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Meet The Hawaiians Reclaiming Their Islands' Culture & History

Join Condé Nast Traveler in Maui, Hawaiʻi’ as we meet the residents working to reclaim and preserve their islands’ rich history and culture. As Maui evolves in the wake of major changes, residents like Native Hawaiian Ekolu Lindsey trace back the true origins of many Hawaiian tropes, helping us understand the delicate balance of encouraging responsible tourism while simultaneously honoring the local communities and native ecology.

Released on 10/03/2024

Transcript

[waves crashing]

[horn blowing]

Hawai'i is known as the epicenter

of the aloha spirit.

[gentle music]

People are filled with aloha.

But what is aloha?

To the tourist, the traveler, aloha is a salutation.

It's so much deeper than that.

Aloha is endangered because it became overused.

It didn't have the depth of meaning

that is associated with it.

We need to find the true aloha again.

[waves crashing]

Oluwalu is one of the last undeveloped

alluvial floodplains in the state of Hawaii.

So the Oluwalu Cultural Reserve

was created for those families

that still have a lineal descendancy,

and have a claim to these spaces.

My name is Ekolu Lindsey,

and my family has generational roots here in Maui,

specifically on West Maui.

The true meaning of aloha is when you start

volunteering your time in places like these.

So this is the hardening station.

A lot of these plants here are gonna be

planted in Lahaina Town.

After the cleanup is done

and people are ready to put plants in the ground,

they're able to come and get these for free.

We have a beautiful canopy coverage.

This is called the milo.

This turns into a big tree.

At Kipuka Olowalu, we remove invasive species

along a repairing corridor

to stabilize the Hawaiian biocultural resources.

This is the wiliwili.

And it's really easy to remember the name

'cause it's a wiliwili cool name.

It's a wiliwili awesome plant.

Now, when you look at these plants,

there's a connectivity between the indigenous plants,

and something in the ocean.

The protectors are on land

that protects something in the ocean.

According to Kumulipo, life began in the ocean.

[bright music]

It is important for the traveler to understand malama.

Malama is to take care of, to cherish,

to take care of things properly.

Take care of the plants, take care of the land,

take care of the people.

We are here to protect, preserve,

and rejuvenate these spaces, as well as share it out

with whoever wants to come.

[water rushing]

Our volunteer days is open to the public.

By volunteering, you're tapping into information

and experiences that you have not had yet.

It may open your mind to a passion that is unexplored.

We'd love for tourists to come, have fun and spend money,

and support the local economy.

Stay at the resorts that can accommodate

and have the infrastructure for you.

Tourism today directly employ about 20,000 people.

However, when you look at the overall percentage

in the industries that it touches,

it's about 75% of our employees in the islands.

My name is Lisa Paulson.

I'm a 30 year resident.

And I have background in nonprofit management.

Currently the director of Maui Hotel & Lodging Association.

The tourism industry generates revenue

in many different ways.

And one of the biggest revenue generators

is the Transient Accommodation Tax.

And that goes into providing services.

And so those tourism dollars are going back

into our daily lives here in Maui County,

and in the state.

We see about 75% of our short term vacation rentals

owned by people who don't even live here in the islands.

So, as an industry, we're in favor of the ones

that are in the resort designated areas,

adhering to all the laws, ADA compliance and safety issues.

[upbeat music]

So when we look back in some of the ways

that we used to entice our visitors,

it was very inappropriate.

We were telling the story of the culture

in not the most beautiful way that it is truly represented.

The all-you-can-eat buffet, the luau.

There's so much more to the culture

and the history here that is being opened up

by all of these properties, that we're so excited to see.

So we're here in Hale Kukuna,

which is our cultural center here at Fairmont Kea Lani,

just off of our lobby.

The purpose and intent of this space is to invoke education

and knowledge through Hawaiian culture.

My name is Kamahiwa Kawa'a,

and I'm the manager of Hawaiian culture

here at Fairmont Kea Lani.

[gentle music]

As we go further into the space,

is our lei hulu, or our feather lei.

Our feather lei are very detailed, very beautiful,

with vibrant colors.

Traditionally, they would've been

made with native birds' feathers.

Using feathers is traditional.

So feather lei is something

that was found pre-Western contacts,

and it was a status of your rank within society.

Another key element that we have here is this statue here.

This is Queen Lili'uokalani,

who was the last reigning monarch of the kingdom of Hawai'i.

She was exemplary model of being Hawaiian

and being proud to be Hawaiian.

There was a period of time in Hawai'i

the Hawaiian language was banned, hula was banned,

Hawaiian arts and crafts was banned.

