04-07-2015, 03:47 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Punatic007
quote:
Originally posted by Johnd
While the sovereign nation topic continues to be tinged with racist overtones, frankly it will get us nowhere. This subject has been over romanticized beyond belief and in the meantime has pulled us apart specially in the Big Island, being the insular place it is. Time to ditch the fantasy and say it like it is.
Hawaiians "were", " are" close to nature because that is all they had, besides the next ship on the horizon; that is a fact throughout Polynesia, period. Hawaiians became "consolidated" as a group because of Kamehameha, what was before that? travelers from all over the Pacific? Asia? We are all invasive species regardless of the dominating lore. How long before the islands became too small and another group had to begin paddling elsewhere? Let's remember that in Hawaii we all came from somewhere else.
Come in the 21st century, everyone is happy with their "hemi engines", androids, tablets, and health care!. And al that comes from a world of thinking and sharing, not from an insular aristocracy that kept its people under tight reigns with a system of kapus for the only purpose of consolidating power. Let those who believe in the romantic idea of a bygone Hawaiian Kingdom to fully go back to their ancestral roots and live according to "nature" and the kapu system. I trust that after eating the staple one root and fish everyday, the whole thing will get pretty old fast. People have selective memories, and quickly forget why luaus where celebrated on the child's first birthday...
Personally I think, that those who have full Hawaiian blood should have the right and be able to form their own government if that is what they want. And that means, be fully responsible for their affairs; not only benefiting from the political capital but able to support themselves without counting on handouts. I bet 50 bucks, that most of those "cultural" beliefs systems "respecting" Mauna Kea and Pele and so forth, will go out of the window when economic benefit from geothermal and scientific research are realized. Mililani Trask, who made a name by hating others just because of the color of their skin, is no less rapacious than any other capitalist out there, when wanting her "ancestral group" have control over the geothermal; never mind desecrating Pele's home on that one!
Those who have mixed racial makeups should honor all their ancestry equally. There is nothing sadder than to see children of mixed ancestral background being taught that half of their racial makeup does not belong here! We have plenty of "Leilanis" sent to Hawaiian language and hula classes when the primordial cultural heritage at home is Philipino, for instance. I even know Mexicans that are being imported here, and as long as they keep their mouth shut, their kids can pass as locals! Some ought to be reminded that skin color does not make you Hawaiian. ! What kind of a society are we fostering by pretending? what are we telling our children? Where is the aloha on all this? The hypocrisy is rampant and our society cannot move forward because of it.
All this talk about separatism is nothing but a tool used by some, who hunger for political capital, who wish to satisfy that desire at the expense of sacrificing more important values like unity between humans, cooperation, racial harmony, integration and peace.
Only cooperation between us will help us survive as a species. The days of this is "mine" or you "don't belong here", are really gone in a world poised to have between 8.5 to 11 billion people in it by 2050. The dynamics have changed folks. Separatism is a delusion and a sad waste of time.
It is what it is. There ain't no Eden left if the world collapses Pahoahead, that is seriously delusional. You would not survive a day eating bananas and poi my friend without all the goodies that are invented elsewhere for your comfort. Being in the middle of Pacific ocean will not save us from the trash coming from ALL the mainlands buddy nor from any " societal collapse" elsewhere. If anything I would fear our own internal collapse given the present racial issues in our islands, and the rampant corruption by some, as demonstrated by our local politics.
It is a little to late to be talking about a re emerging insular culture in the islands, where 85% of the population is indeed Asian not Polynesian. Time to face the facts folks, most of us are indeed Philippino or Japanese, etc...not Hawaiian.
jdo
Wow and beautifully written. Separatism in any form is not constructive and therefore destructive, not to mention seriously boring. But that's what happens when you live in a remote area on the most remote island chain in the world. Some folks here have had minimal exposure, you would think their only exposure, Hollywood, would have educated them more than this.
10-4 to both of you.
Ono - So Fast - So Tasty!
Ono - So Fast - So Tasty!