Real Hapas . c o m:

One of the first hapa haole 'oiwi who were photographed, Princess Kaiulani



Some Definitions:

hijack: "steal, rob; force, coerce" (Webster's)

rape: "to seize and take away by force; an outrageous violation" (Webster's)

hapa: "of mixed blood, person of mixed blood as in hapa hawai'i, part Hawaiian" (The Hawaiian Dictionary, Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Ebert, page 58)

hapa haole: "Part-white person; of part-white blood; part white and part Hawaiian, as an individual or phenomenon. Hula hapa haole, a hula danced to a mele hapa haole (a Hawaiian type of song with English words and perhaps a few Hawaiian words)." (The Hawaiian Dictionary, Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Ebert, page 58)

When Hawaiians began to mix with Caucasians they began to have offspring who were Hawaiian and Caucasian. That is when Hawaiians of Hawaiian and Caucasian ancestry created a Hawaiian word to describe themselves and people like them. Eventually these Hawaiians of Hawaiian and Caucasian ancestry began to use the word "hapa" for a part, portion, or fragment of Hawaiian people, places, and things. Until nisei began to rape their language. Today's rape of the Hawaiian language also implies that the Hawaiian language means nothing and thus the Hawaiian people are nothing. Thus we are now exposing this rape and it's about time.

This website is the first time that any Hawaiian or Hawaiians have addressed this issue. This is due to the fact that Hawaiians are on one of the lowest socio-economic ladders. They are also underrepresented. Many people have opposed the viewpoints expressed on this website. However we will not stop until people start respecting the Hawaiian culture and its people. So far many have written into us expressing anger, bitterness, and/or surprise. However it should be no surprise to them as we are sure that if someone called them "Jap" they would feel as though their culture, history, and people are disrespected. Likewise, our language and thus our people and culture are disrespected.



Some Hawaiian History:

Misinformation about the word "hapa" has been spreading throughout California and throughout Cyber Space for the last 20 years or so. It's time people met the Real Hapas. That is, people of part Hawaiian ancestry.

How did this phenomenon begin? It has been traced by several researchers to nisei in Hawai'i who were Japanese citizens. These nisei eventually made their way to California. Evidently they did not like the stigma of being labelled as "Americans of Japanese Ancestry" or as "Japs" so while their offspring began marrying up (that is, marrying white men) they began to call their grandchildren "Hapa" stripping away part of the Hawaiian culture from the Hawaiian people. Of course this is the first time that their disrespect has been addressed publicly so many of them and their allies are shocked and/or disturbed that Hawaiians with the Hawaiian Foundation "feel" this way but it should be no surprise. Unfortunately their professors who teach Asian American history and other subjects in the higher cannons of education are silent. However it is understandable since their students' parents and/or grandparents pay for their tenure but in essence these professors are aiding and abetting the rape of the Hawaiian language. By doing so they are aiding and abetting disrespect for the Hawaiian culture and her people. By doing so they are aiding and abetting the rape of the Hawaiian language and thus aiding and abetting the rape against the Hawaiian people and their culture.



Some Important Questions:

Hawaiians have noticed that many mixed Asians are now calling themselves "hapa" and many have now changed the Hawaiian cultural term "hapa" to mean "mixed Asian or Pacific Islander." Yes, languages evolve. However, the Chinese changed their language. So did the Caucasians. Have the once-colonized and oppressed Asians and mixed Asians now changed the Hawaiian language without input from Hawaiians? Have the once-colonized Asians and/or their offspring become colonizers? Are the descendants of concentration camp prisoners and their colleagues now dictators to Hawaiians regarding their culture and/or their language? Are they now raping the Hawaiian language?

Several reasons California Wanna Be Hapas feel they can steal a Hawaiian term are because they have the numbers (more than 3,000,000 mixed Asians in California to 401,162 or so total Hawaiians see Census 2000 Table 4;) more power; and more money than Hawaiians do. See Asian Population Demographic Data According to the Census 2000. They also have mixed Asians who have Ph.D's yet these professors perpetuate the lie that "hapa" means "half or mixed Asian." Hawaiians are rarely represented in doctorate programs.

