A New Wave of ‘Āina Warriors A few years ago, I was approached by the HK West Maui Community Fund to help document shoreline access points in West Maui. The website Westmauibeachaccess.org was created with the information gathered. It lists West Maui’s shoreline access points, maps, and photographs. The website also includes links to the cases, […]
The Problem With Cultural Heritage Tourism, and why the continued misuse of Hawaiian culture is wrong
United States Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), along with two other Senators, recently introduced Senate Bill 2395. Known as the “Explore America Act of 2018,” the bill would expand so-called “cultural heritage tourism” in the U.S. According to Schatz, this bill will be a big help for many people in Hawai‘i. “Every year, Hawai‘i sets new […]
The Boycott Hawaii Cure: How a New York Times writer got Hawaii so wrong
The Mar. 21 New York Times article “The Hawaii Cure: A first trip to the island, in a desperate bid to escape the news” is hard to read. Beginning with the first night at the luʻau where author Wells Tower is “hankering after something incontestably Hawaiian” and ending with him wanting to “poke lava with […]
The case against the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act
NOTE: The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act (click here to read the bill’s text). It currently awaits President Barack Obama’s signature. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (the bill’s sponsor) says the bill will “enhance and integrate native tourism, empower native communities, and expand unique cultural tourism […]