DEAR ALOHA

Aloha. The word tourists hear when they board a plane to our magical Hawaiian Islands. It doesn’t stop there. Aloha is a universal welcome; said by tour guides and hotel concierges to the 9 million visitors that come every year. But what does it really mean?

It means so much more than just hello and goodbye. Aloha is a way of life Native Hawaiians are taught from a young age: to treat people with kindness, compassion, and inclusivity. Thousands of miles away on the continental US, aloha helps Hawaiians survive.

The reality is, Hawaiians are disappearing from their homeland. As more families are priced out of paradise, the growing diaspora is becoming more familiar than ever.

Eric Romento and Leialoha Kaʻula, Native Hawaiians in Washington State and Oregon, have lived in the United States for decades. After struggling to make a livable wage, Eric, a former hula dancer, moved his young family in the ʻ90s, a decision he still struggles with. He reflects on his own story of preserving aloha in a white suburb, and the sacrifices he made for the chance at a better life.

Leialoha Kaʻula is a cultural educator and hula instructor living in Aloha, Oregon. After moving away from her hometown of Hilo for a better education, she discovered it was no longer affordable to come back home. Now a Kumu, (Hawaiian cultural practitioner), she shares hula and language to other Diasporic Hawaiians. Through Leialoha’s story, we understand how the decision to leave Hawaiʻi stems from a complex history of colonization, illuminating the generational trauma we must navigate as Hawaiians.

As Leialoha and Eric grapple with the choice they made to leave, Hawaiians in Hawaiʻi fight to keep their homes and way of life. The repercussions of colonialism have made Hawaiʻi the most expensive state in the US to live in. Generational homes are being replaced by investment properties and short-term rentals, intensifying Hawaiʻi’s housing crisis. With the average home price at $1.3 million and the average annual income at $43,000, the majority of Hawaiians now no longer live in Hawaiʻi.

Dear Aloha examines the question on every Hawaiian’s mind: what will Hawaiʻi become without its people?

Film Content Advisory: Grief, Emotional Pain, Gentrification

Credits
Writer: Cris Romento
Producer: Erin Lau, Vee Hua
Executive Producer: Cris Romento
Director of Photography: Shaneika Aguilar
Editor: Cris Romento, Shirley Thompson
Sound Designer: Micah Garrido

Plays in

30 FOR 30: COMING HOME

Intimate portraits of resilience. From preserving Aloha far from home to pioneering athletes, activists, and spiritual teachers who defy expectations in the face of geographical barriers, prejudice, and societal norms—these short documentaries show how staying true to one’s self can be a transformative force.