. military buildup and the creation of the pineapple canning industry. Tourism was spurred in 1936 by the inauguration of commercial air service. The tourist industry in the islands began to flourish, but people in Hawaii were uncomfortable with the presence of U.S military people, most of whom were Caucasian.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor pretty-much killed tourism, but after World War II, the U.S. rediscovered Hawaii and American tourists began arriving by the boatload. This was a little troublesome to some to the local people, who already were not happy with the military personnel population explosion. Fights were common outside the military bases, especially in the bars where military personnel would spend their weekend passes and furloughs.

Soon, tourism became the major industry in Hawaii. That meant plenty of jobs, but those jobs were menial and poorly paid. The resentment grew through the 1950s, then began subsiding in the ‘60s. As generation followed generation and the Caucasian population was blending in, visitors became more than welcome and “the people” became the first thing returning vacationers would say they liked best.

That good will is pervasive, but there still are a few young people who inherited their grandparents’ attitudes. While these people are harmless, they can be intimidating by hanging around your spot on the beach and purposely annoying you, and elsewhere by calling you names – notably “friggin’ haole.”

These instances are disappearing and are rare now. The state and local tourism officials are striving to eradicate the problem altogether, but perhaps that’s a generation away.

You certainly should be aware that you are very unlikely to run into such an encounter while you vacation here. Vacationers are grandly welcomed and treated as the special guests they are. If you do experience one, please report it to your hotel management or to the police – and to us at Hawaii-Aloha (1-800-843-8771).

Posted by Jim Winpenny

Published by Bruce Fisher

Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

Entry Filed under: Hawaiiana

April 21st, 2009

28 Comments Add your own

1. Joe Philipson | April 21st, 2009 at 8:34 pm

Because americans that go anywhere on vacation tend to be rude, prideful, and insensitive to other people and cultures… I’ve never had problems with “locals” and that’s because I have half a brain and I lived in Ewa Beach and taught kids from Wainae. I’ve been in France when some fat american tourist criticized a crepe vendor because he didn’t understand english and then mocked him… it’s not just hawaii but anywhere these people go.
2. Sheila | April 22nd, 2009 at 2:32 am

Every place has their jerks and Hawaii is NOT immune.

I’d like to think that I’m pretty savvy with Hawaii vacation etiquette. I always go out of my way to be respectful to the people, the culture and the land. Even I’ve been the recipient of a very unkind haole statement. It happens.
3. Andy Bumatai | April 22nd, 2009 at 9:20 am

There are “Locals” that don’t even want other locals near their tuff. Case in point: The video of local SupperFerry protesters screaming “go home” at other locals as they where driving of off the boat on neighbor islands.

My favorite part was when a local in one of the cars said “Go home? I live here.”
4. kalei javellana | April 22nd, 2009 at 10:10 am

Born & raised here on Oahu, with Hawaiian ancestory, these racist slurs have been around since i can remember. In fact, going back 40 years, the last day of school was beat up haole day…and the haole’s to be beat up were caucasian kids that live here. Its just something that exists and is best to just ignore and not take any of this personally….Hawaii is paradise, but as is with everywhere on God’s green earth, no place is completely perfect.
5. Tara | April 22nd, 2009 at 10:21 am

Sure, we’ve all heard tales of the boorish American tourist, but to lump all Americans in this category is disingenuous at best. Is America bashing in vogue now? A recent travel survey found that the French, Indian and Chinese tourists ranked even more obnoxious than Americans, while Japanese were considered the best tourists.
On the flip side, every city or town in America has it’s share of rude “locals. Hawaii is no exception.
6. Angelica | April 22nd, 2009 at 11:18 am

As a native islander whose family has been in Hawaii four generations back – I felt like I had to comment from the perspective of a Hawaiian and go a little deeper into the historical roots of this topic.

Yes, tourism and the military presence have a role in the history – but it goes further back than that…almost 200 years back to when the first white missionaries came to Hawaii. Yes, that was a long time ago – but to understand the present you need discover the past & in this case you cannot stop with the rise of tourism or the presence of the military – you need to go further back to the Hawaiian culture pre, during, and since the first white missionaries arrived.

