Since the first encounters between Westerners and Native Hawaiians, Native Hawaiians were taught that their religion, cultural practices, language, and way of life was something to be ashamed of. After the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in 1893, Native Hawaiian culture was suppressed and banned, but the tourist industry still relied on Hawaiian culture to attract tourists and provide an "exotic" experience, promoting Hawaiian culture without Hawaiians (Dolim, 2014).

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Eventually, this translated into the media. While ignoring the voices of Native Hawaiians, the people and culture were skewed for profit. Countless movies about Hawaiʻi and Native Hawaiian culture have been released since the 1900’s, but have mainly encouraged “Pacific Paradise,” that is, pristine beaches, hula dancing, and the idea that Native Hawaiians live in a carefree society. Today, many people have obtained their understanding of the Hawaiian Islands and its people through media representations. The harmful and offensive depictions undermine audience exposure to an accurate representation of Native Hawaiian race and culture, erasing Native Hawaiians altogether (Tamaira & Fonoti, 2018).