Thread by @lmnhzd

Here's your reminder that the heavy association between Hawai'i & pineapples ("Hawaiian" pizza, etc) is racist, exploitive paradise propaganda. Pineapples are used to sell the fantasy of a tropical Hawaiian utopia to tourists. Factually, pineapples are native to South America. 🧵

Sanford B. Dole advocated for the colonization, or "westernization" of Hawaiian land, ppl, culture, & gvmt. Successfully. He was the first "president" of Hawai'i in 1894, despite Hawai'i not being officially annexed (STOLEN) until 1898. The Doles ended up in Hawai'i after his...

... great grandfather set out for Hawai'i as a Christian missionary with the intent to obliterate Native Hawaiian culture, beliefs, rituals, etc. James Dole, Sanford's brother, is responsible for the pineapple industry in Hawai'i (circa 1901). Business was good! Eventually...

Dole needed to keep up with labor demands. The Native Hawaiian population was severely incapacitated due to the disease that colonizers brought to the islands, an issue that still affects Hawai'i to this day. So, Dole hired and transported plantation workers from...

the Philippines, Japan, China, & Portugal. This is why many Hwns have mixtures of these ethnicities (like me -- Black, Hwn, Chinese, Filipina). Why almost all settler families are from those places. It has a lot to do with why the stereotypical visual of a Hawaiian is Asiatic.

I found an article that describes the perverse sensationalism of Hawaiian people + culture via the pineapple. Screenshot is long enough but the whole article is worth the read. edgeeffects.net/dole-pineapple…

On Hawai'i being a paradise utopia -- Hawai'i does not only exist in the vacation of your dreams. Hawai'i is a real place, w/ real people, and the indigenous population is struggling. Houselessness, drug addiction, poverty, food insecurity, no livable wage, & rent is high AF.

Here's a fun fact, it's no longer cost effective to grow Dole pineapples in Hawai'i. They now grow the majority of their stock in the Philippines and are able to profitably reap the benefits of the perfect Hawaiian fantasy/facade. Dole made $9.3b in 2021.

When you visit the Dole plantation here on O'ahu or buy a Dole pineapple, you're supporting the legacy of Hawai'i's colonizers. Just some fruit for thought... 🍍

Here’s another fun fact about the origin of “Hawaiian” pizza. The domino effect of Dole’s imagination was global.

BTW — Yes, Hawai’i had plantations but Hwns never kept slaves. No one was ever enslaved on Hwn soil. However, working conditions on plantations were awful.

In fact, Hawaiians had outlawed slavery in our constitution by 1852. Enslaved folks that fled to HI were 100% emancipated.

A few old Dole advertisements. Check out the boldness in which they exploit Hawaiian culture, people, & land. “The perfect servant lives in Honolulu”, 1928.

A whole thread on exploitation & racism and the part that seems to be sticking the most is the brief mention of pineapples on pizza. Whew. Twitter.

To those that have enjoyed this thread, mahalo nui loa (thx so much) for tuning in & I hope you learned something of value! 🤙🏾