Ricky Martin’s cover of "Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii" during Bad Bunny’s halftime show was one of many standout moments. The song, in summary, is a plea not to let what happened to Hawaii happen to Puerto Rico. It references the gentrification, overtourism, and the loss of sovereignty and distinct cultural identity that have plagued Hawaii since its colonization by the U.S [1]. This song is one of his most political and evokes important conversations about Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and their diasporas in the continental United States. Hawaii and Puerto Rico share a complicated history of colonization and a nuanced political relationship with the United States, which largely contributes to contemporary issues in both places.
Hawaii has a paradoxical relationship with tourism. It is both economically sustained by it, but demand for resorts and second homes has caused many Native Hawaiians to be “priced out of paradise.” I first heard the term “priced out of paradise” while watching American Idol. Iam Tongi is a beloved American Idol winner and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He is also Native Hawaiian. He was born on the islands, and his family later moved to Washington. Lionel Richie asked, “Why on Earth would you leave Hawaii?” Iam instantly responded, “priced out of paradise [2].”
Census data from 2020 shows that 53% of Native Hawaiians live in the continental United States, with 47% remaining on the islands [3]. The majority of Hawaiian migrants cite the cost of living and limited job opportunities, due to the economy's heavy reliance on tourism, as their main reasons for leaving the island. Hawaii has the highest median home price, with non-Native Hawaiians owning large swaths of land [4].
History lies at the root of why Native Hawaiians struggle to afford life on their own islands. As always, it’s wise to follow the money. Hawaii interacted with the U.S. and other Western states frequently throughout its history. U.S. colonization most forcefully emerged, however, in 1893, when a group of pineapple and sugar businesspeople supported by the U.S. government overthrew the new monarch Queen Liliuokalani. They made Stanford Ballard Dole, the leader of the coup, the president of the Republic of Hawaii [5]. Yes, that Dole. He was part of the family that started the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, which is now the Dole Food Company.
Shortly after, in 1898, Hawaii was colonized and annexed as a military base against its will. Statehood was supported by 2 out of every 3 Hawaiians during the year it became a state, but this was a result of decades of unwelcome U.S. intervention that left Hawaiians with statehood as their only avenue for political power [6]. Hawaiians could not control their own land or assert sovereignty, which created an opportunity for land grabs and the subsequent tourism spots that are so popular today. The inability of Hawaiians to control their own land and economy has forced many of them to leave the Island.
Bad Bunny alludes to this problem in Puerto Rico in the song. He says,
“You hear the farmer crying, another one has left
Didn't want to go to Orlando, but the corrupt kicked him out.”
He uses the Spanish word “jíbaro,” which specifically refers to the rural farmers in Puerto Rico. Orlando is a significant city, as a large Puerto Rican diaspora has immigrated there [7].
Colonization unjustly robbed Hawaii of its sovereignty, and its downstream effects have created this “priced out of paradise” reality. U.S. colonization and its consequences are a large part of the reason of why things are a certain way. Places don’t need to be defined by colonization, however. I believe that through good policy and strong leaders, formerly colonized states can be prosperous for their people. Hawaiian leaders have made constructive policy choices to help combat the negative downstream effects of colonization.
In the mid 1960s, the Hawaiian legislature discovered that 47% of its land was owned by just 72 private landowners. This concentrated land ownership kept land out of locals’ hands. Hawaii passed the Land Reform Act of 1967, under which eminent domain can be used to redistribute land from lessors to lessees. This law was challenged by a landowner in the 80s, but upheld unanimously by the U.S. Supreme Court [8].
Local leaders in Maui have also successfully prevented land grabs after the devastating fires in Lahaina. Many locals in Lahaina were uninsured and thus vulnerable to selling their land to non-native Hawaiians. A moratorium on land transfers and non-profits dedicated to “keeping Lahaina lands in Lahaina hands” prevented the historic area from being bought [9]. Hawaiian leaders have also passed laws making all beaches open to the public [10]. In Jamaica, locals have access to less than 1% of the beach [11].
Hawaii, while still plagued by high costs, gentrification, and a limited economy, has implemented policies that aim to address the problems caused by colonization. There is still more work to do to slow the flight of Hawaiians from the islands to the mainland, but the Hawaiian legislature and local leaders have passed meaningful policies that attempt to keep land in Native control.
Bad Bunny, in several of his songs, grieves a loss of culture and sovereignty in his home country, Puerto Rico. His music, however, is also a celebration of the Puerto Rican diaspora and an anthem of Puerto Rican pride. I think these two things can also be true for Hawaii. Things will never be as they would have been without U.S. intervention and colonization. Hawaiian culture and life on the island are altered by its history. But Hawaii has chosen to implement policies that benefit its native population and attempt to peel back some of the negative effects of colonization.
There is certainly more to do to ensure that all native Hawaiians can affordably live there and have diverse economic opportunities. As U.S. citizens on the mainland, we can choose to travel there responsibly and support policies that benefit native Hawaiians. What happened in Hawaii was tragic, and I hope it doesn’t happen to Puerto Rico. I believe, however, that Hawaii can and has started to separate itself from its colonial past.