| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| wcerto |
Posted - 12/09/2011 : 10:33:38 AM
This is an ad that Steven Espaniola discovered in the public transit system in the San Francisco Bay area (BART). Needless to say, many people are upset about a rather insensitive advertisement meant to entice people to use Travelocity's services in booking travel to Hawai'i. Buddy, I tell you, I'd do anything now rather than use Travelocity after seeing this.
Here is something that Steven posted on his blog today. It is very well written. Also, don't forget that if you feel this ad needs to be taken down, you, too, can use the link to Travelocity's feedback form to tell them what you think. Please take a moment to do so. I am steaming mad and upset about it.
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Travelocity Ad = FAIL
“Hula is the language of the heart, therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.” - King David Kalākaua
Over the years there have been many commercial ads that laugh at, poke fun of or mention my Hawaiian culture in a lighthearted matter. Normally, I shrug them off as ignorance and move on, however I recently stumbled upon the poster ad (above) by Travelocity while traveling on BART (San Francisco’s mass transit system) that stopped me in my tracks, jaw dropped.
While the intent of the message is to get people to visit Hawai’i and hopefully use Travelocity to book that voyage, it’s impact and choice of words they use implies that hula is an embarrassing act and should not be seen by anyone whose opinion is valued. The campaign perpetuates a novelty stereotype of mock hula done by drunken frat boys or tourists emulating movements at a lu’au that they think are hula movements and relegates it to the ranks of karaoke or charades. Hula should be honored, celebrated, nurtured, preserved and most of all respected!
There was a point in history (decades actually) when hula was banned by the occupying Missionaries and it was not until the accomplishments of our last great King David Kalākaua, that hula was revived and restored to it’s rightful status.
The irony in all of this is that we’ve come full circle with ads like this one doing the same sort of damage, perpetuating the same type message that the early Missionaries preached which was that hula was a bad and shameful thing. It most certainly is NOT!
We need to put an immediate stop to these types of ads the moment we notice them so that we can educate the masses about the importance of hula and our culture. If you are reading this and share my thoughts, please take a moment to send Travelocity your feedback by clicking on the link below:
Travelocity Feedback: http://bit.ly/v8QNQP
BART Complaint Line: 510-464-7134
Mahalo for listening!
Steven Espaniola
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 12/20/2011 : 4:02:40 PM
If everyone just played guitar, who'd play ukulele (or steel, or bass, etc)? |
| wcerto |
Posted - 12/20/2011 : 09:37:29 AM
Bottom line on the Travelocity hula ad is that a collective voice can be heard. |
| Retro |
Posted - 12/20/2011 : 07:55:52 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ypochris
A holiday is no longer necessarily a holy day, although at one time this was, sadly, true.
We can thank the unions, at least here in America, for the fact that we now have regular holidays such as weekends, and many more, instead of only getting Sunday off to go to church.
Yep - ain't nothing church about Labor Day, for example. Solstice greetings to you, ypochris.
Ricdoug - thank you as well for your service.
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| Retro |
Posted - 12/20/2011 : 07:49:35 AM
quote:
Originally posted by mike2jb
Sounds like we sometimes pick and choose which cultural traditions we'll revere and which we will not. Hope the garden gnome doesn't decide to make a trip to Norway.
And lutefisk "tells a story," though certainly not in the same way as hula - it teaches us about old ways of preserving food, long before refrigeration and other storage devices.
I've studied and danced hula; I've eaten lutefisk. I don't do either one particularly well, but I've made the effort and can speak from a position of some understanding. I don't succeed with every previously-unfamiliar cultural tradition that I try to learn (I suck at pidgin, too), but I do make a legitimate effort with many.
Though I'm not likely to give balut a try any time soon, sorry. |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 12/20/2011 : 07:12:07 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Trev
“Nothing about CHRISTmas is pagan, otherwise it would be called PAGANmas or something else.”
Well it is, but obviously you’ve already made up your mind. I’ll leave it there, I think.
How about "Yule" or "Midwinter"? More relevant, imho, to what goes on with ceremony and rituals |
| ypochris |
Posted - 12/20/2011 : 05:43:10 AM
A holiday is no longer necessarily a holy day, although at one time this was, sadly, true.
We can thank the unions, at least here in America, for the fact that we now have regular holidays such as weekends, and many more, instead of only getting Sunday off to go to church.
Anyway, happy holy days to you, Ricdoug, and a merry Christmas. And happy holidays to those who do not celebrate Christmas or hold these days holy in some other tradition.
For my people, tomorrow is a big day...
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| ricdoug |
Posted - 12/19/2011 : 8:02:43 PM
How did this move to disabled veterans? I'm part of that group, too. USMC '68 ('Nam) to '94 ('Storm) retired (also disabled). I'd say we both fought for all (including us) to voice our opinions, Fred.
ypochris I guess you'll have to stop shopping at places that say Happy HOLYdays (holidays), as it's a blatant religious statement (tongue in cheek).
Semantics, Thumbstruck. The entire New Testament is all about the birth of Christ. The true meaning of Christmas (to Christians).
