I actually had a speech at my school and I titled it "Not All Pacific Islanders Are Hawaiian" and many of my classmates and even a few instructors came up to me afterwards and said they felt so ignorant. We can all do our little parts to educate while also spreading our culture. Malolelei and Bula vinaka! 🤙🏽
Believe me, I was stereotyped since I came to America back in 1993. Because I'm different than them and didn't speak any English at that time. Since Elementary school, they would tell me to go back to my country and all the way through High School. I learned to deal with it even though it wasn't easy. I came from Asian part of Russia and was always told to go back to Russia. I ended up staying with my Samoan friends when I moved from my parents house, I felt more welcoming with them cuz I never had to deal with being put down. They would show me their culture, and I would ours. I did fire knife dance and Haka for their daughter's wedding. We cooked good food together and help each other out. I miss being with my Samoan friends. Best memories.
“We’re not just from Hawaii” 😂😂😂 That’s probably so common in America. I live in Australia so that’s not a popular question here. Everyone just automatically thinks if you have brown skin you are from New Zealand lol
My dad is Tongan and everyone always just assumes I’m Hawaiian ... 🙄. I always just end up saying I’m Hawaiian because it’s easier to explain. A lot of people are ignorant and make hella assumptions. Also, I agree with you about cultural appropriation. It doesn’t make sense to me why my school does “Hawaiian” themed days at school and such. Everyone wears leis and grass skirts and tourist Hawaiian shirts but I don’t get why our culture is someone else’s means of entertainment.
Hehehehe... I was playing world of Warcraft a couple of years ago and the raid group I was with were asking each other which country each player was from, and when they asked me I said Fiji islands... Than one of them goes "that's in the Caribbean right" I just said yep close enough.
I would say do you know Fiji Water. That's where I'm from... I did not even know what was Melanesia. Until it was in my DNA. Allot of researching and it started to make sense. I still don't know which Islands. I have no direction and there was no paper trails.
zach delana Oof, When I was in first grade, After spring break, I Told my first grade teacher that I went to Fiji My first grade teacher is pretty old They asked if it was in the Caribbean
😂 I know this struggle. But here in Australia, it’s very diverse and we’ve got quite a number of islanders, myself included so it’s not really a foreign concept considering we’re in the pacific anyways. The problem is the people who have this narrow misconception that all islanders must either be Maori, Hawaiian or Samoan. I can’t recall how many times how many times I’ve been asked where I’m from, I tell them I’m Tongan and one person literally asked “Oh yeah, that’s in Africa right?”...I’m not speaking for every Pacific Islander but that’s a personal experience I’ve had. Then there’s certain people who start thinking they know everything about Pacific Islanders because they watched the movie Moana or they’ve seen Lilo and Stitch (BRUHHHHHH) 😂 anyways great vid sis.
I live in australia too!! Im a Maori woman, my father is half Maori half white and my mother is white... so im white. I still practice my culture and have been raised surrounded by Polynesian culture. One common misconception is that all Maoris/Polynesians in general must be dark-skinned but that is not the case at all. If you are whakapapa maori you are maori!!!
Love the video. This was very educational and funny! Thank you! I have to say, I learned a lot about Pacific Islands history because of Moana. My toddler daughter and I LOVE the movie, and I was curious how loyal they were, how much of the story was based on history. I went down an internet rabbit hole and learned SO much thanks to that movie. I am absolutely fascinated and in awe of what your ancestors did, voyaging across the world and finding new lands, using the tides and the stars and bird migration, etc to find their way, setting up ALL these civilizations that still exist today. Even the “Long Pause” is based in reality and they still don’t know exactly why it happened! It’s fascinating and inspirational. I think it’s a great movie because it humanizes the culture and encourages curiosity and admiration, rather than a feeling of superiority or contempt, which used to be the case whenever a Disney took on another culture. It’s not perfect but I think it’s a big step up. And I love the music lol
From Guam❤️🇬🇺 I get so many stupid questions like “Is that a fruit?”, “Are you Guatemalan?” The second one is a bit understandable but the first one, REALLY?!😂
Ive received the “Guatemalan” plenty. Im like how did you add 6 letters? People mostly come close and say filipino. I can count less than 5 instances where someone actually guessed correct. And the quick and easy way they tell me is the way I walk. Lol
My boyfriend was born in Saipan but his family is from Palau and he hates it when people call him Maui. And I don’t know if people don’t realize that that can be offensive to them. People don’t go around doing that to other races because it would be extremely racists but why is it okay for it to be done to Pacific Islanders? Even though I’m not Pacific Islander myself I enjoyed watching your video ☺️ being in a relationship with my boyfriend has taught me a lot about the culture.
