Despite the island's best attempts to keep native culture alive and thriving in a manner similar to post-invasion traditions, Hawaii and its customs they were drastically affected by the all-too-familiar plague of white settlers. Where free-spirited religions and fertile lands once stood, political disorder and spotted skin diseases suddenly replace them. The changes, intentional or otherwise, set in motion by the foreign invasion have irreparably altered the course of Hawaiian culture, for better or worse. As a result, major changes in tradition and even social order have occurred, profoundly affecting both the native foundations of Hawaiian culture and the more subtle aspects of daily life on the islands themselves. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the plight of the Hawaiians, the introduction of diseases and, consequently, the surprising epidemic of leprosy is particularly evident. The so-called “disease of the scorned” (p. 41), carried out by the colonists, reduced Hawaiian society to chaos, dividing families and forcing the innocent into paralyzing isolation. Noted in the depressing Song of Singer Ka-'ehu, the plague brought with it devastating social and emotional costs beyond the disease itself, forcing those otherwise untouched by the “white” disease into solitary suffering. As noted, it is “strange when a man's neighbors become less than acquaintances” (41). Those who suffered often found themselves caught in a helpless role, likening themselves to being “caught like chickens” or “herded like cattle” (41). The segregation of the “sick” and the “healthy” carried with it touches of racism, which quickly spiraled disproportionately into a legally racist institution of separation and isolation. Furthermore, this epidemic, strangely, was interpreted as a symbol of inferiority among Hawaiians compared to their white invaders. These victims not only suffered physically, but also socially, in terms of their appearance beyond the white man, severely damaging Hawaii's outlook to the outside world. With the infected destined for a life of silent suffering in Kalawao, these once-human men, women, and even children were suddenly “marked for exile” (41), shattering the essential family unit present in Hawaiian society in favor of the cruel “prisoner”. "treatment. In the Kalawao of Malie, the temperaments of those who had narrowly escaped the grasp of leprosy quickly disintegrated. As the haole integrated into modern Hawaiian society and the sick accumulated in Kalawao's dark corners, local tensions increased among the natives, culminating in indulgence in the “evils” (35) of alcohol, gambling, and sexual desire. As mentioned, this behavior is characteristic of Honolulu, not pre-leprosy Kalawao It is naive to assume that sexual harassment went virtually unnoticed before social change in Kalawao, yet the local attitude towards those who would commit these crimes allows them to continue unopposed. As Makaio said, “this is not a new thing for Kalawao. This disease: it does strange things to people's appetites. But now it is better than before” (36). Once again, the onset of leprosy is immediately related to obscene behavior. However, in this scenario, those who do not have leprosy have become victims who are frightened and isolated from each other. Despite the physical effects of leprosy, changes in power occurred as a result of the epidemic.
tags