Last Tuesday was, historically, incredibly eye opening for me. While the speakers were super educational and provided tons of information I had never heard or even thought about before, my real jaw-dropping moment was a few hours earlier in my ANTH 2000 class with Topher.
We watched a short film titled "Taking Waikiki". It was about the first American businessman and missionaries who came to the Hawaiian islands in the late 1800's and how those few people shaped the place forever, responsible for many of the issues faced today (massive sewage leakage and contamination from the Ala Wai for example). As depressing as this film is, everyone needs to see it. I never understood the power that so few people held. This centralization of power, not unlike a dictatorship, is key to the injustice and abuse that occured. As a result of the self-interest of Dillingham, McCarthy, Dole, Frear, Pinkham and a few others Hawaiians were literally displaced and moved off the land that they had farmed for centuries. This land was extremely productive, full of taro fields and aquaculture setups. This, supplemented with ducks, chickens, and their eggs allowed many Hawaiians in this area to be sustainable, supporting their families with some still left over. However, the Americans had a different plan for this land, Waikiki.
Today when I think about Waikiki there is only one redeeming quality, the surf. I'm now realizing this is only because it is the least touched aspect of this area (although still definitely and largely affected by human action). Beyond the unbelievable long boarding perfection, in my mind, is nothing but concrete jungle, sewage, and crowds. It's hard for me to imagine a day when the area was characterized by an extraordinarily complex drainage system, productive farms, and clean unpolluted air, earth, and water. It seems unreal that in so little time so few people could literally pave the way for centuries of destruction.
"Taking Waikiki" infuriated me, and I'm just some haole boy who's been here less than two years! Although there is no way for me to understand the pain endured by the native peoples during this time, the film exposed me to it so that now at least I know the truth behind one of the world's greatest tourist destinations. I wish we could just go in, tear everything out, and make things how they used to be. Still, we all know this is not possible and even if it was, that nature and society could not go back to way it used to be; too much damage has already been done. I guess all we can do is fight it from getting worse and maintain the natural beauty, though scarce in Town, that is still left.
I believe one day Mother Nature and Mother Ocean will have their revenge and Waikiki will be taken back.
i love this! thanks for sharing. and yes, one day we may see 'mother nature's revenge'. but maybe it will be more like 'mother nature's scolding'--so we don't die, we just get a strong warning! i generally show that same video in my intro courses.
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