When you pulled the broom to look at the maps😂😭 and I’m fijian as well, people assume im supposed to be wearing a grass skirt, lei and ukulele😂 like no. I’m fijian, we wear Sunday clothes
I love this especially being that I can relate to it as a Latina with the “not all Pacific Islanders are Hawaiian” bc not all Latinos are Mexican 🤦🏽♀️ lol
Very true. Dressing up islander is not a costume for Halloween or such occasions. It's someone's cultural dress or identity too. Nowadays we see white singers like Robbie Williams with a Maori tattoo on his arm in remembrance of his adultery with NZ celebrity Rachel Hunt
Bullshit that's just how you guys make it sound I'm native Hawaiian and I got asked in Hawaii if I was from samoa so wtf do you mean they only know Hawaii
@@k-grizz541 its bullshit yall always get defensive for people calling you guys Hawaiian 🤣 just correct them dumbasses it happens to me they dont even know what Hawaiians are they think we are fucking samoans so stop complaining
Have to say Pacific Islanders be it Polynesian, Micronesian, Melanesian, Austronesian, Australian Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, And so on seem to have histories that are often overlooked compared to other histories that are Non Pacific Islander
I am half Russian and Tunisian, and i love everyone, sometimes to love is much harder then to hate, but we are a humans, so let's just love each other, couse every person is unique and interesting by himself, have a nice day!
i feel that because Hawaii is a US state. a lot of ignorant Americans assume all pacific islanders are from Hawaii or Hawaiian. Officially the US census designated term for Pacific islanders are indigenous people from US territories only: Hawaii, Guam, Samoa. However not using the census term, you are right that Pacific islander can be considered all of the 3 ethnic groups you mentioned: Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian. Other term that can be used is Oceania, which in addition to the 3 aforementioned ethic groups also includes Papa New Guinea Melanesians and Australian aboriginals
Wrong fijian a half Polynesian and half melanesian..all people from the outer islands outside viti levu and vanulevu a polys and the i people in land there a melanesian..
Samuela Momoivalu yes! but the culutures & traditions we practiced are Polynesians type of culture & traditions...eg,Yaqona ceremony,meke,etc etc....Even some of our dialects are equivalent to some Poly dialects eg.Tonga,Samoa
Yes. Fiji is half of both though. Melanesia represent. All the Pacific islands are connected through our history with one another. It's always cool bumping into people from Polynesian countries who look a little bit more Melanesian and visa versa. It really shows how rich and colorful our history is.
When people ask where I'm from and assume I'm Fijian or Hawaii... Then I say I'm from Kiribati with the proper pronunciation and then they give me a weird look confused then I say it in a basic way how it's spelt. Still doesn't know and proceeds to the list of islands further out to then hit Fiji or Hawaii and just accepting the fact no one knows!
i totally get what you re saying... but the deeper origins of our polynesian family come from the same gateway... true the developments of certain cultural aspects post the Polynesian diaspora somewhat differ... and thus have given us Polynesians wonderful richness and diversity... there are certain traditional protocols that are similar - as they have been upheld by our elders... we are children of the land/sea and our connection to it runs deep... personally i am proud to be Polynesian and call all of you family. i say forget the stereo types - and what others think... if you be you then they will see who we are and whom our ancestors were... bare the light from within and let it shine...
Um that's 🧢 I am Hawaiian and I live in Hawaii and I still get asked if I'm samoan so I dont know wtf you complaining about I get called samoan even tho I'm clearly Hawaiian
Came here bc I saw Moana and I KNOW it’s cliche but I cried the whole movie and became fascinated with your cultures. Such a strong and evolved people, the ethnic music, Nana Tala’s relation with rays, everything made me cry and sob of pure enchantment. After the movie I know now a little bit more. And I have to say: you looks like Moana! Cheers from Brazil 🥰
I have been told that I look like a Pacific Islander, although I have no DNA or ancestral proof. But people quite often say that I look like I’m related to Maui from Moana 🤦🏽♀️😂.
@@cikhitammanis5285 hahahha it's because most of us pacific islanders are mixed Malay and austronesian descendants (Melanesia,polynesia and micronesia)
My former teacher went to school over there in the states and his professor had a bias over him because he was Pacific Islander, and told him to go back to the island he came from because he thought Pacific Islanders were generally violent and dumb. When he came back to Guam and became a teacher here, he taught us about our culture and history (he was a history teacher) and that we needed to prove Americans that they are wrong to stereotype us like that. He has since passed away during surgery in the Philippines. RIP
I know this is video is two years old, but I also hate how most Pacific Islander women souvenir statues are always highly sexualized. Like, there's always such a huge emphasis in the breasts, hips, thighs, and they're often posed in weird positions. Yes, most of our cultural clothing is topless but the way they also call us things like "exotic" or that they've always wanted an "exotic girlfriend /boyfriend" sounds so fetishized. I might be exaggerating but I've always seen this happen in the media and no ones really talked about it.
I grew up in Oahu since I was 1 around mostly islanders (my best friend is Samoan and my boyfriend is Chamorro) and people always be like omg you must speak hawaiian and dance hula in those grass skirts and coconut bras and colorful leis right ??? And I’m like ummm 😂no I’m not even Hawaiian I’m Irish Swedish and Dominican but I learned a lot about islander culture growing up. Hawai’i is not da only island the otha ones like Samoa and Tonga and Micronesia and Fiji and Guam, marina islands, etc are actually veryyyy southern of Hawaii 🤦🏻♀️
So idk if it's cause I'm black and from the USA, but I feel this. I came to the video so I could learn something new and correct any biases I might have had....but yea, I'm glad to say no. Again, I think it's cause I've experienced some of these things, and my own culture is highly appropriated, especially in N America, so I'm conscious of how I speak to people. It's an added bonus that I like to learn about different cultures, so that helps.