The first wave of Polynesian settlers in Hawaii were a collectivist culture, highly supportive of each other and overwhelmingly focused on the broader, long-term social and survival considerations of living on a Pacific island.

When the first white missionaries came to Hawaii, around 1820, their new religion created a polarization between the existing social classes. It was at this time that colonization began and led to the eventual domination of the ancient Hawaiian culture by this new foreign (haole) culture.

Remember – the Hawaiians traditionally regarded the land as being everyone’s responsibility to care for and maintain it, whereas the western concept of private land ownership was completely incomprehensible to most Hawaiians. As a direct result of this circumstance, by 1848 the Hawaiians had lost almost the entirety of their homeland to foreigners and commercial interests, and many Hawaiians were homeless and landless.

It’s key to remember that the Hawaiian collectivist culture (as it was described prior to the arrival of the missionaries) – is still expressed today in the ‘Aloha Spirit’, which consists of giving open-endedly to share wealth, food, and communal support. This traditional spirit of collective giving contrasts rather severely with the spirit of imported western entrepreneurial commercialism (which also still exists). While there are and have been benefits from both ‘cultures’ – there are also times when they clash.

Greater effort needs to be made for all people to understand how other nations and other people view life and maintain the beliefs that make their lives personally, spiritually and culturally meaningful. The interest and study of cultural ways, social norms, and the attainment of a basic understanding – is the only way real progress can be made towards resolving tensions between radically differing racial and ethnic groups. This is as true in Hawaii as it would be anywhere in the world that Americans find themselves. I believe it is the younger people who are more often doing the antagonizing – but perhaps even that is a ‘normal’ part of the immature growth phase.

It’s not our responsibility in the present to figure out the details of the past or the reasons behind the why’s. What’s done is done and we cannot hold the past in the present. Nothing will ever entirely erase lingering local resentment over having lost homelands to what they view as culturally naive, economically overbearing, self-centered, and profit obsessed outsiders who think that America’s worship of rugged, entrepreneurial individualism is the only legitimate socio-political philosophy in the entire world.

Furthermore, little can be done to reduce haole paranoia about being singled out for rude, perhaps hostile treatment by locals.

The only thing we can do on an individual level is to renew our efforts each day to acheieve a more loving and generous understanding of each other’s lives and cultures.

I apologize for the long comment but I felt it was necessary. I also want to thank my friend Kaliki Kalei who has been a great kumu (teacher) of ancient Hawaiian culture.

Aloha & Malama,
Angelica
7. Tara | April 22nd, 2009 at 12:32 pm

Wow! Excellent post Angelica. Thank you for such an in depth explanation. You’re awesome!!!!
8. Notes From Our Recent Mau&hellip | April 24th, 2009 at 6:43 am

[...] hostile locals who decided that the sound of their horn and shooting out curse words to “haoles” was better than the sweet sounds of the rainforest and waterfalls. Just like them, we were stuck [...]
9. Hawaii | April 24th, 2009 at 7:48 am

Granted there are some ignorant people, but if you treat people with respect they will usually treat you with respect back. I think locals just don’t like the mainland tourists who are loud, obnoxious, and think they can come to our islands without showing any respect.
10. A Maui blog | April 28th, 2009 at 6:42 pm

I am thinking of writing to Maui News about this concern. Thank you for posting this and for the discussion that went on in the comment section.
11. kat | October 14th, 2009 at 1:32 am

We are concerned with the increase of bad behavior experienced on Oahu, and how it leads to acts of violence.

