mainland Archives - The Race Card Project

Two languages, Three dialects, Three cultures

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 Acceptance of differences, america, bilingual, CA, Cantonese, China, culite, dialect, friends, language, Macau, mainland, Mandarin, moved, San Ramon, speak, Vincent Lei

Vincent Lei,
San Ramon, CA.

Grew up in Macau, China. Mainly speak Cantonese there. Moved to America four years ago and started to speak English and Mandarin. I made some friends from mainland China and also some American friends. I learnt about the difference between Mainland China and Macau. School system were different. Most mainland people and Macau people didn’t get along so well, so my friend in Macau was surprised that I made so many Mainland Chinese friends and that my Mandarin has improved so much.

My heart is Hawaiian, I’m not.

February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 discrimination, haole, Hawaiian, heart, heritage, HI, Jan Mason, mainland, Morning Edition, NY, Pacific Islander, white

Jan Mason
NY

Born and raised in paradise as a Haole (white) person I had more than my share of discrimination but living on the “mainland” where I “fit in” with the white majority(?) my island heritage is invisible. I have taken to checking the box or “Pacific Islander” though I feel guilty about if since all my blood is European. My heart is Hawaiian.

Islander ancestry balancing being mainland born

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020 ancestry, Arcata, balance, CA, islander, Juanita Duran-Wilson, mainland

Juanita Duran-Wilson,
Arcata, CA.

Grandma said I looked too haole.

July 21, 2020September 20, 2020 Carol Silva, Grandma, grandmother, haole, HI, mainland, Oahu, OR, Portland, whte

Carol Silva
Portland, OR

My step-grandma danced, taught, and had her own hula group who performed during the week on Oahu. Once when she and my grandpa were visiting us on the Mainland, my grandpa suggested that when I got older I could come to Hawaii and dance in the show. This was unlikely to ever happen, but nice of him to say. My step-grandma shook her head and said, “She looks too haole.” Very true, but it hurt to hear her say that I was not welcome. Later on my cousins danced in that group. They were also haps haole, but did not look it. Now when I see photos of me and my cousins I think, “Looks too haole.”

Hawaiians? Did you swim to school?

May 19, 2013 Hawaii, Hawaiian, John Book, mainland, multi-ethnic, Pasco, stereotypes, swimming, WA

John Book
Pasco, WA

In my experience as someone who is part-Hawaiian, I’ve found that the stereotypes of what I am and where I’m from were very misinformed, yet seemed endless at the time. Sadly, those who were in error often did not want to know anymore than the stereotype they presented to me. It came off like the special Hawai’i episode of any sitcom, where people cared for two episodes and lived with their lives. I lived amongst a fairly multi-ethnic community, so I learned tolerance at an early age, along with a need to know more about the people around me, be it at school, in my neighborhood, or down the street. I moved to the mainland, and it seemed as if there was an “ever man for himself” attitude. It was a rude awakening, and I had found it hard to adjust because of someones unease of me.

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