By Martin Hu
Beneath the concept of “aloha spirit” and Hawaii being a “cultural hot spot,” challenges from a history of colonization and modern myths have shrouded the struggles of many locals in Hawaii.
Past and Present
Colonization in Hawaii was one of the factors that impacted the lives of many who inhabit the islands today. The foreign missionaries who arrived in Hawaii in the 1820s used their influence over the Ali’i to advance their Western religion and practices, often forgoing their Native practices (Hawaiian Monarchy Overthrown). Over time, this influence expanded to the time of plantations, where many Native Hawaiians, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Portuguese immigrants worked together to support their new lives. Ideas of stereotypes flourished in these environments, where cultural, social, and cognitive biases ran rampant. The overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii was one of the factors that contributed to the perception of Native Hawaiians. The businessmen who took over the islands believed that Native Hawaiians were unfit to govern and were eventually deprived of their “self-determination” and “sovereignty” (United States Congress).
Internment Camps
Following the events of World War II, many Japanese citizens were imprisoned in internment camps because they were Japanese. Once WWII was over, there was still resentment towards many Japanese citizens, resulting from the incident. Similar distrust against certain races in Hawaii included the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which restricted Chinese laborers from entering and prevented existing immigrants from becoming citizens. American distrust and favoritism have been part of the reason for the expansion of stereotypes against certain races.
“Model Minority”
In today’s society, after decades of reformation, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has been labeled as the “model minority” by certain individuals in the media. This term describes the AAPI community as successful and literally what other minorities should aim to be like. This may sound beneficial, but the idea generalizes the experiences of all AAPI communities and disregards those who are struggling. The Urban Institute states that this “renders their vast diversity invisible” and prevents policymakers from addressing disparities (Urban Institute). The marginalization of the underachieving individuals can reinforce further stereotypes and discrimination within their communities. Data from the Annie E. Casset Foundation reports that while Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (NHPI) are grouped in the census, data from their specific groups showed that NHPI children face around a 20% poverty rate, while AA children face around a 10% poverty rate. Grouping all AAPIs as a model minority group would be underrepresenting those who are struggling at the bottom of the pyramid, no more than other minority groups.
In Hawaii, the Micronesian community faces one of the highest rates of racism and discrimination. They include racial profiling of Micronesians by the police and racial stereotyping against them on social media. In schools, they face an increase in bullying and lower high school graduation rates (Okamura). Furthermore, University of Hawaii researcher Rebecca Stotzer found that “bias and discrimination against Micronesians is prevalent.” Like many other cases, stereotypes and biases against certain groups can result from misunderstandings between cultures. Even in a cultural melting pot like Hawaii, the cultures of people are heavily misunderstood and generalized so that they can fit into the norms of what should be “socially acceptable.” People are unable to express themselves fully, and “outsiders” develop ideas against these people who do not conform. This order of events eventually leads to the development of stereotypes and further discrimination that many people face today.
Other Drivers of Inequality
Some may argue that due to the diversity of Hawaii, stereotypes cannot harm its people; however, the idea of generalizing an entire group of people further reinforces the idea that certain groups of people within the population will remain underrepresented. In Hawaii, inequalities still exist even with a high percentage of diversity. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders account for around 24% of COVID-19 cases, but the entire population was seeing a 4% rate. Additionally, many NHPIs faced higher rates of chronic disease, housing insecurity, and incarceration compared to other groups. Even in a diverse environment, stereotypes and systemic bias can amplify certain inequalities.
Solutions
To alleviate the problem of stereotypes and bias, it would be difficult to solve as one problem, as there are so many factors that contribute to the problem. Solving this problem would take time and a multitude of solutions. One main solution would be to further educate people on cultures and histories that may have impacted individuals in the past. Many students in the classrooms come from different cultures and different backgrounds. One focus could be to further support and fund programs in local Hawaii schools. ELL (English Language Learners) and ESL (English Second Language) are programs that can help students from different backgrounds learn English and develop a better understanding of the cultures in a new environment. According to the Hawaii State Department of Education, creating an environment where students’ “identities, histories, cultures and languages are included in a meaningful and equitable way, they are better able to learn and succeed in school and beyond.” Supporting programs where students would be better equipped to understand different cultures would be very beneficial to understanding each other as people and not as stereotypes.
In addition, supporting and funding the teaching of the Native Hawaiian language and history would help students understand the inequalities that occurred to the people who inhabited the islands in the past. Programs like Native Hawaiian studies and Hawaiian Language Immersion Programs in K-12 can help those students develop a greater understanding and appreciation of Hawaiian culture, history, and language. As students create a better understanding of other cultures and the culture/history of the place they reside, ideally, fewer stereotypes would occur.
Where to go from here
Stereotypes in Hawaii have been shrouded by its claim of diversity and history. They continue to influence and bias the views of people who reside here and stagnate the progress of racial harmony. Eliminating their influence requires better representation through data, better education on the past, and fewer generalizations of people. These steps can help move Hawaii toward a better direction that eliminates stereotypes so that the community can be seen and treated fairly.
Works Cited
Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Child Poverty and Economic Well-Being.” The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 23 Aug. 2023, aecf.org/blog/disaggregating-aa-and-nhpi-poverty-and-educational-attainment-data.
Bruce, Becky L. A Luscious Fruit: America’s Annexation of Hawaii. University of Alabama, University of Alabama Libraries, 2012, pp. 1–320.
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Hofschneider, Anita. “Police Killing of Micronesian Teen in Hawaii Prompts Grief and Questions.” Honolulu Civil Beat, 18 Apr. 2021, http://www.civilbeat.org/2021/04/police-killing-of-micronesian-teen-in-hawaii-prompts-grief-and-questions/.
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Okamura, Jonathan Y. “Jonathan Okamura: Micronesians Are the Most Denigrated Group in Hawaii. We Need to Be More Concerned.” Honolulu Civil Beat, 19 Mar. 2023, http://www.civilbeat.org/2023/03/jonathan-okamura-micronesians-are-the-most-denigrated-group-in-hawaii-we-need-to-be-more-concerned/.
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Sonoda, Paige, and Heather Hahn. “Disaggregating Data Is Critical to Dismantling the Model Minority Stereotype.” Urban Wire, Urban Institute, 11 Sept. 2023, http://www.urban.org/urban-wire/disaggregating-data-critical-dismantling-model-minority-stereotype.
Stotzer, Rebecca. Bias Against Micronesians in Hawai‘i. University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, 2019, manoa.hawaii.edu/thompson/wp-content/uploads/Research-Report-Stotzer-2019_3.pdf.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Asian and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Child Poverty and Economic Well-Being.” The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 23 Aug. 2023, aecf.org/blog/disaggregating-aa-and-nhpi-poverty-and-educational-attainment-data.
United States Congress. “Public Law 103‑150 (Joint Resolution), Acknowledging the 100th Anniversary of the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and Offering an Apology to Native Hawaiians.” Statutes at Large, vol. 107, pt. 2, 23 Nov. 1993, pp. 1510–1513. govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-107/pdf/STATUTE-107-Pg1510.pdf.
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