Why an Issue on Hawai‘i’s Soul?

Hawai‘i’s soul came into my consciousness in the fall of 2018, when I worked behind the scenes to help run the audiovisual program at the Hawai‘i Executive Conference. Duane Kurisu, in his second year as conference chair, passed along a video to show during the opening dinner. He was nervous about it. I was too, but not for the same reasons. I was focused on the technical rollout, while he was worried about how all the CEOs attending the conference would react to being asked to fight for Hawai‘i’s soul.

The video was dramatic, vividly relaying the perils Hawai‘i faces and what’s being lost. There was palpable silence after it played, then applause. Still, despite the emotional response, no one in that room likely imagined the existential battle Hawai‘i would be embroiled in five years later, particularly on Maui.

Although I’m no longer involved with the conference, I still worry about our state’s plight when I drive through a Honolulu of all new condos and don’t recognize the city I grew up in. Or when one longstanding mom-and-pop business after another announces they are closing. Or when I drive past the homeless encampments under the freeway.

Photo: Anthony Consillio

Then Lahaina happened. I woke up to the news and was confused at first, then shaken. Seeing Maui burn and people scramble for their lives was devastating to all of us at HONOLULU. Almost everyone on our team grew up in Hawai‘i, and it felt like part of our home was being taken away, both by tragic circumstances and something deeper. There was an urgency to dive in, but we’re not a breaking news operation, nor do we have reporters on Maui who can provide immediate on-the-ground coverage. So we mobilized as best we could to share information and stories and offer ways for readers to help. But as we started planning upcoming issues of the magazine, it felt like we had to delve further.

As a team, we love Hawai‘i, even though we criticize it at times.

Although I had heard peripherally what Duane (who owns HONOLULU, but never advocated for coverage) was doing with a movement called Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul, I never had a conversation about it with him or anyone. I visited the website hawaiisoul.org and learned that many of the same people who were at that conference in 2018 are now part of an organized effort to collectively find solutions to Hawai‘i’s biggest problems, the ones that erode our spirit.

I decided to devote this issue to these matters, not necessarily to focus on the official movement, but to address the topic through our own lens. I asked Don Wallace to write the main piece, a first-person column. He was on board, having strong feelings about the state of affairs in Hawai‘i.

As we got to work on the issue, Don and I were struck by not just how organized the movement is, and who is involved, but by the commitment of those taking part. Don wrote me this email about his interview with Native Hawaiian activist Jon Osorio, someone he deeply respects for staying true to his convictions. He didn’t think Osorio would agree to an interview: “It is impressive that a) he wanted to talk and b) is convinced [Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul] is doing something unique and very valuable.”

Along with Don’s column, which diverts from more typical third-person articles, the rest of the issue came together seamlessly. Tasked with writing ‘Ono and Style stories that tie into the overall theme, editors Mari Taketa and Brie Thalmann deliver strong pieces in their respective areas. To get a young person’s perspective, I asked ‘Iolani junior Kaniela Spalding, featured on one of our recent Instagram Reels, to answer a few questions. I was blown away by his thoughtful responses and how closely tied they are to the theme. Former Gov. John Waihe‘e, meanwhile, effectively caps the issue with his Afterthoughts column.

When you assemble pieces such as these, you need a logical and organized plan of action. But more so, you need to be connected to what you’re writing. As writers and editors our job is to inform readers, but we also need to be invested in why we do what we do. I reflected on this a lot for this issue.

As a team, we love Hawai‘i, even though we criticize it at times. And as lifelong or longtime residents, we know what’s at stake, and not just since the Lahaina fires. We feel things worsening, slipping away. We want Hawai‘i to strengthen. With these stories, we hope to shine a little light on a way forward.