Cries of cultural appropriation causes Hawaii-themed restaurant to close

[River 127,399]

ok I asked before, because I really don't understand this subject at all!, that if pizza hut and domino's pizza are cultural appropriation when they monetizing from the Italian culture and many Italian are actually hurt by this and how they totally destroyed and violated their pizza?

I got the answer that it's not, but here I get the impression that it's the same thing because many Italians are hurt by this and see their culture being destroyed by North American people and many times they made cartoonish Italian style advertisement and even using the Italian flag!

I'm seriously asking and would like answers and not a backlash, see me as ignorant in this subject.

[JustaMonster 4,909]

Just now, shoful said:

How close? R u going to the Philly JWT?

Not that close to Philly, I'm going to the one in DC though.

[Decodekid 30,674]

I mean i get cultural appropriation but like, sometimes.. i have to say this but sometimes people just wanna argue and fight for no reason, or are always trying to find a reason to complain about something. This man was clearly not being offensive, he was just trying to embrace the culture, and the happiness that he felt as a child. Cultural appropriation can be bad depending on how you "do" it  

[JustaMonster 4,909]

2 minutes ago, Morphine Prince said:

Hawaii is in the US but let's not act like the culture from before it was a state was American. There is a specific Hawaiian culture that predates US colonialism. 

Yeah but thats what culture is all about. It changes and adapts based of the other cultures around it. Its not supposed to be some structured thing where only some people can eat some food or wear a certain thing based on the color of their skin that so many people for some reason want it to be...

[Morphine Prince 109,655]

2 minutes ago, River said:

ok I asked before, because I really don't understand this subject at all!, that if pizza hut and domino's pizza are cultural appropriation when they monetizing from the Italian culture and many Italian are actually hurt by this and how they totally destroyed and violated their pizza?

I got the answer that it's not, but here I get the impression that it's the same thing because many Italians are hurt by this and see their culture being destroyed by North American people and many times they made cartoonish Italian style advertisement and even using the Italian flag!

 

Fun fact: Pizza was actually introduced and made popular by Italian immigrants in the 19th century in the US. 

[Luc 4,776]

3 minutes ago, River said:

ok I asked before, because I really don't understand this subject at all!, that if pizza hut and domino's pizza are cultural appropriation when they monetizing from the Italian culture and many Italian are actually hurt by this and how they totally destroyed and violated their pizza?

I got the answer that it's not, but here I get the impression that it's the same thing because many Italians are hurt by this and see their culture being destroyed by North American people and many times they made cartoonish Italian style advertisement and even using the Italian flag!

I'm seriously asking and would like answers and not a backlash, see me as ignorant in this subject.

Pizzas were invented by Italian immigrants in NYC iirc, so I don't think the situation is comparable. Maybe Taco Bell would be a better example?

[Morphine Prince 109,655]

Just now, JustaMonster said:

Yeah but thats what culture is all about. It changes and adapts based of the other cultures around it. Its not supposed to be some structured thing where only some people can eat some food or wear a certain thing based on the color of their skin that so many people for some reason want it to be...

I understand that but I just wanted to clarify because I find it inappropriate to lump it together with the US cause I think 'till this day Hawaiin natives have preserved many aspects of their own culture and it's not comparable to Philly cheese steak (ugh now I want some lol). 

[bujibu 463]

When it comes to stuff like this it kind of feels like micro-policing. This situation aside, we're going to reach a point where cultures are going to mix. Studies have shown that by 2050 latinos will be the majority in the U.S., with most families being mixed racially.

My family is mostly white but my cousin is latina. I didn't attend her quinceanera but if I did, would that have been cultural appropriation? She doesn't celebrate Day of the Dead, but if she did and had a party in cultural dress, would I be appropriating by participating even though she's family? I guess what matters most is if she's fine with it because she's family, but are other people going to accuse me of appropriating?

Again, I'm not necessarily making a profit like say Iggy Azalea doing rap when she can't freestyle or is vocal about issues important to the people who pioneered it. But what if I made something, like a cultural dish for her event. Is that appropriating because I'm fully white? I feel like as time goes on and more families become mixed the whole cultural appropriation thing is just going to get more muddled.

[REALITY 80,162]

5 minutes ago, Lanius said:

You have to understand why most POC have problems this. This is basically white washing a culture and making it digestible for the mainstream ( i.e white people) to consume. I seriously doubt half the patroons of that restaurant would go to a TRADITONAL Hawaiian Restaurant . But since they have this nice white package without the "scary' POC they like it.

It's kinda like what those two white women with the burrito shop did by going to Mexico, taking their receipts and occupying a market that they pushed POC out of.

Basically these people are using the culture to profit but aren't giving it back to the culture.

Also, I seriously doubt this man knows the ins and outs of Hawaiian Culture

Well, from the article, it says he's been to Hawaii and has actually spent a good time of his life there. Of course, he's definitely not going to know the ins and outs of Hawaiian culture as much as a native Hawaiian, but maybe he knows something about how to make and prepare Hawaiian dishes, and that's why he made the restaurant.

