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Is Ken Tanaka an Hawaiian treasure or celebrity?
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Mahalo
Rick
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Mahalo
Rick
Posts: 1,168
Threads: 39
Joined: Jun 2005
His schtick is that he's a haole who was adopted at a young age by Japanese parents and spent his childhood in Japan. This article attempts to answer your question:
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/10/...t-tanaka10
Tim
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions--Confucius
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Moke is a term not readily used in conjunction with tita. To clarify further, very few local people actually use the word moke. From what I been reading on this thread, it sounds like most of the descriptions center around people who are not real friendly, kinda stupid, and ready to kick your ass. To me, that's just a punk or dumb ass. Or a stupid, loud bitch if we talking about the female version. And yes, they come in all shapes, makes, and models. Black,Brown, White, yellow, Fat, skinny, young, old, male, female, mahu. Stupid is as stupid does. This is not a Hawaiian/local-only identity. Some tend to congregate in certain areas of the island more so than others. Two words: Hawaiian Beaches. ok ok, jokes. But Hawaiian Beaches appear to have a greater number of primer-painted, older honda civics with rims, bald tires and loud exhaust systems rumbling up and down kahakai. These are usually the folks with all the "burn rubber" marks on the street in front of their homes. But let us be clear -- this behavior is universal. It's everywhere, including the states many of you came from. So this is not just a Hawaiian/local thing. I mean really, who uses the term Moke anymore? So outdated.
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That one is too funny, pog. Aunty knows how to break things up and she is in charge! Aunties rule the roost heah.
As for mokes and titas, they exist and, I guess I'm a moke because I paddle a canoe and play ukulele (not at the same time because the other paddlers wouldn't appreciate it). I wouldn't want to live on this island without "locos". I love them. What you see is what you get. No guile. No artifice.
Mokes and titas are NOT a race. That's because of the following: 1) Not all members of a particular race, such as Hawaiian, are mokes and titas 2). Not all mokes and titas are 100% Hawaiian (or any other race). These are stereotypes of a certain type of local, and the stereotype is most certainly not a race so the premise of this thread is not supportable.
As to the use of the words, no one likes to be reduced to a stereotype, so one never calls someone a moke or a tita. We know them when we see them and I can't imagine the island without them. In fact, I really want my own moke. But I want him to act like a tita. Am I good at hinting at what I want for Christmas or what!!!???
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I always thought Tita was a good name to be called!
Tita: from urban dictionary - A word of Hawaiian origin, which can be used to describe a woman of any race who is strong, independent, able to think for herself, and FIERCE in a number of different ways. Grace Jones and Madonna would both be accepted into the Tita Club, which would be an honor.
A Tita is a woman who can hold her own and doesn't take any crap. It's a good thing to be a Tita.
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Kapohocat: EXACTLY. That's what I have been trying to say! A tita is a the kind of woman you want on your side! It's a good thing! Strong, fierce, independent!!! That thing there! Dat's what I'm talkin' about!
Hawaiian society is a matriarchy to the nth power! Big men (mokes) are like kittens before this, like in the hilarious video pog posted. In this society the tita tells the moke what to lift and how.
And then he does it.
Culture shock for those that aren't used to seeing this. I mean, I'm no Margaret Mead, but this place is really different. I mean, it''s a fire GODDESS.....and I now know there is an ice GODDESS. And Maui is kind of a clown. Yes, he was strong enough to fish the islands out of the sea, but......
Love that song, pog. And I love Amy. Too bad I was struck dumb and got all dopey and slack jawed in her presence. That always happens to me. She awoke my inner moke. Just tell me where you want the refrigerator. Auhea wale ana 'oe....
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Haoles make me sea sick, just go home!!!