Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 9, 1 September 1993 — Neighbor islands offer alternatives to mainstream tourism [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Neighbor islands offer alternatives to mainstream tourism

Moloka'i Moloka'i is one of the only Hawaiian islands that has chosen to limit tourist development and focus more on agriculture and maintaining the traditional lifestyle of the residents. Some would argue the decision has been a costly one. With the decline of the pineapple and sugar industries employment has risen to 10 percent, twice the state average. lnstead of panicking and redirecting the eeonomie development of the island towards Maui- or Kona-style tourism, island leaders are trying to promote small-scale, community-based agriculture and aquaculture as a means of preserving the rural character of the islands and providing a viable eeonomie alternative for its residents. The Moloka'i DBEDT (Department of Business, Eeonomie Development, and Tourism) office is at the center of altemative eeonomie programs on the island has been involved in projects to restore fishponds, open slaughterhouses, put together backyard aquaculture projects, help homesteaders start agriculture, and develop fish hatcheries. "This is not traditional DBEDT stuff," says John Sabas, DBEDT eeonomie development specialist on Moloka'i. "We're a bit of a misfit branch."

IMaui The flagship of attempts to "Hawaiianize" the tourist industry in Hawai'i is the Kā'anapali Beach hotel in Maui. While still part of the overdevelopment that has plagued the westem shores of Maui, the hotel has made significant attempts to incorporate Hawaiian values and culture I into the management of the I hotel. "We manage by values," j explains cultural director Lori j Sablas. "At the l>eginning of the ?l program in 1986 we asked i employees to tell us what values I were important to them. What we found was that employees' 1 and employers' values were the | same. We then put together a I mission statement, a standard [ that employees refer to." The discussions between employees, mangers and owners helped establish a strong sense

Most of the projects they are working with are receiving state or federal funds, raising the eoneem that these enterprises might not be able to operate as independent entities. Sabas responds that any new projects need assistance to get going and that Moloka'i has the potential to be a profitable agricultural base. "Moloka'i has long been looked at as the future breadbasket of the

state. We've got eheap water and lots of valuable agricultural lands," Sabas points out. "But to get it that way you need assistance." For a variety of reasons, not the least of whieh being resident opposition, tourism has never been able to get a solid foothold on the island. Also, two of the major tourist developments are Japanese-owned, so the downtum

of family in the hotel, a feeling that everyone was working together for a eommon cause. While this value is not unique to traditional Hawaiian culture, it is an important part of it and it eontributes to the mood of the hotel today. Other Hawaiian features of the hotel include regular classes for employees on various aspects of Hawaiian culture, a hula hālau, archeological projects with Bishop Museum, and a kūpuna program that has an elderly Hawaiian eome onee a week to sit and talk to employees and guests. The hotel also has a cultural research department that helps staff formulate policy for the hotel and assists others in the eommunity that might need information about Hawaiian culture. Sablas explains, "Our program is designed for the employee. As employees begin to feel better

of the Japanese economy has made tourism seem even less appealing. According to Sabas, personnel have been laid off and hotels are falling into disrepair. On the other hand, island leaders are keen to attract more loeal residents to the island, bringing with them not only their wallets, but also a keener sensitivity to Moloka'i's natural and cultural environment.

"We'd like to see more marketing of state residents. This way we at least get a steady flow of visitors." Sabas believes preserving the quiet rural environment of Moloka'i makes the island an appealing visit spot for locals as well as maintaining the rural traditions of the island.

about themselves the start to share it with the guests. They feel pride and talk with pride about Hawaiians." Across the island in Hāna, the Hāna Maui hotel is accomplishing mueh the same goal using altogether different means. With fewer cultural programs the hotel relies on its largely Hawaiian staff and natural setting to establish a uniquely Hawaiian setting. "The setting is part of the eulture" explains general manager Chip Bahouth. "It is untouched ! and pristine. Also the people here are all related. It's a real 'ohana." Activities at the hotel include walks along the coastline, visits to ancient fishponds, and treks into the hills to capture the "mood" of the natural surroundings. Bahouth points out that when they have a lū'au at the hotel they don't truck in a group from the outside to do the entertainment but instead have the workers perform. "Your eheek-in girl, your waitress, your bellboy, even the eook will take part in the festivities." The Hāna Maui hotel opened in 1947 and according to Bahouth has always been this way. "You ean find the real aloha spirit here," he says. "The people and location really bring this plaee to life."

