Homelessness is not experienced the same in Hawaiʻi as it is on the Mainland.

Here, we do not like to call it homelessness. On the islands, everyone has a home—the ʻāina (land) is always home. What they lack is a house. Disproportionately, those who find themselves without a house are Native Hawaiʻians, either as casualties of skyrocketing living costs or the generational trauma of land loss caused by colonial rule. The indigenous people of Hawaiʻi are being priced out of paradise at alarming rates, while local governments appear to lack the will or ability to address the crisis effectively.

“Houselessness” is an ephemeral sculpture that acknowledges the neglected houseless crisis in Hawaiʻi and the historical trauma from which it stems. Over 100 years ago, Native Hawaiʻians were stripped of their land through devious land ownership laws, and the effects of this displacement are still felt today.

The sculpture depicts a hale (traditional Hawaiʻian house), constructed from pothos, coleus, twigs, branches, and a single plumeria—natural materials from the ʻāina. But it is held together by hot glue, an unnatural polymer. The glue is visible and unmistakable, standing out against the natural materials.

Inspired by the resilience of Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae, “Houselessness” serves as both a protest and a metaphor: the unnaturalness of Native Hawaiʻians being disproportionately houseless in their own homeland. By juxtaposing natural materials with an unnatural binding, the piece challenges us to confront the systemic forces that perpetuate this crisis.

Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae

Taking matters into their own hands, the Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae was built on the leeward side of Oʻahu by the unhoused, for the unhoused. Led by the late matriarch Twinkle Borge, who passed away on August 5, 2024, it represents the people’s solution to the houseless crisis when local governments will not or cannot act on their behalf.

But Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae is so much more than a typical encampment—it is a village, a thriving community of keiki (children), kūpuna (elders), and working families. It is where those without houses come together to support each other. Communal living is central to Polynesian culture and the hallmark of the village’s success. Through the village, residents are reclaiming their roots, subsisting off the land as their ancestors once did, and utilizing cultural practices to fight for their rightful place in paradise.