The Word "Breed"

[LikaNui]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Intelligence is inherited, hopefully.

Ya mean it's inherited by, like, BREEDING?

[Miulang]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Miulang, please please please go back and edit your post and stick a few spaces into that ultra-long placename. It's playing havoc with my margins!

See if you can read it better now, Glen. If it wreaks that kind of havoc on your 'puter, imagine what color your face would be trying to say that name all in one breath!

Miulang

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Much better. Thanks Miulang.

[Sindahrella808]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Hey, where do I sign up to get "pushed out to Waianae and Waimanalo"? I love those two places and am terribly envious of those who get to live there, especially Waimanalo. Push me there, please!

Ahhh, but you have a choice to NOT live there. Most of the residents (aside from DHHL residents) do not. I work in both communities and trust me when I say many if not most would give anything to be able to live elsewhere.

OK I hear it coming.."well tell them to do something about it". It just is not that easy. THere are so many factors affecting Native Hawaiians and thier ability to improve thier economic and heath status. I visit families every single day who are using duct tape to hold the window frame on the house, have been waiting on the DHHL list for 25 years and do not have the qualifications to get higher paying jobs, the mobility to look, or the finances to invest in "getting out". It is a vicious circle.

An ariticle by Kukuni Blaisdell from 1990: ( I will take some important numbers but you can read the entire article for yourself if you wish) Article by Kukuni

*Life expectancy at birth in 1990 continued to be shortest (67.5 (5) and 73.6(6) years) for Kanaka Maoli

*health plight of the Kanaka Maoli (indigenous Hawaiians) as the worst of all ethnic groups in their homeland

*In 1990, Kanaka Maoli also continued to have the worst social, educational and economic indicators (5). Home ownership was lowest for Kanaka Maoli

Yes these are 1990 number however, the figures have not improved.

So yea, lucky they live Waiane and Waimanalo, from your perspective, but not for those who have no other choice.

[pzarquon]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Well presented, Sindahrella808, and again, all facts that we're all painfully aware of.

If you're still willing to engage in an actual conversation here, can you now help us understand - as we've quite earnestly asked - what "the preservation of our race" means as a solution to these discouraging statistics? In the context of the original discussion that spawned this whole side show, it seems that you're saying that preserving bloodlines and discouraging intermarriages (outside Native Hawaiians) is needed.

As a sad but practical way to keep "blood quantum" up to meet the threshold for special programs, I suppose it's a plus, but ultimately the preservation of history and culture is completely separate from the arbitrary judgement as to the "quality" of one's genes.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: The Word "Breed"

I work in both communities and trust me when I say many if not most would give anything to be able to live elsewhere.

What do you do there? Sounds like you're a social worker, or something similar?

OK I hear it coming.."well tell them to do something about it". It just is not that easy. THere are so many factors affecting Native Hawaiians and thier ability to improve thier economic and heath status. I visit families every single day who are using duct tape to hold the window frame on the house, have been waiting on the DHHL list for 25 years and do not have the qualifications to get higher paying jobs, the mobility to look, or the finances to invest in "getting out". It is a vicious circle.

See, now this is legitimate, serious stuff. This, we can agree on. And you don't need to quote lots of statistics to make your argument; I'd say most of us here at HT agree that native Hawaiians have got it bad.

That is, assuming you still want to talk to us about it.

[Sindahrella808]

Re: The Word "Breed"

What do you do there? Sounds like you're a social worker, or something similar?

See, now this is legitimate, serious stuff. This, we can agree on. And you don't need to quote lots of statistics to make your argument; I'd say most of us here at HT agree that native Hawaiians have got it bad.

That is, assuming you still want to talk to us about it.

I am a Social Worker of sorts. My position comes under the department of public safety.

[Sindahrella808]

Re: The Word "Breed"

As a sad but practical way to keep "blood quantum" up to meet the threshold for special programs, I suppose it's a plus, but ultimately the preservation of history and culture is completely separate from the arbitrary judgement as to the "quality" of one's genes.

There would be so much backlash if we were to encourage Hawaiian's marrying only Hawaiian's. But unfortunately I think it is the only scientific way to actually prevent the last of the pure Hawaiian's dying out in our lifetime. I don't think anyone would want to see that happen, I just don't see any politically correct way to stop it. Programs like DHHL at least for now allow family members of 25% blood quantum to inherit the lease, however, I fear eventually, 25% will be hard to come by and the program will fold.

There is no easy answer, perhaps there is NO answer and soon we will see the last of a beautiful, special 100% pure, indigenous race of human beings lost forever.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: The Word "Breed"

First and foremost, mahalo nui for the turn around on this conversation, because I believe it has very real merit, particularly in the area of figuring out how to guide the trends that are occuring. The pilikia comes with determining the starting point. Do we start on the macro level? I say 'no'. Its one person at a time. It comes down to the people.