Kaua'i Kaua'i represents a unique ehallenge for those interested in providing alternatives to tourism in Hawai'i. Its largely tourismdependent economy suffered a crippling blow last September when hurricane 'Iniki virtually ground the industry to a halt. Now, with hotels shut down, and visitor rates plummeting, residents are starting to take a second look at how their island economy is structured. La France Kapaka-Arboleda, a very active and visible member of the community-based eeonomie development group, Hawai'i Allianee for Community-Based Organization, realizes the eeonomy's failings and is trying to establish a more diversified and independent economy using eom-munity-based eeonomie strategies. : «H For several years Arboleda has been involved in CBED projects around the island, including a University of Hawai'i backyard aquaculture program and an extensive taro project in Waipa. Both these projects have as a goal the eeonomie self-sufficiency of community residents. Arboleda believes the hurricane stepped up the process of impressing on residents the need to incorporate added diversity into their economy. She does not spend mueh time in the communities that she works

Lana'i Lāna'i may have suffered most from the shift in eeonomie emphasis from plantation agriculture to alternative industries. A small island, completely owned by one company, and inhabited largely by Filipino plantation workers, its range of alternative industries has been limited. Like most of the other islands it has turned to tourism to fill the void left by the decline in pineapple production. Two newly built hotels, The Lodge at Kō'ele and Mānele Bay Hotel, did one thing right when they hired Sol Kaho'ohalahala as director of cultural resources. He is in charge of ensuring the hotels take advantage of the cultural resources of the islarid and that the island and its culture are treated with appropriate sensitivity.

with, choosmg instead to provide them with the motivation necessary to get them off the ground. "I am the seed planter. I supply the concept so that communities ean find eeonomie alternatives that are best suited for themselves. I try never to be longterm." Arboleda tries to distance herself from any discussion on tourism because she realizes that many residents have spent a good deal of their lives dependent on the industry and it's difficult to try and persuade them that it*s now time to take a 180-degree tum. "I work separately from tourism. ... There's been a dependency (on tourism). It has meant mortgage payments, kids' education. It's hard to approach a eommunity and say this is bad. You have to show them altematives."

Kaho'ohahala has extensive experience in the hotel industry as well as being a loeal Hawaiian very familiar with Lāna'i history and culture. "The area that's been the most rewarding," says Kaho'ohalahala, "has been actually sensitizing the employees to the islands. Many have been born here but they don't know about the island." As culture director Kaho'ohalahala teaches employees about the history and culture of Hawai'i with emphasis on Lāna'i. His discussions include information about about historical sites, oral histories, and floral and fauna. Kaho'ohalahala believes giving emp!oyees a sense of plaee is important because it empowers them to take responsibility for the area they live in and teach visitors that eome through to do the same. Guests are educated not only through presentations but also by casual contact with employees. Explains Kaho'ohalahala, "Even housekeepers have contact with guests while they are cleaning their rooms. If questions arise during this time the employee ean share their island knowledge, on a one-to-one basis." Kaho'ohalahala believes the care of resources rests with the people and if the visitors ean leam something about the island, they too ean participate in its eultural and environmental preservation.

Moloka'i fishponds: building a future without tourism.

Kā'anapali hotel staff assist Bishop Museum during archeological dig in Maui.

Planting 'ōhi'a lehua trees at Kō'ele lodge.

Kaua'i taro grower. photo byAnne K. Landgraf