Hawaii: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Summary

The video script discusses the complex relationship between Hawaii's tourism industry and its residents, highlighting the state's history of exploitation by outsiders, from military use to billionaire land purchases. It touches on the negative impacts of tourism, such as housing crises and cultural erasure, and the challenges faced by native Hawaiians, including land rights and the aftermath of devastating wildfires. The script calls for a more balanced approach to development that respects local communities and history.

Takeaways

• 🏝️ Hawaii is often portrayed as a paradise in media, but it faces serious issues including over-tourism, housing crises, and the impact of the military presence.
• 🚫 The script humorously critiques the portrayal of Hawaii in TV shows, highlighting the unrealistic expectations set for the state's culture and environment.
• 📚 It's illegal and considered bad luck to take volcanic rocks from Hawaii due to local myths, yet many tourists do so, causing an administrative burden to return them.
• 🔥 A year ago, the deadliest wildfire in over a century hit West Maui, causing significant loss of life and property, and exposing underlying tensions in Hawaii's society.
• 🏠 The push to reopen Maui to tourism shortly after the disaster was met with backlash from locals who felt the decision was insensitive and prioritized tourists over their needs.
• 💼 Developers' interest in rebuilding areas affected by the disaster for luxury properties has led to concerns about displacement and the commodification of local communities.
• 🌱 The historical context of Hawaii is explored, including the impact of Western contact, the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and the lasting effects on native Hawaiians.
• 💣 The US military's presence in Hawaii has led to environmental damage and health risks, with unexploded ordnance and contamination of water supplies.
• 🏘️ Housing in Hawaii is increasingly unaffordable due to short-term rentals and the purchase of property by wealthy outsiders, leading to high homelessness rates.
• 🍎 The cost of living in Hawaii is high, with residents paying some of the highest prices in the nation for basic food staples due to a lack of agricultural diversity.
• 🤝 The narrative calls for a more balanced approach to Hawaii's economy, prioritizing the well-being of locals over tourism and the interests of wealthy outsiders.

Q & A

Why is it considered bad luck to take volcanic rocks from Hawaii?

Taking volcanic rocks from Hawaii is considered bad luck due to a local myth. Many people who take the rocks end up shipping them back to the island with notes of apology, causing unnecessary time and expense for officials.

What was the impact of the deadliest wildfire in West Maui's Lahaina?

The wildfire in Lahaina was the deadliest to hit the US in over a century, destroying more than 2,000 buildings, causing over 5.5 billion dollars in damage, and resulting in the death of 102 people.

What are some of the long-term issues faced by Hawaii due to its focus on tourism?

Hawaii's focus on tourism has led to a number of issues, including low-wage tourism jobs, high housing costs due to short-term rentals and vacation homes, high food prices due to reliance on imports, and a lack of diversity in the local economy.

How has the US military's presence in Hawaii affected the local environment and communities?

The US military has had a significant negative impact on Hawaii's environment and communities. They have used the land for training, leaving behind unexploded ordnance, and have been involved in incidents such as fuel spills that have poisoned water systems.

What is the significance of the 'Bayonet Constitution' in Hawaiian history?

The 'Bayonet Constitution' was signed under duress by Hawaii's King in 1887, transferring much of his power to a group of white plantation owners and businessmen, which marked a significant step towards the eventual overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Why was the Hawaiian homelands program established and what are its challenges?

The Hawaiian homelands program was established to provide homesteads to native Hawaiians as a form of reparation. However, it has been chronically underfunded, and much of the land set aside is unusable, with some plots located within unexploded ordinance zones.

What is the impact of billionaire land ownership on Hawaii's local communities?

Billionaire land ownership, such as Larry Ellison's purchase of 98% of the island of Lanai, can lead to locals becoming effectively the tenants and employees of these wealthy outsiders, impacting the local economy and community dynamics.

How did Mark Zuckerberg's land acquisition methods in Hawaii receive criticism?

Mark Zuckerberg faced criticism for suing hundreds of native Hawaiians with ancestral land claims to force them to sell their lands at auction for low prices, a practice seen as exploitative and insensitive to local culture and history.

