Indigenous Hawaiians Need Our Support!
How an episode of “United Shades of America” recalibrated my entire perception of the Kingdom of Hawai’i
Last month, I watched the United Shades of America on CNN for the first time. This docu-series, hosted by stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell, has aired since 2016. According to its episode guide, Bell focuses each episode on a specific cultural group that suffers from misconceptions and stereotypes.
Not only does he interact with diverse racial groups from one episode to the next — but Bell often hears the stories of specific ethnic communities. Beyond race and ethnicity, he’ll also explore the subcultures of people who work in distinct occupations or who have a specific geographical background.
The first episode I’ve seen was its most recent first-run episode. Entitled “Hawaii for Hawaiians,” this installment premiered on August 20 of last month. It delved into the obstacles faced by the Indigenous Hawaiian population — demonstrating ways in which all mainlanders and international tourists have been unknowingly contributing to Hawaii’s degradation.
That means not just White people — but, additionally, visitors of every racial group or nationality who journey to Hawaii with a failure to understand its painful past.
