Growing up Hawaiian - Part 2 - Pidgin English Jan 2010

Remember how we said Hawaii was the melting pot of the nation?

Not only did we do things differently where I grew up,

we even had our own language!

Because so many different peoples populated the Hawaiian Islands,

— settled by Polynesians, immigrated to by Caucasians (Haole),

Filipinos (Buk Buks), Chinese (Pakes), Koreans,
Japanese (Buddha head)  and Portuguese (Portagees) —

AND had the need to to communicate with one another,

a unique combination of words from different languages
was created to become the language of the islands known as

 Pidgin English.  
ENJOY!!!

My everyday conversations were peppered with words

that drew blank stares from San Franciscans some 15 years later.

Words like:

pau - finished

kokua - help

kapu - keep out

huli-huli - go 'round

mauka - towards the mountains

makai - towards the ocean

make - dead

kamaina - local person

malahini - newcomer

okole - butt

pupule - crazy

akamai - smart, clever

pilikia - trouble

bumbai - later

hapai - pregnant 

The list is endless. . .

I was not allowed to speak Pidgin at home,

but at school and with friends phrases like this were heard:

Where you was? - Where have you been?

Eh, bra, you like da kine?  - Hey, bro, you want. . .(fill in the blank)?

No make li dat! - Don't do that!

Hooo, get plenny fish today. - Wow, good fishing today.

An den? - And then?

Okole maluna - Bottoms up!  (a toast, when clinking glasses)

No make pilikia! - Don't make trouble!

Broke da mout - Delicious
Da buggah wen make. - The guy died.

Want more?

'Political Correctness' didn't exist.

As kids, we sang songs and told jokes that playfully made fun of

our races, and ethnic cultures with a vengeance

that would get you jail time today.

Such as:

Ching Chong Chinaman

sitting on a fence

trying to make a dollar

out of fifteen cents

Or

Red, white, and blue

stars over you

mama say, papa say

you Pake

Or

What's the biggest library in the world?

Aala Park, 'cause that's where all the buk-buks (Filipinos) hang out.

Or

 Knock knock

who's there

mema

mema who?
(mahu - transvestite or gay)

Yeah.
I know.

I cringe as I write this. 

But that's how it was.  And it was a different time and a different place.

It was done in fun, sort of a verbal elbow nudge to the ribs.

Was it healthy?  I don't know.

I do know for sure tho, that we accepted each other and our

cultural idiosyncrasies with humor and good will.

I don't think we do that anymore. . .

And it breaks my  heart.

ALOHA NUI LOA!