What are some of the measures suggested to address Hawaii's housing crisis?

Some suggested measures to address Hawaii's housing crisis include restricting short-term rentals and second homes, ensuring new developments are affordable for residents, and focusing on growing a more diverse and balanced local economy.

What is the significance of the number of native Hawaiians leaving the state for the mainland?

The fact that 15,000 native Hawaiians leave the state for the mainland each year indicates a significant demographic shift and suggests that the challenges faced by locals in Hawaii, such as the high cost of living and lack of opportunities, are driving them away from their home.

What role do community-led groups play in the rebuilding of Maui after the fires?

Community-led groups in Maui are working to ensure that the community does not end up permanently displaced and to give locals a real say in the future development of the area, focusing on rebuilding in a way that benefits the community rather than just outside interests.

Outlines

00:00

🏝️ Hawaii's Tourist Paradise and Its Dark Side

The script begins by contrasting Hawaii's idyllic image as a paradise with the darker realities it faces. It humorously references TV shows set in Hawaii, like 'Hawaii Five-0' and 'Magnum PI', and their sometimes unrealistic portrayals. The main story focuses on the illegal act and bad luck superstition of taking lava rocks from Hawaii, the aftermath of a devastating wildfire in West Maui, and the tension between tourism and local life. The script touches on the history of Hawaii's exploitation, from its annexation by the US to the current issues of development and gentrification, which have led to a water shortage and resentment among locals.

05:00

📚 A Brief History of Hawaii's Colonization and Modern Challenges

This paragraph delves into Hawaii's history, from its settlement by Polynesians to its colonization by Western powers, particularly the United States. It discusses the impact of diseases brought by missionaries, the rise of the sugar industry, and the political upheavals that led to the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. The script also addresses the long-term effects of these events, including the military's extensive presence and its environmental impact, the state's economic dependence on tourism, and the struggles of native Hawaiians for land rights and recognition.

10:02

💥 The Impact of Military Presence and Tourism on Hawaii

The script highlights the negative consequences of the US military's presence in Hawaii, including environmental damage and unexploded ordnance left in sacred lands. It also criticizes the tourism industry for its low wages, contribution to housing shortages, and the resulting financial stress on locals. The paragraph discusses the high cost of living in Hawaii, the reliance on imports due to lost agricultural diversity, and the state's struggle with homelessness, which has been exacerbated by the prioritization of tourist satisfaction over local well-being.

15:05

🏘️ Wealth Inequality and the Struggle for Affordable Housing

This paragraph examines the impact of wealthy outsiders, particularly billionaires like Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg, on Hawaii's economy and society. It describes how these individuals have acquired significant land holdings, leading to resentment among native Hawaiians and contributing to the housing crisis. The script also points out the irony of billionaires owning large portions of the islands while native Hawaiians struggle to secure land through programs like the Hawaiian Homelands, which are underfunded and fraught with issues.

20:05

🚧 The Dilemma of Tourism and the Future of Hawaii

The script addresses the complex relationship between Hawaii and its tourism industry, acknowledging its economic importance while recognizing the social and environmental costs. It suggests that systemic changes are needed, such as rethinking the state's reliance on tourism and ensuring that development benefits local residents. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of community-led initiatives in shaping Hawaii's future and the need for greater awareness among visitors about the history and challenges faced by the local population.

25:08

🛑 Reflections on Hawaii's Past and Suggestions for Visitors

In the concluding paragraph, the script reflects on the historical injustices and current struggles of Hawaii, encouraging a deeper understanding and respect for the islands' history. It offers practical advice for potential visitors, such as not taking rocks and being mindful of local customs and sensitivities. The script ends on a humorous note, suggesting that visitors should enjoy their trip but also be aware of the complexities beneath the surface of Hawaii's tourist attractions.

Keywords

💡Hawaii

Hawaii is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean known for its natural beauty and tourism industry. It is a central theme in the video, depicting both its paradisiacal image and the underlying issues it faces, such as the exploitation of its resources and the impact of tourism on local communities.