Nice vid. Only things I found sus was that nobody in the Asia-Pac region think islanders only originate/come from Hawaii, this must be an American thing because in oz, most ppl who come across an islander are aware enough to know that there are other islands that make up the Pac region. They typically don't just assume ur Hawaiian if you identify as an Islander. In fact they're most likely to come from somewhere closer like Kiwi, Samoa, Tonga or Melanesia. Also, just because appropriation has been endorsed by Disney, doesn't make it OK; Halloween costumes, Moana, Lilo n Stitch etc. etc. is ALL cultural appropriation, whether its cute or not, I don't think you can pick n choose on that one. Otherwise, pretty accurate :)
Im a mixed girl but mostly of Fijian blood . When ever my mom and I go to America and tell others that we are islanders/fijians , most common answer from them is “ oh the water bottle ? That’s an actual place ?!” or “ Is that a place in Hawaii ? .” Just because we are islanders doesn’t me an we are Hawaiian , Zewzealender or Australian ( most well known islands over seas , no hate to my brothers and sisters from across the seas though .)
I can definatly relate. "R u from hawaii"?? Nooo stop thinking that, im from fiji suva, i love ur vids 😡😉😂😂😂🌺🌺 People always look at me and say "You look sooooooo like Moana" Thanks but no😂😂😎
Hey there friends, I'm a Filipino and I love pacific islanders. I hope I will learn about your culture and I tell you about my culture too. You are the best people in the world ❤
This is great video but I think you lost your point when saying that people can’t dress up as an islander but they can dress up as a nurse. So this is disrespectful to the Pacific Islanders but not to the nurses and cops and all? Nurses are extremely sexualized!!
When my niece found out the truth it ruined Moana for her... well she now watches everything with a discerning eye so thank you.. i get the "What are you ?" also...I love the hell to naw. Disney ruins everything.
Well according to Google, a Pacific Islander is a person who's descended of Micro, Mela, and Poly people, and Maoris are definitely Polynesian so maybe?
Most Hispanics that I've told I am Samoan have no idea what in talking about. They always think I'm saying Samolian. I hate explaining it because they still don't get it. Now instead of saying I'm Puerto rican and samoan I have to say well I'm half Puerto rican and on my dad's side.... well you know Hawaiians right? Well I'm like Hawaiian but I'm not. I'm Samoan. Not Samolian. Samoa is an island. It's like Hawaii but it's not. It's an island named Samoa. 🤦♀️🙇♀️
im tongan but i dont agree with your take on cultural appropriation. let people do what they want to do. if im at a halloween party and i see someone turn up wearing a tupenu and a taovala i think that would pretty cool lol. everyone is so sensitive these days
I'm Fijian and I agree with you bro. I was born and raised in Fiji and moved out in my late teens. I honestly don't find anything in common with island kids that were raised away from Fiji, even my own family members. I just smile at their "sensitivity" and tell them to find the humor in situations instead of getting offended, because getting offended will only cause wrinkles on the face...😂
cultural appropriation is so much deeper than just someone wearing our traditional garments; the appropriation is when they: 1. wear it with the intention of portraying a stereotype 2. make fun of it 3. wear it just for the sake of it and have no knowledge or appreciation of the importance of it 4. claim it as their own/something it's not. feed your mind bruz, there's a reason it's offensive to some of us
@@yasmin4281 I swear it's only American Polys being triggered over "cUlTuRaL aPpRoPriAtiOn". Since when was it in Polynesian culture to be a whiney sensitive cvnt intent on being a fcking victim? Fck outta here with that BS. You must be insecure as fck about your own identity.
In America nobody knew what Tongan is, so I always used the Hawaiian yada-yada-ya and then they'll know, bc Hawaii is the closest to the modern world or was
I was with you til you said “cultural appropriation” i dont mind the costumes because i know its just a costume and I know better enough to see that it isnt their fault they dont know fully of what a pacific islander is. Im not going to bring negative energy and get mad about that. Could easily just speak peacefully say thank you for showing some interest, but then follow up with “did you know PacIslanders are more than just Hawaii?” Lol also when a lot of islanders wear basketball jerseys but dont play ball are they themselves takin a part of a culture that isnt their own? Or what about listening to music and Dressing like people not of the Islands? Is it not the same?
Basketball jersey has no cultural background....you do realize that we were banned from wearing our cultural wear because they deemed it as uncivilized? It is culture appropriation if you wear those things and don't know the meaning of it. A basketball jersey isn't culture
@@fuckstevejobs6879 So... should someone know the culture, but still aren't part of it, be ok to wear it then? I seen a guy wearin a sombrero, and a poncho, and he asked the culture of older generations if it was ok, and they said yes and appreciated it, they thought of it as respecting them. But had he gone into a younger generation that don't even live that life style i'm pretty sure they'd be pissed off and scream out cultural appropriation. Would you wear traditional islander garb and walk around then if it is acceptable now or have you? I luv the nick u got though.
@@levelselect6800 honestly to me, if they understand our culture then I dont care because Ive seen people who have had "Luau parties" and they be fake hula dancing and screaming and chanting random noises thinking that it's islander Culture 🤣 if they know who we are then they can appreciate us.
