What are Hawaiians like?
Bishop asked:
I will be attending graduate school in Honolulu this September…though I was born in Honolulu, we moved before I was 2yrs old, so I don’t remember living there at all.
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I will be attending graduate school in Honolulu this September…though I was born in Honolulu, we moved before I was 2yrs old, so I don’t remember living there at all.
Coming from a military family, I hav moved around a lot, and experienced many different types of cultures, opinions, etc.
I was just wondering what the Hawaiian culture is like? Are the socially conservative like the South? Are they quick-paced and impatient like the North? Are they Bible enthusiats like the Midwest? What is Hawaii like???
March 2nd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
They are hard-working, friendly and very easy-going.
If you are used to a fast-paced lifestyle, you will love the calm, laid-back paced lifestyle in Honolulu and all of O’ahu.
March 2nd, 2009 at 7:41 pm
They’re aweseme. Just awesome. You’ll see for yourself.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:04 am
I’m Hawaiian born and raised in Hawai’i. Hawaiians are very nice, respectful, strong willed people. We are also short tempered. Hawai’i is an awesome place to live and visit. We are not quick paced and impatient. We don’t like when tourist come to our islands and drive around like it’s the mainland. Our fastest speed limit is 60 on the H3 freeway. We are a very laid back culture, let me just say nobody bothers us we don’t bother nobody. Oh and it’s 82-85 degrees year round, just beautiful.
Aloha
Good Luck
March 4th, 2009 at 10:59 am
very very very nice ~
March 6th, 2009 at 11:43 am
If you are native you will be treated nicely..but sometimes if you are haole then you might get criticized..but move past it.
For the most part..great people. Very nice and fun to be around.
March 7th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Do you mean Hawaiians or people who live in Hawaii? Just because you line in Hawaii does not mean you are Hawaiian.
Hawaii is a unique place not like any of the places you mentioned. Some people love it some people do not.
Hawaii is a mix of several cultures most of which are Asian. So there is a strong Asian influence. And it is best if you learn the differences of the Asian cultures.
Many people love to say that Hawaii is a place with no Racism but there if. And it is aimed or can be aimed at White people. This is due to the fact that the last Hawaiian Queen was overthrown. Therefore some believe that the takeover was illegal. Not everyone experiences this form of Racism.
It is expensive to live her due to the fact that 90% of everything is shipped in.
Some people feel trapped because we are on a island and the place that you can go are limited.
Also if you have to fly back to the mainland for some reason then it will cost more.
This is probably more than you wanted to know. But I hope it has helped.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
You picked a powerful and beautifal place for your studies!
Hawaii loves its own cultural heritage more than most places, and, its people are very warm and friendly towards others.
Hawaii is, without question, the most liberal state in America.
It probably is one of the most race or ethnicity conscious state, as well. Most of this is banter and friendly, but an undercurrent of cliche’s about caucasians abound, some earned, some not.
Hawaiians have embraced very strongly their heritage the last generation or two, recreating or embracing some mystical fabric of the “pre Cook” landing era is important to Hawaiians.
Cook, the British explorer, landed in Hawaii in the very late 18th century. Then, Hawaii was a highly stratified culture. Kings ruled with considerable authority with laws, or kapu, that touched every person’s life.
Cook landing changed the islands forever. Most poignantly, was a queen declaring kapu false in 1820, thus, overthrowing Hawaii’s “traditional” religion and sense of order deriving from royal laws passed from rulers to the people.
Ironically, there were a people that landed on the islands in maybe the 12th or 13th century who we know little about. They were later overrun and politically repressed by later aggresive and warrier like settlers from Tahiti in the 15th century.
Disease took hold on the islands once Captain Cook landed in Hawii, as Hawaiians, like native Americans, had no natural defenses for afflictions common in the west. An estimated 350,000 to 500,000 native Hawaiians lived on the islands when Cook landed, the numbers were reduced to 80,000 or so by 1870.
Some modern Hawiians feel that the west or America “stole” their lands and express resentment towards people representing this form of imperialsim”, mostly caucasians.
Hawaii’s actual history shows no force was ever used on the islands to “gain control”, and, indeed, lands that were considered royal then, were ceeded to the state, or controlled, by the Bishop Trust, a Hawaiian institution.
Hawaii as a royalty governing political system was overthrown by Hawiia’s people in the very late 19th century. It is popular now to think that America took over, but, really, the historical record is far more complicated, and interesting, than this.
A politcal movement in Hawaii, known loosely as the sovereignty movement, has been afoot for maybe 30 years. A generation of young people have been told that the west and more generally, the white based American culture has destroyed Hawiians lands and futures, but really, is is not really so, and indeed, has probably served Hawaiians poorly, as, it has created a sense of entitlement and moral indignation that is elusive to solve and an sense of loss for that which can never be found.
Hawaii is unique, and, different than any place on the mainland, for sure!
March 11th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
You get what you give. We have respect for each other, and those who are respectful to us. We are hospitable and would always welcome anyone. We live our lives the Ohana way – we are all family. Contrary to some mainlanders’ belief, we do work hard, but Pau Hana is as important as work. Pau hana (finish work/ing) sort of like Miller Time but not necessarily be drinking only. Almost everyone still pray before eating to give thanks. So religion is important, but without the hypocrasy. In that, I wouldn’t consider us being too conservative, afterall, same *** marriage is not frown here. You might say that it is completely the opposite pace of New York life. We try to stop and smell the flowers as much as we can, so to speak. If those people with attitude leave it where they came from, they would see how wonderful a place it could be for them.
Like I said, we live the Ohana way. That also means like anyone in our family who is doing bad, will be scolded but not out of ****. I myself, was even told when I was already in my mid-twenties when I forgot to say Mahalo so someone who went out of their way to be nice to me (I was just so bogged down that time, I wasn’t thinking at all) – so, I appologized. For some who are not from there, would then fight back for being taught good manners. Just got learn to say Aloha, Mahalo, and when necessary sorry or excuse me. Hope you enjoy your move to Hawaii.