Hawaii’s Last Outlaw Hippies

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Maybe not the last, but that's the headline of a Smithsonian Magazine article about the Kalalau Valley hippies on Kauai. Some have lived there on state land for 40+ years. It's a minimalist lifestyle, but they're managed to build a pizza oven, bamboo furniture, and channel water for their use. Native Hawaiians are not pleased, as they've moved rocks from previously built structures. Probably not too different from some Puna jungle communities and hermits?

First farmed by Polynesian settlers centuries ago, this remote paradise is nothing short of a feral garden, a breadbasket bursting with nearly everything a crafty human specimen needs to survive. “This is the closest that mankind has come to making Eden,” Barca says. “When the avos are in season, we eat avos. When the mangoes are in season, we eat mangoes.”

After half a century, the counterculture squatters of Kalalau Valley are facing a final eviction
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/ha...180968268/

Recycle Puna. Humans, although probably not you personally, have already left 400,000 pounds of trash on the moon. - YouTube's Half As Interesting

[randomq]

It's funny how we pay lip service to preserving the Hawaiian culture, while outlawing those that actually want to live a similar lifestyle. People only seem to get up in arms about landmarks and superstition, instead of actual living culture and affordable housing.

[Kapoho Joe]

If they really are living in harmony with the land, then okay but considering that it is State land, to be preserved for future generations, I would want to be sure that there is no negative impact. No erosion, no trash, no large clearings, no ganja, no invasive species introductions, no bodda da touris, etc, etc.

[Mangosteen]

Lived in Kalalau Valley during the summer in 1975.

Good times.

[randomq]

Maybe there could be land set aside for traditional living, and people that want to keep the simpler lifestyle alive? But living there would disqualify you for all but emergency public benefits, so you'd have to really participate and grow food, etc.

[kalakoa]

Maybe there could be land set aside for traditional living, and people that want to keep the simpler lifestyle alive?

We could call it "Hawaiian" something, maybe "Acres"?

[Durian Fiend]

Fascinating story. Thanks for posting this up. I imagined that there wouldn't be many women choosing that life, if any, before the author went there.

Disheartening to learn that some of the inhabitants just can't stay away from text messaging, Facebook and food stamps. Jeez....