@@fuckstevejobs6879 true. I agree. Where I used to work they would throw a "luau" for kids every year but they never played islander music. So when I came along, I made sure to have a playlist for that at least. lol. But yeah I'll tell a lot of people about Guam and these days.
its the fact that they call it a 'Polynesian costume' and it makes us look as if we are all just some of these wacky cartoony little people. The costumes that they wear half the time are not even proper, traditional Polynesian outfits. Dressing up as a specific person and listening to music is not cultural appropriation because they are not fitting an entire race into one umbrella by doing so. These costumes are stereotypes of polynesian people, which is why it is cultural appropriation.
@@ryankanton Yes exactly, but some people say for some reason "Oh I thought you were from NZ when I first met you" that's what I was tryna explain.. my bad tho
Lol I'm Italian, Irish and Polynesian... I'm a red-head too so imagine the number of stereotypes there are for me😭😭 all jokes aside though, stereotypes are very damaging, especially in such small cultures like those in Polynesia. Instead of just telling people to relax or contributing to those stereotypes, please stand up against stereotypes to anyone reading this (: .
I actually had a speech at my school and I titled it "Not All Pacific Islanders Are Hawaiian" and many of my classmates and even a few instructors came up to me afterwards and said they felt so ignorant. We can all do our little parts to educate while also spreading our culture. Malolelei and Bula vinaka! 🤙🏽
Crypto Nesian yaaaasss! 🙌🏼
Yass anyone here micro??
Jungkookieandmilkshakes 123 im Micronesian
Good job👍👍🙌🙌 your so proud of your culture
Crypto Nesian
Omg!
Fellow Fijian? :DD
Believe me, I was stereotyped since I came to America back in 1993. Because I'm different than them and didn't speak any English at that time. Since Elementary school, they would tell me to go back to my country and all the way through High School. I learned to deal with it even though it wasn't easy. I came from Asian part of Russia and was always told to go back to Russia. I ended up staying with my Samoan friends when I moved from my parents house, I felt more welcoming with them cuz I never had to deal with being put down. They would show me their culture, and I would ours. I did fire knife dance and Haka for their daughter's wedding. We cooked good food together and help each other out. I miss being with my Samoan friends. Best memories.
I’m sorry you went through that ❤️
“We’re not just from Hawaii” 😂😂😂
That’s probably so common in America. I live in Australia so that’s not a popular question here. Everyone just automatically thinks if you have brown skin you are from New Zealand lol
Gen Of Eve yeah that’s true! us Americans tend to be geographically ignorant🤦🏽♀️😂
ehh i get called aboriginal😂😂
True.
a polynesian in aussie is more likey to b from nz there more togans samoans fijians living in south auckland than samoan togan and fiji
I get called Maori when I'm not but in fact born in Hawaii and have more Samoan
Bro i relate so much the “you can’t be poly if you’re not fat” like damn my bad 😂😂😂
@@naati8222 fukin colonizers
@@greenfueg0 lol what colonizers? Please educate yourself
@@mem5091 gurl wdym?
My dad is Tongan and everyone always just assumes I’m Hawaiian ... 🙄. I always just end up saying I’m Hawaiian because it’s easier to explain. A lot of people are ignorant and make hella assumptions. Also, I agree with you about cultural appropriation. It doesn’t make sense to me why my school does “Hawaiian” themed days at school and such. Everyone wears leis and grass skirts and tourist Hawaiian shirts but I don’t get why our culture is someone else’s means of entertainment.
Hehehehe... I was playing world of Warcraft a couple of years ago and the raid group I was with were asking each other which country each player was from, and when they asked me I said Fiji islands... Than one of them goes "that's in the Caribbean right" I just said yep close enough.
Lol wtf
Last time i said im from fiji my friends were like
*Where dat?*
😂😂😂😂😂
I would say do you know Fiji Water. That's where I'm from...
I did not even know what was Melanesia. Until it was in my DNA. Allot of researching and it started to make sense. I still don't know which Islands. I have no direction and there was no paper trails.
Lol,you should of did a lil education of your country Fiji,not just mislead them thinking it's near the Caribbean's..
zach delana
Oof, When I was in first grade, After spring break, I Told my first grade teacher that I went to Fiji
My first grade teacher is pretty old
They asked if it was in the Caribbean
😂 I know this struggle. But here in Australia, it’s very diverse and we’ve got quite a number of islanders, myself included so it’s not really a foreign concept considering we’re in the pacific anyways. The problem is the people who have this narrow misconception that all islanders must either be Maori, Hawaiian or Samoan. I can’t recall how many times how many times I’ve been asked where I’m from, I tell them I’m Tongan and one person literally asked “Oh yeah, that’s in Africa right?”...I’m not speaking for every Pacific Islander but that’s a personal experience I’ve had. Then there’s certain people who start thinking they know everything about Pacific Islanders because they watched the movie Moana or they’ve seen Lilo and Stitch (BRUHHHHHH) 😂 anyways great vid sis.
True! I have palagi tell me they know more about Samoan and Maori culture then me! And that's literally what I am lol
Have you ever been to New Zealand
I live in australia too!! Im a Maori woman, my father is half Maori half white and my mother is white... so im white. I still practice my culture and have been raised surrounded by Polynesian culture. One common misconception is that all Maoris/Polynesians in general must be dark-skinned but that is not the case at all. If you are whakapapa maori you are maori!!!
