Updated April 2026. Originally published 2022.
Racism is alive and well in Hawaii. It just looks a little different than it does on the mainland.
Quite a few years ago, a woman I had recently met exclaimed “Judy, they’re prejudiced against us!” She was Caucasian, from the western US. I guess she thought that if she could be magnanimous enough to overlook other people’s skin color, they should do the same for her. She lasted less than a year before moving back to the mainland.
A Little History
I was born in Hawaii in 1954 and have lived here most of my life. There were Kill a Haole days at the public schools when I was growing up. The local kids would pelt our car with guavas when we drove through Hawaiian Home Lands. There were parts of Oahu where haoles simply were not safe. I was aware of the hostility, but it never really bothered me — I understood where it came from.
The private school I attended admitted only Caucasians and Hawaiians when I was young. My stepfather was the first president of one of the private clubs in Honolulu to successfully argue that admission should not be limited to haoles.
By the time I was in high school, things had changed somewhat. There was a flourishing of Hawaiian language and culture, giving pride to many Hawaiians for the first time in generations. The music produced during that era was fantastic — including a hilarious and affectionate song by Keola and Kapono Beamer called Mr. Sun Cho Lee, which gently pokes fun at every race on the island. It concludes with the lines: “One thing I wen notice bout this place, all us guys we tease da otha race, it’s amazing we can live in da same place.”
Not Any Better Now
Those were gentler times. As more and more people have moved to Hawaii, consuming more resources and trying to impose their values on the locals, resentments have grown. Life used to be easier, and now many locals are hard pressed to make a living. Many work multiple jobs, and as real estate prices rise, they commute hours each day. When they do find time to relax, they are being crowded out of the places they used to love by throngs of tourists.
While most local people are gentle, fun loving, and generous, there are definitely people who hate haoles. I know several people in my town who will never acknowledge me, and I’m fine with that. I understand why some locals, and especially Hawaiians, despise haoles. The history of Hawaii’s annexation — the unlawful overthrow of a legitimate government driven by greed — is not ancient history to the people who bear its consequences every day.
Here is one outsider’s honest account of experiencing racism in Hawaii: The Professional Hobo
What This Means for You
If you are considering moving to Hawaii, go in with your eyes open. Don’t expect a free pass. You will need to prove — over time, through consistent action — that you are honest, humble, hard working, respectful, and generous. If you can do that, most people will eventually extend the aloha these islands are known for. If you can’t, or won’t, you may find yourself isolated in a Caucasian enclave, wondering why you moved here in the first place.
Come with an open heart, genuine curiosity about the culture and history, and real respect for the people who were here long before you. That is the price of admission — and it is absolutely worth paying.
Judy S. Howard, Esq. is a Realtor Broker with COMPASS in Waimea, Hawaii, and a licensed Hawaii attorney with over 30 years of experience. She can be reached at judy@livinginwaimea.com or 808-885-5588.