💡Tourism

Tourism is highlighted as a double-edged sword for Hawaii. It is a major economic contributor but also a source of various social and environmental problems. The video discusses how tourism affects local housing, wages, and cultural integrity, with references to short-term rentals and the pressure to reopen post-disaster.

💡Cultural Appropriation

Cultural appropriation is the act of adopting elements of one culture by members of another culture, often without understanding or respecting the original culture. The video touches on this concept in relation to the portrayal of Hawaii in media and the commercialization of its cultural elements.

💡Historical Context

Historical context is crucial for understanding the current situation in Hawaii. The video provides a brief history lesson, from the arrival of Captain James Cook to the annexation of Hawaii by the United States, to illustrate the roots of contemporary issues faced by the islands.

💡Environmental Impact

The environmental impact of human activities in Hawaii is a significant topic in the video. It discusses the illegal removal of lava rocks, the ecological damage caused by the military's use of the land, and the broader consequences of tourism and development on the islands' natural resources.

💡Economic Disparity

Economic disparity refers to the uneven distribution of wealth within a population. The video points out the high cost of living in Hawaii, the prevalence of low-wage tourism jobs, and the struggles of locals to afford housing and basic necessities.

💡Homelessness

Homelessness is a pressing issue in Hawaii, as mentioned in the video. It is linked to the high cost of housing and the economic pressures faced by residents, with the video suggesting that the tourism industry has contributed to this problem.

💡Military Presence

The military presence in Hawaii is a recurring issue discussed in the video. It examines the historical and ongoing impact of military bases on the environment and local communities, including the use of sacred lands and the handling of unexploded ordnance.

💡Billionaire Landowners

Billionaire landowners like Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg are featured in the video as examples of wealthy outsiders who have purchased significant portions of Hawaiian land. Their actions raise questions about land ownership, local control, and the influence of wealth on the islands' development.

💡Kuleana Lands

Kuleana lands are traditional Hawaiian land tenure systems where land is passed down without formal documentation. The video discusses the legal complexities and disputes surrounding these lands, particularly in the context of wealthy individuals acquiring them.

💡Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage refers to the traditions, values, and historical artifacts that form the identity of a community. The video emphasizes the importance of preserving Hawaii's cultural heritage amidst the pressures of tourism and development, and the role it plays in the island's social fabric.

Highlights

Hawaii's depiction in media often contrasts with the realities faced by its residents.

Tourism in Hawaii is discouraged from taking lava rocks due to legal and cultural reasons.

Returning stolen lava rocks to Hawaii is costly and time-consuming for officials.

The anniversary of a devastating wildfire in Maui highlights ongoing tensions in Hawaii's tourism industry.

Hawaii's history of being run for the benefit of outsiders is examined, including its annexation by the U.S.

The role of sugar plantations in shaping Hawaii's economy and politics is discussed.

Hawaii's military presence has had a significant environmental impact on the islands.

The U.S. military's training activities have left unexploded ordnance in sacred Hawaiian lands.

Hawaii's housing crisis is exacerbated by short-term rentals and wealthy outsiders buying property.

High rates of homelessness in Hawaii are linked to the tourism industry and housing costs.

Food in Hawaii is expensive due to a lack of agricultural diversity and reliance on imports.

Efforts to increase local food production in Hawaii have been slow and face challenges.

Wealthy individuals like Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg have made significant land purchases in Hawaii.

Billionaires' land acquisitions in Hawaii have led to conflicts with native Hawaiians and community displacement.

The Hawaiian homelands program intended for native Hawaiians is underfunded and faces numerous issues.

Many native Hawaiians are leaving the state for the mainland due to the cost of living and lack of opportunities.

Solutions for Hawaii's issues may include military lease renegotiation, housing policy changes, and supporting local economies.

The importance of respecting Hawaiian history and culture when visiting as a tourist is emphasized.

