Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 9, 1 Kepakemapa 2023 — KŪ KA'APĀ IĀ HAWAI'I HE MOKU NUI [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KŪ KA'APĀ IĀ HAWAI'I HE MOKU NUI

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Moku o Keawe is the youngest, and largest island in ka pae 'āina o Hawai'i. With more than 4,000 square miles of land, it is larger than all of the other islands combined. And yet somehow, Hawai'i lsland has, for the most part, been spared the rampant, unchecked development that has plagued O'ahu for morethan half a century and more recently, Maui and Kaua'i. This rapid, greed-driven development has inflicted extreme violence in its wake. Our iwi kūpuna have been unearthed; ourecosystems have been corrupted; countless native species have been eradicated; and our people, language and culture were nearly erased. With little left to pillage on the smaller Hawaiian lslands, real estate developers and corporate interests are increasingly fixing their sights on Moku o Keawe as Hawai'i's "final frontier" ripe for eeonomie exploitation. Already Kailua-Kona is unrecognizable, having been overdeveloped into a tourist meeea reminiscent of Waikīkī. North of Kailua town, West Hawai'i's coastline hosts no less than eight luxury resorts catering to the mega wealthy and the exclusive residential developments they spawn. Meanwhile, intrepid visitors are venturing out of designated "tourist" areas and encroaching into spaces and communities that have not invited tourism. Despite painful lessons learned during the pandemic about eeonomie diversity, sustainability and food security, and despite vows to diversify Hawai'i's economy, reduce our dependency on imported goods, and address the looming climate crisis, now that COVID-19 no longer terrifi es, many

of our government and business leadersseem happy enough to eonhnue Hawai'i's unhealthy dependence on the tourist industry despite the damage it wreaks on our environment, the strain it places on our infrastructure, and its contribution to the affordable housing crisis. Increasingly,the kupa of Moku o Keawe, Like the kupa of Nā Hono a Pi'ilani, in their own spaces and within their own kuleana are refusing to acquiesce. They do not accept that having their island remade by outsiders into someone else's fantasy image of what Hawai'i should be is somehow inevitable. They are working in their respective spaces to create eeonomie opportunities and industries that are relevant and healthy for our people and that pay them a living wage - rather than working for minimum wage to service the whims of visitors. They understand that as Native Hawaiians they have eonstitutionally protected rights, and they are asserting those rights, demanding to be heard, and teaching the next generationtodothesame. And while their opponents may have more time, money and resources, these 'Ōiwi are nevertheless determined to fip the script. It is an endurance match, but the stakes are high. They remain kūpa'a, immovable and resolute. ■ SEE ALL MOKU Q KEAWE STGR!ES QN FAGES 10 21