I have a question about Hawaii Five-0.

[Ohio Dem]

I really enjoy the show. Your state's beautiful scenery makes it worth watching even if I didn't like the stories.

Here's my question: Daniel Day Kim plays Chin Ho Kelly and Grace Park plays Kono Kalakaua. It is my understanding that both are of Korean descent. Wouldn't the show be more genuine if actors who were of Hawaiian descent played these roles? Or do I have something wrong? Does Hawaii have a lot of people of Korean descent, making this no big deal? Or am I missing something else?

I've never had the opportunity to visit your state, though I would love to. With that in mind, if I've said something somehow inappropriate, chalk it up to ignorance. It just bugs me everytime I watch the show, wondering why they couldn't put some actual Hawaiians in it.

[mahina]

1. No frikken joke!!

Almost had a Hawaii 5-0 revolution!
[IMG][/IMG] Andy Bumatai for Governor of Hawaii 5-0!

So many things sound weird, look weird, are weird. Flip flops??? Everybody knows they are called slippers...for one. But I'm happy they are filming here and the crew are really nice. So- ok then.

[bayareamike]

2. Koreans make up about 4% of the population I believe...

'Asians' in general make up over 50% of the population while native Hawaiians make up about 20% I believe. The single largest group of Asian-Americans is Filipino.

I'm pretty confident in these stats but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (been a while since I've lived there).

[paulabow]

11. Native Hawai'ian population

It's believed that there was between 200,000 and 683,000 (some accounts say one million) Native Hawaiians on the island in 1778, when British explorer Capt. James Cook arrived.The U.S. illegal takeover of the island was in 1898 and ironically, the only person who was jailed for this was Queen Lili'uokalani.In 1993, Hawaiian culture became diluted. It was not until a constitutional amendment passed in Hawaiʻi in 1978 (almost a hundred years later!) that it was once again legal to teach Hawaiian in the school system. It became a state in 1959. President Bill Clinton signed an official apology to Native Hawaiians for the illegal overthrow of their nation. Over the years, infectious diseases and illnesses such as venereal disease, measles, chicken pox, polio and tuberculosis killed thousands of Hawaiians. In one estimate, 1-in-17 Native Hawaiians had died within two years of Cook’s arrival. By 1800, the population had declined by 48% . By 1820, it had declined 71%; by 1840, it declined 84%. This isn't all in death. It could also include those who moved. by 1920, the US census had the population as 24,000. Hawai'ians are considered native if they make up 50% Hawai'ian blood. I believe that right now there is 298,000 native hawai'ians. Nationwide, there are more than 560,000 Americans who claim Native Hawaiian race among the U.S. Native Hawaiian population today, 36% identify as two races and 26% identify as three races; only a third – 33% – identify as only Native Hawaiians which if my math is right, makes about 186,666. However one estimate states that there may be fewer than 8,000 pure-blood Native Hawaiians. 12% of the population is said to be Native. there is aA Hawaiian home land which is an area held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the state of Hawaii under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921. I understand that there are people waiting 40+ years to own this land. in 2015 27,453 Native Hawaiians on the waiting list for land to live or work on less than 3% of the land of the islands held in trust.. And it's sold to the people who often can't afford it. One has to be 50% to be eligible which is more than is required in other native populations. And you have to prove it, which requires literacy, time and resources. In 2015 there were 7,260 homeless people in Hawai‘i, giving the islands of Aloha the highest rate of homelessness per capita of any state in the nation. Nationwide only 1.2% of the population self-identifies as American Indian or Alaska Native, but they represent 4% of persons residing in emergency shelter or transitional housing, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the office coordinates the Federal response to homelessness. Those who claim to be hawai'ian in Hawai'i 5-0 are Korean, from what I've read - not Native Hawai'ian. There are a lot of people who have deep affiliation to the islands who's ancestors were brought over to do slave labor in the various fields, especially sugar cane - A lot of this article is copied from the websites below. But theres some more info for you.

http://fusion.net/story/217932/native-hawaiians-homeless-state-emergency/
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/7/11/hawaiian-natives-waiting-for-land.html
http://dhhl.hawaii.gov/applications/applying-for-hawaiian-home-lands/
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/06/native-hawaiian-population/
https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-destinations/Hawaii-and-Native-Hawaiians-What-You-May-Not-Know
http://dhhl.hawaii.gov/applications/applying-for-hawaiian-home-lands/

[mahina]

3. I am en expert on Hawaii 5-0 because I walked my dog where they were shooting once.

My dog snuffled the malasadas.

They have a really good cultural resource now, which has made a big improvement. I look forward to tonight's episode w the warriors!

[Ohio Dem]

4. I'm watching it now. It's good.

Does it bug Hawaiians when TV shows do this? I understand why they hired established people like Daniel Day Kim and Grace Park, but neither were that established before LOST and Battlestar Galactica, so it isn't unreasonable to think it's possible to hire actual Hawaiians, and let them establish themselves. And nothing against either one of them. Kim was great on LOST, and I've had a bit of a crush on Grace Park for years. Just sayin'.

[truebrit71]

8. Grace Park is HOOOOOOOTTTTT!!!

..sorry, what was this thread about again..???

[ellisonz]

5. It's true. It's far from ethnically reflective...

...but at the same time, there are so many multi-ethnic/racial people in Hawaii that at a certain level we don't sit there and dwell on it. I agree it would be nice if they could cast a Hawaiian. They pretty much sub in Samoan Teila Tuli "Kamekona" as a token Hawaiian. Maybe now that Lori Weston is gone they'll cast a local or a Hawaiian, but don't count on it. Although, I don't think they would have a problem finding an actor or actress, it's just they would be a complete unknown. The new Hawaii Five-O is all about sizzle, and unknowns don't exactly provide that. Most often the local color is cast as extras or as criminals. I think they missed an opportunity to cast a Hawaiian as the replacement governor. I mean Richard T. Jones as the first black governor of Hawaii is an interesting choice, but it would have been a good role to give to an unknown.

It's probably a good thing they don't try to talk more pidgin.

[Loudmxr]

6. I have a deep affection for Hawaii 5-0. Plus even Asians can't tell each other apart.

I go with my SO to the Philippines they speak Tagalog .. she speaks Warai from Leyte.

We go to China they speak Chinese to her .. because they think she is chinese.

We go to Thailand ... they speak Thai to her because they think she is Thai.



I have recorded and/or mixed two versions of Hawaii 5-0 with my friends The Ventures.

This is one, recorded by my friend Brent Hahn in NYC, that I mixed in N Hollywood a little while after.

Enjoy

BTW the second drummer is Max Weinberg of the E Street Band. Mentor and protege. You can see their affection for each other.

I miss Mel Taylor and Bob Bogle. My two friends who have since passed.

[Ohio Dem]

7. That was nice.

Thanks for that.

[jonthebru]

9. My take as a Haole born and raised here.

In casting a show to make it realistic here in Hawaii there is an incredible mixed cultural heritage from which to choose.
Not every Police Officer is a Hawaiian so to make it real that would not be the situation on a show. Now to be certain any place that a Hawaiian should be it would not be appropriate to cast a person of another ethnic makeup cast as a Hawaiian.

As far as the beauty of the people, its everything you have heard. The Hapa children who have then remarried into a wholly different racial makeup have created an incredible variety of looks. Really, really beautiful people. Well, maybe not everyone... (My attempt at a joke.)

In other words, racial purists beware.

Never, never, never vote for a person with an "R" next to their name.

[ellisonz]

10. Aloha jonthebru!

I agree with your comments fully: "racial purists beware"