Moreover, it does NOT mean half nor mixed Asian. "Hapa haole" was a term coined by Hawaiians for Hawaiians who were of mixed Hawaiian and Caucasian ancestry. That is, these Hawaiians were part Caucasian so there was no co-opting of the word "half" into the Hawaiian language since these Hawaiians were part Caucasian. "Hapa" is also used for fractions... until nisei in Hawai'i began co-opting it and began to claim it as their culture and/or part of their culture (albeit conveniently because of their similar word "happa" which means "leaf") so that their grandchildren would not suffer the same or similar stigma that they have had to endure during the era of concentration camps yet the irony is that while they were disrespected because they were of Japanese ancestry they turned around and disrespected Hawaiians.

Also, Hawaiians have little to no power. Hawaii is not a real state. Instead it is a de-facto colony. As a colony, Hawaii has faced years of rape at the hands of their colonizers. Where did all the sandalwood go? Hawai'i was raped of its sandalwood.

The raping of Hawaii continues with a new group of Colonizers, the California Wanna Be Hapas. As colonizers, California Wanna Be Hapas raped from Hawaiian Hapas their very identity, culture, and history and called it their own. These colonizers justified their illegal actions by creating organizations such as Hapa Issues Forum and other "Hapa" online forums. They gained allies from elite mixed Eurasians who like California Wanna Be Hapas, stole their term from the wartime and colonial Eurasians while stomping on the rights of Amerasians and Hawaiian Hapas.

BUT are the Hawaiian Hapas powerless to the exploitation by both the California Wanna Be Hapas and elite mixed Eurasians? Today they are but with proper leadership and activism, Hawaiian Hapas can easily regain their culture, identity and history from the colonizers. They need to hold protests at all universities which approved charters to these so-called Hapa organizations. We predict this will happen in the next couple of years. Hawaiian Hapas should also contact other activist organizations and build a network to fight these colonizers and regain their cultural identity and terms not just with the Hawaiian word "hapa" but everything that encompasses the culture and/or cultural identity of Hawaiians as shown in the picture below:



Unfortunately, Hawaiians continue and will have to continue to fight for their rights, cultural and otherwise.

Fortunately, the days of the California Wanna Be Hapas and elite mixed Eurasian dominance are slowly coming to an end.

How do Hawaiians feel about the improper use of the Hawaiian word "Hapa"?

Hawaiians and Hawaiian Hapas have begun responding to the improper use of their cultural term "Hapa." They are becoming more vocal and united. Organizations such as 'Ilio'uloakalani are working to defend Native Hawaiian rights. If you want to know what Hawaiians really think about those posing as Hawaiians, such as using the term Hapa by the California mixed Asian American community. Visit Hawai'i does not exist without Hawaiians.

Excerpt from "Hawai'i does not exist without Hawaiians":

Too many fake people online

"I know why I am the person to find these people whether they are online or in real life. Because my ancestors are tired of it and I see this as a sign.

I am running across way too many people who think that being a Hawaiian is so cool. These people have never experienced what many of us Hawaiians have gone through and continue to endure as far as stereotypes and criticism is concerned. These people are the "part-time" Hawaiians, using the term only when it is convenient for themselves, trying to impress people, giving themselves that "exotic" factor, think that it is "cool", yet refuse to look at issues and other problems that have faced Hawaiians since the years shortly following 1778. Especially today with all the lawsuits against Hawaiians and the so called reverse discrimination, all of whom the plaintiffs are newcomers to the Hawaiian islands. I think we should prevent anymore foreigners coming to the islands if they can't cope with its cultures, especially the Hawaiian culture.

If you are one of those guilty ones, portraying yourself as a Hawaiian, deceiving others, I've got news for you. You cannot hide from us. We will find you. How dare you use our ethnicity to your advantage when many of us aren't looked at different b/c we are native hawaiians.

There are only 400,000 Hawaiians in the U.S., of which 240,000 or so live in the Hawaiian islands. Since it is a small place and so few of us, we are familiar with each other, the families and from which island each families is from. So do not be offended if anyone follows the standard protocol of our people and try to identify to which family you belong to. You cannot continue to lie to us."

- Kalani M.

Here is another Hawaiian's response:

"The most common usage, I've heard is "hapa haole", which I've been taught that it meant "part caucasian". "Hapa" as a slang term also means "part caucasian". What is not said that it is Caucasian blood with Hawaiian blood."

- Faith T.

