Disrespecting Hawaiians
Disrespecting Hawaiians
I am so weary of disrespectful misuse of Native Hawaiian intellectual property and cultural traditions.
I just found out about a new product, Fresh Step Hawaiian Aloha cat litter, which claims that “it’s like a luau for your litter box.” I thought this was a joke at first, but it’s all too real. There have been and are a lot of products that make use of the word “aloha” (I seem to remember an airline) but this is the second time I’ve seen anything so spectacularly wrong and insulting.
Think of it: Dancers, event production companies, food vendors, lei makers, musicians, festivals — not to mention cultural traditions, sacred and popular — now all equated in the marketplace with something to control the smell of cat excrement.
This is not good. But what was the first wrong and insulting thing, you ask?
Well, a few years ago an entrepreneur in California thought it would be a good idea to name his sexually transmitted disease alert app, “Hula,” with the slogan, “It gets you lei’d.” It took quite a few people pressuring him for about six months, but he finally agreed to change the name of the app.
When so many kanaka maoli were killed because of Western diseases, why, oh, why did this man think naming his app after that people’s sacred dance was a good idea?
I ask the same question of Clorox and Procter &Gamble, who purport to be positive about diversity, etc. Why, oh, why? I am sure they wouldn’t have created a Mexican, Jewish, Swedish, Irish, Ethiopian, Chinese or Japanese version of cat litter — why are Hawaiians considered fair game?
I predict: epic marketing fail. I hope Safeway in Hilo stops selling it.
Please do not buy it. Thank you!
Amy R. Marsh
Pahoa
Potty solution
This is in response to a letter to the editor, June 4 regarding no potty at Kalapana. Our community, Vacationland, had the same problem with no toilets for the public.
It was easily solved by us providing one for the public and then asking for donations from those who use it.
It works out very well, is self-sustaining and the county is not involved. Also, those who use it pay for it, not those of us taxpayers who do not use it.
Simply call the two or three potty suppliers on the island and get bids.
James Lehner
Pahoa