**Legal Action Against HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Over Native Hawaiian Burial Remains**
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The Attorney General’s Office of Hawaii has launched a lawsuit against the hosts of HGTV’s Renovation Aloha, Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama, following allegations that they displayed remains of Native Hawaiian ancestors without the necessary permissions. This situation arises in the wake of the recent airing of a contentious episode that reportedly included footage of human skeletal remains.
The dispute centres on a specific episode of the popular renovation series, which first premiered in 2024 and features the Kalama couple undertaking home makeovers across the island of Oahu. The problematic episode, the third of the third season, was released on April 14, and has since drawn scrutiny from state authorities.
According to a civil complaint filed the same day in Hawaii’s Third Circuit Court, the Kalamas inadvertently stumbled upon human remains during filming at a residential site. Given the historical significance of the area, both the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) had considerable reason to suspect the remains could be classified as iwi kūpuna—sacred remains of Native Hawaiian ancestors.
The law in Hawaii offers stringent protections for iwi kūpuna, prohibiting any actions that may disturb burial sites including excavation, alteration, or photography of the remains, unless explicit written consent is obtained from relevant authorities.
The state alleges that the Kalama couple contravened these laws by posting photographic and video content that appeared to show the skeletal remains on their public Instagram account. Court documents indicate that at least one Instagram Story containing this content was still accessible at the time of the lawsuit’s filing. Furthermore, the episode itself purportedly included footage of the remains, despite the hosts reportedly not having acquired the necessary approvals from either the burial council or the DLNR.
The complaint articulates the profound harm that such a broadcast can cause, stating that it brings “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.”
The lawsuit names several defendants, including Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama, as well as HGTV, Discovery Inc., and Nathan Fields, the producer of the show. The Attorney General’s office is seeking unspecified civil penalties and a permanent injunction to force the defendants to remove any content that features the remains from all platforms.
In response to the allegations, an HGTV spokesperson released a statement expressing the company’s commitment to respecting the cultural values of the Native Hawaiian community. The spokesperson stated, “We take the concerns raised by the Native Hawaiian community very seriously and are committed to ensuring our programming is respectful and appropriate. We apologise to anyone who found any part of the episode offensive, as that was not HGTV’s intention.”
In an effort to address the controversy, HGTV has re-edited the episode titled “Bones on the Big Island” to eliminate any footage of the human remains. The revised version of the episode also clarifies that local authorities were contacted promptly upon the discovery of the remains, and the Kalama couple chose not to proceed with construction on the lot out of respect for the cultural significance of the site.
Following the backlash, Kamohai and Tristyn took to Instagram Live to convey their perspective on the situation. They maintained that they adhered to the protocols they were aware of and emphasised that they never intended to develop the land in question.
The ramifications of this incident extend beyond just legal repercussions for the Kalama couple and HGTV. The case highlights the ongoing challenges of cultural sensitivity and the protection of sacred sites in Hawaii, especially in light of growing interest in and pressure on the islands’ land and resources.
As the case unfolds, it has sparked wider discussions surrounding the ethics of property development, ancestral respect, and the responsibilities of media companies in portraying cultural narratives. The impact of the lawsuit is poised to resonate within both the local community and the realm of reality television as discussions around representation and consent continue to develop.
Meanwhile, further comments from the Kalamas and Nathan Fields’ production company, Fields Entertainment, are anticipated, as both parties brace for the potential fallout from this unfolding situation.