‘Renovation Aloha’ Stars Sued for Featuring Burial Remains on HGTV Show

Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama are finding themselves in hot water following the latest episode of Renovation Aloha.

While exploring a lot they planned to build on during the show’s April 14 episode, the couple discovered human remains in a lava tube on the property. “We just found what appears to be human remains, so we are stopping everything and doing the only thing that I would know to do, which is call the police,” Kamohai explained in a confessional.

A text block featured on screen in the episode read, “In certain Native Hawaiian traditions, lava tubes were used in burial practices. These spaces were believed to help preserve the ‘mana’ or spirit of the individual.”

Later in the episode, Kamohai revealed that archeologists determined the bones were “ancient,” adding, “I spoke to cultural experts, and the most respectful thing to do in our culture is to protect in place, to not disturb the bones and preserve the history of the land. We’re just going to keep the lot. That will ensure that nobody ever builds on it, and the bones will be there, protected in place, in perpetuity.”

Previews of the episode featuring the remains were reportedly shared by the Kalamas via social media ahead of the episode’s premiere, per multiple outlets. A temporary restraining order filed by the Hawaii Attorney General’s office led to the removal of the posts, but did not prevent the episode from airing on HGTV.

HGTV

“Hawaiʻi law affords the highest level of protection to ʻiwi kūpuna—the skeletal remains of Native Hawaiian ancestors—and to all burial sites within the State,” reads a civil complaint filed against Tristyn, Kamohai, producer Nathan Fields, HGTV, and Discovery Inc, which was obtained and shared by the Honolulu Civil Beat. “HRS § 6E-11 prohibits the unauthorized taking, appropriation, excavation, injury, destruction, or alteration of burial sites and restricts the handling or disturbance of human skeletal remains except as authorized by law.

The complaint continues, “The broadcast of footage depicting ʻiwi 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.”

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In a statement to the outlet, Lynne Davis Adeyemi, vice president of communications for Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “We take the concerns raised by the Native Hawaiian community very seriously and are committed to ensuring our programming is respectful and appropriate. We apologize to anyone who found any part of the episode offensive, as that was not HGTV’s intention.”

Per the complaint, the motion seeks an unspecified amount in civil penalties and the removal of any future airing of the human remains footage. According to Deadline, footage of the remains will be removed from future broadcasts and streaming.

Renovation Aloha Season 3, Tuesdays, 8/7c, HGTV