THE "CULTURAL" CARD

IS BEING PLAYED AGAIN

While tourists don't often hear about it, the fact is that what few native Hawai'ians there are left want all other races to leave the islands. What exactly is a "native Hawai'ian"? To claim such heritage, all you have to do is be able to show lineage to one person from a list established circa 1800. Mainland aboriginal tribes (Native Americans) have to show at least 25% of their bloodline is tribal.

Native Hawai'ians do not want any cultural activity occurring unless it can be linked to THEIR culture. The current on-going area of conflict is the Halloween Events in Lahaina. I've written about it, I've shown images and videos. The latest bitch is that it is disrespectful of the native heritage. Lahaina was the first capital city of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. It wouldn't have been so without the assistance of the British Admiralty, who lent cannons, firearms and military advisors to the stone age leader of one of the warring tribes. Prior to the arrival of Capt. James Cook, the various warring tribes were cannibals. A fact Cook learned the hard way when, on his second visit, he was the main course at a luau. The Kingdom of Hawai'i barely existed 100 years. Europeans created it and their decendents overthrew it.

As happened often throughout the world, the arrival of Europeans brought the onslaught of diseases that the indigenous population had no natural immunity from. This was followed by a second invasion, the missionaries who did more to destroy the local culture than gunpowder and cannon shot ever accomplished.

Today, when new buildings are being constructed, if human remains are discovered, extreme efforts are brought to halt the development. Claiming that the area is a sacred burial ground. Considering their past dietary supplements, it most likely is just a garbage dump.

There were two articles in yesterday's paper that prompted today's rant. One was about Front Street and the other was a classic example on the tendency of Hawai'ian decended people to be bullies. Using their gargantuan size as an intimidation factor.

Tourists hear of and believe that everyone in the islands "Live Aloha". The perfect blended society. That is as far from fact as is possible. Racial hatred and tension is always boiling, just below the surface.

***

The cost of giving up wine

I was walking down the street when I was approached by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of dollars for dinner.

I got ten dollars out of my purse and asked, "If I give you this money, will you buy some wine with it instead of dinner?"

"No, I had to stop drinking years ago", the homeless woman told me.

"Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?" I asked.

"No, I don't waste time shopping," the homeless woman said. "I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive."

"Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?" I asked.

"Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless woman. "I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!"

"Well," I said, "I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight."

The homeless woman was shocked. "Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting."

I said, "That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine."

***

As you may have guessed. I didn't work last night. I did pull my shift on Thursday and it was torturous. By the end of the first three hours, I couldn't even sit upright in ONE-NINE. And the front seat of a Mercury Gran Marquis is more comfortable that the easy chair in most homes. 6-way adjustable seat with adjustable lumbar support. The only thing missing is a heating pad and those magic vibrating "fingers". At 10p I went home and collapsed on my sofa. Instantly asleep. Back out at 1a to cover the graveyard portion of the night. Wally was in shortly after 4a and I was home before 5a. Did my quickie post to y'all and crawled into bed, where I do have an electric massager and heating pad. 6 solid hours of restful bliss. About noon, I woke and was dying of thirst. Drank about a liter of tea and flopped back to slumberland. 4p and time to start rejoining the world. Felt really great. Not one ache or twinge. Sadly that euphoria was short lived. By 5p I was getting spasms in the back again. Thought I could tough it out. By 6p, it was obvious that there was not going to be a Friday night for me, so I called off.

Thats as much detail as I need to share about the pains and side effects, other than to say that EVERYTHING hurts like hell.

Ever the trouper, I am going to try and do Saturday night.

***

Oh, my son called me yesterday and so did my ex-wife. Both concerned. I was awake when he called but sleeping when she did. Got her voice mail, though.

Isn't that nice of them?

Mahalo

Aloha

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THE PICTURE GALLERY

Kahului Welcome

Kahului Sunrise

Kahului Harbor

Kahului Harbor

Kahului Bay

***

"Let's all be careful out there!"