Hawaii: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Summary
TLDRThe 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
🏝️ 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.
📚 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.
💥 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.
🏘️ 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.
🚧 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.
🛑 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Hawaii
💡Tourism
💡Cultural Appropriation
💡Historical Context
💡Environmental Impact
💡Economic Disparity
💡Homelessness
💡Military Presence
💡Billionaire Landowners
💡Kuleana Lands
💡Cultural Heritage
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
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