COVER STORY: Hawai’i faces overtourism as travelers continue to

BEAUTIFUL HAWAI’I

And its plea to stop visiting

By Kiana Marsan

Islands of Hawai’i experience over-tourism during a pandemic

Despite escalating COVID-19 positivity rates from breakthrough cases and the variants, as well as a stagnation in vaccine numbers, an alarming number of tourists have flooded Hawai’i and strained its people, land, and resources this summer.

In June, over 791,000 people visited the area. They came without quarantining and sometimes without proof of vaccination, even though residents were told to reduce indoor capacities and social gatherings. They stayed in hotels, while the islands ran out of quarantine spaces and put COVID-19 patients on a waitlist. To keep their pools full, the Native Hawaiian population was prohibited from watering their lawns or cleaning their cars. Beaches that were clean and thriving during lockdown became once again polluted and overcrowded.

“I am hurt, confused, frustrated, and saddened by the influx of tourists traveling to Hawai’i,” said Chelsea Cordero, a multiethnic Native Hawaiian residing in Colorado. “With the limited availability of resources, I am in awe of how tourists are placing their individual interests over the wellbeing of the people and the land.”

Shauna Medeiros-Tuilaepa shared similar sentiments about the harm inflicted by the damaged state of her homeland. She is Native Hawaiian and the owner of No Ke Aloha Polynesian Food Truck and Catering.

“It is spiritually stressful and disappointing. Native Hawaiians, or Kānaka Maoli, are incredibly connected to the water and deeply rooted with the land. Although it is a trend that has been plaguing the islands for hundreds of years, seeing so many people flooding our lands is still hard to come to terms with on a physical, mental, and spiritual level,” she said. The Hawaii Tourism Authority recently announced its intention to cap the number of visitors staying at Oahu. Last month, Hawai’i Governor David Ige pleaded with tourists from around the world to not visit the islands through at least the end of October. Although the governor’s announcement does not prohibit travelers from visiting Hawaii, he said he is working with airlines, hotels and

Native Hawaiian Chelsea Cordero, who now lives in Colorado, shares a photo from Pu’u Manamana Trail overlooking Kahana Bay

other tourism-related businesses to “do what they could” to curb tourism to the state except for people traveling for essential business. The misguided belief that Hawai’i needs tourism to stay fiscally afloat is capitalist rhetoric that places the money of American tourists over the lives of Native Hawaiians.

“Tourism is a servants’ prison that keeps local people in a permanent underclass in our own home. It’s a system that only works when the people who play here are richer than us, [those] who live and work here,” said Kaniela Ing on Twitter. He is Pasifika and the campaign director for People’s Action. Cordero agreed, explaining that tourism has always been destructive to the islands and this has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

“The majority of the time, visitors fail to recognize or choose to acknowledge that there is an ethnic group native to Hawai’i and that this place is more than a playground or destination,” she said. “With this unintentional or chosen ignorance, people are dismissing an entire group’s history and current conditions, and this action is hurtful.”

Polynesians are the aboriginal settlers of the islands of Hawai’i. They formed chiefdoms and trading networks, and in 1795, the Kingdom of Hawai’i was established when Kamehameha the Great brought them under one government. It was internationally recognized, and they entered into treaties with over twenty nations—including the United States.

In the 19th century, Christian missionaries created a small class of American elites. They controlled the islands’ sugar industry, contracting laborers from China, Japan, and the Philippines. These businessmen pressured the Kingdom to give them greater control over the government and land, and it culminated in the overthrow of Hawai’i’s last monarch, Queen Liliʻuokalani. When the U.S. entered the Spanish-American War and found itself wanting a naval stakehold in the Pacific, Congress proclaimed Hawai’i as an American territory. In 1959, Hawaiians were asked to vote on whether or not they wished to become a state. There was no option for independence.

