A Paradise Lost - KOPS - Universität Konstanz

Rocky and Akelina Souza, suggest that Caucasians can belong if they ‘play by the
rules.’ 408 They may not be considered Local by some, but they bond over
universal/gendered/island concerns such as worrying over their kids, sharing beer, and
discussing pest control.
The more recent arrivanls in “Brain Food,” on the contrary, are outsiders, and in
the case of the parents, will remain so. The son, however, with the telling haole name
Rich Harrison, devotes himself to fishing, and learns how to prepare a Local dish from
the squid he caught. Moreover, he goes through a kind of initiation when he bites out the
octopus’ eyes to win the respect of his Local peers, endowed with the equally telling
names Skippa Moniz and Clayton Leong. The story seems to say that while you might
have to ‘grow up Local’ in order to speak Pidgin and be a true insider, you can ‘taste’ and
accept the place by sharing lifestyle, behavior, and food, by letting Locals teach you their
way of doing and seeing things. Openness and humility will get you much further than
arrogance and prejudice. MacMillan illustrates this point in a more recent story entitled
“Aquatic Social Dynamics:” Coming out of the water, a haole skin diver spots some
Hawaiians whom he had encountered in the ocean. To him, they look menacing and
ferocious, but when they recognize their fellow underwater-addict, “in two seconds all
three faces underwent an amazing metamorphosis – the defiant looks melted away,
replaced by three smiles as amiable and warm as I can ever remember seeing.” 409
Asked about reverse discrimination (now that Hawaii’s literary scene is finally
Local/Asian-dominated), MacMillan agrees:
In the old days it didn’t matter who wrote something, but nowadays it does. The
identity of the author is connected with the work, particularly in authenticity of
voice, which is assumed to be connected with ethnicity. […] Projection of the
imagination is what it’s all about. It’s the exact opposite of what seems to be
going on right now. Circumstances seem to urge people to write about themselves.
Contrary to that, I write about whatever gets my imagination going. 410
408 The name ‘Souza’ suggests Portuguese origin. In Hawai’i, people of Portuguese origin are not
considered haole but are accepted as Local, because the Portuguese came as poor laborers, not as members
of the missionary/sugar planter/annexationist class.
409 Ian MacMillan, “Aquatic Social Dynamics,” in Ullambana and Other Stories from Hawai’i, Honolulu
2002, quoted from a review article in Honolulu Weekly, 02/12-18/2003: 13.
410 Ibid.
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