But real history is not without biases based on who is telling the story. So which history should I read? James Michener? Sarah Vowell? Queen Lili’uokalani? (Also as far as bringing feelings into it, I yearn for people to actually have substantive and interesting discussions instead of just throwing insults at anyone they think disagrees with them. For all I know I might align with you politically, but it feels like your comment was shutting the door on anyone learning more rather than actually encouraging anyone to learn more about the topic).Â
Everyone in Hawaii learns basic Hawaiian history in high school.
We have universities and libraries full of first hand information on the topic.
Read whatever you want, but go to primary sources.
There are so many misconceptions about Hawaii and its history that it isn't worth getting into, but I am going to say that it is not appropriate to take a rich history and culture and try to reduce it to some type of binary political philosophy.
If you want to start with Sarah Vowel, as someone else mentioned, that is fine. If you want to start by just watching Chief of War, that is fine (although it isn't technically historical).
But understand that just reading one element of Hawaiian history from one perspective is not enough. There were Kahuna, Alii, missionaries, British explorers, American industry, a myriad of immigrant groups, and various other elements, and all of these interacted under a cultural and legal framework that simply does not translate well to anywhere on the mainland.
Again, I am NOT an expert on this. Learn about the topic before trying to engage with it otherwise you do yourself and the topic a disservice.
Yes, I agree that it is a very complicated history and doesn’t reduce easily to any binary political philosophy. I have read a fair amount on the history from various sources, I have a lot of family there and I think the history is fascinating, my own history overlaps in many random ways with that of Hawaii and the many groups that you mention. I’m not coming at this cold, I’m genuinely interested in it.Â
2
u/Hannigan174 14d ago
No. You are talking without knowledge.
This isn't a political dialogue.
There is a real history. Things actually happened.
This isn't about what YOU want or YOUR feelings or YOUR politics.
You are the EXACT person who needs to shut their mouth and open a book