The Devastating Effects of Colonization on Hawai'i

The Dole Plantation is the first pineapple plantation created for the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, an offshoot of Dole Food Company. Founded in 1901 by James Dole, this plantation acted as one of the many catalysts in the history of exploitation of land and resources through the pineapple industry, and now acts as a popular tourist destination. Dole’s company began profiting off Hawaiian pineapple in 1903 and the industry increased rapidly (Bartholomew et al. 1390). James Dole is widely known as the first governor of the state of Hawai’i and furthered the economic exploitation of the region through his corporation. The industry was built on the backs of the locals, who were paid very little and whose land had been stolen from them, as well as Asian immigrants from China, Japan, and more (Suryanata 182). They then suffered more when it was decided that cheap production was no longer viable, and the pineapple industry left in favor of countries like the Philippines. The pineapple industry was one of the major exploiters of Hawaiian land and labor in its early colonization, and now the economy is suffering due to the ever-changing world of corporate greed and global markets. 

Waikiki Beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hawai'i. Located in the capital of Honolulu, this neighborhood is home to resorts, luxury stores, and countless tourist shops. Walking along Waikiki, tourists notice how beautiful and well-kept the area is, however once you move into the local neighborhoods it becomes apparent what money is spent on. Leaving the sight of luxury hotels, you come upon camps of countless homeless people, neighborhoods with decaying homes, and a poor education system. Marsella & McCubbin remark about the distinct difference in how Native Hawaiians live and are treated, noting these families are “more likely to be considered poor (12%) compared to the national rate (9.2%)” (374). As well as “more likely to be unemployed, with a rate of 5.7% for unemployed women (national rate: 3.3%) and a 7.0% rate for unemployed men (national rate: 4.0%)” (Marsella & McCubbin 374). The real Hawai’i that is not seen in pretty tourist brochures shows a lack of care on the part of public officials, and a great deal of control from large corporations. Local industry is greatly lacking, and the education system shows a great deal of issues. As well as harming the people themselves, tourism has also helped to harm the environment. The influx of divers and snorkelers along reefs has led to the death of much of the coral, and the trash created by tourists on beaches is immense (Canan & Hennessy 238). Hawaiian culture puts a large importance on respect for nature, and tourism is a large contributor to the destruction of that. Tourism in Hawai’i has turned the culture into something to be profited off of and used by tourists, rather than a home to many.

'Iolani Palace, the residence of the former monarchy, is a symbol of the freedom and power that the Hawaiian people have lost. Originally a home to the royal families of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, the palace became the capital of the occupying power of the United States, and now acts as a cultural heritage site (Gonzalez & Williams 668). The use of the palace as the state capital upon Hawai’i’s statehood shows the lack of respect for the former sovereignty of the region. The occupation of this important cultural landmark shows the ways the United States has contributed to the erasure of Hawaiian culture. Finally, however the US moved their state capitol elsewhere and the palace was made into a historical landmark. While this has furthered the access to the history of Native Hawaiians, it shows just how devastated they have become. Having most of their former symbols of state sovereignty now made into museums and national parks shows how much the culture has continued to die.

The Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement acts to preserve the sites of the former leper colonies on the island of Molokai. Created in 1865 in order to isolate cases of leprosy, these sites were extremely popular for Christian missionaries. The isolation of sufferers of leprosy began during the influx of western business interests and grew strongest upon the overthrow of Queen Lili‘uokalani (Herman 271). The colonies on Molokai were set up to keep them far away from popular tourist destinations, segregating large portions of Native Hawaiians and leaving them in the hands of Christian missionaries. These missionaries, while arguably helping those suffering the disease, used their position to further push Christianity in the islands. They blamed the illnesses on the “sins” of the indigenous people, essentially saying that the Hawaiians were at fault for the deaths of their people because they were "dirty". The missionaries who arrived brought with them countless diseases as well that furthered the death and suffering. Hundreds of thousands of deaths occurred at this time, leading to a sharp decline in the population of Native Hawaiians. Missionaries used these deaths to call for the “civilization” of the indigenous people, stating the reason so many did not survive was due to their religious practices, clothing, and overall way of life (Herman 282). This epidemic not only allowed Christian missionaries to overtake much of Hawai’i, but also led to the deaths of thousands and is a large reason that the Native Hawaiian population is so small today.