Love the video. This was very educational and funny! Thank you!
I have to say, I learned a lot about Pacific Islands history because of Moana. My toddler daughter and I LOVE the movie, and I was curious how loyal they were, how much of the story was based on history. I went down an internet rabbit hole and learned SO much thanks to that movie. I am absolutely fascinated and in awe of what your ancestors did, voyaging across the world and finding new lands, using the tides and the stars and bird migration, etc to find their way, setting up ALL these civilizations that still exist today. Even the “Long Pause” is based in reality and they still don’t know exactly why it happened! It’s fascinating and inspirational.
I think it’s a great movie because it humanizes the culture and encourages curiosity and admiration, rather than a feeling of superiority or contempt, which used to be the case whenever a Disney took on another culture. It’s not perfect but I think it’s a big step up. And I love the music lol
Everything in that movie we hated it they got it all wrong
From Guam❤️🇬🇺
I get so many stupid questions like “Is that a fruit?”, “Are you Guatemalan?” The second one is a bit understandable but the first one, REALLY?!😂
Someone's asked me if we have pancakes or netflix on Guam
People assume that the Micronesians in my area are mexican or Hawaiian 💀
Ive received the “Guatemalan” plenty. Im like how did you add 6 letters? People mostly come close and say filipino. I can count less than 5 instances where someone actually guessed correct. And the quick and easy way they tell me is the way I walk. Lol
Ayeeee fam 🇬🇺
@@kristennichole1792 oh my god...
My boyfriend was born in Saipan but his family is from Palau and he hates it when people call him Maui. And I don’t know if people don’t realize that that can be offensive to them. People don’t go around doing that to other races because it would be extremely racists but why is it okay for it to be done to Pacific Islanders?
Even though I’m not Pacific Islander myself I enjoyed watching your video ☺️ being in a relationship with my boyfriend has taught me a lot about the culture.
When you pulled the broom to look at the maps😂😭 and I’m fijian as well, people assume im supposed to be wearing a grass skirt, lei and ukulele😂 like no. I’m fijian, we wear Sunday clothes
Browneyedgirl that’s cool
Sunday clothes 🤣🤣🤣 on point!
Laisayane Susu 😅fr tho
I love this especially being that I can relate to it as a Latina with the “not all Pacific Islanders are Hawaiian” bc not all Latinos are Mexican 🤦🏽♀️ lol
Very true. Dressing up islander is not a costume for Halloween or such occasions. It's someone's cultural dress or identity too. Nowadays we see white singers like Robbie Williams with a Maori tattoo on his arm in remembrance of his adultery with NZ celebrity Rachel Hunt
Barely recognised cultures and yet people still find ways to appropriate them
I haaaate having to explain that Guam is nowhere near Hawaii, it’s 8 hours away by plane but that’s the only island they know 😭 🇬🇺
Bullshit that's just how you guys make it sound I'm native Hawaiian and I got asked in Hawaii if I was from samoa so wtf do you mean they only know Hawaii
Maybe just nobody gives a shit about other pacific islanders other than polynesians
@@bighawaiianpunch3534 well maybe for them. They tellin their experience. U sound dumb asf
@@k-grizz541 its bullshit yall always get defensive for people calling you guys Hawaiian 🤣 just correct them dumbasses it happens to me they dont even know what Hawaiians are they think we are fucking samoans so stop complaining
@@k-grizz541 you sound dumb asf
Have to say Pacific Islanders be it Polynesian, Micronesian, Melanesian, Austronesian, Australian Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, And so on seem to have histories that are often overlooked compared to other histories that are Non Pacific Islander
I am half Russian and Tunisian, and i love everyone, sometimes to love is much harder then to hate, but we are a humans, so let's just love each other, couse every person is unique and interesting by himself, have a nice day!
the edits crack me up!!!...keep them vids coming
I fw islanders. I’m not an islander but I love tha culture n ppl in America sleepin on yall tbh
Finally someone who’s talking ab this‼️💯😂
i feel that because Hawaii is a US state. a lot of ignorant Americans assume all pacific islanders are from Hawaii or Hawaiian. Officially the US census designated term for Pacific islanders are indigenous people from US territories only: Hawaii, Guam, Samoa. However not using the census term, you are right that Pacific islander can be considered all of the 3 ethnic groups you mentioned: Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian. Other term that can be used is Oceania, which in addition to the 3 aforementioned ethic groups also includes Papa New Guinea Melanesians and Australian aboriginals
Us Hawaiians are not American we are Polynesians our country was stolen and is still an illegally occupied property
I thought fijians were melonesian
Bula Tonawai yes we are Melanesian
Yess.. Fiji belongs to the Melanesian group...'But' Culturally,We are Polynesians..
Wrong fijian a half Polynesian and half melanesian..all people from the outer islands outside viti levu and vanulevu a polys and the i people in land there a melanesian..
Pat mari yes but not a right information not all of us a melanesian ...its half and half..
Samuela Momoivalu yes! but the culutures & traditions we practiced are Polynesians type of culture & traditions...eg,Yaqona ceremony,meke,etc etc....Even some of our dialects are equivalent to some Poly dialects eg.Tonga,Samoa
PNG, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are Melanesia. Black Islands.
