The Fight To Take Back Hawaii | Foreign Correspondent
The Fight To Take Back Hawaii | Foreign Correspondent
For over a century, the destiny of this island paradise has been in the hands of outsiders. Now native Hawaiians are reclaiming their culture, language and land.
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“Hawaii is being sold to the global elite. It’s not give and take. It’s just take, take, take, take.” Filmmaker Chris Kahunahana
“They took it away in three generations. We’re going to get it back in one. Whatever it takes.” Waterman Pomai Hoapili.
It’s a slice of paradise for some but behind the postcard façade, native Hawaiians have a different story to tell.
Theirs is a stuggle for land, language and culture, forcibly taken from them by the United States of America.
Housing prices in Hawaii were already sky high, but in the midst of the pandemic they exploded as mainland Americans bought up island boltholes. The housing crisis is hitting native Hawaiians hardest, forcing many out of their own homes. The state of Hawaii now has the third highest homeless rate in the USA.
This is one of many problems facing native locals who are fighting to ʻKeep Hawaii Hawaiian’.
Reporter Matt Davis visits the Hawaiian Islands to hear from the people fighting to keep their culture alive. In a visually stunning journey, Davis explores the lives of people on the frontline of this modern-day native Hawaiian rennaisance.
“Resistance is not only how we get our land back,” says school principal Kalehua Krug. “But it is also medicine – that resistance is how we heal.”
At his school on the island of Oahu, the curriculum focuses on redsicovering the modern story of Hawaii after the kingdom was overthrown in 1893. The students study the Hawaiian language, hula dancing and other cultural practices alongside the mainstream curriculum.
Davis takes a tour around the back streets of Waikiki with celebrated filmmaker Chris Kahunahana, the first native Hawaiian to direct a feature film.
“Hawaii was seen as Hollywood’s back drop. It served as a beautiful location for a Caucasian centred hero,” he tells Davis.
His movie Waikiki shows the darker side of these tropical islands – the reality for many native Hawaiians.
Davis visits the powerhouse community leader Twinkle Borge who has set up a permanent camp to provide shelter for Hawaiians who are sleeping rough. She reveals an extraordinary plan to reclaim land and build a village for her community.
And he goes out on the jet ski with waterman Pomai Hoapili in the middle of the worldʻs most famous surfing competition – the Pipeline Pro.
Between surfing on the North Shore and rescuing people caught in the giant waves, Pomai has enrolled in Hawaiian language classes. He practices speaking with his 10-year-old daughter, who’s also learning.
He says it’s urgent for native Hawaiians to practice their culture.
“Be Hawaiian, speak Hawaiian live Hawaiian…If we stop down the line, people stop talking about us, we disappear…we’ve got to keep practicing.”
In Hawaii to compete in the Pipeline surfing competition, the world’s most famous surfer Kelly Slater asks the world to pay respect.
“Everyone who comes Hawaiian should, should take care of this place and really respect the culture and the locals,” says Slater. “It’s their home and it’s your place to visit, but, you know, take care of it and look after it and ever one can enjoy it.”
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I lived on 4 islands over the last decade and just moved away 6 months ago. The more connected I became to the Aina the more disconnected I felt from true Hawai’i and felt like I had to leave or I would be part of the problem. That and the fact I missed unlimited drives:) Good luck friends…
Hawaiians love Hawaii and methamphetamine
Good luck losers
Well maybe Americans don’t want you and Hawaii
Good luck being your own sovereign nation. You will be asking America for welfare.
Hawai minus US = third world back water. And very likely soon after hat a chinese outpost. And the chinese have no problem to treat anybody under their boot like the Tibetians or the Uigurs
Real owners is the menehune bloodline that Hawaiians took from them! Hawaiian do t want to tell that story! Smh
Best of luck. But I doubt they will give it back.
And anglos the thieves as always.
Hawaii was "united" by a mass murderer (King Kamehameha "The Great") in 1795. so the idea that the hawaiians were this peaceful people that got taken over is BS. not to excuse the horrendous actions of the US govt, and their long history of terrorism. But let’s face it, all large groups of people (whether indigenous or not) were united by force. Many indigenous tribes in the US were regularly at war with each other, killing and stealing from the "other" tribes. Humans are just prey to greedy, violent control freaks, no more "civilized" than the animal packs controlled by an alpha male.
Hawaii and Okinawa share much in common.
19:44 Military can train using the ocean, so why train bombings on land anyway ?
Use a floater and drop a bomb on it like 10 miles out, np.
I mean it can all be done differently so why don’t they ?
You people who go and buy out the islands from these hawaiians should be ashame of your greed and displacing a people and its culture.remember what goes around comes around.
They are not American. Americans aren’t america. They stole from the natives, the Hawaiians, and many others. Keep fighting!
"I’m going to show up to your school in my sports bra." 😭😭😭😭😭 That threat would be enough to keep me on the straight and narrow.
i love how they say that they were invaded by usa but if it wasnt us it would have ben others and we defended the islands for them i dont know why they look at it that way
In an American accent "WE ARE NOT AMERICAN!" Hawaii is no different to any other nation that was taken over which applies to almost every nation.
USA out of everywhere, they take just like Ruzzians and Chinese, cover up and bleed the people
I wonder if they can vote for independence?
This was an awesome documentary. Thank you for this!!