Everyone do business where you pleas and don't do business where you prefer not to. Enjoy the season for your reason  . Ric |
| fred d |
Posted - 12/19/2011 : 04:51:25 AM
How did this move from the HULA to christmas? Althou I don't like christmas I lost my faith after seeing the things happing to children and women in parts of the world thinking that if there is a higher power than It must of know that humans cannot control them selfs the dumbest animal doesn't have babys when it's houngry. I donot understand why people have to try to change every thing to there way to the point of killing each other WHY CAN'T WE JUST HAVE RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER! and let it be Peace on earth and good will to each with the greatest respect to each and everyone fred a disabled vet who has seen way to much suffering for stupid reasons |
| Trev |
Posted - 12/19/2011 : 02:16:06 AM
“Nothing about CHRISTmas is pagan, otherwise it would be called PAGANmas or something else.”
Well it is, but obviously you’ve already made up your mind. I’ll leave it there, I think.
Mike, I loved your Menorah story - this is the America that I recognsise.
ypoChris - I loved your post too. I have no issues with your beliefs, or anyone elses. When they start saying 'There's 80% of us so the other 20% should fall in line with what we believe', then I'm afraid I do.
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| mike2jb |
Posted - 12/18/2011 : 7:56:11 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Retro
To mike2jb: I can understand why someone in their advertising chain thought this would be a funny ad, but it just didn't work. They failed to recognize that hula is a revered cultural tradition, not just a tourist activity. We can only hope that a few more people are now educated as to its value, its place of honor, and its worthiness of respect.
To slipry1: As you already know, I'm with you on dislike of lutefisk, which is why thumbstruck is happy to take our servings; he can have three helpings, guilt-free, and we don't have to ingest any more fish-jello.
Sounds like we sometimes pick and choose which cultural traditions we'll revere and which we will not. Hope the garden gnome doesn't decide to make a trip to Norway. |
| Retro |
Posted - 12/18/2011 : 09:21:02 AM
To ypochris: Thanks. I was thinking of responding along these lines, but I suspected someone would phrase it better than I, and you did.
To ricdoug: Your point about "CHRISTmas" (the name, and the Christian holiday itself) is valid - it's meant to be a celebration of that particular individual's birth. And I hope that doesn't prevent you from seeing how early Christians adopted the pre-Christian celebrations of midwinter for celebration of that date, even though (as ypochris pointed out) scholars say that Christ was not likely to be born at that time of year (wrong time of year for shepherds abiding their flocks, for the Roman census, and numerous factors).
To mike2jb: I think your assessment "it's possible to be ham-handed with humor, as this ad was" is a nice way of looking at it; I can understand why someone in their advertising chain thought this would be a funny ad, but it just didn't work. They failed to recognize that hula is a revered cultural tradition, not just a tourist activity. We can only hope that a few more people are now educated as to its value, its place of honor, and its worthiness of respect.
To fred d: A belated "thank you" for your service.
To slipry1: As you already know, I'm with you on dislike of lutefisk, which is why thumbstruck is happy to take our servings; he can have three helpings, guilt-free, and we don't have to ingest any more fish-jello. |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 12/18/2011 : 08:09:15 AM
Mike, I've heard part of that song down through the years. Stan Boreson had a kids' show when I was younger (way back then) and he was a source of many Scandihoovian parodies and jokes. I just saw him last week, still "yust nuts".
Christmas was not popularly celebrated in the US until the time of Dickens and the mail-order catalogue. Alan Lomax noted in one of his folksong books that the Puritans eschewed (fancy word, eh? you like'm?) all holidays and that Christmas was not recognized as a "holiday" in Massachusetts until the 1870s.
Yesterday's innovation is today's policy and tomorrow's hallowed tradition.
My goal this time of year: TO NOT LET THE CALORIE WIN. |
| ypochris |
Posted - 12/18/2011 : 07:51:00 AM
"Nothing about CHRISTmas is pagan..."
I was trying to ignore this, as I already offended one person on this thread, but...
No Biblical scholar would argue that Christ was actually born on December 25th. The celebration of Christ's birthday was moved to this date specifically to pre-empt the traditional solstice celebration held by virtually all Northern Hemisphere peoples on this date.
Even the modern Christmas tree had its orgin in the ancient European pagan celebration where the entrails of the May King, sacrificed to ensure the return of the sun, were strung on an evergreen tree. Thus the traditional red balls for organs and white strands for intestines.
However, in spite of my Native American heritage and family tradition of celebrating the solstice (no human sacrifices from us), I have no issues with the European invaders wishing each other a merry Christmas rather than the traditional solstice honoring of the power and beauty of the sun.
Unless, that is, they have issues about MY beliefs.
(Edit: As for where you shop, you certainly have the right to spend your money where you please. Just as I never spend money at places which blatantly use religion in their advertising.) |
| fred d |
Posted - 12/17/2011 : 9:48:49 PM
It seem that most have way to much time I didn't care one snit about who Lowes advitised on I just didn't like the program and I think travelocity adds are stupit talking cement statueds I love to watch hula girls ( and I do keep my eyes on the hand) right!it seem I can't even joke around without someone getting upset. Political correctness is BS If I don't like It I don't watch it and I shop for the best deal so far travelocity hasen't done that either. Disabled Vet who fought for out FREEDOM   |
| ricdoug |
Posted - 12/17/2011 : 6:44:39 PM
Nothing about CHRISTmas is pagan, otherwise it would be called PAGANmas or something else.
My point is that marketiers cannot ignore their market, whether it's race, religion, creed or some other form of separation. Ignorating the 80% CHRISTian population of the United States is stupid beyond recognition. I have no issue with Lowes marketing a Muslim broadcast, as long as they market at least 50% CHRISTian broadcasts. Otherwise they will lose my business, too. It's calculated how this works. Ric |
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