I was born and raised in the town you're now in, Jacksonville Florida and still reside here today working as a Network Engineer for a large bank. If there's anything I can do to make it more at home for you, please let me know.
Culture is culture no matter if it's a Southern thing or a Hawaiian thing.
I'm proud of my culture being from the south, but my grandmother came over to the U.S. from France during the war. Just so happens that my Mother moved to Jacksonville and met my father. The rest is history. I for one am not part of the group you might be talking about that sees Hawaii as the vacation land of the world. One who has no interest in the culture or anything else outside rest and relaxation.