Monday Oct. 12, 2009 in the parking lot of Bangkok Chef Manoa at 12:15pm we waited for a car backing out so that we could pull into their parking space. A tall haole guy with brown hair walks in the middle of the stall and refuses to move, shaking his finger at us, saving the space for his friend with blonde hair in pony tail in the white truck behind us. I am local hawaiian, asian female raised on oahu, and that behavior to me is rude. Could it be because I was asian, female or local, that this haole guy thought he could abuse us? Rude people come in all types of colors and sex. It’s pitiful when you gotta explain to someone that rude behavior such as coming out from no where to save a parking space for a car who is not next in line, is unacceptable. Only girls were in the car, the haole was lucky, cuz he may have been hurt if the guys in our family were with us. His action was completely avoidable. If this is a cultural difference such as he’s not from oahu, I hope this story helps save his life, and the life of his driver one day so they don’t get their okoles beat down.

Next time haole, don’t be fooled, cuz local girls will kick your okoles too, you lucky that day. So haole boys, no be jerks, be respectful and learn to think of others before your own selfish needs. If you want to live or visit oahu do what the locals do.
12. Susan (haole from Virginia) | October 23rd, 2009 at 7:23 am

Unfortunately, most Americans have no idea how the United States “acquired” the Hawai’ian Islands. Much the same way the rest of the country was “acquired” from the native Americans, but without bloodshed. Even the President of the U.S. at the time of the overthrow questioned the events happening in Hawai’i. You can read his letter to Congress at:
http://www.hawaii-nation.org/cleveland.html
A bill is currently in committee to give some sovereignty to native Hawai’ians (similar to native American rights). Info on that bill can be found here:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-1011
It’s not perfect, but it’s a start. Perhaps our Hawai’ian-raised president can push it through?
Mahalo for your concern.
13. Rick | May 21st, 2010 at 7:14 am

Angelica, that is a useful history lesson for many – thank you. While the missionaries did some good things in Hawaii, it was unfortunate that they couldn’t bring Christ into the native culture, instead of insisting on “Westernizing” or “civlizing” the natives. There is no reason that one cannot live as Hawaiian, Samoan, Inuit, Chinese, Guatemalan, or whatever without compromising one’s Christianity, should one choose to live that way. Thankfully, most missionaries today have learned from the mistakes of the past!
14. Greg | May 25th, 2010 at 6:49 pm

Apparently the “Aloha Spirit” applies to locals but its opposite applies to outsiders. My wife (who is Indian) and I were visiting relatives in Honolulu. We went to Ala Moana Park to play tennis. I won’t go into the details of what happened, but the locals persisted in making it very clear to us that we were not welcome there. After about 15 minutes, my wife couldn’t stand their behavior any longer and we left.
15. Jesse | September 13th, 2010 at 7:24 pm

While visiting a black sand beach (alone) down the road from Kalani on the Big Island, I was shot at several times with a paintball gun from the cliffs above by some local kids (mix of Haole and Hawaiian). One got me pretty bad on the back of the leg. I stormed up and confronted them angrily, but they denied it (This maybe wasn't a smart move as they could have easily pounded me) When I walked away, 100 meters down the road, they fired a shot at me. I turned around and glared for a moment, then turned around and kept walking away. They drove by several times attempting to shoot me, but missed. That's my experience with local Hawaiian aggression. I heard lots of other bad stories (much worse than mine) from other Haoles living there. There is no place for random senseless violence.
16. kilo | September 15th, 2010 at 8:23 pm

So the U.S. gov wrongfully took some land that didn't belong to them 100+ years ago, what else is new? i don't condone the action but i cant help it either , and when i visit paradise im subject to racism and hostility. if locals hate us haoles so much they should try living without the tourist buisness or American tax dollars . i am a very respectful visitor wherever i roam but why travel to a place that gives you a bad wrap for being a white american? i can't believe that the human race hasn't figured out by now how to live and vacation with peace and respect. im coming back to this beautiful place for my honeymoon and pray that its not spoiled but someone that hasn't yet learned about respect and manners. long live Queen Lili !
17. Bill | October 3rd, 2010 at 9:05 pm