Transcripts

our main story tonight concerns Hawaii a

place often depicted as Paradise in

movies and TV shows like Hawaii 5 NCIS

Hawaii and Magnum PI where This

Magnificent clip is from morning

sister good morning sir

[Music]

HS don't work on

[Music]

Sunday yes that happened this fight come

as a shot to younger viewers but TV used

to be really good and thinking why are

you showing me that for this story even

if it took place in Hawaii nothing in

that clip indicated that it did hey shut

up I wanted to remind you of a simpler

TV time when you could shoot a nun to

solve all of your Hawaii crime problems

without worrying that someone online

would point out that actually there's no

rule that says nuns can't work on

Sundays and given that nuns are by

definition committed to service it

wouldn't be uncommon to see one

performing maintenance even on a Sunday

if so ordered by her Superior shut the

up TV used to be great not because

the people who wrote it were better but

because the people who watched it

were

anyway Hawaii is famous for being one of

the most popular tourist destinations on

Earth so much so many visitors can't

seem to resist taking a peace home with

them tourism officials in Hawaii are

reminding visitors not to take lava

rocks home with them yeah taking things

from National Parks is against the law

so taking volcanic rocks from Hawaii's

volcanoes is illegal but apart from

being illegal Legend has it that taking

volcanic rocks from Hawaii is bad luck

because of that myth many people who

take the Rocks end up shipping them back

to the island with notes of apology

officials say putting the Rocks back

where they came from costs time and

money

it's true that apparently happened so

much a national park official even said

we would love for people just to stop

taking stuff and then also please just

stop mailing us stuff and I get that

especially because a rock with a note

attached to it is famously one of the

most threatening forms of communication

there is he's right with notes where all

the letters are cut out from different

magazines a message scrolled in Blood on

the wall or literally any phone call

please just text unless you are planning

on murdering me and even then you know

what just do it I've had a good run I've

had a run we're talking about Hawaii

because a few days ago it marked a grim

anniversary a year ago the deadliest

Wildfire to hit the US in more than a

century ripped through the West Maui

town of lahina destroying more than

2,000 buildings causing 5 half billion

dollars in damage and killing 102 people

the aftermath exposed long simmering

tensions under the surface of Hawaii's

reputation as a tourist Paradise

especially when just a month later it's

governor announced plans to begin

reopening Maui to tourism even while

many locals were still traumatized or

missing something that understandably

went down poorly there it's just not

right to go back in into full force

tourism we're still

recovering funerals just started and

they want us to go back in are we

supposed to be jovial when tourists are

here in their bathing suits frolicking

in the surf driving these RS like

they're on RAC track drinking my ties

and partying in our face yeah you can

see why he might resent tourists no one

wants people partying while they are

suffering it's the main reason that they

never did a season of MTV Spring Break

Kosovo and it got worse because

developers almost immediately started

trying to snatch up property there L's

now baren landscape is being eyed by

developers who want to replace the

community with luxury properties to some

here it's a dark irony because

development may have contributed to the

catastrophe here over the years to

accommodate the growing tourism industry

much of mau's water was diverted to new

hotels and golf courses and away from

communities like lahina drying the town

out and turning it into a Tinder Box if

you walk right over here where all of

these hotels are yeah everything's green

and

Lush then you walk from here to town

yeah everything is dry that is

infuriating and for native Hawaiians it

must be difficult to shake the feeling

that you're an afterthought it's like

being introduced by your parents saying

these are our sons Tommy and Tommy's

brother or having a TV show announced as

stick around after House of the Dragon I

imagine I imagine that might be hurtful

it is frankly no wonder that around

2third of Hawaii residents apparently

believe that their state is being run

for tourists at the expense of locals

and the fact is the more you look at

Hawaii the clearer it becomes they're

not wrong about that but it's not just

tourists Hawaii has long been run for

the benefit of everyone but Hawaiian so

given that tonight let's talk about

Hawaii and let's start with some of its

history which isn't actually taught much

in American schools something that's a

little bit weird given it it only became

a state in living memory Hawaii was

first settled by seafaring Polynesians

as early as the year 300 but at least in

white people's telling the really

important stuff didn't happen until

