Well,you ave opionions from middle aged white males,Young black males, a closet Bi-sexual and 2 by a homosexual. Well,why not ask a “Blaquneese” guy?
Before the questons begin (if there are any :D) I shoud give a little introduction. I am 23,male and live in Hawaii. Now me living in Hawaii is one topic enough as I am almost considered an “Immigrtant” here as opposed to just moving states,however Hawaii is like a whole sperate country in many ways.
About the “Blaquneese” thing. This was a phrase I was called by my peers at work,and then adopted it for myself because it does suit me. Funny thing is I’m not of mixed race (Tha is to say I’m not mixed Japanese/Black)I am only African American (as far back as I know my lienage to be,however I am from the south,so I possibily have sumpthin else up in dere. :D) However,I did live in Japan for a time (albeit a short time) and adopted much of there culture and language. (not fluent in the language or cutural understanding but getting there)
Now many would say “Well your just an Americn who knows some Japanese” but if you ask thsoe around me it’s more than that. I’s almost like I was raised by two different cultures,becuse I have the cutural understandings and feelings of both. It’s almost like that Nickelodiean(sp?) cartoon called CatDog because like them I’m both but I’m neither.
This may sond the shout of “Wannabe” up in the air, but strictly speaking a wannabe s one who forsakes everything about their culture or denys it to be someone elses. I don’t ignore the fat that I’m black or deny my cutural heritage on that side, but it’s like sometimes I listen to 2Pac and sometimes I listen to Utada Hikaru.
Is there a food group insult/joke for this sort of thing? (When a person of one skin tone associates with a group of people with different average skin tone, people like to compare that person’s behavior with a food substance of dissimilar exterior and interior colors.) For example I’m involved with a Chinese person and I’m trying to learn her parent’s language. That might make me an egg and her a twinkie. I’ve also heard oreo cookie and coconut. I couldn’t come up with one for you though. Have you heard any?
LOL Sleepyhead. That’s actullay a good queston.I guess the closest thing I have heard is “moon pie” Although my Ex Girlfriend once called me a “Cajun Burnt Yellow Cake”
As far as terms as a whole,I don’t think so. I heard moon pie as a joke and even made refrence to it s a joke once.
There’s not too many of us “Blaquneese” (although there are several Aferican Americans who go with Japanese girls without knowing a drop of the language)
Good Queston Elie. It’s such a big thing that I am dedicating an entire web page to it.
If you mean did I have difficulties as far as being discrimnated aginst regur things like riding trains, going to the store,ect no. But as far as being unconfortable,the anwser is a resounding yes! I got stared a ALL the time and once cleareda whole car of a train out just by my presence (they ran off) Talk about sore feelings. For a while,I even didn’t like Japanese.
it’s hard because I understand the language and even culture so in a sense its like rejection by my own people (indeed I am rejected by blacks as not being “cool” enough) So it’s like I don’t fit in anywhere. And while I did have great moments as a novelity (like getting to play Taiko for a town festival) however instead of seeing a guy who was willing to embrce their culture and language they saw me just as a “Kokujin” and probably though I coundn’t speak Japanese. Which was even harder considering if someone was talking about me,I understood them.
Theres more on that subject if you have specific questons.
1.I have no friggin clue. I am from the mainland origonally and I can’t stand the stuff unless it’s in fried rice,then it’s the best stuff in the world. But yes Spam is everywhere here. A Popular snack is “Span Musubi” Basically Span on top of Rice with Seaweed wrapped around it.
2.LOL I haven’t seen his show yet,but from what I heard,Drunken Bastard. Most who went to his show werent impressed. His dughter is doing so so on American pop charts though (Hoku)
3.Nope. It’s funny,I’m from Texas and Everything is miles and miles away. But here the convient store takes 1 minuet to get to. (There called ABC stores,gun funnit in Waikiki theres one every 10 steps or so) So I rather enjoy the “close” Island life. Hwoever people who are born and raised here always want to “get off da Rock” and they do feel trapped cuz they haven’t seen any other places.
4.LMAO! It’s funny you shoud ask since I am in the tourist industry. To give the best anwser I can, Native hawaiians do not HATE American whites,they sometimes just don’t like them. Here’s the bes examle I can give…depending on where you go, white people here are seen same as black people in the mainland,except there is more of them. Nuff said.I could go on and on about “Haoles” but that would take a grip of time.
5.Poi-Sour Pudding. It’s an acquired taste…one I havent Acquired yet :D. But if you come here you must try it. If you totally can’t stand it,mix it with sugar and Milk.
Although the humor in that is funny I suppose. And being Blaquneese I would anyway. And with pride too dammit!
Fun Fact. Local Japanese herend Japanese from Japan are two different entities. I remember watching a film about Pearl Harbor (a true documentary) and a Japanese American after seeing the Zero’s flying overhea said “You God**** Japs!” The whole class was confused (this was back in 9th grade befroe the “Blaquneeseness” hit) because they were thinking “Hey,but he is Japanese!”
However,after moving here and seeing the “Locl” culutre, I learned the fdifferences between “Local” Japanese and Japan citizens are the same differenc almost between African-Americans and Africans. Only differences is that the local Japanaese DID retairn their culture in ways by Religion and such. In other words liek immigrants instead of slaves that had their identity taken away.
I’m half Indian/half white, and my beautiful wife is ALL African-American. [bwg] Sorry, just got married and still high on it.
Anyway, sagasumono, here’s my question: someday in the next 3-4 years my wife and I want to go to Japan for a vacation. I’ve got two years of college Japanese and can read and carry on a conversation pretty well. The question: we’re obviously going to stick out like sore thumbs. You mentioned some of your weird feelings while you were in Japan: do you have any tips for tourists like us?
And BTW, you rock: it’s always great to see people who appreciate cultures completely different from their own. There are too few people like you…
Akash
