Graduation Leis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is what happens when CA kid spread all over the country. We just did a graduation in OH and the CA tried to wear them. It looked weird on you could see them take them off and wrap them around their wrists.

DH is from CA and nieces have worn them at their east coast college grads. We giggled and they rolled their eyes because their grandma brought them from CA.

Midwestern nice vs aloha spirit

[Anonymous]

In DC, this would be seen as odd (even tacky?) if you don’t have any connection to Hawaii.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is cultural appropriation. It looks silly for white people to wear lei. Sorry, it just does. I guess it is acceptable in California? How do you feel
about white people with corn rows?

The whole “cultural appropriation” concept is stupid. Get over it. People are allowed to wear what they want. Other cultures can wear western or Caucasian styles, but the reverse isn’t okay? Pffffft!

+1 it's absolutely not cultural appropriation. These pp's are utter morons.

Let me guess, you are a white person that buys these for their white kids? Of course it isn’t cultural appropriation!

Let me guess, you are white and getting angry about something that has nothing to do with you and trying to speak for others who never asked you to represent them? I think you are more in the wrong here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you can try calling florists in Hawaii and CA to see if they'll FedEx overnight. It'll be expensive though. Or you can make a ribbon or candy lei with supplies purchased locally - lots of videos on youtube.

I'm Asian American and born and raised in Hawaii. Leis are given at graduation ceremonies in Hawaii no matter what ethnicity you are. There are a lot of posters here who have no clue what they're talking about. Hawaiian is an ethnicity - the Hawaiian people are Indigenous and the original inhabitants of the archipelago chain. So, no, you cannot be 100% European and also Hawaiian. You can be 100% White and born and raised in Hawaii, though. You'd be called Haole.
That being said, there are a lot of different races and ethnicities in Hawaii and have been for a long time. People came to the Islands from all over the world for different reasons. Some where Christian missionaries, some worked on plantations, some came to study, some as tourists and never left, etc. As a result or the ethnic mix, there are a lot of people who are Hapa - or mixed race.

While the politics of colonialism in Hawaii are fraught, I have never, ever heard about the tradition of wearing a lei at graduation as a form of cultural appropriation.

You can certainly look white and be some percentage Hawaiian. You know people are basing this solely on how you look vs having any idea about your makeup. So, safer not to judge lest you make a giant ass out of yourself thinking you can tell what someone is by looking at them. Most people aren't 100% anything and only a fool would judge a book by its cover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cringe.

having culture isn't cringe.

You're not Hawaiian, and it's cringe to pretend you are.

I am Hawaiian and it’s not cringe. It’s what we do for celebrations. Why would you say that. So mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you can try calling florists in Hawaii and CA to see if they'll FedEx overnight. It'll be expensive though. Or you can make a ribbon or candy lei with supplies purchased locally - lots of videos on youtube.

I'm Asian American and born and raised in Hawaii. Leis are given at graduation ceremonies in Hawaii no matter what ethnicity you are. There are a lot of posters here who have no clue what they're talking about. Hawaiian is an ethnicity - the Hawaiian people are Indigenous and the original inhabitants of the archipelago chain. So, no, you cannot be 100% European and also Hawaiian. You can be 100% White and born and raised in Hawaii, though. You'd be called Haole.
That being said, there are a lot of different races and ethnicities in Hawaii and have been for a long time. People came to the Islands from all over the world for different reasons. Some where Christian missionaries, some worked on plantations, some came to study, some as tourists and never left, etc. As a result or the ethnic mix, there are a lot of people who are Hapa - or mixed race.

While the politics of colonialism in Hawaii are fraught, I have never, ever heard about the tradition of wearing a lei at graduation as a form of cultural appropriation.

You can certainly look white and be some percentage Hawaiian. You know people are basing this solely on how you look vs having any idea about your makeup. So, safer not to judge lest you make a giant ass out of yourself thinking you can tell what someone is by looking at them. Most people aren't 100% anything and only a fool would judge a book by its cover.

I did not deny that you could *look* white and be some percentage Hawaiian.
Regardless, the upshot of my post is that giving a lei at graduation would not be considered "cultural appropriation" by anyone who actually is from Hawaii. And the term "cultural appropriation" has a connotation of disrespect, but giving a lei as a celebratory gesture is the farthest thing from that.

[Anonymous]

There aren't actually that many Hawaiians left. I do find it racist if you say that oh well Hawaii = Asian and anyone not Asian can't wear a Lei.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is cultural appropriation. It looks silly for white people to wear lei. Sorry, it just does. I guess it is acceptable in California? How do you feel
about white people with corn rows?