around 14 centuries later on a uary Day

in the year

1778 two strange ships anchored off the

leward coast of one of the islands the

flag was English the man in command was

Captain James Cook in 1835 the first

permanent Plantation was established on

the island of

Kawai within 3 years there were 20 sugar

Mills from these modest Beginnings a

great industry was to grow now that clip

leaves out a lot but you probably

already knew knew that the second you

heard the most ominous line in any

historical film the flag was

English it's like seeing oranges in The

Godfather when the British flag appears

on an old newsreel you know someone's

about to die and shit's about to go down

that first Western contact led to the

arrival of Traders and eventually

American missionaries with them came

diseases which would eventually reduce

the native population by as much as 90%

descendants of the missionaries set up

those sugar plantations and soon came to

dominate politics and economic life on

the islands and while racist writings of

the time paint Hawaii as a primitive

tyrannical society that wasn't the case

it was a constitutional monarchy that

actually banned slavery in 1852 before

the US did and had one of the highest

literacy rates in the world nevertheless

in 1887 a small group of white

plantation owners and businessmen forced

Hawaii's King at gunpoint to sign what

became known as the bayonet Constitution

basically transferring much of his power

to them when his sister Queen lilio

colani succeeded him she vowed to undo

that so the businessman planned a coup

to overthrow her fun fact one of the

coup's leaders was Sanford Dole of the

pineapple dolls and also the only man

ever to have a mustache and a beard that

is also a

mustache he pushed for the US to Annex

the islands against the will of native

Hawaiian who collected over 38,000

signatures to oppose it which

considering there were about 40,000

native Hawaiian at the time is whopping

90 5% but do and his conspirators got

their way and with the help of the US

military the queen was overthrown and

Hawaii was annexed into the United

States although again when white people

tell the story of that era it tends to

sound a bit different the queen last of

a long line of Polynesian rulers signed

the abdication that made Hawaii an

American possession these native troops

became soldiers of Uncle Sam happy that

her Island Kingdom became an American

protectorate the queen of aw that

farewell yes there's the queen of Hawaii

now dressed in her celebratory black

signing the islands over to America

completely of her own free will

surrounded by her closest friends

several armed white men with

mustaches Hawaii eventually became

America's 50th state in 1959 and 34

years later Congress passed a resolution

formally apologizing to native Hawaiians

for the overthrow of the Hawaiian

Kingdom which is nice isn't it it's

always nice to say sorry for things you

know whether it's for running late or

making your pretend wedding to a cabbage

nicer than your actual wedding with your

human wife or violent imperialism people

appreciate a sincere apology I think but

despite that apology over the past

Century a number of groups from the US

military to tourists to the extremely

wealthy have continued to exploit Hawaii

and let's start with the military

Hawaii's long been used as a strategic

military base in the Pacific thanks to

Michael Bay we all now know about the

tragedy suffered by beautiful white

people at Pearl Harbor but the

military's long had an extensive

presence in Hawaii more than you may

even realize there are 12 key military

installations and bases across the state

and it hasn't exactly been a sensitive

custodian of the land that it occupies

take the pakala training area 132,000

acre live fire range on the big island

of Hawaii much of it is on federal land

that was confiscated after Hawaii was

annexed but the military also leased

some more land from the state at a

ridiculously low rate and to put it

mildly hasn't a great tenant in 1964 the

military secured a lease for 30,000

acres of land that they could train on

for the next 65 years all for $1 since

then they've dropped bombs from Planes

launched Rockets from helicopters shot

targets with mortars and artillery and

left behind unknown amounts of

unexploded ordinance this happens every

day it happens not not necessarily every

day but pretty regularly it must be a

big task to go in and clean all that

up so further for the impact area where

where we're firing now um we that's we

we let that we let that be oh it's never

clean the impact area is is the is uh is

left as it is when we fire in there and

that's for that's for safety safety

reasons does that mean like decades and

decades and nobody goes in and picks the

stuff up correct wow setting aside the

fact the military got their own 65e

playground for $1 that that is some

nuclear grade euphemizing there the

place we've been bombing that's an

impact area and it's not unclean it's

just left as is for safety reasons I

could watch that man spin awful things