So let me tell you about the people on just my street, which is 1.25 mi long:
-we are all DHHL leasees.
-the lots were awarded back in 1979 and all except for four are under the original leasee (two of us have our fathers' leases)
-only ONE family has a head of household who isn't at least 25% Hawaiian (meaning, each leasee around here married another kanaka who can qualify at least as a beneficiary). That family would live across the street from me.
-we are all gainfully employed, except for the few kupuna who are retired
-we own American trucks and Japanese cars
-everybody's kids are respectful, and the majority of them are enrolled in Hawaiian immersion schools.
-I know of no drug dealing whatsoever on this street.

It aint Walden, but its not the ghetto. The kupuna on this street have been long regarded as pioneers, scrappers against the inefficiencies and suspect ethics of DHHL and other entities that have held power. Living around these people has a real way of rubbing off on people, of our socializing ourselves to keep to high personal standards.

And lest you think that this is my only real HHL experience, the homestead I grew up on is not this one, but a group of houselots far, far away. But that wasn't the ghetto either. We were all just poor. And yet whenever I go back there, I still see in the faces of those children their parents and kupuna with whom I grew up. Still, I feel safe there, and I can still find a friendly face to kiss everytime I walk into the local market in that area.

I believe the hyper concern we each share for our kids, for each other's kids is remnant thinking from our ahapua'a days. Its inbred in us. There is nothing romantic about dreaming of kalo farming. It is profoundly simple: you don't work hard, you and your family will have nothing to eat. So work hard.

Ah, I am rambling...it would have been much simpler to say, "I get hope yet for our people."

===========
edited because my road is a mile and a quarter long, not the generous parking stall size I had inadvertently typed.

[sinjin]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Please ramble some more and IMO simpler would not be nearly as inspiring.

[Jonah K]

Re: The Word "Breed"

There would be so much backlash if we were to encourage Hawaiian's marrying only Hawaiian's. But unfortunately I think it is the only scientific way to actually prevent the last of the pure Hawaiian's dying out in our lifetime. I don't think anyone would want to see that happen, I just don't see any politically correct way to stop it. Programs like DHHL at least for now allow family members of 25% blood quantum to inherit the lease, however, I fear eventually, 25% will be hard to come by and the program will fold.

There is no easy answer, perhaps there is NO answer and soon we will see the last of a beautiful, special 100% pure, indigenous race of human beings lost forever.

Aloha Sindahrella808,

As a college-educated, single, kanaka maoli male with a few ali'i ancestors, it's hard enough to find a suitable, similarly-educated kanaka maoli female to date, let alone ho'opulapula with.

Cheers,

Jonah K

[Palolo Joe]

Re: The Word "Breed"

As a college-educated, single, kanaka maoli male with a few ali'i ancestors, it's hard enough to find a suitable, similarly-educated kanaka maoli female to date, let alone ho'opulapula with.

I second that... except I don't think any of my ancestors were ali'i. And I'm a little more "watered-down" than Jonah is when it comes to blood quantum.

But hey, if I stumble upon a hidden stash of those women you describe, I'll be sure to drop you a PM man.

And the word is ho'opulapula... spread it around...

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Aloha Sindahrella808,

As a college-educated, single, kanaka maoli male with a few ali'i ancestors, it's hard enough to find a suitable, similarly-educated kanaka maoli female to date, let alone ho'opulapula with.

Cheers,

Jonah K

Do you have *any* idea how many educated wahine with good mo'oku'auhau are on the prowl for kane that fit your description? I know choke!

[Sindahrella808]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Aloha Sindahrella808,

As a college-educated, single, kanaka maoli male with a few ali'i ancestors, it's hard enough to find a suitable, similarly-educated kanaka maoli female to date, let alone ho'opulapula with.

Cheers,

Jonah K

Uh Manoa has been very generous with Tuition Waivers for financially challenged and minority students, including our Native Hawaiian bothers and sisters....I do hope however, that you will agree that many of our beautiful Kanaka Maoli sisters may not have the degree, but are in their own right intelligent, "suitable" partners.

[Jonah K]

Re: The Word "Breed"

Do you have *any* idea how many educated wahine with good mo'oku'auhau are on the prowl for kane that fit your description? I know choke!

Aloha Pua'i,

I have some idea. A little over a decade ago, Mililani Trask drunkenly offered to be the mother of my children. However, I was 28 at the time and she was 41. If I were 10 years older or she were 10 years younger.... In general, I probably have more in common with kanaka maoli women who have at least a master's degree, because I have a few graduate degrees and I'm somewhat proficient in several different languages.

Cheers,

Jonah K