We the undersigned, support the protection of ancestral lands on Maui's North Shore. We advocate to end the exploitation being facilitated by the World Surf League, and demand a halt of all attempted development by Alexander & Baldwin LLC. We will not tolerate sports washing and match fixing in the East Kaupakalua Ahupua‘a (Pe‘ahi) as it relates to surfing, a Hawaiian national sport. The lack of honor for the Hawaiian Islands, our People, History and Culture have been excessively paraded at Peahi and we will no longer tolerate such belligerent antics in Hawaiian waters.  

In solidarity with our Teahupo‘o cousins, we encourage surfers around the world to remember that surfing is the spiritual practice of being aware of and in tune with your surroundings, which means being respectful of the people and places that you interact with. Sign here if you agree. 

History

Oili Road is located in Ha‘iku, an area called Peahi more widely known as "Jaws" for the monstrous wave break that is found here on Maui's North Shore. A 300 acre parcel of land located below Oili Road was misappropriated in Hawaii's Territory era as a land lease to Maui Land & Pine for growing pineapple. When pineapples fully phased out in 2003, this land was treated with complete disregard by its previous "owner" who made no attempts to clean-up the excessive black plastic left in the ground from decades of mono-cropping. The land was never returned to rightful Heirs of these Hawaiian Kingdom lands but was instead, misappropriated to then sugar cane barons Alexander & Baldwin LLC.

These lands are considered contaminated from the blatant application of restricted use pesticides. Members of generational families in the area have suffered seizures, strokes and developed AERD and lung disease, a form of pesticide poisoning. For ten years, the resident tenants of Oili Rd. were tasked with self-regulating this 300 acre dormant property, fending off illegal waste dumping. Residents spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars in hauling trash and wrecked cars up from the gulches over the years. Many community work days were initiated and facilitated entirely by this independent resident task force. 

In 2013, Rodney Kilborn of Handsome Bugga Productions, began subleasing the 300 acre parcel below Oili Rd. from A&B Inc. to utilize the cliff for facilitating the commercial surf event production known as the World Surf League's Peahi Big Wave Challenge, a sports washing event. Upon assuming the lease, Rodney immediately locked the parcel and began limiting shoreline access for both Native and Non-Native Tenants in the area. The tenants and heirs of Oili Road have traditionally accessed the area for fishing, hunting, family nature education and recreation. Many lineal descendants and subsistence gatherers have recorded impact statements describing harassment by Rodney Kilborn in his attempts to rid the property of Hawaiian Subjects to ensure its exclusivity for commercial events and suspected future development agendas by A&B Inc. 

The World Surf League (WSL) has relied on the false stronghold that Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) owns the land, see HawaiianKingdom.org

Oili Road tenants were prohibited access by Kanaka Solutions Security at Pe‘ahi Challenge 2019. An interesting series of events after this incident show threads of connectivity to desperate attempts by the WSL and A&B Inc to silence and overpower the native tenants and heirs of the original land title holders. Residents in the area have been offered money by WSL affiliate representatives to sell their land, and for things such as "avoid event attendance". Many residents at Peahi who have witnessed the actions of the WSL, believe that the WSL is a discriminating organization that has misguided the essence and culture of surfing which was invented by the Hawaiian people. Corporate continues to disregard the cultural significance of Pe‘ahi.

Peahi’s “Jaws” surf break has made its mark on the world map but native tenants suffer from a sad compilation of corporate surfer elite. The Hawaiian people have been marginalized by the big wave and surfing industry.​

The cultural exploitation has been buried in the undertow and the mass media of this one-of-a-kind surf spot has blinded many to the true currents of trouble. Some Professional Surfers are colluding by participation to the corrupt forces that have stolen Hawaiian lands, water and therefore are contributing to the exploitation of Hawaiian culture. Adding insult to injury, the Maui surfers who repeatedly benefit from cultural commodification harness those exposures to further exploit Pe‘ahi and depict themselves as champions of the Hawaiian people through distorted narratives.

Our sacred places are being destroyed and our cultures have been commodified. Our land, fresh water and now our ocean coastlines are jeopardized. This place prejudice and people prejudice must end. 

Please stand with Polynesia. Aloha