Fiji is both melanesian and Polynesian
Yes. Fiji is half of both though. Melanesia represent. All the Pacific islands are connected through our history with one another. It's always cool bumping into people from Polynesian countries who look a little bit more Melanesian and visa versa. It really shows how rich and colorful our history is.
and New-Caledonia is Melanesian 😊
They are not blacks tho
So what do you call a fair skin fijian then
such an important video topic i like your comical twist on it though hahaha
Talia Lea thank you so much! I didn’t want to be too serious but yesSSS it’s very important!
When people ask where I'm from and assume I'm Fijian or Hawaii... Then I say I'm from Kiribati with the proper pronunciation and then they give me a weird look confused then I say it in a basic way how it's spelt. Still doesn't know and proceeds to the list of islands further out to then hit Fiji or Hawaii and just accepting the fact no one knows!
i totally get what you re saying... but the deeper origins of our polynesian family come from the same gateway... true the developments of certain cultural aspects post the Polynesian diaspora somewhat differ... and thus have given us Polynesians wonderful richness and diversity... there are certain traditional protocols that are similar - as they have been upheld by our elders...
we are children of the land/sea and our connection to it runs deep... personally i am proud to be Polynesian and call all of you family. i say forget the stereo types - and what others think...
if you be you then they will see who we are and whom our ancestors were... bare the light from within and let it shine...
Has anyone ever been told “What’s samoa” or “Aren’t you like Hawaiian” or maybe “ You look just like those people from Moana” just me??
Um that's 🧢 I am Hawaiian and I live in Hawaii and I still get asked if I'm samoan so I dont know wtf you complaining about I get called samoan even tho I'm clearly Hawaiian
Your so comfortable on camera I love it!💖xx
Issa Luisaaa I’m used to talking to myself🤦🏽♀️😂😂 thank you!!
Love this video
Im half 🇵🇬 🇫🇯.
Lmao I love this, I've never heard anyone speak on this
Love it 😂😂 stay in your lane non islanders lol keep it up sister gal ❤️
Just to point out the word poly means many in greek that’s how Polynesia got its name. It translates to many islands in greek.
I never get offended I tell people I'm polynesian were all the same peoples in polynesia I ain't gonna cry about dumb things
Came here bc I saw Moana and I KNOW it’s cliche but I cried the whole movie and became fascinated with your cultures. Such a strong and evolved people, the ethnic music, Nana Tala’s relation with rays, everything made me cry and sob of pure enchantment. After the movie I know now a little bit more. And I have to say: you looks like Moana! Cheers from Brazil 🥰
I have been told that I look like a Pacific Islander, although I have no DNA or ancestral proof. But people quite often say that I look like I’m related to Maui from Moana 🤦🏽♀️😂.
Same here...people always assume that I'm Tongan or Samoan but I'm actually Malay lol.
@@cikhitammanis5285 hahahha it's because most of us pacific islanders are mixed Malay and austronesian descendants (Melanesia,polynesia and micronesia)
My former teacher went to school over there in the states and his professor had a bias over him because he was Pacific Islander, and told him to go back to the island he came from because he thought Pacific Islanders were generally violent and dumb. When he came back to Guam and became a teacher here, he taught us about our culture and history (he was a history teacher) and that we needed to prove Americans that they are wrong to stereotype us like that. He has since passed away during surgery in the Philippines. RIP
I really like you and your sister alot, y'all are funny as hellllll
People are surprised I’m Samoa, Tonga & Niue coz I’m 5’10, 223lbs and I always get, “WOW!. You’re small for a Poly” (really bruh 😒)
I’m part Samoan🤙🏼 and people are always... ALWAYS have these stereotypes😂
I know this is video is two years old, but I also hate how most Pacific Islander women souvenir statues are always highly sexualized. Like, there's always such a huge emphasis in the breasts, hips, thighs, and they're often posed in weird positions. Yes, most of our cultural clothing is topless but the way they also call us things like "exotic" or that they've always wanted an "exotic girlfriend /boyfriend" sounds so fetishized. I might be exaggerating but I've always seen this happen in the media and no ones really talked about it.
#1 Fan over here ♥️♥️
alma alicia I LOVE U❤️
I grew up in Oahu since I was 1 around mostly islanders (my best friend is Samoan and my boyfriend is Chamorro) and people always be like omg you must speak hawaiian and dance hula in those grass skirts and coconut bras and colorful leis right ??? And I’m like ummm 😂no I’m not even Hawaiian I’m Irish Swedish and Dominican but I learned a lot about islander culture growing up. Hawai’i is not da only island the otha ones like Samoa and Tonga and Micronesia and Fiji and Guam, marina islands, etc are actually veryyyy southern of Hawaii 🤦🏻♀️
preach sis!!! good to see more islander faces on youtube too :)
Didn’t get my post notification shoutout again
Emily Ann im sorry I forgot!! hahaha NEXT VIDEO FOR SURE💛
So idk if it's cause I'm black and from the USA, but I feel this. I came to the video so I could learn something new and correct any biases I might have had....but yea, I'm glad to say no. Again, I think it's cause I've experienced some of these things, and my own culture is highly appropriated, especially in N America, so I'm conscious of how I speak to people. It's an added bonus that I like to learn about different cultures, so that helps.
