Kill Haole Day
Encyclopedia
In some of Hawaii
's schools, the last day of school before summer is reputedly known as Kill Haole Day. On Kill Haole Day, school children harass and sometimes assault white children. The origins of the day are unknown, but the tradition dates back to the 1950s.
In the Hawaiian language
, haole
means "foreign" or "foreigner". The word predates the 1778 arrival of Captain James Cook
(which is the generally accepted date of first contact with westerners), as recorded in several chants stemming from antiquity. Haole, in its current definition, first became associated with the children of Caucasian immigrants in the early 1820s. It unified the self-identity of these Hawaii-born children whose parents were as culturally different as the children were similar. For Haole children whose first language was Hawaiian, their parents were generally either religious missionaries
or secular businessmen, and hailed from both Europe
and North America
, not necessarily speaking a common dialect
or even language. Over the years, "Haole" became an expression of contempt. Though its first usage described members of a socioeconomic class, it added a racial component, erroneously replacing "malihini" (newcomer) in addressing first generation Hawaiians originally from the continental U.S. Today it is applied to any Caucasian, or to those who think or behave in a "foreign" manner. In current application, Haole can be used either descriptively or as a racial slur (often, if not generally, preceded by an obscene invective).
In his 2009 book, lawyer and former Hawaii governor Ben Cayetano
wrote that "Kill Haole Day" began as a news story headline about an incident between haole and local (not just Hawaiian) students. After that, "whenever there was a fight or an incident between haole and local students, the news media, particularly the newspapers with their haole-dominated editorial boards, repeatedly reprised 'Kill Haole Day' in their news stories -- as if it were a Hawaiian tradition."
In 1999, School Superintendent Paul LeMahieu said he is aware of "kill haole day" but is not aware of any recent incidents. Also, in 1999, it became an issue for hate crimes legislation.
Newspaper columnist Lee Cataluna wrote in 2010, "In terms of actual, first-person, eyewitness accounts of Kill Haole Day, no one had any [incidents] that happened in the last three decades. Not one teacher, not one police officer, not one victim or perpetrator."
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
's schools, the last day of school before summer is reputedly known as Kill Haole Day. On Kill Haole Day, school children harass and sometimes assault white children. The origins of the day are unknown, but the tradition dates back to the 1950s.
In the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
, haole
Haole
Haole , in the Hawaiian language, is generally used to refer to an individual that fits one of the following: "White person, American, Englishman, Caucasian; American, English; formerly, any foreigner; foreign, introduced, of foreign origin, as plants, pigs, chickens"...
means "foreign" or "foreigner". The word predates the 1778 arrival of Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
(which is the generally accepted date of first contact with westerners), as recorded in several chants stemming from antiquity. Haole, in its current definition, first became associated with the children of Caucasian immigrants in the early 1820s. It unified the self-identity of these Hawaii-born children whose parents were as culturally different as the children were similar. For Haole children whose first language was Hawaiian, their parents were generally either religious missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
or secular businessmen, and hailed from both Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, not necessarily speaking a common dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
or even language. Over the years, "Haole" became an expression of contempt. Though its first usage described members of a socioeconomic class, it added a racial component, erroneously replacing "malihini" (newcomer) in addressing first generation Hawaiians originally from the continental U.S. Today it is applied to any Caucasian, or to those who think or behave in a "foreign" manner. In current application, Haole can be used either descriptively or as a racial slur (often, if not generally, preceded by an obscene invective).
In his 2009 book, lawyer and former Hawaii governor Ben Cayetano
Ben Cayetano
Benjamin Jerome "Ben" Cayetano served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States.- Early years :...
wrote that "Kill Haole Day" began as a news story headline about an incident between haole and local (not just Hawaiian) students. After that, "whenever there was a fight or an incident between haole and local students, the news media, particularly the newspapers with their haole-dominated editorial boards, repeatedly reprised 'Kill Haole Day' in their news stories -- as if it were a Hawaiian tradition."
In 1999, School Superintendent Paul LeMahieu said he is aware of "kill haole day" but is not aware of any recent incidents. Also, in 1999, it became an issue for hate crimes legislation.
Newspaper columnist Lee Cataluna wrote in 2010, "In terms of actual, first-person, eyewitness accounts of Kill Haole Day, no one had any [incidents] that happened in the last three decades. Not one teacher, not one police officer, not one victim or perpetrator."
See also
- Hate crime laws in the United States
- Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007
- Beat Up a White Kid DayBeat Up a White Kid DayBeat Up a White Kid Day refers to an incident in Cleveland, Ohio when personal animosity between two girls led to an alleged attack by 18 black and Hispanic youths aged between 8 and 15 on one of the girls, a 13 year old white girl. Of the 18, six were convicted...