In 1993, Congress issued an apology resolution that acknowledged “the Native Hawaiian people never directly relinquished to the United States their claims to their inherent sovereignty.” This lip service served as momentum for the land back movement being organized by Native Hawaiians, which is alive and well today. The over-tourism that Hawai’i experiences is the product of this colonization, making the two inseparable. Tourists are the result of a settler mentality that the U.S. is privy to using Hawai’i’s people, land, and resources without regard for the preservation of Native Hawaiian communities. Visiting Hawai’i, while its rightful inhabitants are demanding that Americans leave, is a selfish act that prioritizes the comfort and luxuries of white and non-Native Hawaiian people of color. Native Hawaiians deserve to be given the energy and labor required to learn about and advocate for the issues that directly affect their communities, such as over-tourism. It is especially pertinent to the present moment to understand that they never needed nor wanted the voyeuristic business of American settlers on their land.

For those who cannot avoid traveling to the area, consider reading up on the history of Native Hawaiians, supporting locally-owned businesses, and seeking out online resources on how to practice harm-reduction while visiting.

This type of community care is the bare minimum to dignifying Hawai’i and its people. Medeiros-Tuilaepa summed this up best, saying: “Hawaiians are a beautiful, talented, cultured and kind people. Being giving and accommodating is so deeply rooted in our way of life, and this should not be taken advantage of or exploited. It should be appreciated and reciprocated in thankfulness and gratitude.”

Shauna Medeiros-Tuilaepa and her husband Cornelius are owners of No Ke Aloha food truck and restaurant in Aurora

Visiting Hawai’i Responsibly If you must still go, be a good traveler.

Bishop Museum in Honolulu

Aloha sign at the Daniel K. Inouye Airport Credit: Chance Horiuchi

Information sign at Three Tables Credit: Chance Horiuchi

Polluted Hawai’i beaches

As a traveler, you have the kuleana (responsibility) to treat the islands — and its people and wildlife — with aloha and respect. So, if you are still planning a trip to Hawai’i, at least follow these tips on how to travel to the state responsibly.

Choose local.

Support locally owned businesses that prioritize Native knowledge and eco-friendly practices, and are mutually beneficial to visitors and locals. Seek out culturally enriching experiences such as Kualoa Ranch and the Bishop Museum. Book with locally owned adventure companies, and shop at farmers markets instead of big-box retailers. Learn from those who know Hawai’i best. Opt for activities, like lei-making or surfing, led by Native Hawaiians. Learn about Hawaiian history, trials, and tribulations. Don’t be afraid to talk to locals and ask questions.

Try traditional foods such as poi (pounded and fermented taro root) and lau lau (pork and butterfish wrapped and steamed in ti and taro leaves) at local spots like Highway Inn, or enjoy an evening out at a restaurant, like Merriman’s, which showcases Hawaii regional cuisine, is mindful of sustainable fishing, and incorporates culturally significant ingredients.

Live Aloha.

Aloha is much more than a slogan. It is believed to be a way of life that Hawaiian ancestors passed down through stories, songs, caring for each other, and welcoming, open arms.

The simple act of greeting each other, strangers or friends, with sincerity and saying ‘Aloha’ — on the street, on the beach, in hotels, on hiking trails, on highways — manifests that spirit and keeps the love and light of Hawaii alive for visitors and local people alike. ‘Aloha aku, Aloha mai’ (‘love given, love received’).”

Bring your best manners. ’Please,’ ‘thank you,’ and a well-intentioned shaka go a long way. Greeting neighbors, bringing them food, and keeping the noise to a minimum are also ways to show respect.

Follow the signs.

Follow the posted signs and local alerts, laws, and authorities. Some sites and species are protected for cultural and ecological reasons; weather can change quickly, and terrain and ocean conditions may be more dangerous than they appear. Check the weather and surf reports, stay on marked trails and in designated viewing areas, and don’t cross private property. Although some states have relaxed their rules, Hawaii’s hospitals have limited capacity and resources, and everyone is still expected to wear masks indoors — regardless of vaccination status.

Take care of the land.

The concept of malama ‘aina (caring for the land) is at the heart of Hawaiian culture. Visitors to Hawaii share this responsibility. The islands’ ecology is fragile, natural resources are limited, and several endangered species. Reduce your footprint by using only what you need, wearing reef-safe sunscreen, picking up trash you find at the beach or in the ocean, avoiding single-use plastic, opting for human-powered activities (such as outrigger canoe paddling or surfing), carrying a reusable water bottle and bag, leaving the natural landscape as it is (don’t remove lava rocks and seashells, for example) and keeping a distance from wildlife.