Nice vid. Only things I found sus was that nobody in the Asia-Pac region think islanders only originate/come from Hawaii, this must be an American thing because in oz, most ppl who come across an islander are aware enough to know that there are other islands that make up the Pac region. They typically don't just assume ur Hawaiian if you identify as an Islander. In fact they're most likely to come from somewhere closer like Kiwi, Samoa, Tonga or Melanesia. Also, just because appropriation has been endorsed by Disney, doesn't make it OK; Halloween costumes, Moana, Lilo n Stitch etc. etc. is ALL cultural appropriation, whether its cute or not, I don't think you can pick n choose on that one. Otherwise, pretty accurate :)
omg you mentioned guam😭😭😭❤️
😭 IKR MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE GUAM IS
@@katahi0749 FRR it’s so sad liek come on 😭
My grandmas pure Guamanian and I wish people would speak more about Guam haha
Let's go FSM. I'm Chuukese, luv the video
What do you guys check off for race, other?
We just classify ourselves as Pacific Islanders under the three different ones
Im a mixed girl but mostly of Fijian blood . When ever my mom and I go to America and tell others that we are islanders/fijians , most common answer from them is “ oh the water bottle ? That’s an actual place ?!” or “ Is that a place in Hawaii ? .” Just because we are islanders doesn’t me an we are Hawaiian , Zewzealender or Australian ( most well known islands over seas , no hate to my brothers and sisters from across the seas though .)
lol water bottle. That's so not right 😂
lmaooooo "I know yall be eating good"
Here in the U.S. they call me Moano at work. I love it.
I can relate to this so freaking much
My dad is Samoan, my mom is white, everybody thinks I'm Mexican...
I can definatly relate. "R u from hawaii"?? Nooo stop thinking that, im from fiji suva, i love ur vids 😡😉😂😂😂🌺🌺 People always look at me and say
"You look sooooooo like Moana"
Thanks but no😂😂😎
Isimeli Cokanasiga OMG Maika Sivo is my favourite Parramatta Eels Player 💙💛💙💛💙💛🏉💪🏾 your village must be so proud a great down to earth humble guy.
So glad you said this 👏🏻 proud Guam Island girl in SD CA 🇬🇺🥰
Guam has no place to talk. You lost your native dance and now u take dances from Polynesian cultures and claim it as your own 😂
I just found your channel today, do U have a video where U talk about Polynesians beauty standards & if not could U make 1?
We don’t have any beauty standards we are all different in a good way coming from another Pacific Islander meaning I’m Polynesian
@@BLack_N8TIVE Oh ok
Hey there friends, I'm a Filipino and I love pacific islanders. I hope I will learn about your culture and I tell you about my culture too. You are the best people in the world ❤
Filipinos are some of the coolest Asians
LMAOOOOOO , my social studies teacher had a Tuvaluan friend and he said that they’re all fat 🤦🏾♀️💀
Unfortunately, someone is going to do just that
Tonga and Hawaii are sisters
According to two different DNA tests, I am 0.0% oceanian. :(
Still an interesting culture.
Kosraean in Micronesia 🇫🇲🌴🥥👏🏽🤙🏽
Ayeee fam 🇬🇺
Great Video. Cultural sensitivity people.
This is great video but I think you lost your point when saying that people can’t dress up as an islander but they can dress up as a nurse. So this is disrespectful to the Pacific Islanders but not to the nurses and cops and all? Nurses are extremely sexualized!!
Agree!
People would tell me that I can’t be Samoan because im not tall or fat? Big? Lol
Omg I felt the Polynesian part
My liberal senses are tingling. .. when you said cultural appropriation
great vid pat keep it up
RMPKenpachi thank you so much🙌🏽❤️
pat Marie,you're so natural and talented, like your video...vinaka
When my niece found out the truth it ruined Moana for her... well she now watches everything with a discerning eye so thank you.. i get the "What are you ?" also...I love the hell to naw. Disney ruins everything.
Im Micronesian, my ancestors came frm Fiji.
Shoutout to those who are poly
Aww lilo and stitch is my favorite tho
This is crackup 😂 had me at cultural appropriation lmfaaao 😂😂 RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT!!!!
Dating beyond Borders should do a Pacific Islander stereotype video
I like how when people say pacific islander they just mean Polynesian
I literally flipped when she was like. I WILL FUCK YOU UP.😟😟
What does New Zealand fit into? I’m a brownie and Idk if I’m Pacific Islander or what
Well according to Google, a Pacific Islander is a person who's descended of Micro, Mela, and Poly people, and Maoris are definitely Polynesian so maybe?
new zealanders are polynesians/pacific islander!
Im Hispanic and Polynesian 🇼🇸 🇨🇴 🇪🇸
beautiful brown skin KWEENNNNN
great video sis😻👍🏽
Salote Qevaki thank you 😆😆
iam spanish guamanian nice video .
a lot of pacific islander seem big-boned...
Song pliz....at the end of the video...thanks.
