Do Hawaiians Like Canadians?

Question

I've heard rumors that a very small, but still evident, group of native Hawaiians are very prejudiced against Caucasians. I can understand that this hate probably stems from the U.S.A.'s overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

If I vacation at Hawaiian, and by extremely slim chance, some natives confront me or aggressively taunt me with "haole", would stating that I'm from Canada change their opinion of me?

I know that the VAST majority of Hawaiians are nice people, but I'm very unfamaliar of Hawaiian culture, ignorant of it if you will, and I do not want to do or say something "wrong".

Answer 1

the people in hawaii are very nice. and i don't even think they are prejudiced against canadians.

Answer 2

Don't believe the movies that you see about the locals beating up the visitors just because. A lot of times, if there is an altercation, it's because the local people are very friendly, and we dislike it if you come off arrogant and rude. I notice this alot. It's just different here. You connect eyes with a local, just give a little smile and look away. Don't be rude and just snub them just because you don't know them. We locals don't do this kind of behavior. We expect the same friendly manner that we give off to others. Now say you do offend a local...this is probably the only way you would get a fight, but it is highly unlikely you will have any problems if you don't bring it on yourself. Locals keep to themselves. We are used to the haole's (Another definition: Foreiners, not born in Hawaii) and we don't bother with them unless they offend us. Locals are usually friendly and you don't usually have to worry about anything unless you're a rude jackass. Just reciprocate the good nature of the locals and you'll get nothing but great reactions from the locals. You'll be surprised. They go above and beyond when they like you, and instantly you'll like the locals too.

Answer 3

'Haole' literally means "without breath." When the first white people landed on Hawaiian shores, the Hawaiians believed that they were ghosts because of their pale skin. Hence the tern, haole. If you are white, you are a haole. It doesn't *just* refer to Americans.

It is highly unlikely that you will be confronted by a group of locals (we don't call Hawaiians 'natives' any more than we call people who are from California 'natives'), but you may hear "haole" once in a while. I don't think it will be a problem for you. If it is, stating that you are from Canada won't do you any good. The people trying to kick your okole will probably just laugh at you.

Answer 4

You would have to either do something pretty antagonistic or just have downright horrible luck to end up in a situation like the one that you described.  I don't think you should worry about that at all.  But if it were to happen, I don't think your nationality would help or hurt you any.

Answer 5

first of all, kudos to you for acknowledging the difference between NATIVE hawaiians and LOCALS. while native hawaiians are obviously locals themselves, locals also include others living in hawaii and those who are from hawaii but not necessarily HAWAIIAN.

now as far as the issue with americans and haoles, yes there is some bad blood so to speak, but they will not at all try to harm you simply for being haole. like everyone else already said, as long as you are friendly and dont do anything disrespectful, you have nothing to worry about. they dont just walk around hurting haoles, or else more than half the population would probably be getting their butts kicked everyday. lol.

just be respectful and friendly, people in hawaii, not just natives but all the locals really are friendly. dont worry about it too much just enjoy yourself and enjoy the culture and learn about it while your there and appreciate it. thats all they ask. and you should be fine.

have fun and enjoy!!!

Answer 6

Well, the triggers are largely socioeconomic, and it's more of an insider-outsider thing, so if it comes to that, being Canadian is not terrribly different to the local folks who have the point of view you're concerned about. The overthrow of the monarchy is one thread in the whole fabric of modern Hawaiian history. Before that was the Great Mahele, and the process by which most of the land in Hawaii came to be owned by the children of missionaries. The joke goes that the missionaries came to do good and ended up doing well.

Add to that what happened after (watch the 1994 movie "PIcture Bride" to learn the roots of who's considered "local"), and what's happening today, and you wonder if you wouldn't be just as prejediced in their shoes.  

A good friend of mine came to visit me on Molokai. This was just after a local landowner had advertised a sale of a large parcel for development with a half-page ad in the Wall Street Journal. The community was just beginning to be concerned about a proposed development of luxury home sites that would leave a bigger footprint than the largest town on the island.

My friend, who is 6'2" and has curly blonde hair, was cornered on the ferry and asked if he was coming to Molokai to buy land. He laughed and said he couldn't afford to buy land on Molokai. They laughed and gave him a beer, which they're not supposed to be drinking on the ferry, but these things happen.

There are specific behaviors that can trigger a reaction. Some of them set me off, too, and I grew up in Alabama. Mostly whining about why Hawaii can't be more like the mainland bugs me.

There are specific places where you are more likely to be involved in a negative interaction such as the one you describe. School is one of them. Even kids of Asian descent have a hard time in the schools if they move from North America. Surfing, particularly in certain places like the Waianae Coast. Beware the white surfer who drops in on a local's wave!