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Christina Haack Addresses HGTV Show Cancellation With Cheeky Comment
Kamohai Kalama and Tristyn Kalama are facing legal trouble.
The stars of HGTV’s Renovation Aloha—as well as HGTV network, parent company Discovery Inc. and producer Nathan Fields—are facing a lawsuit after a preview for the third episode of the series showed the discovery of Native Hawaiian remains (known as iwi kupuna) which is a potential violation of state law.
The episode was reportedly filmed in December, per Hawaii News Now. In an April 17 Instagram video, Kamohai and Tristyn say they immediately reported the remains to authorities and to their kupuna (the name for Hawaiian grandparents, elders and ancestors) to learn how to best proceed after discovering the remains on their construction site.
According to Honolulu Civil Beat, citing court documents, the Hawaii Attorney General’s office filed to obtain a temporary restraining order ahead of the episode’s April 14 air date in order to prevent the remains from being shown on camera. However, a preview of the episode shared to the Kalamas’ social media account included images of the remains. Additionally, the episode aired with the footage still included. (The posts have since been removed or expired and the episode has since been edited.)
An additional civil complaint filed by the AG's office in the Third Circuit Court of Hawaii on April 14, and obtained by People, stresses that iwi kupuna are afforded “the highest level of protection” within Hawaii, and that state law prohibits the taking, appropriation, excavation destruction or alteration of burial sites. Similarly, per the outlet, photography of those remains is prohibited without prior written consent.
“The broadcast of footage depicting iwi kupuna on national television,” the complaint reads, per People, “causes profound and irreparable harm to the Native Hawaiian community, to the State's interest in protecting its cultural resources, and to the dignity and sanctity of the ancestors whose remains were depicted.”
kamohaiandtristyn/Instagram
Following the episode’s air date, HGTV issued an apology and confirmed it would release a re-edited version of the episode.
“We take the concerns raised by the Native Hawaiian community very seriously and are committed to ensuring our programming is respectful and appropriate,” said Warner Bros. Discovery’s Vice President of Communications Lynne Davis Adeyemi in a statement per Honolulu Civil Beat. “We apologize to anyone who found any part of the episode offensive, as that was not HGTV’s intention.”
Meanwhile, Tristyn and Kamohai shared their side of the story, apologizing that the footage aired and sharing that they tried to take every possible proper step after they found the remains.
“In our case, we did not build on the lot,” Tristyn said during the Instagram Live. “It was just instructed by our kupuna and the cultural practitioners we spoke to to leave it in place and to not disturb, and that is exactly what we did.”
kamohaiandtristyn/Instagram
Kamohai continued, “We gated up the property. There is a big fence going across the property, as you heard in the episode, that property will remain that way in perpetuity, which will ensure that no one ever gets to build on that site.”
He also emphasized the responsibility he feels to respect the state’s culture and history.
“I feel like you guys can feel it and understand what comes across on the television,” he said. “I know I don't have to be on here and explain to you how special and how important and how much family, culture history, the land means to us, as people, as locals, as Hawaiians. It—I almost want to cry.”
E! News has reached out to reps for the Kalamas and Fields Entertainment for comment but has not yet heard back.
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