Eh, brah. Howzit? Ho, you know da kine surf, got choke waves today so I like stay at da north shore. It’s da kine Friday but I stay working at da state and da guhvnor put da lolo kine furlough so no mo work Friday, pau. You like come? What’s da doo doo kine furlough foa anyway, eh? I geev’em state high maka makas da stink eye when I see’em, I got no moa work Fridays an den no moa moneys. Watchu tink I gon do? Eh, bumbai we just go beach. Kay den.
(Hey, how are you doing? The surf is so great today, I just want to stay at the beach all day. It’s Friday, but since I work for the state, and the furlough is in effect, I don’t have work like usual. Would you like to join me at the beach? Oh, what is the purpose of the furlough, anyway? I’m going to glare at those uppity state officials when I see them; I don’t get to work on Fridays and my pay has been docked. What am I supposed to do? Oh well, later let’s go to the beach again. Good plan.)
It is highly probable that you found this introductory paragraph a confusing mess of slang, sounds, or jibberish, and with that initiation, I would like to introduce you to Hawaiian Pidgin: the slang of the locals who live somewhere amidst the Pacific Ocean. I’ll be honest and admit that this form of English (and what it represents) is somewhat foreign to me as well. In fact, it took me 30 minutes and Wikipedia to write a paragraph of Pidgin. Hawaiian Pidgin represents a native/local subculture that makes Hawaii one of the most unique states in America—but it isn’t the only subculture.
I would like to dub my subculture the “Hawaii Private School” culture: a breed of local flavor and “good ole American” style. Like those who speak Pidgin, I too call “flip flops” “slippers” and say “that’s junk” instead of “how unfortunate”. However, I use normal grammar and spell properly. I am filled with the “aloha spirit” of friendliness and giving but dreamed of pursuing higher education on the “mainland”. This “Hawaii Private School” culture places education as a very high priority, and since the public school system in Hawaii isn’t as strong as the private school systems, parents who strongly value education try their hardest to send their children to a private school. I grew up in and surrounded by this “Hawaii Private School” mentality—it is my culture.
It makes sense that those with the means and motivation to go to private school over public school, to pursue further education like college, graduate school, and higher, would be the prominent members of Hawaii’s society who impact important local issues. And as Hawaii’s economy—a very significant and relevant local (and global) issue—continues to decline, the importance of this “Hawaii Private School” point of view grows, since members of this culture will likely effect different outcomes of the economy.
So, I intend to explore the future outcomes of Hawaii’s economy through this “Hawaii Private School” lens by examining first the origins of this distinct culture and then the current issues affecting the economy (such as tourism, the rail transit system, and government spending). And while the economy can be a very depressing subject, hopefully the carefree, “aloha” mentality of Hawaii will help us all to keep our heads up.
Shoots, cuz. We go.