Hawaii is filled with hateful racist local jerks. They don't want you there. Spend your money somewhere else.
18. Les | November 24th, 2010 at 11:50 am

i am 100% irish, i have lived in hawaii for 23 years. my wife is local from the big island, my daugther was born and raised here as is my granddaugther. i have coached over 1500 locals youths over the years. my business donates regularly to local causes. still i face the word "haole" all the time. never with violence, due to the fact that i am a former combat marine and am 6 foot and weight 245. most don't mess with a guy like me but still i get the haole word all the time, i hate it but love maui, it's my home and the home of my family. i grew up in rural indiana with white supremist and hawaii has more hatred than there, by far. such a beautiful place with so much hatred. my people had nothing to do with what happened to your people.
19. numol | December 18th, 2010 at 12:45 pm

I've never been to Hawaii, but a lot of these comments reek of white entitlement, especially these:
"if locals hate us haoles so much they should try living without the tourist buisness or American tax dollars . i am a very respectful visitor wherever i roam…" Really? You don't sound respectful.
"my people had nothing to do with what happened to your people." Whites benefit from racism, past and present. And Irish people are considered white in the US these days, at least enough to have white privilege. So yeah, if you're Irish in America, you benefit from racism.
I'm not condoning any harassment against whites that goes on in Hawaii, but I doubt there's any real comparison to white supremacists — for example, when have locals lynched haoles?
20. Les | February 16th, 2011 at 12:30 pm

my grandfather was brought to america as a slave from ireland. i'm only the second generation born here. when i say my people i mean my family not my race. i come from slaves. can you understand that? and no there have been no hangings here. but beatings and at least one killing. a poor young white man was sent to a very dangerous park by some locals who thought it was funny and he was killed for his money and stuff. yeah so it's real over here.
21. John B | March 10th, 2011 at 8:13 am

Hawaii ; Your poo-poo does, in fact, STINK. Hawaiians are racist to the core and deep in denial. Racism, from any group to any other group, is evil, hateful and wrong. Get that through. Historical wrongs of generations past are not an entitlement to cruelty. There is no shade of grey, and there is no instance where it is okay.
Looking at the color of another man's skin to apply any your own cultural template upon him is the very definition of racism. There is no excuse for it, and excuses are what 'Hateloha' is all about.
According to these posters, whites should be okay with being bullied, robbed, insulted or beaten. Who in their right minds would go along with that? When this happens, so the common thinking seems to go, it must be because the white victim was insensitve or somehow otherwise brought it on themselves. Really? Didn't we stop blaming rape victims for their own rape because they dressed a certain way and thereby 'brought it on themselves'? There is no mistake in having a certain color of skin.
It is doubly disturbing to see a group who has been on the bad end of racism turn around and dish it out in spades. You know better, Hawaiians, but you do it anyway.
In the mainland, Hateloha is becoming common knowledge. People work very hard for long periods of time to save up enough to come to a nice climate for a few days. Maybe even have someone be nice to them. Then travel half way around the planet to be racially harrased by the aggressive and ignorant… all that time, work, money and effort for THAT. Nice. It's not the economy causing the tourism dropoff, it's Hawaiians.
In a tourism based economy, I literally cannot imagine a more stupid practice. I try to talk people out of visiting Hawaii. I am not alone.
I have spent years living in the deep south, and I have a PHD in racism, I am sick of it, and heartisick to watch racism rear its ugly head in Hawaii to drag everyone there down. Racism is all about excuses. Excuses to be racist and feel good about it (hint: you don't get to do both). Racist for a cause. Racist from a historical perspective. The self-righteous racist. The angry racist. Swapping heritage for race. The arrogance of trying to tell other people what they think. Excuses for hate. Sickening.
I am haole and now armed at all times. I hate having it come to this, but it is necessary. It has pulled me out of 1 potentially very ugly situation, which had nothing to do with anything other than the color of my skin and being mistaken for a toy to be played with.
All are welcome in Hawaii, as long as you're not white.
22. Mark Selin | March 12th, 2011 at 6:50 pm