Hawaii is the land of it’s indigenous people, under occupation by those with military and financial power to oppress them. White supremacy always produces disenfranchisement, poverty and subjugation for nonwhites lacking power to defend themselves; I really hope indigenous Hawaiians take their lands back fully and determine their own lives and futures. Power to the people!
Maybe a start could be to take two thirds or some large percentage of the livable land from non-Hawaiian people and businesses and redistribute it to indigenous Hawaiians who can divide it up as they see fit, individually or collectively, or any combination of ways they choose, permanently under their complete ownership; with their own military to protect from encroachment and invasion from greedy hostiles.
They should be given their freedom. It’s sad that Hawaii has been colonised for soo long. Shame on the USA!
On the mainland we just call it the rez
Yes, I understand well what Hawaiians are saying. America took over Australia post WW ll. Little by Little, culturally and economically, which was then followed the Political Influence with the Military and Intelligence base in Pine Gap (totally excluding Austrlia) and Pharma lobbyists. Corporate Australia, now copyrighted and Patented in Chicago. An Off-shore business Hawaiians have been illegally occupied and the island was made the 50th State. Australia has become the 51st State with all the corruption of American politics especially these last 3 decade. It culminated in the agony of bad political decision making involving the man-made SARS CoV-2. Just one more Corporate affair. A scandal that has become an accepted part of life. Fight on, Hawaiians. Get back your land.
*FREEDOM FOR THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE!* 🇬🇧🌺
Love from the UK.
I agree 100% Americans stole the islands….HOWEVER….pull every military base out of Hawaii and let them annex from the states…….what will happen then? if they want to be honest, they will be over taken by China, Japan, Korea or whatever other powerhouse that would want that strategic Pacific region
All people should keep their own race and culture. Celebrate diversity
Become a new nation, simple as that, but it’s not gonna be easy.
I guess human rights does not apply to this situation.
Give it back cut all ties no government aid nothing .
The global elite need to go, No respect for my people and all the indigenous peoples across America the land that was taken away from the people of the land, who the government allowed to be bought from outsider, with no real compensation or real sincere 0thought and care of the people whose lands where taken away in the Polynesian sector and the America Give it back,! Or leave NOW!!!
Free Hawai From USA 🔥🔥
I recently visited Hawaii in February 2023 and it was great but every time we went to a local spot they literally did not like you because you were white and we were robbed but got our bag back because we chased the guy at a local beach didn’t feel very safe. And the cops could care less about it they asked me why I called them if I didn’t want to file a report. There was all the thief’s stuff on the beach a moped he crashed in the sand and 2 bags and our bag and they seriously asked so why did you call if you don’t want to report I said because we got our bag back there nothing I can describe about the guy other then a local .
I love Hawaii been there alot because my father does affordable housing in Oahu but Hawaii needs to think realistic. Hawaii is keeping the west coast of the United States safe from a chess board stand point and if America were to pack up and leave Hawaii they would be taken over by either China or Russia and thoughs countries would set up camp in Hawaii and have missiles pointed at the USA so if Hawaii thinks America is going to pack up they are sadly mistaken. I do agree we need to take care of Hawaii more than ever.
Good luck to you all.
Hawaii first should Stop taking financial help from the Federal n try to b self sufficient
Then can go to not give taxes to US
I don’t know anything about surfing but it seems dangerous to have one’s feet attached to the board.
Hawaiians must continue their fight to get back their independence! Make more noises internationally and get my more support from the developing world, many of which suffered from the US and Europe. Good luck Hawaii!
Mainland cities are adding to the homelessness by giving their homeless a one-way ticket to fly to Hawaii because of the weather. Also, the federal government made a deal with Micronesia because whst the government did. They could send their people to Hawaii, they would get free resources to live with
The people of Hawaii footing the bill.
This reminds me of West Papua and Indonesian invaders. Injustice worldwide is sickening!
I am convinced that neither Alaska or Hawaii should be part of America
Don’t complain about Tourism, Hawaii drove Pineapple and SugarCane out of the state. Now Tourism is the only thing that brings money into the state. Most homeless have drug and mental problems not housing costs.
The WWII that involved the USA and Japan if the USA lost then you would have been a Japanese country would you not, I hate the USA was shoving America down your throat, but if you have no military how are you going to fight off the aggressors if they attack and take over like the USA. Wish yall luck in taking back your country. Alaska faces the same thing, but Russia is trying to get that state back in their hold again. Of course it would be an easy way for Russia to attack North America too…
Btw, one of the worst US traits that’s come to Hawaii is getting obese.
Don’t do the obese thing, it’s bad for you.
What’s new that’s the American way.
Here’s a tip:
Taxes, when money comes into Hawaii or when foreign nationals have a lot
of real estate in Hawaii, tax them, they’ll go away.
Simple.
The rich are very allergic to taxes.
Anywhere white people go to, don’t expect the places to be the same anymore. They are more interested in owning the places, controlling the places, and making money from the places.
unfortunately we live in a shitty world…… and unfortunately Hawaii is in the middle of this shitty power struggle between nations….. who would they rather have as occupiers the U.S or China???,
As usual, the white man takes everyone else’s land. This is always disgusting!
I wish I could give them solar panels. As long as they have their community they’ll get by. We don’t hear much about their ethics in this, but you can tell they’re strong by how they stay together and look after each other.
As a Puertorrican i can see our mirror. At least we Still speak spanish.
FREE HAWAII
Btw speaking more than one language is good.