And yet. Over the past months, Hawaiʻi’s reefs, long dying under the toxic pall of chemical sunscreens, began to revive. Monk seals, turtles, and dolphins swim undisturbed in their habitats. On Maui, 20,000 rental cars that once clogged the roads sit fallow in lots near a quiet airport. Small towns where kūpuna kānaka maoli (native Hawaiian elders) and their families live reclaimed some sovereignty over land rightfully theirs. Until today. Which brings me to you, my friend. From the moment you set foot in Hawaiʻi to the time you leave, you have the opportunity and responsibility to redefine what tourism can look like here.
“Social dancers know that it does count if you believe in yourself
when it may not be so easy to believe in yourself."
You hold that much power in this moment. I ask that you use it wisely. Start here: Understand your right relationship to the land. In Hawaiʻi, kānaka maoli lived in sustainable community for two thousand years before Europeans arrived and introduced diseases of the land, body, and mind. Hawaiian culture, practice, and spirituality understands the necessity of protecting the natural resources that sustain human life, and the insanity of trying to dominate nature. Land is sacred. Water is sacred. As are plants, animals, and all elements of nature. Consider this. Open your eyes to the power and tenderness of the world around you. Act accordingly.
"Hanalei Moon" by Loyal Garner
Educate yourself about Hawaiʻi‘s past and present. Do you know how Hawaiʻi came to be illegally annexed to the United States in 1893? Do you know the story of Queen Liliʻuokalaniʻs life and rule? Do you know that even President Grover Cleveland described the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi as wildly unlawful? Do you know about the Hokuleʻa and the science of celestial navigation? How about the wisdom of ahupuaʻa, taro loʻi, and the teachings of Puʻuhonua o Puʻuhuluhulu to protect Maunakea? Google is your friend.
“Social dancers know how fortunate they are who still have hope."
