Haole is a term used in the U.S. state of Hawaii to refer to individuals of European ancestry, in contrast to those of native Hawaiian ancestry. In the Hawaiian language, the term has been used historically and currently to refer to any foreigner or anything else introduced to the Hawaiian islands of foreign origin. The origins of the word predate the 1778 arrival of Captain James Cook, as recorded in several chants stemming from antiquity. Its use historically has ranged from descriptive to race invective.