This Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) woman, who requested to simply be identified as Aunty, is going viral on TikTok for urging tourists not to visit Hawai'i amid the Maui Fires.
With the death toll currently at 111 people, the fires have been utterly devastating. An estimated 2,200 structures — mostly residential — have been damaged or destroyed, and 2,170 acres have burned. As many as 4,500 people have been displaced from their homes.
In a video that's garnered 2.8 million views, Aunty urged tourists to stop visiting Hawai'i so the islands' resources can remain with Kānaka and residents as they recover from the fires. "We are islands with very little natural resources," she explained. "For all you guys who fly in, don't you guys drink water? Don't you guys take a shower? Don't you guys cook sometimes when you're here? Don't you eat out at restaurants where they cook and serve you water? So for every single one of you guys coming to Hawai'i, you are depleting our water source."
"If you're planning a trip that's leaving now to Maui or even to Hawai'i Island, stop. Stop thinking about yourself, and stay the hell home," she continued. "They're in a crisis in Maui. I don't know how many different ways we have to say it."
To learn more about why tourists should stay away, BuzzFeed recently spoke to Aunty, who is "heartbroken" and "devastated" by the fires. She, her wife, and kids spent the weekend shopping for supplies and transporting them via boat from their home island of O'ahu to Maui. "My keiki [children] are learning to give because you want to and not to expect anything in return," she told us.
Even before the fires, Aunty said that tourists and transplants contributed to many issues in Hawai'i. "Throughout the islands, the water has been diverted to feed into the hotels and golf courses, while the residents are put on water restrictions," she explained.
With climate change worsening drought conditions in recent years, Kānaka and residents have criticized the restrictions placed on them while tourists are oblivious to such concerns. During a 2021 drought, Maui County declared residents would be fined $500 for using water for nonessential reasons like washing a car or watering the lawn. Last year, the county again prohibited water use that wasn't essential and encouraged residents to take shorter showers and maintain native plants instead of lawns.
Tourism isn't the only battle Kānaka and residents are facing in regards to water. The US government is currently being sued for contamination at Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on O'ahu. A 2021 US Navy investigation discovered that over 20,000 gallons of jet fuel leaked into a nearby well that families relied on for water. Thousands fell sick due to the fuel leak. Last year, the Department of Defense announced Red Hill will be de-fueled and permanently shut down by August 2027. According to Aunty, "The military has polluted everything they've touched."
"Should tourists come here now, they will be using the limited resources residents could be using," Aunty said. She also noted that visitors staying in Maui Airbnbs are taking up space that could be offered to fire victims who are currently staying in emergency shelters. On Tuesday, Hawai'i Governor Josh Green and Airbnb.org announced the nonprofit would provide temporary stays for 1,000 displaced people.
As for the tourists who insist on visiting while Hawai'i recovers from this tragedy, Aunty finds them "selfish" and "entitled." She continued, "They only care about themselves. 'It's all about me.'"
"Please, please, stay away from Hawai'i for at least a year. We are not fantasy island. We are not your playground. Our ʻāina [land], our kai [sea], our people need to heal," she concluded.
To learn more about Kānaka issues, follow Aunty on TikTok. And if you'd like to donate to the Maui Strong Fund, you can do so here.