Here is another Hawaiian's response:

Here is another Hawaiian's response:

"Hapa literally means "part". some people think it means half, but it doesn't. The term "hapa" always, in my experience, referred to someone who was only part Hawaiian. Whatever the "rest" of the koko was could be stated after. Mostly people said hapa haole to refer to someone w ho is part haole, part Hawaiian. But i also remember people saying someone was/is "Hapa", which meant part hawaiian and whatever else."

- Liana H.

Here is yet another Hawaiian's response:

"Any use of hapa independent of part-Hawaiian is a misuse of the word. Hapa refers to part Hawaiian. Hapa with out Hawaiians, is "half of nothing = is nothing!" So to use "hapa" without Hawaiian association or relevance is a misuse of the Hawaiian language! We need to address this issue whenever it comes up!"

- K. P.

Here is another Hawaiian Hapa's response to the California mixed Asian Americans' use of "Hapa":

Many people from California like to call themselves "hapa" in order to seem more exotic. "Hapa" means "half or part" in Hawaiian and Hawaiians used "hapa haole" to mean Hawaiians who were half Caucasian. Therefore, "Hapa" is the abbreviation for "part Hawaiian and part Caucasian." One MUST be Hawaiian and Caucasian in order to be "hapa" (for hapa haole). To Hawaiians it means "part Caucasian." To hijack the word "hapa," co-opt it, and claim it as part of one's own is not only disrespectful but it is also blasphemous as it wasn't considering "cool" to be Hawaiian. In addition, many pseudo intellectuals continue to lie to themselves and to others and inaccurately define "hapa" to mean "part Asian." That is INACCURATE. "Hapa kepani" means "half or part Japanese," "hapa pake" means "half or part Chinese," "hapa pukiki" means "half or part Portuguese," and the list goes on. There are many professors in California who are perpetuating the lie that "hapa" means "Half Asian." It does NOT mean half Asian. It means "half." It should be noted that it began with Japanese from Hawai'i who moved to California who decided to hijack the Hawaiian word "hapa" instead of using "Americans of Japanese Ancestry." "Hapa" made them feel more exotic. I AM HAPA. That is, I'm part Hawaiian and part white and those people are very disrespectful to Hawaiians when they do so. The irony is that these California wannabe hapas complain about being disrespected due to them being mixed yet they turn around and disrespect HAWAIIANS and the Hawaiian culture.

- Lana R.

Hawaiian Definition and Usage of Hapa (Hapas)

A Hawaiian Hapa passed on this information on how "Hapa" is supposed to be used. Since Hawaiian Hapas are the "TRUE" Hapas, they must know their own culture and identity better than those "California Wanna Be Hapas" from the continental US.

hapa = "half or part" pronounced "hah-pah"

haole = "Caucasian" specifically English, British, and/or American. Pronounced "how-leh."

popolo = "A black person who is dark like the popolo berry in Hawai'i"

hapa haole = "half or part Caucasian"

hapa pukiki = "half or part Portuguese"

hapa pake = "half or part Chinese"

hapa kepani = "half or part Japanese"

hapa popolo = "half or part 'black'"

Hawaiian Hapa Web site

The fight against the elite Californian Hapas and mixed Eurasians by the Hawaiian Hapas has begun. And the Hawaiians may have legal means to achieve their aims. To learn more, see: Rights Of Indigenous Peoples published by the United Nations, Native American Languages Act of 1990, and Indigenous Peoples Earth Charter.

The bottom line:

The misuse and misappropriation of the word "hapa" must end. By raping the Hawaiian language the once-colonized mixed Asians are now colonizing part of the Hawaiian language and part of the Hawaiian culture and are thus colonizing the Hawaiian people.

This MUST stop. They can start by calling themselves "Japanese," "Americans of Japanese Ancestry," "Haafu," "Chinese," "Korean," or just "Mixed." They do not have to choose a Hawaiian word. In the Hawaiian language Hawaiian words have "mana" or "power." There are two 'olelo noeau that explain this:

I ka 'olelo no ke ola, i ka 'olelo no ka make.

"Life is in speech; death is in speech."



Aia ke ola i ka waha, aia ka make i ka waha.

"Life is in the mouth, death is in the mouth."



Malama i ka 'olelo 'oiwi.

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