I Dont Look Local?

Hawaii journalist Peter Boylan says that other people in Hawaii are surprised when he tells them he too is from Hawaii.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jan/16/il/FP601160310.html

I understand how he feels.

Here's my email to him.

I could really relate to your Monday's editorial.

I am of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Portuguese and German ancestry and I grew up in Kalihi.

However, when I meet new people, they only see my Mexican looks and dont believe me when I say I lived my entire life in Hawaii. Meanwhile, Asians and Polynesians who lived their whole lives in the mainland and just arrived in Hawaii are assumed to be local, just by the way they look!

Ironic, since the last time I was out of Oahu was in 1995. And that was just for a visit the mainland.

Also, because I look Mexican, it is assumed by others that I always eat tacos, burritos, etc. In reality, I rarely eat those things. I eat Asian food a lot more often than Mexican food.

And people are so shocked when my family actually cooks shoyu chicken, saimin, kalua pork and stuff everyone else in Hawaii eats. But why is no one shocked when a local Japanese person eats pizza? People are surprised that my family adjust to Hawaii the same way all the Japanese and Filipinos have adjusted to Hawaii.

Anyways, even with those idiocies, I still love Hawaii. My existence gives me and others and opportunity to learn from each other. I embrace being the rare Mexican/Puerto Rican/German/Portuguese in an island filled with Asians and Polynesians! I wouldn't have it any other way : )