Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [24]
REGIONAL IDENTITY
Plunk in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii has its own fluid yet distinct sense of self. Poi (fermented taro), Spam, shave ice, volleyball, surfing, ukulele, hula, pidgin, broken-down sandals – these are the commonplace touchstones of everyday life. Island style is easygoing, low-key, casual; even guitar strings are more relaxed. Most distinctive of all – from a mainland US perspective – is that one’s ethnicity – whatever it is – is usually unremarkable.
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What does it mean to be Hawaiian today? Read the wonderful, sharp-eyed journalist Sally-Jo Bowman’s The Heart of Being Hawaiian (2008), a moving collection of articles and interviews that circle this question with unsentimental tenderness.
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How different is Hawaii? During the 2008 US presidential election, island residents were thrilled that someone from Hawaii might be president, but much ink was spilled debating Barack Obama’s ‘localness.’ As in: he has roots here, he is a kama’aina by birth, but leaving after high school, never coming back… that’s often enough to lose your local cred. Still, he was and is embraced by locals because his unflappable cool and his respect for diversity resonate with Hawaii, he knows how to bodysurf, and he displayed true devotion to his grandmother, Toots (who lived in Honolulu and died days before the election).
In Hawaii, these are the things that count. That Obama is mixed race was an afterthought, almost unimportant. Of course he’s mixed race – who isn’t in Hawaii? One of the legacies of the plantation era is Hawaii’s unselfconscious mixing of ethnicities; cultural differences are freely acknowledged, even carefully maintained, but they don’t cleave society or the classroom. For residents, these two things – a relaxed lifestyle and inclusive cultural values – are probably the most defining, best-loved aspects of Hawaii.
As a state, Hawaii often feels overlooked by the nation, and yet it’s protective of its separateness, its difference. Mainland transplants tend to stick out. For instance, as a rule (especially among seniors and Asians), loud assertiveness is looked down on. It is better to avoid embarrassing confrontations and ‘save face’ by keeping quiet. In a stereotype that’s often true, the most vocal, liberal and passionate speakers – at a community meeting, a rally – are often pushy New Yorkers or California activists who just moved. No matter how long they live here, these folks will never be considered ‘local.’
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Tireless, much-loved cultural preservationist Mary Kawena Pukui’s Folktales of Hawai’i (1995), illustrated by Sig Zane, is a delightful, bilingual collection of ancient teaching stories and amusing tall tales.
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Of course, globalization and the internet age have meant a creeping sameness to culture everywhere. Locals love Costco and Wal-Mart; pop and Jawaiian (Hawaiian Island–style reggae) music can drown out traditional sounds. Some island stereotypes are fading. Then again, fast-food chains like McDonald’s appeal to local tastes by adding rice, Spam and teriyaki burgers to their menus. The influence works both ways.
Within Hawaii, the biggest difference is between Honolulu and the Neighbor Islands. A huge metropolis, Honolulu is cosmopolitan, technologically savvy and fashion conscious. It has the major sports stadiums, the main university and an actual nightlife. Affluent city residents are more likely to share the upwardly mobile, professional aspirations of their mainland counterparts; they are more likely to wear business suits and travel. Though, travel often means Las Vegas (aka ‘the ninth Hawaiian island’), for gambling and talking story with its large community of Hawaii expats.
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In Folks You Meet in Longs (2005), Honolulu Advertiser columnist Lee Cataluna captures the flavor, and above all the voice, of working-class Hawaii in these painfully funny, exquisitely