HGTV‘s Renovation Aloha has found itself in a legal mess.
In the recent episode “Bones on the Big Island,” footage revealed the unexpected discovery in December of human bones at a Hilo property, which are considered deeply sacred to the islands’ ancestors and illegal to be broadcast under Hawaii law, according to the state attorney general.
“Holy crap,” Renovation Aloha host Kamohai Kalama said when he saw the remains. “There’s bones back here.” Cameras continued to roll, and preview clips of the discovery were posted on social media.
The Hawaii Attorney General’s office last week filed to obtain a temporary restraining order to prevent the footage from being disseminated, but it did not prevent the episode from being aired, according to court documents obtained by Honolulu Civil Beat. Named in the complaint filed April 14 in Hawaii’s Third Circuit are Renovation Aloha hosts Kamohai and Trysten Kalama, HGTV, producer Nathan Fields and Discovery Inc.
“The broadcast of footage depicting iwi kūpuna on national television causes profound and 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,” Deputy Attorney General Miranda Steed wrote in the court complaint.
Per HGTV, in Renovation Aloha, husband-and-wife renovation duo Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama tackle dilapidated properties on the Big Island and, with the help of their large extended family, revitalize some of the gnarliest houses in Hawaii into beautiful family homes for generations to come.
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“We take the concerns raised by the Native Hawaiian community very seriously and are committed to ensuring our programming is respectful and appropriate,” an HGTV spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline. “We apologize to anyone who found any part of the episode offensive, as that was not HGTV’s intention.”
HGTV re-edited the episode, which originally aired the evening of April 14, removing footage of the remains “for all future network airings and platforms.”
As the episode noted, local authorities were contacted as soon as the remains were discovered. Out of respect, the Kalamas made the decision not to develop the lot, and the site later was blessed by a community elder.
The Kalamas last week took to Instagram live to address the episode, saying they followed the protocols they knew and that they never intended to build on the property, while stressing their respect for Hawaiian culture and practices.
The Kalamas have no editorial control over the series.
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