When most people think of Hawaiʻi, they think of the warm climate, golden stretches of beach and salt in the air. The popular tourist destination is home to beautiful mountains overlooking the coastline and towering cityscapes with bustling streets.
But beyond the initial beauty sits a complicated past that the natives are still processing — specifically, how the tourism industry is affecting Native Hawaiians and the fight to preserve their culture. Some Native Hawaiians say it is the only way to sustain their life on the island, but others argue it may be to their detriment.
“As a Native Hawaiian, our cultural values and practices are greatly impacted by irresponsible and unsustainable tourism,” said Brandi Makalani Hyden, a founding member and the executive director of ʻApoākea Native Hawaiian Innovation Institute.
ʻApoākea, also known as Infinite Reach, works to help the people of Hawaiʻi and support underprivileged communities, including Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Indigenous people. The mission focuses on the grassroots problems that residents are facing.
Hyden said one significant ongoing challenge is gentrification from tourism. One example is a burial site relocation caused by the construction of the Ke’eaumoku Street Walmart in the early 2000s, when human remains were moved to make way for the store.
Although the Walmart remains open and natives came to an agreement with the store, the underlying dispute landed in court. In 2023, Edward Ayau, a Native Hawaiian who is a possible descendant of the remains, filed a lawsuit against the state of Hawaiʻi, the city of Honolulu and the real estate developers, according to a report by the Courthouse News Service. The report noted that Ke’eaumoku Development, along with the state, failed to follow the process for discovering Native Hawaiian remains.
“A double-edged sword”
More broadly, according to a resident sentiment survey conducted by the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, 67 percent of residents agreed the island is run for tourists at the expense of locals. Despite this, most residents also agreed tourism should be actively encouraged, as it creates job opportunities and supports local businesses.
Logan Gillette, a second-year student at Brigham Young University-Hawaii who is majoring in Pacific Island Studies and working as a Polynesian Cultural Center dancer, said tourism is a double-edged sword.
“A lot of our traditions and dances have actually changed to … fit more of a Western perspective,” Gillette said.
The Polynesian Cultural Center enables people to immerse themselves in six Polynesian islands by learning from locals and descendants of the natives. Gillette is a part of the Island of Aotearoa — the Māori name for New Zealand — where he performs the haka, a Māori warrior dance.
Gillette said tourism is the only thing preserving the culture and that the center does a good job of representing each island, allowing them to tell their own stories.
In the resident survey, locals also said the problems created by Hawaiʻi tourism include higher prices, damage to the environment and no respect for tradition or culture. Problems arise when tourists feel entitled to Hawaiian culture, said Hyden, of ʻApoākea.
“You can look at it from the outside,” said Hyden. “But you can’t expect that you have a complete and full understanding or an authority over it the way that the people who created it do.”
Cultural costs and community voices
A growing concern about cultural appropriation is spreading through Hawaiʻi as well.
“There are other organizations … in Hawaiʻi that definitely do exploit more of these cultural practices,” said Gillette, “because they aren’t really researching or studying more about the people that are taking charge of these dances or cultures.”
Ruth Goodfellow is the owner of Lychee Hawaii, a Hawaiian jewelry charm bar located in Duke’s Marketplace in Waikīkī. Her connection comes from living on various Hawaiian islands for almost 50 years and working beside the tourism industry.
She said that her heart is so connected to the land and people that her mission is to spread Aloha, the Hawaiian word usually used to mean “hello” and “goodbye.” It actually stems from the Hawaiian culture of love and respect.
“What I love about my job is I have the great privilege to meet the entire world every single day,” Goodfellow said.
According to the World Economic Forum, an increasing number of people are seeking to learn about the culture and appreciate the diverse aspects of a given community.
Hyden said tourism should be based on volunteerism and giving back to the community rather than exploitative practices. She would rather see a visitor volunteer at a conservation organization rather than go shark cage diving, which can agitate the wildlife.
“If people coming to visit us had the opportunity to have that education and awareness, or even on a small scale, or a very basic scale … it would absolutely help with making their visit better for both sides,” Hyden said.
The survey noted 86 percent of respondents think the authentic presentation of Native Hawaiian language and culture is important, but only 43 percent agree that tourism contributes to the perpetuation of the culture and language, showing a disconnect between the two ideas. Environmental concerns are also worrying many residents (92 percent believe visitors need to be educated about environmental protection).
Hyden believes change starts with awareness, legislative action and a collaborative approach.
“It’s our responsibility to make sure that those who are visiting us have ample opportunity and resources to learn about all of these things,” Hyden said. “They can make informed decisions and choices of how they’re going to behave while they’re here and what they want to engage in, what they don’t want to engage in.”