My daughter's public school in Indiana is having "Hawaiian Day" today. That's offensive, isn't it? (lemmy.world)

submitted 11 months ago by FlyingSquid@lemmy.world to c/casualconversation@lemmy.world

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I dropped her off this morning and saw girls (and boys) wearing grass skirts, some of them with coconut bras too. I'm not sure what else is going on, but it doesn't seem very respectful of a native culture that we have seriously fucked over. Would they have a "Native American Day" and let kids come in wearing feathered headdresses?

Or am I reading too much into it?

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[-] JesseoftheNorth@kbin.social -2 points 11 months ago

Then you have no right to speak for them or decide what is or isn’t offensive to them.

[-] shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee 3 points 11 months ago

Easy there, our friend. At this point in time, it's hard not to see this kind of thing as a mental exercise. Even when it comes to my own culture, I have trouble knowing what is "offensive". Identity is weird.

[-] JesseoftheNorth@kbin.social 1 points 11 months ago

Yes, I agree that it isn’t that simple, and as I said in another comment here, people of a specific culture will have differing opinions and feelings on the matter. That doesn’t mean that non-Hawaiians get to decide what is offensive to Hawaiians, and that is what I am addressing.

[-] walden@sub.wetshaving.social 2 points 11 months ago

Ok, then in that case OP doesn't have a right to decide elementary school Hawaiian day is offense. Case closed.

[-] JesseoftheNorth@kbin.social 0 points 11 months ago

There is a difference. OP is asking if indigenous Hawaiians would find it offensive. You have been stating that it isn’t as a matter of fact, even though it’s not for you decide.