The whole “cultural appropriation” concept is stupid. Get over it. People are allowed to wear what they want. Other cultures can wear western or Caucasian styles, but the reverse isn’t okay? Pffffft!

+1 it's absolutely not cultural appropriation. These pp's are utter morons.

Let me guess, you are a white person that buys these for their white kids? Of course it isn’t cultural appropriation!

Let me guess, you are white and getting angry about something that has nothing to do with you and trying to speak for others who never asked you to represent them? I think you are more in the wrong here.

I was the PP they were responding to and have a previous post. I'm 4th generation from up-country Maui. Attended Kamehameha High School and anyone that knows the Aloha spirit and what it means to celebrate Ohana knows it's not ""cultural appropriation." We celebrate with lei and all are welcome "E Komo Mai" is real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is cultural appropriation. It looks silly for white people to wear lei. Sorry, it just does. I guess it is acceptable in California? How do you feel about white people with corn rows?

No it is not. When people land in Hawaii they are often greeted with these. Have you never seen the title sequence to Hawaii Five-O?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is cultural appropriation. It looks silly for white people to wear lei. Sorry, it just does. I guess it is acceptable in California? How do you feel
about white people with corn rows?

The whole “cultural appropriation” concept is stupid. Get over it. People are allowed to wear what they want. Other cultures can wear western or Caucasian styles, but the reverse isn’t okay? Pffffft!

+1 it's absolutely not cultural appropriation. These pp's are utter morons.

Let me guess, you are a white person that buys these for their white kids? Of course it isn’t cultural appropriation!

Let me guess, you are white and getting angry about something that has nothing to do with you and trying to speak for others who never asked you to represent them? I think you are more in the wrong here.

I was the PP they were responding to and have a previous post. I'm 4th generation from up-country Maui. Attended Kamehameha High School and anyone that knows the Aloha spirit and what it means to celebrate Ohana knows it's not ""cultural appropriation." We celebrate with lei and all are welcome "E Komo Mai" is real.

+1

E Komo Mai" is real.

Thank you for explaining to these knuckleheads. Stop it with the cultural appropriation crap.

[Anonymous]

One lei. Two lei. Three lei four.

No s. Just like it's not mooses. Just two moose.

Putting the s on, since there is no s in Hawaiian language, Anglicizes the word.

Kind of like a McRib sandwich. No rib there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is cultural appropriation. It looks silly for white people to wear lei. Sorry, it just does. I guess it is acceptable in California? How do you feel
about white people with corn rows?

The whole “cultural appropriation” concept is stupid. Get over it. People are allowed to wear what they want. Other cultures can wear western or Caucasian styles, but the reverse isn’t okay? Pffffft!

+1 it's absolutely not cultural appropriation. These pp's are utter morons.

Let me guess, you are a white person that buys these for their white kids? Of course it isn’t cultural appropriation!

Are you a POC who wears Levi’s, or polo shirts, or Nike, etc. - is that appropriation, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is cultural appropriation. It looks silly for white people to wear lei. Sorry, it just does. I guess it is acceptable in California? How do you feel
about white people with corn rows?

The whole “cultural appropriation” concept is stupid. Get over it. People are allowed to wear what they want. Other cultures can wear western or Caucasian styles, but the reverse isn’t okay? Pffffft!

+1 it's absolutely not cultural appropriation. These pp's are utter morons.

Let me guess, you are a white person that buys these for their white kids? Of course it isn’t cultural appropriation!

Let me guess, you are white and getting angry about something that has nothing to do with you and trying to speak for others who never asked you to represent them? I think you are more in the wrong here.

I was the PP they were responding to and have a previous post. I'm 4th generation from up-country Maui. Attended Kamehameha High School and anyone that knows the Aloha spirit and what it means to celebrate Ohana knows it's not ""cultural appropriation." We celebrate with lei and all are welcome "E Komo Mai" is real.

+1

E Komo Mai" is real.

Thank you for explaining to these knuckleheads. Stop it with the cultural appropriation crap.

DP. Yes, thank you for E Komo Mai!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In DC, this would be seen as odd (even tacky?) if you don’t have any connection to Hawaii.

All that proves is that people in DC are hopelessly hidebound and parochial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In DC, this would be seen as odd (even tacky?) if you don’t have any connection to Hawaii.

All that proves is that people in DC are hopelessly hidebound and parochial.

I'll approve of white DC area people wearing lei when they stop complaining about black families cheering their kids during the ceremony instead of at the end