I'm learning something everyday
Micronesians stand up ( pull y’all flags on) 🇲🇭
🇬🇺
🇫🇲
You really look like Moana,
Stopoooooopppp
hi, greating from west papua,indonesia
Most Hispanics that I've told I am Samoan have no idea what in talking about. They always think I'm saying Samolian. I hate explaining it because they still don't get it. Now instead of saying I'm Puerto rican and samoan I have to say well I'm half Puerto rican and on my dad's side.... well you know Hawaiians right? Well I'm like Hawaiian but I'm not. I'm Samoan. Not Samolian. Samoa is an island. It's like Hawaii but it's not. It's an island named Samoa. 🤦♀️🙇♀️
I’m from Sāmoa but everyone pronounces it Sehmoa. And everyone stereotypes us for being fat
This lady is freaking beautiful .
Fax im Chamorro n everyone thinks im Hawaiian
Ayeeee me and my brother are Chamorro and everyone thinks he’s Mexican
Same dude. Everybody be thinking I’m either Asian, Hispanic, or Hawaiian like good god
I'm from Micronesia
i’m half tongan too !! :D
im tongan but i dont agree with your take on cultural appropriation. let people do what they want to do. if im at a halloween party and i see someone turn up wearing a tupenu and a taovala i think that would pretty cool lol. everyone is so sensitive these days
I'm Fijian and I agree with you bro. I was born and raised in Fiji and moved out in my late teens. I honestly don't find anything in common with island kids that were raised away from Fiji, even my own family members. I just smile at their "sensitivity" and tell them to find the humor in situations instead of getting offended, because getting offended will only cause wrinkles on the face...😂
cultural appropriation is so much deeper than just someone wearing our traditional garments; the appropriation is when they: 1. wear it with the intention of portraying a stereotype 2. make fun of it 3. wear it just for the sake of it and have no knowledge or appreciation of the importance of it 4. claim it as their own/something it's not. feed your mind bruz, there's a reason it's offensive to some of us
@@yasmin4281 I swear it's only American Polys being triggered over "cUlTuRaL aPpRoPriAtiOn". Since when was it in Polynesian culture to be a whiney sensitive cvnt intent on being a fcking victim? Fck outta here with that BS. You must be insecure as fck about your own identity.
You can’t just wear something that is of another culture without knowing it’s significance lol. That’s plain ignorance.
AMEN GOD BLESS YALL
In America nobody knew what Tongan is, so I always used the Hawaiian yada-yada-ya and then they'll know, bc Hawaii is the closest to the modern world or was
Use Fiji toko its more accurate and people know Fiji 😂
I was with you til you said “cultural appropriation” i dont mind the costumes because i know its just a costume and I know better enough to see that it isnt their fault they dont know fully of what a pacific islander is. Im not going to bring negative energy and get mad about that. Could easily just speak peacefully say thank you for showing some interest, but then follow up with “did you know PacIslanders are more than just Hawaii?” Lol also when a lot of islanders wear basketball jerseys but dont play ball are they themselves takin a part of a culture that isnt their own? Or what about listening to music and Dressing like people not of the Islands? Is it not the same?
Basketball jersey has no cultural background....you do realize that we were banned from wearing our cultural wear because they deemed it as uncivilized? It is culture appropriation if you wear those things and don't know the meaning of it. A basketball jersey isn't culture
@@fuckstevejobs6879 So... should someone know the culture, but still aren't part of it, be ok to wear it then? I seen a guy wearin a sombrero, and a poncho, and he asked the culture of older generations if it was ok, and they said yes and appreciated it, they thought of it as respecting them. But had he gone into a younger generation that don't even live that life style i'm pretty sure they'd be pissed off and scream out cultural appropriation. Would you wear traditional islander garb and walk around then if it is acceptable now or have you? I luv the nick u got though.
@@levelselect6800 honestly to me, if they understand our culture then I dont care because Ive seen people who have had "Luau parties" and they be fake hula dancing and screaming and chanting random noises thinking that it's islander Culture 🤣 if they know who we are then they can appreciate us.
@@fuckstevejobs6879 true. I agree. Where I used to work they would throw a "luau" for kids every year but they never played islander music. So when I came along, I made sure to have a playlist for that at least. lol. But yeah I'll tell a lot of people about Guam and these days.
its the fact that they call it a 'Polynesian costume' and it makes us look as if we are all just some of these wacky cartoony little people. The costumes that they wear half the time are not even proper, traditional Polynesian outfits.
Dressing up as a specific person and listening to music is not cultural appropriation because they are not fitting an entire race into one umbrella by doing so. These costumes are stereotypes of polynesian people, which is why it is cultural appropriation.
yess.. I'm Fijian and I live in Australia and sometimes I am mistaken for being NZ even tho I'm like brownskin lol
@@ryankanton Yes exactly, but some people say for some reason "Oh I thought you were from NZ when I first met you" that's what I was tryna explain.. my bad tho
Lol try being Italian, Sopranos, Super Mario, SNL. Relax it happens to a lot of us.
It does. Me being black I know about stereotypes. It comes down to media and experiences. That's just life.
Lol I'm Italian, Irish and Polynesian... I'm a red-head too so imagine the number of stereotypes there are for me😭😭
all jokes aside though, stereotypes are very damaging, especially in such small cultures like those in Polynesia. Instead of just telling people to relax or contributing to those stereotypes, please stand up against stereotypes to anyone reading this (: .