all night I didn't cheat on my wife I

mely discovered an alternate penis

holding area and I'm not telling her

about it for safety reasons but that is

by no means the only place the

militaries failed to clean up after

itself after the attack on pole Harbor

the US took over this island sacred to

native Hawaiian and used it has a

training ground bombing the out of

it but even after activists risk their

lives to stop the bombing and a

multi-million dollar effort to clean it

up had been completed a full quarter was

still not cleared to this day more

shells and bombs are sometimes revealed

by erosion and additional ordinance

sometimes washes up on the beach which

really makes you wonder if that famous

Jesus and the footprints poem should

have ended and I turned to Jesus and

asked then why was there only one set of

footprints in the sand and Jesus said

because my child that was when I jumped

up on your shoulders cuz there was no

way I was going to step on a

bomb no way my guy they're

everywhere but that's not all in 2002

middle school kids working on their

school garden uncovered a live grenade

and subsequently ordinance experts found

three more in the same area and just

three years ago the military's massive

fuel storage facility on aahu was the

site of a spill that poisoned a water

system that serves 93,000 people

thousands of people were made Sick by it

and the entire Island's water supply was

put at risk the point is the US military

has a pattern of causing an absolute

mess in Hawaii with activists having to

struggle to then undo the damage here is

one last example makua Valley on a

Wahoo's western shore the US Army seized

it after Pearl Harbor evicting local

families who'd Liv there for generations

and promised their lands would be

returned to them 6 months after the end

of World War II but it still hasn't done

that instead it's yet another of

Hawaii's sacred spaces that's been used

for target practice now thankfully after

activists took the Army to court they

finally got the military to stop though

the relationship between the two remains

to put it mildly strained activists with

the group malama makua sued the Army and

in 2004 successfully got it to stop live

fire training here now the group is

allowed to visit the valley but only

twice a month so the group has to walk

behind this representative from the

military who first has to scan the area

for potential unexploded ordinance

we appreciate access into this Valley

but we don't appreciate the fact that we

have to ask permission to be in this

Valley what is your relationship to the

Army right now the reality is it's

pretty up sorry for this morning but

it's not like um we're all best friend

okay first there is no need to apologize

for swearing if anyone is entitled to

say on national TV it should be you

as for not best friends I get it you

don't call an institution who steals

your that makes you ask permission

to visit it your best friend as we all

know you call that the British museum

but but as I said it's not just the

military who can take precedence over

residents of Hawaii that's true of the

tourism industry too which is obviously

a big part of Hawaii's economy

contributing nearly 20% of its GDP but

while tourists experience Hawaii as a

Carefree vacation spot many who live

there experience a very different

reality for one thing tourism jobs tend

to to be pretty low wage which is part

of why more than 2third of those who

live in Hawaii show signs of financial

stress like working multiple jobs living

with relatives and dipping into savings

Hawaii does seem set up to benefit

wealthy Outsiders take housing there are

currently 32,000 short-term rentals

across the state meaning one out of

every 18 housing units there is a

vacation rental like an Airbnb and a

majority of their owners don't even live

in Hawaii in fact nearly a quarter of

Hawaiian homes were purchased by buyers

from outside the state that is part of

why Hawaii is now the most expensive

state in the nation for housing and

given that it's hardly surprising that

Hawaii has consistently had among the

highest rates of homelessness in the

nation it's been an issue there for

years now as this report from 2015 shows

we've actually been told by some of the

city Crews to be

invisible and how do you want us to do

that some of Hawaii's homeless people

used to live in much more VIs visible y

Kiki Beach officials said that was

hurting the tourist industry crucial for

the local economy it started to impact

our guests they would comment about it

on trip advisor and elsewhere okay okay

it is shitty to tell homeless people to

be invisible but it's extra shitty to do

so to protect your trip advisor reviews

do you have any idea how useless they

are here's an example of one the museum

itself was wonderful I was very

disappointed that the entry discount

only applies to American Military one

star guess what that was from the 911

Memorial Museum a different onear Trip

Advisor review reads this experience

proves once more that NYC is best

likened to a gilded dumpster that is

roaming with every kind of vermin as

