Like many, I was very disappointed with Mayor Harry Kim’s decision to no longer allow hula halau to be housed at county facilities during the Merrie Monarch Festival. It is no secret that Hilo has a limited number of accommodations suitable for the traveling hula halau who visit Hilo every year, but Mayor Kim’s decision goes further. It potentially places traveling teams, classes or similar groups at risk of being unable to find simple overnight accommodations.
Like many, I was very disappointed with Mayor Harry Kim’s decision to no longer allow hula halau to be housed at county facilities during the Merrie Monarch Festival. It is no secret that Hilo has a limited number of accommodations suitable for the traveling hula halau who visit Hilo every year, but Mayor Kim’s decision goes further. It potentially places traveling teams, classes or similar groups at risk of being unable to find simple overnight accommodations.
By fate, I learned of Mayor Kim’s decision 30 minutes before walking into a meeting with Merrie Monarch Festival President Luana Kawelu, who learned about the decision after being alerted to a post on social media. In that meeting, I listened with my wholebeing to Aunty Luana. Like so many of you, I felt a wide range of emotions: Aloha for our community, pride for the festival, hope for economic and social benefits, now, all at risk, with the stroke of a pen by Mayor Kim. With grace and an unwavering, calming voice, Aunty Luana said, “Sue, we will find a way; the festival has always been good to Hilo and Hilo will come through for the festival.”
Aunty Luana was right. Since that time, an amazing network of community partners have eagerly stepped up to offer assistance. Council member Aaron Chung and I have kept in close contact with these community partners and the festival representatives to ensure we find a smart way forward.
Mayor Kim advocates for health and safety as core values for a thriving community. However, these values cannot be both a sword and a shield for political expediency. If we are not careful, we will end up with neither as there are many other compounding factors impacting our communities. We can find balance and a path forward with all stakeholders at the table ready to have a robust conversation that addresses constraints and defines opportunities for our entire island. Transparency and promising ideas will emerge, and trust throughout our community will grow.
Right now, we are harnessing the support of our entire island community and their aloha for the Merrie Monarch Festival to ensure that innovative, well-balanced opportunities thrive as we move forward. Opportunities like these remind me why I love where I grew up and how very special Hilo is.
Lee Loy is a Hawaii County Council member representing portions of South Hilo and Keaau.