The upcoming CNHA conference may be the moment when Native Hawaiians conceded that the future for Native Hawaiians isn’t going to be in Hawaii.
Naka Nathaniel
Naka Nathaniel was an Editor-at-Large at Civil Beat from January to September 2024. Naka returned to regular journalism after being the primary parent for his son. In those 13 years, his child has only been to the ER five times (three due to animal attacks.)
Before parenting, Naka was known as an innovative journalist. He was part of the team that launched NYTimes.com in 1996 and he led a multimedia team that pioneered many new approaches to storytelling.
On 9/11, he filmed the second plane hitting the South Tower. His footage aired on the television networks and a sequence was the dominant image on NYTimes.com.
While based in Paris for The New York Times, he developed a style of mobile journalism that gave him the ability to report from anywhere on the planet. He covered the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and was detained while working in Iran, Sudan, Gaza and China. He is one of a handful of Americans who has been in North Korea, but not South Korea. He worked in 60 countries and made The Times’s audience care about sex trafficking, climate change and the plight of women and children in the developing world.
Besides conflict, The Times also had Naka covering fashion shows, car shows and Olympics. He did all three of those events in the same week (Paris, Geneva and Turin) before going to Darfur to continue reporting on the genocide (it was the fifth of sixth trips to the region.)
Naka lives in Waimea on the Big Island.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: What Happens When the Movers Are Priced Out Of Paradise?
Every box they unpack brings them a step closer to leaving themselves.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: My Top 5 Books To Read About Hawaii
Spoiler alert: None has the state’s name as the singular word in the title.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: Iam Tongi Shared An Important Message About Life In Hawaii
The inconvenient truth of how hard it is for people to make ends meet in the islands isn’t part of the normal sun and surf narrative.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: Here’s One Thing The Legislature Got Right
Early investments in kids reduces reliance on government support later in life.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: What’s Best For Our Kids Isn’t Always What’s Best For Our Ohana
Family is so important to life in Hawaii that it makes choosing to leave the islands for school or other opportunities all the more difficult.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: Don’t Confine Our Keiki With Selfish Notions Of Traditional Success
There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for success, but children should have the option and a clear path for “making it” at home.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: The Challenge Of ‘Making It’ In Hawaii
It’s tough for children in Hawaii because living here is the reward for those who have been successful elsewhere.
Posted inOpinion
Naka Nathaniel: Don’t Force Your Expectations On Kids. Provide Opportunities Instead
Let’s find a better way to help graduating teens navigate whatever may come next.