soon as night has been falling if you

are looking for true urbanity visit

Europe that's annoying thing to say

about anything but particularly

irritating considering it's a review of

again the 911

museum or how about a third trip of not

review that reads absolutely woeful

avoid avoid avoid stay well clear of

this establishment a review that is for

and I think we all know where this is

going New York's TGI Fridays I admit I

admit their viws aren't 100% wrong but

it's not just housing costs food is

incredibly expensive in Hawaii the

islands used to be self- sustaining but

one Legacy of the sugar plantations is

that they destroyed much of the

Agricultural diversity as a result

Hawaii Today Imports 90% of its food

with residents routinely paying some of

the highest prices in the the nation for

basic Staples as this woman in Hawaii

explains he let me show you how much my

groceries cost gallon of milk $9 five

apples I did eat two cuz I was very

hungry on the walkr

$15

$15 $3 an apple bag of grapes

$17 $17 is too much for that many grapes

in fact it's honestly too much for any

grapes grapes are terrible if you don't

eat them in three days they just shrivel

into skanky little sugar balloons let me

be clear about this you either be a

raisin or you be a grape I have no

patience for your fruit

puberty and awai's cant has said it's

addressing food cost in 2014 his

Governor set a goal to double Hawaii's

food production by 2020 which sounds

good but it's not a great sign that he

later change the target date to 2030 and

it is not clear they'll hit that either

but maybe the ultimate expression of the

extent to which Hawaii is being reshaped

by wealthy Outsiders is its growing

population of billionaires 11% of the

private land there is owned by just 37

billionaires among them Larry Ellison

Mark Zuckerberg and Oprah for sense of

just how much land some of them have

considered that in 2019 when a different

brush fire broke out in Maui people

trying to escape it wound up tweeting at

Oprah to kindly share the code to the

gate for her private road on her estate

so folks could evacuate now to her

credit she did that immediately the

state's Governor at the time even tweet

pointed out a big Mahalo to Oprah for

giving Maui County access to your

private road but it still feels a bit

weird that people had to ask in the

first place and other billionaires have

gone much further than just buying parts

of an island the rugged Shoreline

Sparkling Waters and pristine beaches on

the island of laai make this Four

Seasons Resort one of the world's most

sought-after vacation destinations

billionaire founder of Oracle

Corporation Larry Ellison loved the

remote Hawaiian getaway so much he

bought it along with 98% of the entire

Island for reported $300 million it's

true Larry Ellison bought virtually the

entire island of lenai along with most

of what is on it meaning he now owns its

main grocery store its Lan gas station

and the community newspaper he's

basically almost everyone's boss and

landlord and I know went by quick but

let's just at least acknowledge this

image that is Larry Ellison he's 79 and

no that's not his daughter it's his

granddaughter except I'm kidding that

was his girlfriend there she's 33 by the

way meaning he was 15 when Hawaii became

a state and she was 16 when he became

eligible for Social Security aren't

facts fun it's just one of many stories

that you probably won't read about in

leni's local

newspaper but when it comes to

billionaires in Hawaii nothing compares

to what's being done on Kawaii by Mark

Zuckerberg a real boy who wished Upon a

Star to become a wooden

puppet he is currently building a

gigantic compound that reportedly has

more than a dozen buildings with at

least 30 bedrooms and bathrooms centered

around two Mansions connected by a

tunnel that branches into a 5,000 ft

underground bunker along with a web of

11 tree houses connected by intricate

rope Bridges Zuckerberg also has a long

stone wall around his property which is

ruffled feathers among many native

Hawaiian for reasons that as you're

about to see are understandable so the

land that you own is just across this

fence right here yes but Mark Zuckerberg

has put up this wall and fence and it

says no trespassing yeah what would

happen if he tried to go over there I'll

get arrested for trespassing even though

it's your land yep the problem is kulana

Lands are passed down through the

generations without a will or deed the

lack of paper trail means some

descendants don't even know they own

land other times under a complicated

legal system called Quiet Title a buyer

like Zuckerberg can sue Kiana owners to

force them to sell their lands usually

at auction for pennies on the dollar and

that's just what he did suing hundreds

and infuriating many more yeah he sued

hundreds of native Hawaiian with

ancestral kolana claims to the land

using a legal maneuver pioneered by

white sugar Planters it is the most

unbrand white guy in Hawaii thing he

could possibly do is a thing that I

would say if I hadn't seen whatever the

this was now now Zuckerberg