Again, I agree with your sentiment, and I do get why POC find this an issue. Cultural appropriation is a thing, but like I said, I think we have to see what the restaurant was like only because right now we're just assuming the extreme end. We're assuming that he's blatantly stealing off of Hawaiian culture—which could be very true—however, he could also been inspired by Hawaiian culture and cuisine, so that's why he made the restaurant. So, I wouldn't call this white washing yet until we know what's going on. 

Though, there is one problem I have with the statement you made, and please, don't be offended by it, but I'm jut genuinely curious. What do you mean by "giving it back to the culture"? Like, I've heard people say that a lot, but I just don't understand what giving "it" back means. Like, is it acknowledgement of the culture, or is it something tangible?

[Decodekid 30,674]

 

2 minutes ago, Luc said:

Pizzas were invented by Italian immigrants in NYC iirc, so I don't think the situation is comparable. Maybe Taco Bell would be a better example?

I mean at this point i don't even think Taco Bell is trying to label themselves as a "Mexican" Fast Food restaurant. When i think about Taco Bell i see it as just "regular" Fast Food 

[JustaMonster 4,909]

8 minutes ago, Luc said:

Pizzas were invented by Italian immigrants in NYC iirc, so I don't think the situation is comparable. Maybe Taco Bell would be a better example?

I guess I just dont understand "Cultural Appropriation" at all. Like I completely get it if its one group of people going around and burning cultural site or banning certain practises of another group. But one group borrowing from another culture is bad? Do we really want to go back to a society where people arent allowed to do certain things based of the color of their skin..? I dont understand how tacobell would be appropriating culture in any way. Seems to me that if people like that type of food, which a lot of people do (including me), why should they no be allowed to enjoy it solely based off the color of their skin or where they live? 

[DeleteMyAccount 11,881]

19 minutes ago, shoful said:

People care WAY TOO MUCH about what other people do. Just leave the guy alone and get your own life. Who cares if he's appropriating something. Does it really affect your life at all?????

People are more concerned about this nonsense than stopping terrorism

Why can't people be concerned with both?

I mean why do you care so much about this?

Honestly, I'd rather have an authentic Hawaiian experience. That doesn't have to be in Hawaii, but there could be reason here for a call for action. Also, do you know the extent of how these people came to view this restaurant? What were their views? What actions did they take?

This conversation quickly turns when people start appropriating/mocking white people. 

Why can't people be concerned with both?

[Lanius 1,055]

6 minutes ago, River said:

ok I asked before, because I really don't understand this subject at all!, that if pizza hut and domino's pizza are cultural appropriation when they monetizing from the Italian culture and many Italian are actually hurt by this and how they totally destroyed and violated their pizza?

I got the answer that it's not, but here I get the impression that it's the same thing because many Italians are hurt by this and see their culture being destroyed by North American people and many times they made cartoonish Italian style advertisement and even using the Italian flag!

I'm seriously asking and would like answers and not a backlash, see me as ignorant in this subject.

But the difference is that Italians have been accepted as "white" and have all the benefits of being white. While you have other races who were considered second class citizens till less than 50 years ago and still have systematic oppression against them till this day ( housing, School to prison pipeline etc etc). So if something happens against them it's not seen as "bad' l. unlike POC who are just now getting there foot in this country.

This is a great visual explantation.

 

[Decodekid 30,674]

I'm hispanic, i would not be offended if someone opened a restaurant embracing my food and culture. What would offend me is that someone would be making fun of it. 

[Lanius 1,055]

2 minutes ago, M Monstre said:

Well, from the article, it says he's been to Hawaii and has actually spent a good time of his life there. Of course, he's definitely not going to know the ins and outs of Hawaiian culture as much as a native Hawaiian, but maybe he knows something about how to make and prepare Hawaiian dishes, and that's why he made the restaurant.

Again, I agree with your sentiment, and I do get why POC find this an issue. Cultural appropriation is a thing, but like I said, I think we have to see what the restaurant was like only because right now we're just assuming the extreme end. We're assuming that he's blatantly stealing off of Hawaiian culture—which could be very true—however, he could also been inspired by Hawaiian culture and cuisine, so that's why he made the restaurant. So, I wouldn't call this white washing yet until we know what's going on. 

Though, there is one problem I have with the statement you made, and please, don't be offended by it, but I'm jut genuinely curious. What do you mean by "giving it back to the culture"? Like, I've heard people say that a lot, but I just don't understand what giving "it" back means. Like, is it acknowledgement of the culture, or is it something tangible?

Kinda like giving back to the community. For instance Jay-z Has used black culture to make him a Billonare and over the years he has gave back to the community ( building schools in black neighborhoods, Bailing out BLM supporters etc etc)