Lack of Hawaiian viewpoint cited

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

Duke's restaurant on the beach in Waikiki features lots of Hawaiian atmosphere and is credited in a state-sponsored study as an example of a nonexploitative approach to the Native Hawaiian culture. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser Feedback The coordinators of the public outreach, sociocultural impact portion of a $1.2 million state study on tourism want public comment on their research so far. To hear a report on the progress or to comment go to hawaii tourismstudy.com, or attend any of a series of public meetings: Kaua'i — 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wilcox Elementary School cafeteria. Hilo — 7 to 9:30 p.m., Sept. 11, University of Hawai'i-Hilo Campus Center, rooms 306 and 307. Kona — 7 to 9:30 p.m., Sept. 12, Kealakehe Elementary School cafeteria. Moloka'i — 7 to 9:30 p.m., Sept. 24, Mitchell Pau'ole Center. Lana'i — 7 to 9:30 p.m., Sept. 25, Lana'i Library Conference Center. Maui — 7 to 9:30 p.m., Sept. 26, Maui Community College Student Lounge. O'ahu — 2 to 4:30 p.m., Sept. 27, Waikiki Elementary School cafeteria.

The preliminary results of the "public input and sociocultural" portion of the study, to be released today, found that Hawai'i's tourism industry has contributed to a range of social changes among Native Hawaiians, including denial of access to native plants and fish, destruction of sacred sites, "offensive" misrepresentation of Hawaiian culture by hotels and tour companies and a growing disconnect between Hawaiians and tourists and Hawaiians and the tourism industry overall.

The findings were part of a $1.2 million study that grew out of the 2001 Legislature, a year after Hawai'i had a record 6.95 million visitors. The surge in visitors followed a decade of relatively stagnant growth and prompted questions about the effects of Hawai'i's tourism industry.

The full report will include an infrastructure and environmental study, which has been completed, and computerized models of the effects of tourism on the environment, economy and infrastructure statewide. It's scheduled to be completed by the end of the year to be presented to the 2004 Legislature.

The public input and sociocultural part of the study considered a wide range of issues surrounding tourism, including crime and housing costs.

Looking at crime statistics from 1975 to 2001, the study found that tourists are more likely to be victims. But tourism has less of an impact on crime statistics than the economy, unemployment, the effectiveness of the judicial system and the number of young males in the population.

"Visitors are more likely to get ripped off," said John M. Knox, whose John M. Knox & Associates, Inc. is coordinating the public input and sociocultural impact part of the study. "But in the big picture, there was little, if any, significant connection between tourism and crime."

Some of the issues raised by the report are not linked with conclusions or recommendations so far.

The coordinators want more input through the study's Web site — www.hawaiitourismstudy.com — or through a series of meetings scheduled this month throughout the Islands.

The study's authors said it was the first time to their knowledge that the state has tried to "analyze the visitor industry's impact on Native Hawaiians from a Native Hawaiian perspective."

The Native Hawaiian portion of the report was written by Peter Apo, director of the Hawai'i Hospitality Institute; Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, director of Kanaka Maoli Research & Development; Cherlyn Logan, vice president of human resources for Hilton Hotels Western Region; and Davianna McGregor, associate professor in the University of Hawai'i's ethnic studies department.

Hawai'i does have many examples of what the authors call "best practices" of positive, non-exploitative approaches to Native Hawaiian culture, such as the handling of ancestral remains by Honolulu officials and the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Maui; and the preservation of indigenous plants by the U.S. Department of Defense at the Hale Koa Hotel.

Other examples include Duke's restaurant at the Waikiki Outrigger Hotel, which has museum quality images, photographs and memorabilia; and retailers such as Native Books and Beautiful Things, the Bishop Museum Gift Shop and Na Mea Hawai'i that feature Native Hawaiian artists.

But more needs to be done, according to the study.

Separate voting seats need to be created on the HTA for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Native Hawaiian Hospital Association, as well as a voting seat on the Board of Land and Natural Resources for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Financing also should be provided for the Native Hawaiian Information Alliance, a program that seeks to connect visitors and local people with Native Hawaiian cultural experiences, according to the study.

And, a special land classification or zoning district needs to be created to protect cultural landscape communities, according to the study.

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8085.