And it's a very sad time within our culture.

So we bring her here with the hope,

the Hawaiian culture, through Hale Kukuna,

and the things that we offer and do in here.

By educating our guests, educating our community,

and our colleagues, can help to ensure

the Hawaiian culture is re-energized,

and will continue for many generations to come.

More managed tourism or educated visitor,

we would love to see them come,

and actually even give back while they're here.

Go plant in the lo'i, go volunteer,

go help eradicate non-indigenous plants.

It's an amazing act while you're here.

And you get to learn so much about where you've been,

and you carry that in your heart forever.

[waves crashing]

My name is Vene.

I'm a descendant of the island

called Maui Nui, Maui the Great.

But welcome to Ko'ie'ie Loko I'a.

And it is a royal fish pond

belonging to our ali'i, our royalty.

It was built by 10,000 Hawaiian men

and hand carried the stones that you guys see outside here.

So these guys are stacked on the outside.

The flatter ones more towards the top.

The big, big ones on the bottom.

[bright music]

Fish ponds were things that beautified the land.

The more fish ponds you had,

the wealthier you were considered.

When you guys come to Hawai'i, you know,

you feel like you've contributed and not just taken.

When we go to a place as Hawaiians, we wanna give.

And the greatest gift you can give a place like this,

I think, is your commitment.

Commitment to to helping us guys care for this place

as stewards of the land, as stewards of the planet,

wherever you may be.

And you take this mana, this energy

that you have from doing this back to your family,

back to your community.

And then we building the bridge of aloha.

It is so pretty.

Love this farm.

This place is awesome.

Wow, look at this guy.

Ready to go.

My name's Yeshua.

Born and raised here in Hawaii.

We're at Moon and Salt Farm up in Olinda, Maui.

Just here in the garden,

gathering some items for tonight's feast.

Gonna prepare a few things over the fire.

I grew up here in Maui, I grew up wild, I always say.

Jumping off waterfalls, surfing big waves,

hunting, fishing.

We named our business Kiawe Outdoor.

Kiawe is our invasive mesquite.

And we found our mission is to educate people

on the issues of the invasives here.

To utilize them.

They are absolutely delicious.

It's a great hardwood to cook over.

It's one of the many facets of who we are and our identity.

We are so much about the table,

bringing people around to feast well,

create these magical experiences.

To also say, Hey, while you're here,

let's teach you about how special this place is,

and how we can keep it that way.

Today we're gonna do a little poke.

Poke was just about you have this amazing fresh fish

that you went out and caught.

And you just wanna serve it in the most authentic way.

And native Hawaiians add kukui nut,

sea salt, and then seaweed.

So talking about some of our invasive species,

the Axis deer were originally brought here as a gift.

And 12 deer were dropped off in Kihei.

Now we have over 100,000.

They are vastly overpopulated.

They need to be managed.

[meat sizzling]

So here at Kiawe Outdoor, we love to serve venison,

and educate people on the invasive issues that they present.

And they are delicious as well.

[gentle music]

A lot of what I get to do as a business owner

is incorporating the history of fashion into what we do.

A lot of my inspiration comes from Maui itself,

comes from Hawaiian heritage that I have,

and from the 'aina around us.

This style with the ruffled collar,

which is like one of our signature looks that we have.

Hawaiian culture inspires really everything that we do.

We always think about honoring places,

honoring elements of those places,

and then how we can really be one with that place.

The top three things visitors should do

while into your time, stay at the resorts, be courteous.

What happens is when people come

and they participate in these activities,

doing restoration work, there's a shift.

We call it mana.

They, it changes them. [laughs]

Like you see today.

The guys, they just get,

you get to see how they feel towards the planet,

how they feel towards each other.

It's something bigger than them

that they realize that we're all a part of.

Aloha is the spirit of being kind,

being respectful, being welcoming.

Being hospitable to everybody and anybody,

no matter their background,

no matter their circumstances.

And Hawaiians have embodied that for generations.

And I always get emotional when I talk about this, but,

my biggest goal is that I'm making my kupuna,

my ancestors proud.

They come from the generation

where they were beaten for speaking Hawaiian.

They were imprisoned for practicing

Hawaiian cultures and practices.

It's my goal, my hope, that I can

[speaking a foreign language]

fulfill that responsibility, so that my future generations

of ohana, family, can know who they are,

and be true to who they are as Hawaiians.

The visitors, the travelers that come,

are people that are already open to these concepts of aloha.

When you can practice aloha, the doors open wide for you,

and you will be accepted as family.

[man singing in a foreign language]