Many newspaper clippings of Hawaii's yesteryears mentioning saimin are exclusively associated with the Chinese population and their neighborhoods. Majority of these associations are also subtly derogatory, suggesting a less desirable, low-class representation of their community. That being so, it may become a sensitive issue crediting Chinese immigrants with saimin's origins even with strong written evidence behind this theory. Whichever the case, the clash of cultures in Hawaii makes it difficult to precisely pinpoint the exact beginning of saimin, but in turn makes this dish completely unique with roots set deeply in Hawaii's history.