‘Hale Koa hates Hawaiians!’ Protesters say hotel is misusing their culture

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Native Hawaiian protesters gathered in Waikiki Sunday, claiming a hotel that caters to military personnel is misusing their culture.

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The group told Hawaii News Now that the luau at the Hale Koa Hotel is offensive to them because the event begins and ends with songs that honor America.

Demonstrators on the sidewalk outside of the hotel would yell out, “Hale Koa hates Hawaiians!”

At one point, organizers engaged in a heated exchange with someone who appeared to be a hotel guest.

The man said, “military owners,” as he walked past the protesters, to which they replied, “bummer, bummer.”

When he gained more distance from the group, he yelled out, “American citizen, thank you.”

Wahinekoa, the main organizer, responded by shouting, “This is not America, this is not America!”

The Hale Koa is a hotel for active and retired military personnel, disabled veterans, and their sponsored guests.

Wahinekoa said she and the other activists did not initially want to demonstrate. They wanted to discuss the luau with Hale Koa leadership, and had made several calls.

“I was hung up on, and we were repeatedly deflected, gaslighted, pushed to other people on the phone. So we came today to come share our manao,” Wahinekoa said.

The group said they were finally told they could go to the hotel to have a conversation about the event, but when they got there, “We were met with violence, we were met with many different police officers, military police, we were intimidated in the lobby and kicked out,” Wahinekoa claimed.

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The group then took to the sidewalk.

Uilani Kaleleiki, another protester, yelled out, “If you love Hawaii, stick up for Hawaiians!”

HNN does not have video of the luau itself, but Wahinekoa and Kaleleiki argue that anything to do with America has no place in an event sharing the Hawaiian culture, given what they call the U.S. government’s illegal occupation of the islands.

“This place that is built on Hawaiian land, and specifically the name Hale Koa, utilizing Hawaiian language and bastardizing it against us,” Wahinekoa said. “Our people that are forced to dance on a stage like monkeys, dancing for peanuts, when really, our culture is not being respected.”

Kaleleiki added, “They didn’t even wanna have a simple conversation today, they wanted to kick us out and silence us. That’s not right as Hawaiians, in our own homes, silencing us?”

The group refused to stay silent, and besides demonstrating, the group also took the time to speak with curious passersby.

Organizers also expressed opposition to the Rim of the Pacific military exercises, which concluded this weekend.

“The devastating effects that it has on our ocean, they’re playing war games in our ocean and killing countless marine animals right now,” Wahinekoa argued.

Events like the luau, the group said, reignite their passion for protecting their culture and the effort to restore Hawaiian sovereignty.

“If we could just have a simple talk of just removing those simple things that we are asking for. What is so hard?” Kaleleiki said.

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HNN reached out to the Hale Koa for comment, and we’re waiting to hear back.