A Review from Waipahu of "The White Lotus" (Season One)

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"The White Lotus" is a hit series on HBO/MAX, now in its third season.  After I moved to Waipahu, my kids asked if I’d seen season one.  Prior to their question, I had never heard of the show.  

This tells you something about my ability to keep up with the times.  i.e. dinosaur

So my wife and I turned on the series.  We plowed through all six episodes within a week.

It was a well-done drama, perfectly cast.  It had an great script, soundtrack, and cinematography. It was filmed in Hawai`i, at an isolated upscale resort hotel.  I'm not sure of the exact location.

The show had "almost" NOTHING to do with life in Waipahu. 

At least how I've experienced life in Waipahu.

Perhaps that was the point of the entire season one: To show how fake tourism can be from real life.

I said “almost.”

Colonialism

One theme from the show was colonialism and its legacy..  It didn't take center stage, at least for the majority of season.  Instead, it was mixed in with the  many other psycho-social issues the characters dealt with.

The theme of colonialism's legacy lays hidden in Waipahu.  But it is present.   To see it you have to look at the background.

Once you begin to see it, you realize the legacy of colonialism is present everywhere in Hawai`i.  

In Waipahu, you can see the legacy of colonialism in some of the old buildings.  Especially the ones from the Oahu Sugar Company.  

Most people I have met have a very favorable view of life on Waipahu's sugar plantation.  Its multicultural community helped create the incredible culture of today's Hawai`i.  

The land for the sugar plantation was purchased by white settlers from Native Hawaiians.  And these white settlers gained a lion's share of the profits.  The concept of "private property" was itself a legacy of colonialism, which brought a capitalism to Hawai`i.

The Beauty of the Local Culture
































Another theme from "The White Lotus" season one that resonates in Waipahu was the beauty of the local culture.  Like the legacy of colonialism, the theme was just one of many, and didn't take center stage.

Until the end of the show.

* Spoiler Alert *

Near the end of season one, one of the characters gets invited to join a traditional Hawaiian canoe team.  He accepts this invitation.  

His acceptance completely transforms his life.

I find great resonance with this in Waipahu. 

In my short time here, the more I accept invitations, the more the goodness of the local culture is apparent.  And the more I am evolving.

Waipahu, and Hawai`i overall, is an incredible tapestry of cultures and ethnicities.

Perhaps this is a good lesson for all of us.  No matter where we are, the best of life can be found locally.

Comments

  1. Here In FranklinMarch 15, 2025 at 2:18 AM

    It’s Cousin Cindy. I love White Lotus and watching season 3 now. A good reminder that there’s always some going on beneath facades and shiny surfaces.

    ReplyDelete

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