ultimately withdrew from those lawsuits

writing an oped promising to work

together with the community on a new

approach but you should not so not only

did he continue buying up Parcels of

kuliana land himself he also continued

to support his co- claimant in the

lawsuit who was very conveniently a

kuliana owner who wanted to buy out the

rights of all the others in the end that

co- claimant successfully forced the

disputed Parcels of land to be put up

for auction then bought them for $2

million though as the local newspaper

put it how exactly the retired college

professor put together over $2 million

remains a point of contention and look

who can say where he got that money

apparently not me

legally maybe $2 million just fell out

of a random Treehouse somewhere but

basically it does seem like that new

approach for the community ended up with

Zuckerberg getting what he wanted anyway

and billionaires like him will insist

that they contribute to local charities

and help the economy there but it's the

larger Dynamic at work here where

wealthy Outsiders can out purchase and

outmaneuver a local population that can

be so dispiriting and it's instructive

to contrast the ease with which

billionaires can snap up whole islands

in Hawaii with how difficult it can be

for native Hawaiians to navigate even

programs designed for them take the

Hawaiian homelands program established

to provide homesteads to native

Hawaiians as a form of reparation

Congress created a trust of over 200,000

acres for it but there are some huge

caveats here Not only was it chronically

underfunded from the start much of the

land set aside is unusable in fact on

the big island hundreds of native

hawaian have been awarded plots of land

but can't build homes there because the

land is sitting within a

unexploded ordinance Zone what's more

the weit list is 29,000 people long and

as this woman will tell you you can be

on it for a while you'll see this or at

lists as of December 20120 the different

Islands you can see the Maui weight list

here I went on the weight list in 2002

this is 2021 so 19 years I've been on

my's weight list so I have to wait for

them to give me a lot when that happens

in my lifetime you

think probably not yeah probably not and

that is absurd she's waited 19 years

think about how frustra it can be to

stare at your phone waiting when your UB

bre driver is running 6 minutes late now

imagine that 6 minutes is 19 years and

your spaghetti vongal is a home that's

your Birthright and when you

take everything you've seen tonight the

cost of living crisis the low wages of a

tourism dominant the off chance of being

exploded or poisoned by the US military

it's frankly no wonder that many are

simply choosing to leave the islands in

fact each year 15,000 native Hawaiians

leave the state for the mainland which

now boasts a larger Hawaiian population

than Hawaii itself so where do we go

from here when a situation is this

complicated and took this long to

develop there aren't going to be quick

and easy solutions but there are still

some obvious steps that we could take

when it comes to the military's absurd

$16 65 year leases on state lands they

actually expire in 2029 and while the

military is currently trying to renew

them over the objections of many locals

I would argue that probably shouldn't

happen as for Hawaii's housing crisis

there are again some small ways to

address that right now including

restricting short-term rentals or second

homes and making sure what's being built

by developers is actually affordable for

residents and in general I'd argue the

state government should be focused on

growing a more diverse and balanced

local economy instead of prioritizing

tourism at the expense of all else in

the wake of last year's fires there was

a lot of talk of helping Maui rebuild

but maybe the question we should be

asking is for who exactly and to their

credit some community-led groups like

these have been hard at work in L to

make sure the community doesn't end up

permanently displaced and get a real say

in what the future there looks like

honestly when it comes to determining

the future of Hawaii you should probably

be listening less to Outsiders like me

and more to groups like these and

finally when it comes to tourism if

you're watching this right now thinking

I wanted to take a vacation to Hawaii

should I go well as you've seen many

people there do depend on the tourism

industry with others justifiably

infuriated by how it's exacerbated so

many problems that Hawaii's been

struggling with I will say though the

solution is not going to come down to

any single trip you might take it's

going to require much bigger systemic

choices that said if you do end up

visiting try to be aware of the the

history of what you're stepping into a

history I realize most of us were never

taught and remember that your vacation

spot is someone else's home also just a

few quick extra tips don't take any

rocks definitely don't send any back

with a note and if you see a none on a

ladder on a Sunday shoot her before she

shoots you that's just common sense