I am a "haole" who lived on Oahu for four years (2006-2010) as a member of the U.S. Air Force, and loved it.. I visited and spent much time in almost every town on the island including supposedly "non-haole friendly" places like Waianae, Waimanalo, Kalihi, etc.. I can honestly say I never openly heard a local call me a haole, or had any problems at all. Everyone I dealt with was pretty cool. It never happened (that I know of but I personally wouldn't take offense at being called haole if it was said in a good natured, joking manner. However, if someone said it in a derogatory type of tone I would be offended and would want to stomp their guts out! I am not a "tough guy", but I am also not intimidated by many people, and am a humble person. Maybe people could sense my vibe, and left me alone… who knows?.. I don't judge a people by the race. I try and take men and women one at a time. Everyone is good until proved otherwise.
23. Renee | April 6th, 2011 at 4:55 pm

I have been visiting Hawaii for about 25 years. The past few years my husband and I have bought timeshares on Big Island, which we love. We are Canadians, I am part Native American and part white and while my skin is very white I have "indeterminate" kind of asian/kind of latin appearance. We have always been respectful to locals and interested in what they have to say and grateful that we have had the opportunity to spend a couple months each year here. Majority of the other owners at our complex are mainland Americans. Over the years I have come to realize why the term "haole" might be tossed in a nasty manner. There are a hard-core few owners here who are just racist pigs. Old white men (and women) who have not gotten the memo that they aren't top of the heap anymore. The way they refer to the complex's staff(all of whom are locals/hawaiians) is unbelievable(ie: they are here to serve us). Most of them are old and hopefully their children won't have this sense of entitlement. On the other side of the coin, there seem to be an awful lot of locals (young) with time on their hands. The taxes keep going up (higher and more quickly for non-islanders) and make Hawaii an expensive destination. If it gets to the point where mainlanders/foreigners are unwelcome and can't afford to come, who is going to pay for the Island lifestyle? The money grabs at visitors right now is pretty bad….we don't get favorable "kamaiina" rates for anything! That being said, my husband and I have made some great friends with local "haoles" and hawaiians alike.
24. rob | April 29th, 2011 at 3:02 pm

i live in ewa beach and have not had to deal with any of it. i am surrounded by locals, military, other nationalities, etc and it's been great living here. i have school aged kids who play sports with the locals and never had any problems. I try to be respectful of everyone and it seems to do the trick. I am looking forward to living here for a few more years and I think i am really going to miss hawaii when I leave.
25. john hernando paris | May 18th, 2011 at 7:57 pm

its sad to say but many hawaian locals are racist and racists are the lowest level of humanitity.
26. DRESPINDA | July 11th, 2011 at 12:15 pm

Alls I know…is I want a PHD in Racism. What school can I go to that would offer the best courses for this doctorate?
Thank you!
27. KW | July 11th, 2011 at 12:57 pm

I have been to the Hawaiian Islands seven times as an adult and a few as a child. I only recall one instance where we had an issue with locals and it was when I was a kid well over 30 years ago. Since then as an adult my wife and I go to the islands each year without incident. We will continue to visit and we feel very safe in Hawaii unlike some other beautiful places you could visit. We love Hawaii and we respect the culture and we always strive to learn new Hawaiian culture on each visit and even on the mainland. Live Aloha!!!
28. Ms. Ewa Beach | July 11th, 2011 at 5:09 pm

I was born and raised in Hawaii. Lived here all my life and visited some interesting places in CA, NV & OR. Every time I leave the islands, I look forward to meeting new people, eating great food and visiting interesting places. Only met one person in LA that was totally rude, but I did not let this person ruin my trip.
My point, if you have a good attitude and you're willing to do what the locals do, you will have an enjoyable experience every where you go.
It's your action that gets a re-action from the locals or people. If your attitude sucks, so will the response from locals or people in general.
I'm tired of "haoles" complaining about the locals. It takes two to tango. Racism goes way back in time. So it's about time we seriously try to get along. After all, we are human beings, not animals.
A simple smile will make a big difference in Hawaii. Aloha works two ways, give to receive.
Live Aloha!

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